Zhongdian Things to Do

Snow war is must do when you drive pass BaiMang Snow Mountain. There's a spot where all cars passing by will stop and let the passengers out for some quality snow war time. If I remember it correctly, I think it should be called "ShueLaLaKa" Junction, like you see in the picture.

Between the Golden Sand River and the Lencang River is the Baimang Snow Mountain with perennial snow - capped peaks. An area of 180,000 ha around it is designated as the nature reserve, with a perfectly preserved primeval forest vertical landscape and valuable animals and plants. The Yunnan Snub - nosed Monkey, the first class protected animal in China, lives in this area.

There are 16 pictures hanging high in the hall, which are said to have been painted by renowned lamas with golden liquid given by the Fifth Dalai Lama. The dim hall was brightened with numerous butter-oil lamps, and we immediately felt warmed up. We heard that the hall can hold 1,600 lamas sitting in meditation or chanting the Buddhist scriptures. Too bad we didn't came at the right time cuz I think the sound of their chanting together with the tolling of bells, is very calming and simply nice to hear.

We met 2 very nice lamas in the lamaseries, although they don't know much Putonhua, they still tried to explain things to us and kept smiling all the way, and handed each of us a red string while we left. I think it should be something that'll keep us safe. And we wore that through our entire Yunnan trip since.

And (forgive me buddha), they are really 2 very good looking guy...~~

When I was so depressed and wanted to leave.. I saw this cute little black piggy running around in the grassland near me and lightened up a bit.. so I yell "oh so cute! let me take a picture with you!!" As soon as I jumped over the fences and ran towards it... it ran away, fast like the wind.. and vanished behind the fog.... when I turned around.. I found that my friend was laughing so hard that tears came out of her eyes...
"I saw fear in his eyes... its like he saw Godzilla running towards him... wahahaa" * she said...

That's why you all couldn't get a good look at that cute piggy.. instead.. I got a horse picture for you.. they didn't run away...

Napa Hai, with the nearby Yila Prairie, forms the largest prairie in the Shangrila area. It is famous for the broad boundless grassland, all kinds of lovely vegetations, yaks, sheep and black neck cranes.... what a wonderful places...

It was raining when I was there, all I can see was yellow grassland and and the gray foggy sky~ obviously not as good as I expected...

White pagoda everywhere. It's not difficult to find one in ZhongDian. This one is located on a small hill, 15 mins walk from my guesthouse. These 2 women were praying (sounds like singing) while walking around the pagoda. After walking one round, they put a stone beside the pagoda, until they finished. They are very kind and friendly, however as being a Christian, I rejected their offer to join the praying team and opportunities to learn their prayer.

Many village houses along the road. Most of them built by wood, with stones on roof top to avoid strong wind blowing off the shelter.

I guess these people do not always see outsiders, whenever they see bus passes by, these local villagers will come out to look at us.

I have no idea on what this is. There are many of these kind of small stone pagoda along the road. Some people said inside the stones is a Tibetan Religous Book, where people will simply put a stone on it when they passes by, making it a small pagoda. Some suspected it is a tomb. Please tell me if you know.