Golden Triangle

Golden Triangle
It was much the same on Christmas day. Although by this time, Charles and I were better equipped having brought face masks and adorned hoods. For sure, there are kids in Dali having nightmares of me jumping up and down spraying them with shaving cream. The plan was to go to warmer weather, so we night bussed down to Jinghong. After a very bumpy ride, we arrived at our tropical destination half exhausted.

Fortunately, for us we were in the most laid back city in the most laid back province. Located at the Northern end of the notorious Golden Triangle, the pace of Jinghong was barely a crawl. And we loved it. Over the next four days we chilled at a local cafes, ate great Pad Thai (offered up by some adorable Thai girls) got a pair of blind massages(they let their fingers do the walking), and downed our fair share of fruit shakes and beers. This was my first taste of the lotus fruit known as SE Asia, and I liked it.

We had a particularly fun night at a bar/club where we were again treated like 'B' list celebrities. People bought us drinks, girls blew us kisses, we dj'd some songs, the owner offered us partial ownership, etc. normal royal treatment. The men, I should say boys at this club were a bit odd. Halfway through the night a contingent of them had taken off their shirts and dancing topless. It was hot, but not that hot. And at multiple points there would highly encourage us to dance with some of the girls. At points, they even forcibly grabbed our hands and tried to get us to touch the ladies. Pretty uncomfortable. I'll sexually harass women when I'm good and ready, thank you very much.

We went back up to Kunming for New Year's, which was a bit anti climatic, and I spent my last day in China wandering around eating street food and watching Avatar (very cool). Charles went to Shanghai, I was set to leave for Vietnam.

Personal China Highlights
With over three months in the country, I got to experience more than most. I saw enough cities and places to have some favorites. Beijing and Hong Kong really stood out for me. Beijing mainly because of it's many interesting expats, and dynamic vibe. There are a lot of changes taking place in China and those decisions are being made in the Capital. HK is a colonialists dream; comforts of the West, prices of the East. It's an interesting mix of two very different worlds. You can spend the day shopping in the craziness that is Mong Kok and go to the track at night. Plus the city is near some great hiking and beaches.

Xiahe, Dunhuang and Yangshou all stand out for their geographic beauty. On the Tibean plateau, Xiahe has the look and people of a different world. I met some interesting people (Chinese, Tibetans, Travelers) there and had a couple really great experience, including playing basketball with monks, being invited for tea at a locals home. All around good stuff.

Dunhuang is on the border of the Gobi and formerly past the point of known civilization (at least according to the Chinese). This was as far West as I made it in China and while it felt a bit out there, it had a lot more charm than other cities of it's size. The desert was screen saver perfect. A one-night camel trek and the following days were enough time for me to get my fill of crawling up the dunes (some of the highest in the world) and sprinting back down. Making it out there (and all the stops along the way) was a nice little accomplishment for me. Since getting around along the Silk Road was a test to my non-existent Chinese.

The only thing that Yangshou challenged was my ability to leave. The scenery there was bucolic, filled with Karst mountains. Rivers, mountains, discos, what more could you want? Wandering the countryside by day, floating down the rivers, biking on small roads, drinking cheap cheap beer (or oreo shakes) by night, it was such a great place to visit. So great in fact that the city is filled with it's share of backpacker burnouts (not for me) and it was important that I got out of there before I spent my last thirty day entry in that one little town.

There's so much more to say about China and my impressions there. Without a doubt the best thing about the country is the populace, which I have to admit came as a surprise to me. The warm reception that I received almost everywhere was really what kept me in the country longer. I do have more profound things to say about my experience. But that will just have to wait (maybe next time...we'll see) especially since I now find myself in a different country- Vietnam! Where the clock is ticking.