05/11/2008

Hutiao Xia: Tiger Leaping Gorge

A legend gave the name to the highest and deepest gorge in China with its 5000m high summits and the Yangzi river reaching 196m deep. The legend says that a tiger jumped across the gorge to escape a hunter. I'd say the guy made it all up, been to drunk to catch the tiger, but that's only my opinion.
Anyway for anybody who like hiking its probably the most stunning chinese 2 to 3 days trek - at a chinese pace, narrowed down to 8 hours furious hike by my Quebec fellow hiking partner and myself. A belgium couple tagged along half way and we finish the trek together resting for the night at Sean's guesthouse, a very friendly tibetan guy and not an irish one as the name might suggest...



Early in the morning...well 9am.






She was slagging use because she was faster than us;
Jaysus! its almost 3000m High!!!!







Shepperds resting. It seems that's all they do all day...


End of the day over the gorge.


Raoul's new buddy. I know it looks weird but it's not
what you think. Why did I get the fecking british teddy?
Sean, do you hate me that much?


Audrey and Benoit, from Waterloo ladies and gentlemen.


Criss, tu veux tu un coup d'main Christian? Maudite rock!


Thinking about stuff like the universe, the future of human
kind and if I'll get any fried Yak meat for dinner.


Climbing up the gorge using the 'ladder of death' as we called it;
its a good 800m drop, you'd better hold on.

North Yunnan: Lijiang


2400m High, Lijiang is at the door step of tibet. A bit
touristy but nice.



Wishing tree, tibetan custom.






5000m high and it's even not a high one...


Can't get enough of these local markets, sorry.


David crocket? Is that you???


Baba with chilli pepper paste, eggs and Yak yogurt,
yummy, althought...the ring of fire, the ring of fire...

Surrealistic Dali


Dali use to be an empire on itself and when you wander
in town or in the mountains around you can still feel that
it's not a place like any other.







Ronaldinoooooooooo!!!! But why on earth Ronaldino???


Cangshan mountains with its top peaks at 4000m high,
Dali being at 1800m.



Its the hiker's heaven. Emerald pools, Canyon, waterfalls
and high peaks.



Dali from half way up (2600m).



Kumming, capital of Yunnan province


View from my hostel (The Hump) roof top terrace.


Enorme!!! Le meme qu'a Seville!!!!!


Catwalk on the street.


I'm not the only one interested I reckon...


These for sure are to eat. Common, it already looks like burgers!

South Yunnan: Yuanyang

Stunning rice fields terraces, some of the highest in china. A hell of a trip to get there, but it was worth the look; still do I wouldn't have mind to meet at least one person speaking one or two words of english.


Welcome to china; first stop and first chinglish delight!


Village in the rice fields terraces.



Market in town, nice meat!



Haircut 5 yuan, anyone? Seriously?



Still not sure if there to eat or not...


Rice fields in the fog






Sheets of wood drying in the sun.



If you get caught stealing corn, you know the price to pay, don't you naughty boy...