China | Blue Lapis Road

HOW WE USED TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

2020.12.24.

We got off work early for Christmas Eve. Some restaurants were about to close as we picked up our takeout from a small Japanese restaurant in Tai Hang. In Hong Kong, no restaurant is allowed to serve customers (except takeouts) after 6pm. No countdown events, Christmas parties or family gatherings. Just a simple dinner at home for the two of us seemed to be the most appropriate Christmas Eve celebration for this unusual year. 2020 is an extraordinary year. I can hardly recall another incident in my lifetime that has simultaneously affected virtually every single human being in the world. The terrible pandemic is forcing all of us to face the same fear, frustration and isolation. Most planes have been grounded, borders shut, and international tourism has almost come to a complete halt. This abrupt disruption to our lives lead us to realize that celebrating a festive moment with families and friends or spending the holiday season at a foreign land shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Memory is interesting when it works with time. At this bizarre moment of frustrating lock downs and social distancing, a recollection of how we had spent Christmas and New Year in the past two decades remind us how we used to freely experience the world and appreciate every little things around us. Looking beyond the vivid fireworks and lavish parties, it was our curiosity, freedom and gratefulness that allowed these joyful moments to simply make us happy in different stages of our lives. At this time of physical restrictions and emotional stress, looking back at these little moments of ours have become more precious than ever. Everyone deserves memories of celebrations that worth cherishing. Hope our little sharing would remind you some of your own best moments of Christmas.

We wish you Merry Christmas and good health for the upcoming 2021.

Separately we both had a school term in Rome. In the eternal city, both our studio and apartment were located in the lively neighbourhood of Trastevere.
Rome, December 2002

Wooden decorations for Christmas tree, festive balloons, magic shows, and many others. The Christmas market at Piazza Navona was our first experience of an European Christmas.
Rome, December 2002

I used to go to Vatican for evening walks during my stay in Rome. Vatican was relatively quiet and peaceful throughout much of December. A large Christmas tree was put up at St. Peter’s Square.
Vatican, December 2002

Another big Christmas tree was set up at the Victor Emmanuel II Monument.
Rome, December 2002

After graduation, we moved to London in 2007. At Christmas, we made a short trip to the Belgian capital for Christmas break. Like many locals and tourists, we spent the night at the Grand Place for light shows and Christmas countdown.
Brussels, Christmas Eve, 2007

Back in London, the Covent Garden was particularly festive during Christmas. The Apple Market was full of delightful vendor stalls and dining patios.
London, December 2007

Elegant, sparkling, and eye catching. One thing we loved about Christmas in London were the amazing shop windows.
London, England, January 2008

Cinema became a big part of our lives in London. We often went to the BFI and Leicester Square after work. At Leicester Square, a carousel and small fair would be set up during the holiday season.
London, December 2008

We decided to stay in England at our second Christmas in London. We made a short trip to the area of Liverpool and Manchester. During that trip, we were particularly fond of the Christmas lights in Leeds.
Leeds, England, December 2008

In 2009, we returned to Toronto to do our professional licensing. In Toronto, Christmas is always cozy and homey, and so does its lights.
Toronto, December 2010

In 2011, we made a trip to Cambodia and Hong Kong. With two of our friends, we experienced one of the most noisy countdown at the bustling Pub Street in Siem Reap.
Siem Reap, New Year’s Eve 2011

On our way to New Year’s countdown in Downtown Toronto, we stopped by the atmospheric Distillery District to test out my new DSLR. From then on, film camera has eventually faded out from my travel packing list.
Toronto, New Year’s Eve 2012

Before relocating to Hong Kong, we made our 90-day trip to South America. We spent the entire month of December in Patagonia and made it to Ushuaia (world’s southernmost city) in Argentina. Reaching the “End of the World” definitely deserved an early Christmas dinner at the beautiful Kaupe restaurant.
Ushuaia, December 2013

Ushuaia is the main port going to Antarctica. We didn’t take the chance to do an Antarctica Christmas trip. Perhaps we would regret it, who knows.
Ushuaia, December 2013

For almost a week we based ourselves at Argentina’s El Chalten to do day hikes near Mount Fitz Roy. At Christmas Eve, we did the longest day hike of the week to the glacier lake right below the magnificent mountain.
Mount Fitz Roy, Christmas Eve 2013

We booked the best room at Yellow House Hotel well in advance just to take in the panoramic harbour view of Chile’s Valparaiso, and enjoy the world famous New Year fireworks from the comfort of our room.
Valparaiso, New Year’s Day 2014

Getting off work at 2:30pm on Christmas Eve, talked about a short getaway trip during dinner, bought the plane ticket right away, then packed a small carryon bag and get a bit of sleep before heading off to Hong Kong International Airport at around 2:30am on Christmas Day. At 7 in the morning, we finally arrived in Taiwan. That trip remains as our quickest travel decision so far.
Main Station, Taipei, Christmas Day 2014

Thanks to the convenient public transportation network, we have been to many neighbourhoods across the city of Hong Kong. Because of Cinematheque movie centre, we often find ourselves in Yau Ma Tei, home to a wide spectrum of people from new immigrants to elderly. Christmas Carol in Yau Ma Tei has to be catered for all.
Hong Kong, Christmas Eve 2015

New Year, Chinese New Year, HKSAR Anniversary, and Chinese National Day. There were once numerous firework displays each year over the iconic Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. All shows have been scrapped for 2020.
Hong Kong, New Year’s Eve 2015

Most Hong Kongers love to visit Japan, and so do we. Their fine sense of beauty and comfortable balance between traditions and technologies go beyond just commercialized eye candy for festival decorations and celebrations.
Railway Station, Kyoto, December 2016

Famous for their lighting technologies, Christmas lights in Japan often create a coherent ambience reflecting their pursuit of romantic fantasy for the holiday season.
Kyoto, December 2016

Under the dreamy lights, the sense of community remains strong during Christmas in Japan.
Kyoto, December 2016

We didn’t expect to see Christmas celebrations in Myanmar (Burma), a Buddhist nation in Southeast Asia. Seeing such a large crowd and festive decorations in Yangon was a pleasant surprise.
Yangon, December 2017

Christmas celebration, Southeast Asian style. Street food is definitely a must.
Yangon, December 2017

I took my parents to Shanghai for a short trip. At the Bund, we passed by the historical Peace Hotel and its Christmas tree.
Shanghai, December 2018

After two trips to India, our third journeys to South Asia was a winter getaway to Sri Lanka. The trip was full of history, spices and fine tea. In a Buddhist country, we were surprised to see so many churches in Negombo, a coastal town near Colombo. A heritage since the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, Christmas is celebrated in a number of coastal towns in Sri Lanka.
Negombo, December 2019

After visiting and staying at a number of cities around the world, Hong Kong remains as our top destination to experience the festive energy and Christmas decorations in an urban setting. Political and social unrest in 2019 have taken a toll in the financial hub. Tai Kwun, a cultural and commercial complex at the former colonial police headquarters in Central, remained as the place to go for expats and the younger generation.
Tai Kwun, Hong Kong, December 2019

Due to the pandemic, most Christmas celebrations have been cancelled across the city. Christmas trees have been downsized, and lighting decorations have been scaled down. In Central District of Hong Kong, the high-end commercial complex Landmark Atrium remains as one of the few venues still maintain a relatively large Christmas installation.
Landmark, Hong Kong, December 2020

But perhaps the most representational thing for this year’s festival season is the Christmas face mask. Social distancing with a bit of festive joy, why not?
Hong Kong, December 2020

December 25, 2020 | Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Argentina, Belgium, Brussels, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, celebration, Chile, China, Christmas, Covent Garden, England, firework, Fitz Roy, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kyoto, Landmark, Leeds, London, monument, Myanmar, Navona, Negombo, New Year, Piazza, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Sri Lanka, Tai Kwun, Taipei, Taiwan, Toronto, Trastevere, United Kingdom, Ushuaia, Valparaiso, Vatican, Victoria Harbour, Vittorio Emanuele, Yangon | Leave a comment

DAY 1 (1/3): TOUCHDOWN ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, Lhasa (拉薩), Tibet (西藏), 2017.09.16

Leaving all daily troubles behind, we left Hong Kong for Chengdu on a Friday evening in mid September. By the time we arrived at the provincial capital of Sichuan two hours later, it was almost 11pm. We had several hours to kill at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (成都雙流國際機場) before our connecting flight to Lhasa at 6am the next morning. At Terminal 1 of Chengdu , we sat down at a quiet corner in the departure hall until 3am. Then we exited the terminal, and walked over to Terminal 2 for our Lhasa flight. We were sleepy as expected, and could only managed to get a bit more rest on the 2-hour flight. After an hour into the flight, the sun was already up above the clouds. As we approached Tibet, we could occasionally see beautiful snow-capped peaks sticking out of the clouds. During the descend, after our plane passed through the thick layer of clouds, we were excited to find the glorious terrains of the Tibetan Plateau below. The Yarlung Zangbo River (雅魯藏布江) and Lhasa River (拉薩河) near Lhasa Gonggar Airport (拉薩貢嘎機場) glowed under the morning sun. Our plane made a few turns before touching down onto the runway strip surrounded by patches of yellow trees. We didn’t prearrange any pick up from the airport. There were plenty of airport buses outside the airport and only costed us 25 RMB each (compared to 300 RMB for taxi and 500 RMB for private pickup). The ride to Central Lhasa took roughly an hour.

It was almost midnight when we arrived at Chengdu.

At 3am, we walked over to Terminal 2 for our Lhasa flight.

Occasional snow-capped peaks appeared above the clouds.

Despite exhaustion from the sleepless night, the excitement of seeing the mountainous landscape below kept our eyes opened until landing.

Descending below the layer of clouds was like entering a different world.

Under the clouds, the rugged landscape and the river valley received the first morning light of the day.

The flow of Yarlung Zangbo River (雅魯藏布江) offers a touch of colour to the otherwise dark brown terrain near Lhasa.

Under the light of morning sun, Yarlung Zangbo River (雅魯藏布江) glowed in the dark and rugged terrains.

The flood plains of Yarlung Zangbo River (雅魯藏布江) near the airport were dotted with yellow trees.

Surrounded by rugged mountains, Lhasa Gonggar Airport (拉薩貢嘎機場) is a simple airport that connects Lhasa to several Chinese cities including Chengdu and Beijing.

The bus ride out to Central Lhasa took about an hour. The journey passed by river valleys and through mountain tunnels until reaching the suburb of Lhasa.

The bus passed by the majestic Potala as it approached the station nearby.

At the bus station at the shadow of the Potala, our exploration of Lhasa officially began.

* * *

More blog posts on Tibet 2017:
JOURNEY ABOVE THE CLOUDS, Tibet 2017 (西藏之旅2017)
DAY 1: TOUCHDOWN ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, Lhasa
DAY 1: TRICHANG LABRANG HOTEL (赤江拉讓藏式賓館), Lhasa
DAY 1: KORA AT BARKHOR STREET (八廓街), Lhasa
DAY 2: FIRST GLIMPSE OF POTALA (布達拉宮), Lhasa
DAY 2: KORA OF DREPUNG MONASTERY (哲蚌寺), Lhasa
DAY 2: DREPUNG MONASTERY (哲蚌寺), Lhasa
DAY 2: JOKHANG MONASTERY (大昭寺), Lhasa
DAY 2 : SPINN CAFE (風轉咖啡館), Lhasa
DAY 2: NIGHT VIEW OF POTALA (布達拉宮), Lhasa
DAY 3: POTALA PALACE (布達拉宮), Lhasa
DAY 3: SERA MONASTERY (色拉寺), Lhasa
Day 4: KORA OF GANDEN MONASTERY (甘丹寺), Lhasa
Day 4: GANDEN MONASTERY (甘丹寺), Lhasa
DAY 4: TEA HOUSE AND FAMILY RESTAURANT, Lhasa
DAY 5: ON THE ROAD IN TIBET
DAY 5: MORNING IN SHANNAN (山南)
DAY 5: SAMYE MONASTERY (桑耶寺), Shannan
DAY 5: SAMYE TOWN (桑耶鎮), Shannan
DAY 6: YAMDROK LAKE (羊卓雍錯)
DAY 6: PALCHO MONASTERY (白居寺), Gyantse
DAY 6: WORDO COURTYARD (吾爾朵大宅院), Shigatse
DAY 7: ROAD TO EVEREST BASE CAMP (珠峰大本營)
DAY 7: EVEREST BASE CAMP (珠峰大本營)
DAY 7: STARRY NIGHT, Everest Base Camp
DAY 8: PANG LA PASS (加烏拉山口), Mount Everest Road
DAY 8: SAKYA MONASTERY (薩迦寺)
DAY 9: TASHI LHUNPO MONASTERY, (扎什倫布寺) Shigatse
DAY 9: ROAD TO NAMTSO LAKE (納木錯)
DAY 9: EVENING AT NAMTSO LAKE (納木錯)
DAY 10: SUNRISE AT NAMTSO LAKE (納木錯)
DAY 10: LAST DAY IN LHASA, Tibet
EPILOGUE: FACES OF LHASA, Tibet

October 14, 2017 | Categories: China, China: Tibet 2017, Tibet | Tags: airport, China, clouds, 雙流, 西藏, 貢嘎, 贡嘎机场, flight, Gonggar, highland, Lhasa, mountains, Potala, Tibet, 成都, 拉薩 | 1 Comment

JOURNEY ABOVE THE CLOUDS, Tibet 2017 (西藏之旅2017)

It has been many years since I dreamed of visiting Tibet. Yet it only took us a little over a month to plan for this trip and invite our Canadian friend Maggie to join. The itinerary consisted of two parts: 4 days in Lhasa and surrounding monasteries, and 6 days on the road climaxed with a close encounter with Mount Everest’s north face at the Everest Base Camp. Apart from occasional hassles of security checkpoints, our Tibetan story was largely filled with breathtaking scenery, photogenic monasteries and joyful laughter among the three of us.

Under rapid modernization in recent years, Tibet has been changing drastically. Since the opening of Qinghai-Tibet Railway, more highways and rail roads are being constructed every year, connecting Tibet with the rest of China. Modern infrastructure has brought in a large influx of local tourists and commercial goods. Given the inevitable social changes and urbanization of Lhasa, we were delighted to discover that the local Tibetan lifestyle is still going strong at many places, especially at Buddhist monasteries where locals pilgrims and monks still practise their traditional rituals, and at rural areas where farmers still live off the land raising yaks and sheep, and farming the famous Highland barley.

For 11 days we had the blessing of promising weather, even the infamous gusty and freezing weather at Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake didn’t come to trouble us while we enjoyed the spectacle of the Milky Way and shooting stars over snow-capped mountains. The rich culture of Tibetan Buddhism was equally spectacular and visible almost everywhere from vivid prayer flags at mountain passes to the myriad of prostrating pilgrims around Jokhang Monastery and the majestic Potala in Lhasa. For us, the centuries old spirituality was inseparable from the Tibetan landscape. At the land of mystic Shangri-La where heavenly landscapes coincide with the spirituality of the Buddhist Mandala, we had experienced a marvelous journey that defied fatigue from a red eye flight, occasional altitude sickness, and days of awful toilets.

Our first part of the trip concentrated on exploring Lhasa, the sacred capital of Tibet. Walking the clockwise kora (pilgrimage) on Barkhor Street around Jokhang Monastery was an interesting experience that we had everyday during our stay in Lhasa.

Our second part of the trip was an remarkable road journey of ancient monasteries and spectacular scenery of snow-capped mountains and pristine lakes. We were fortunate to enjoy beautiful weather and clear sky while admiring the starry sky from the Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake.

* * *

October 9, 2017 | Categories: China, China: Tibet 2017, Tibet | Tags: Barkhor, Base Camp, China, Everest, 西藏, Jokhang, kora, Lhasa, monastery, Namtso, pilgrimage, Tibet, Tibetan, 拉萨 | Leave a comment

DAY 7 – FAREWELL JIUZHAIGOU & XIAN, China

Leaving Huanglong behind, our taxi drove northwest into the mountains. The ride to Jiuzhaigou-Huanglong Airport was roughly an hour long. The mountainous scenery along the way was pleasant under the sun. The airport was busy with passengers designated to either Chengdu or Chongqing. Our flight to Xian only operates during peak tourist season. It was already dark when we arrived at Xian after the 1.5 hour flight. Stepping out of the airport, we could immediately tell the difference in the air, from the refreshing highland air of Sichuan to the typical urban smog of a Chinese big city. It was raining heavily and we decided to take a taxi returning to Hantang House, the guesthouse that we stayed at in the first half of the trip.

Hantang House is a simple guesthouse hidden in an alleyway within walking distance from Xian’s Bell Tower. Given the affordable price, central location, youth hostel ambience, good selection of international beer and local ice pop, we were quite happy with the stay. We dropped down our backpacks and walked out to a nearby shopping centre for dinner. Originally we opted for a popular hotpot restaurant, but eventually gave up when we were told that the wait for a table would be 2.5 hours. We ended up going to a fish based hotpot restaurant in another shopping centre. In the next morning, we walked across the alleyway to Xiaohe, a street eatery right outside of our guesthouse. That was our second and the last opportunity to taste the spicy noodles and local burger made with crispy baked bread. At the lobby of Hantang House, we said goodbye to the friendly cat which always greeted visitors whenever it was awaken. We sat around the high wooden table in front of the lobby reception and waited for the American lady whom we would share a taxi to the airport. Our short trip to Xian and Jiuzhaigou had come to an end. This concludes our record for this trip.

The mountainous terrains near Huanglong reminded us that we were at the southern region of Minshan Mountains.

Enroute to the Jiuzhai-Huanglong Airport from Huanglong.

Ascending to the sky from Jiuzhaig Huanglong Airport, we could see the a series of snow capped mountains in the area.

Hidden in an alleyway, it took us a little while at our first night to find our way to the front door of Hantang House.

The lobby of Hantang House resembled a pub.

The front desk of Hantang House.

Xiaohe, the local eatery just across the alleyway from Hantang House.

Local burger with fried egg and mixed vegetables in baked bread.

Spicy noodles were quite delicious, though we had to causally sit on tiny wooden stools at the sidewalk to finish them.

Xiaohe Eatery and its table and stools on the sidewalk.

We said farewell to the cute cat at Hantang House.

The friendly cat in the lobby was part of the hospitality of Hantang House.

***

Our posts on 2016 Xian and Jiuzhaigou:

DAY 1 – NIGHT ARRIVAL, Xian, China
DAY 2 – QIN EMPEROR’S TERRACOTTA ARMY, near Xian, China
DAY 2 – BIG WILD GOOSE PAGODA (大雁塔), Xian, China
DAY 3 – HAN YANG LING MAUSOLEUM, Xian, China
DAY 3 – SHAANXI HISTORY MUSEUM, Xian, China
DAY 3 – GREAT MOSQUE (西安大清真寺) AND MUSLIM QUARTER, Xian, China
DAY 3 – MING CITY WALL, Xian, China
DAY 4 -FIRST GLIMPSE OF JIUZHAIGOU (九寨溝), Sichuan (四川), China
DAY 5 – ARROW BAMBOO LAKE (箭竹海), PANDA LAKE (熊貓海) & FIVE FLOWER LAKE (五花海), Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝), China
DAY 5 – PEARL SHOAL FALLS (珍珠灘瀑布), MIRROR LAKE (鏡海) & NUORILANG FALLS (諾日朗瀑布), Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝), China
DAY 5 – LONG LAKE (長海) & FIVE COLOURS LAKE (五彩池), Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝), China
DAY 5 – RHINOCEROS LAKE (犀牛海), TIGER LAKE (老虎海) & SHUZHENG VILLAGE (樹正寨), Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝), China
DAY 6 – ASCEND TO FIVE COLOUR POND (五彩池), Huanglong (黃龍), Sichuan (四川), China
DAY 7 – FAREWELL JIUZHAIGOU & XIAN, China

December 15, 2016 | Categories: China, China: Xian and Jiuzhaigou 2016, Sichuan | Tags: cat, China, Hantang, Huanglong, Jiuzhaigou, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Xian | Leave a comment

DAY 6 – DESCEND FROM FIVE COLOUR POND (五彩池), Huanglong (黃龍), China

After the Five Colour Pond, we stopped by a colourful Buddhist temple known as Huanglong Ancient Temple (黃龍古寺). Outside the temple, we sat down on a bench and took out the sandwiches brought with us from our guesthouse. It was chilly and we quickly finished our lunch and began our walk downhill. From about 3600m above sea level at the temple, we followed the designated path and descend to other major sights of Huanglong. The Five Colour Pond was only the first of many travertine pools in Huanglong. Next came a series of clusters of turquoise pools including Flamboyant Pond (爭豔池), Azalea Pond (娑蘿映彩池), Mirror Pond (明鏡倒映池), Bonsai Pond (盆景池), etc. Gentle waterfalls over white calcified terrain and the dense evergreen forests created a picture of visual contrast, while occasional yellow foliage stood out as brushes of vivid highlights. Our descend to the park entrance took a little over two hours. We made it just on time, about five minutes before 2pm when our taxi driver would come pick us up for the airport.

Unlike Jiuzhaigou where our experience relied heavily on shuttle buses, Huanglong was primarily a hiking experience. Visiting Huanglong was a pleasant hike of meandering through the surreal calcite terrains at high altitude. Huanglong was less crowded and in a way less touristy. The three days at Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong were physical demanding, but were also highly rewarding.

Huanglong Ancient Temple (黃龍古寺), where we took a lunch break at its forecourt.

Elevated boardwalks provide most of the park trails.

Huanglong Middle Temple (黃龍中寺), another old temple that we passed by during our descend.

Most visitors, including us, ascend to the Five Colour Pond by cable car, then walk down to visit the various sights on our way to the main park entrance.

Flamboyant Pond (爭豔池) was another popular site with surreal turquoise pools.

Gentle waterfalls and the delightful sounds of running water were all over Huanglong.

Azalea Pond (娑蘿映彩池) had a higher concentration of shrubs in the pools.

Bonsai Pond (盆景池) was another interesting spot where trees and shrubs grow from the calcite waters.

Seven Mile Golden Sand (七里金沙) and a golden tree stood out from the mountainous background.

Golden Sand Pavement (金沙鋪地) looked like rolling hills covered with a white and golden carpet.

Close up of crystal clear water.

Mirror like turquoise pools on our way down.

Flying Waterfall on Lotus Platform 蓮台飛瀑, a gentle waterfall flowing on the yellowish calcified landscape.

Washing Cave 洗身洞 where local tourists loved to take photos.

Close to the bottom, the boardwalk arrived at the last main attraction, the Guests Welcome Pond (迎賓池).

The main concentration of turquoise pools of Guests Welcome Pond (迎賓池).

We reached the park entrance minutes before 2pm, when our taxi would drop by the roadside to pick us up for the airport.

December 14, 2016 | Categories: China, China: Xian and Jiuzhaigou 2016, Sichuan | Tags: Bonsai Pond, calcite, China, 爭豔池, 盆景池, 黃龍, 迎賓池, Flamboyant Pond, Flying Waterfall on Lotus Platform, Guests Welcome Pond, Huanglong, Minshan, Sichuan, Washing Cave, 洗身洞 | Leave a comment

DAY 6 – ASCEND TO FIVE COLOUR POND (五彩池), Huanglong (黃龍), Sichuan (四川), China

The hired taxi picked us up at our guesthouse at around 6:30am. Our flight back to Xian was at 4:50pm. We planned to arrive at Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport at 2:30pm, so giving us half a day to explore Huanglong (黃龍), another World Heritage scenic designation in the region. Huanglong is famous for its travertine landscape and colourful calcite pools, similar to the ones in Pamukkale of Turkey. The taxi ride from Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong took almost three hours on well-paved road. The weather didn’t look too promising. It was rainy when we arrived at Huanglong visitor centre. Though our taxi driver was quite optimistic about the weather, saying that a rainy morning down at the entrance would usually turn out fine when we get up the mountains. We got our admission and cable car tickets, found our way through a long covered walkway and reached the cable car station.

Several minutes of cable car ride took us up to about 3400m above sea level, where our Huanglong hike began. There was light rain and fog. Occasionally as the fog moved, we would get a faint view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains. The air was chilly but moist and refreshing. Mountain moss was all over from ground to branches. We followed the signs pointing towards the famous Five Colour Pond (五彩池), which was about half an hour of gentle uphill hike from the cable car station. We hoped the rain would stop and fog would be lifted by the time we reached the pond. We reached the main viewing platform of the Five Colour Pond at almost 3600m above sea level. The rain had stopped but it was still a little foggy. We stayed on the platform for a while. After 10 minutes standing on the platform, the fog began to clear. As we continued to walk along the Five Colour Pond, the sky get brighter and the air warmer. At last we could see the true colour of the Five Colour Pond under decent sunlight. Under the morning sun the turquoise and yellow pools of the Five Colour Pond formed a spectacular gradient of tones. The Five Colour Pond was the highest point in Huanglong at about 3600m. From there onward it would be a gradual descend for us to walk back down to the visitor centre at the mountain foot. With tickets in hands, we followed the long covered walkway to the cable car station.

Huanglong was rainy and cold when we arrived at the upper cable car station.

Much of the surrounding evergreen forest was covered by the fog,

After few minutes into the hike we could see the Five Colour Pond from afar.

Snow-capped mountains were in all four directions

Looking down the valley we could see the Huanglong Middle Temple.

Looking uphill we could see the travertine landscape and colourful pools.

Highland trees were changing their colour to autumn foliage.

It was still foggy as we approached the Five Colour Pond.

Close up of the Five Colour Pond.

View of the Five Colour Pond as seen from the main deck.

Five Colour Pond and the main viewing deck.

The colours get brighter when the fog was lifted.

Overview of the Five Colour Pond.

Five Colour Pond under the sun.

***

Our posts on 2016 Xian and Jiuzhaigou:

December 12, 2016 | Categories: China, China: Xian and Jiuzhaigou 2016, Sichuan | Tags: calcite, China, 黃龍, Five Colour Pond, Huanglong, Huanglong Middle Temple, Minshan, Sichuan, 五彩池 | Leave a comment

DAY 5 – RHINOCEROS LAKE (犀牛海), TIGER LAKE (老虎海) & SHUZHENG VILLAGE (樹正寨), Jiuzhaigou (九寨溝), China

From Nuorilang, we walked northwards to Shuzheng Valley (樹正溝), wanting to check out the sights that we had yet covered the day before. The first lake we came upon was Rhinoceros Lake (犀牛海). Despite the name, no rhinoceros could be seen. The name only refers to a Tibetan legend when a sick old man and his rhinoceros came to this lake, healed by drinking the water and eventually stayed at the lake forever after. We continued to walk northwards along the shore until reaching another small lake, the Tiger Lake (老虎海). We had no idea where the name of Tiger Lake came from. However, there was a spot at Tiger Lake where stripe-like reflection of a row of shrubs did kind of resemble tiger stripes in an abstract way. Further downstream we passed a point where the tranquil water of Tiger Lake flowed over a sloped shoal, and soon turned into a series of small waterfalls. We found ourselves standing before an open shoal where trees and shrubs grew out of the shallow water. In a distance across the road we could see the buildings and Tibetan flags of Shuzheng Village (樹正寨). On the shoal, a few timber buildings supported on stilts over the moving water captured our attention. Accessible via timber bridges, one of these houses also contained a traditional watermill underneath the house.

Overlooking Shuzheng Lake Cluster (樹正群海), a series of turquoise lakes separated by tree-lined natural dikes, Shuzheng Village (樹正寨) is the largest village in Jiuzhaigou. After walking up a sloped path, we entered the village through a large archway which said “Jiuzhaigou Ethnic Cultural Village” (九寨溝民俗文化村). We didn’t stay long in the touristy village where many traditional Tibetan houses had been converted into souvenir shops catered for domestic visitors. The emergence of mass tourism seemed completely transformed the former Tibetan community into a shadow of its past. A few minutes walk from the village entrance, we arrived at a colourful building, a temple of some sort. In front of the temple, we saw two large Tibetan mastiffs confined in a small cage. The dogs were barking and jumping up against the cage, desperately wanting to get out while their owners were nowhere to be seen. It was a cruel sight to watch. We quietly turned back and left the disappointing Shuzheng Village. It was already past 5pm, and the park would close its doors soon. We hopped on a shuttle bus for the main gate.

After years of imagination and expectations, and one-and-a-half day of real experience in Jiuzhaigou gave us scenes after scenes of remarkable scenery, a few occasions of serenity in the early morning and a decent sense of autumn from the vivid palette of nature, but also some moments of disappointments from seeing how mass tourism had made its impact upon the landscape of this once a natural paradise.

Like the other lakes, Rhinoceros Lake was full of fallen branches and trunks in its turquoise water.