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Exploring Yunnan, China: Beautiful Dali
Erhai in Dali
Enjoying the Fresh Morning Breeze at Erhai, Dali
Dali was one of our stops during our Yunnan trip. Despite stopping in Dali for a just a short while, we had the chance to experience some of its beautiful sights. Our first stop was at Erhai. Although "hai" means sea in English, the place is actually more of a lake. It is common for huge lakes to be called "hai" in the Yunnan province as it is land-locked and hence, most of the Yunnan people have never seen a true sea before. To them, a huge lake equates sea. The province also borders other countries such as Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar and at one point, the rail transport was available across international borders only.
Tian Long Ba Bu Filming Site
At the Filming Site of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils
After a refreshing walk at Erhai, we proceeded to the filming site of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils (known as Tian Long Ba Bu in Chinese), which was built in 2002 for the remake of this popular novel by Chinese author, Jinyong. This novel has been remade numerous times and some of the more popular versions were acted by Felix Wong, Benny Chan, Hu Jun and Jimmy Lin. At the main street, there are numerous street performances as well including short skits and lion dances.
Ride on a yak?
Exploring the "Tian Long Ba Bu" Filming Location
Further away from the main street, you can attempt a ride on a yak. There are also various weapons from the novel or drama on display. For the shopaholics, you can purchase scarfs or jewellery as souvenirs here. If you would like to dress like the characters in the drama, you can do so here as well.
Three Courses of Tea Performance
Shopping at Dali Old Town
Another stop in Dali was at the Dali Old Town where you can appreciate the old architecture from Ming dynasty. The city is transport-free and we were able to walk freely within the Old Town. There are numerous shops here where you can shop to your heart's content for various items, including silver which is easily found here. You can also try the local snacks here.
Our last stop before heading to Lijiang was the House of Bai Minority where we watched the 3 Courses of Tea performance (San Dao Cha in Mandarin). The performance was a disappointment compared the the awesome one we watched in Kunming. The performers did not seem to be enjoying themselves and seemed to be just doing it for the sake of doing it. Give it a miss, especially if you do not have much time to spare during your trip.
Beautiful flower tiara at Dali Old Town
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