Tom: Zhongdian (July 31)

Zhongdian (July 31) · Aug 2, 08:57 AM

Madam Pearl’s cough syrup (featuring codeine as the main active ingredient) knocked me out until nearly eight. I admit enjoying the lazy morning. I ate with the Dutch couple, having baba (local flat-bread) with honey. After breakfast and packing up, I left. In less than an hour I had hiked to Tina’s Guesthouse. The trail down to her place ran along the side of a steep mountain ridge, crossing several waterfalls. I caught up with the Dutch couple just before reaching Tina’s, and together, after a short rest, we started down the steep side trail into the gorge, to the spot where the tiger is said to have lept. It’s a steep descent; a local family charges ten yuan for access to the trail, which they also maintain. More locals at the bottom charge five to climb the famous boulder and ten to climb back out via “sky ladder”, though you can return the way you came for nothing.

This morning’s hike to Tina’s was pleasant—broad views across the gorge (which you can’t see down into), blooming wildflowers, and spray from the waterfalls. The climb into Tiger Leaping Gorge was difficult—down rocky steps, slippery clay stairs, and sometimes nearly bouldering. At the bottom I paid my five yuan to climb out onto a very large boulder beside the rushing muddy river. There I sat, eating crackers and a chocolate bar, watching the river explode down the rapids. It’s noisy. The chocolate is really good.

After eating, and climbing around and down by the water, I joined up with the Dutch couple who are sitting at a small cafe downstream, with views back up into the rapids. There’s a very rickety wooden bridge you have to cross to get there; the picture is worth a thousand words in this case. We sit a bit, lingering in the wet noisy air at the bottom of the gorge, then decide to return up the path we came down. It was a brutal climb, but seemed to pass faster than the descent. In two days I’ll be in Dali, where I will meet a couple that will tell me about their harrowing experience taking one of the other paths back up; I think I missed out, but I was rushed to get to Zhongdian, aka Shangri-la.

Not too rushed for lunch, mind you. I had fries and chicken fried with peanuts at Tina’s. The Dutch couple and myself found several others to share a minibus back to the entrance to Tiger Leaping Gorge. From there we found another minibus to Zhongdian, only two hours away.

It rained lightly for most of my unpleasant stay in Zhongdian. I shared a room with two French Canadians—a father and son—whom I had met at Tina’s. I wasted most of the afternoon wandering, first down through the new old town, then around the outskirts north, and finally on a goose-chase for the long distance bus station. I never found the bus station; I never found a yak-leather backpack; I regret leaving James and Sophia in the gorge after only one night.

Oh well. At least the hostel plays pleasant downtempo.

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http://tom.spacing-guild.net/2006/08/05/dali-old-city-august-01

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