More traveling jargon from China….
Of the places I have been, a handful stand out… one of which is Da Li, a small quaint town with relatively towering mountains surrounding the east and west sides of the ancient city. The sunlight penetrates the mountain top clouds that tend to hang around most days, resulting in great shafts of light beaming down unto the city – most picturesque this is. Enjoying this view over a steamer of hand made delicious dumplings for 80 cents simply put me in the happy seat I tell ya.
Another very memorable place was a gorgeous temple three hours away from Dali. After various busses, taxis, and steep climbs alongside questionable rocky slopes,
I came to a mountain with a spattering of gorgeous temples perched throughout slopes and slopes of pine forest. One particular temple housed a tai chi master who has been teaching the ancient martial art for 30 years. I stayed for two nights, sipping various local and regional teas profusely, eating yummy food, drinking bai jo the
master made from medicinal herbs he found in the mountain, and observing harmonious tai chi sets by the master and his students. Also studying and living at the temple, was a woman police officer, who after discovering she had a brain tumour two years ago, decided to go to the temple to attempt to eradicate it with tai chi and the medicinal properties found in the leaves of the tree we sat beneath while sipping tea. She said she was getting better and enjoyed having us refer to
her as Jung Ga mama (China mother).
More travel stories to come… as they unravel in the days ahead.
cw
Leave a Reply