Matt in China - 2012 - Lijiang

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Matt
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Look at this amazing new platform they are building... close for us though.. continue on.
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Another Amazing pano... click these to see them big.
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How big are the tips of the peaks? Here are some people for scale. How cold it is up there? Well, if you are in the sun, it's too hot.. take off as much as you can. A lot of the guys went topless for photos and to beat the heat. In the shade, put on the safety coat (people on the right are wearing them).
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A first-aid/safety hut
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Looking back down at the wire cart station.
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Looking across the glacier. This mountain is limestone, which is pretty soft. Glaciers cut through it like geologic butter.
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ME!
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Me taking pics with my iphone (no reception :down: )
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My companion, Jing, who I left behind on the platform, catches up to me, somehow still has it in her to pose for modeling shots.
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Matt
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Who dressed this snazzy for a mountain climb? Well, Jing does! And I snapped several hundred modeling pics for her. Yes, she slowed me down. Yes, she whined. Yes, I had to move on without her. But, I wouldn't on this mountain without her help. Nor would I have anyone to snap the occasional glamour shot of me.
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Here is a skewed view of the glacier, from its edge, following it down.
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We didn't make it down until hours after our scheduled meet with the driver. He was pissed. A long awkward drive back to the village, and then late night flight back to Chengdu.
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Matt
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My remaining hours in Old Lijiang were spent hopping from shop to shop, snacking and buying some last-minute gifts.
I can see why, through all the Chinese people I have met over the years, why Lijiang Old Town is often mentioned as a favorite travel spot. Its endless maze of unique and character-rich shops, streets saturated with people from all over the east, culture-rich art, language and architecture, dominated by the Naxi and Tibetan people, and prominence of art and peace is unrivaled throughout the world. All this is surrounded by accessible yet wild natural wonders, now a rarity in China.

Thousands of different people walk down the twisting alleys each day, with their own purpose for coming here. The seemingly limitless shops and restaurants cater to some but not all. I can see visiting here for weeks at a time for several years, and not break the surface of where to eat and what to buy. It's that massive... and it is growing. With Old Town real estate dwindling, neighboring villages are building their own village-style outdoor malls. I don't see any of them carrying the history and charm of Lijiang nor bringing in the sheer number of visitors. People-watchers, this is your Mecca.

Here's a crappy picture, but it is a nice example of the Dongba script.
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Every restaurant is unique, each has its charm, and because of the highly competitive environment, you are virtually guaranteed a good meal anywhere.
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Shops sell a million different things embedded with the culture of the region. You don't just come to this minority village to pick up tax-free cigarettes and gas. The native art is alive and well, and it is a large source of income for the Naxi people. People appreciate it too. I bought several gifts here and I will not be able to find anything like these items elsewhere.
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Centuries-old building house modern craft shops.
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Every corner is a work of art.
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Jewelry I thought was produced in a factory turned out to be hammered out on the streets in the evenings.
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Every traveler is here for their own reasons.
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A calligrapher helps keep the millenia-old Dongba writing system alive.
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Brenda
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Breathtaking, Matt!
Finger Lakes Mill Creek Cabins
http://www.fingerlakescabins.com
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backpacker
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great shots Matt,
those are my kind of mountains
The Mountains are Calling and I must Go John Muir
my flickr gallery
46er interview
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ApproachingLight
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These are great. Really like the mountain shots.Not much oxygen up there! I would suffer.
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