Finally we stopped for a breather...
Dali was a very charming town within an old walled city. The air was cool (though rainy), which was a very welcome change from the sweltering heat of the first week. SO we decided this would be a great place to settle down and explore for a few days.
We found a great hotel all dolled-up in a Tibetan style... This room would have easily gone for $200 or more back home... but we paid a cool $20 for it. We also indulged in the neighborhood cappuccino place (yes there was one) and spent many a rainy afternoon there. It was nice to experience some creature comforts of the west.
While the town was also swarming with tourists.. it was possible to get away from the crowds and to explore all of the winding back alleys and willow lined streets.
With the high mountains peeking through the clouds, it was easy to see the inspiration for Chinese paintings an poetry. Coming to this place was our first experience in China which recalled the movies, stories and art that we see of China back home... an interesting contrast to the other modern cities and ever growing industrialism of the other places we visited.
We ventured out to one of the neighboring villages, which got us evern further away from the booming commercialsim of China. It was interesting to see how people live and survive in the rural areas of China - such a contradiction to life that we saw in the cities.
The improvement in the food was also noteable... while Hong Kong and the south east of China is known for its 'sophisticated' cuisine.. we were happy to have access to some more 'simple food'.. fish hotpots, spicy chicken and peanuts, fresh veggies, and a noteable lack of innards were greatly appreciated culinary experiences.
