Matt in China - 2012 - Shangrila

[Matt]

Some homes within the monastery are simple, others are elaborately decorated.


Some hand carved and panted doors were ruined by the construction.




A view towards the lake from a construction zone.

View a larger version of this panoramic


View a larger version of this panoramic



Pretty fancy incense at this place


Grain storage


Very old and well-used prayer wheel

[Matt]

[Kelly]

Really enjoying these photos. Perhaps an odd favorite to choose - considering the construction mess - is this one. The colors are very soothing and I just really love the feel of it.

A view towards the lake from a construction zone.

View a larger version of this panoramic

[Mikell]

Oh Matt.... wish there was a "LOVE" button for each photo...
what a pleasure to be able to follow your trip with these fantastic photos...
and of course...I envy you the whole experience.

I love the night shots...sweet city lights...
so much colour and texture everywhere...love the details in all the shots.

the panos are exquisite...could spend a lot of time examining those alone.

thanks for sharing the pics and the info...I would love to follow in your footsteps.

mikell

[Matt]

Thanks!
more to come

[Matt]

I headed back to the village square for sunset.

Here's a map of the the old village, with the Tibet Buddhist temple on the hill at center.

[gmap=16]27.81452,99.70495[/gmap]


Turns out there is a huge temple on a hill right around the corner from my hotel
This fountain and pool is kinda sacred. That didn't stop people from using the water to wash their children's asses.


Villagers dance in the square as I climb the steps to the temple




This room is closed but I go around to get the main temple.


From here, I can see the cultural museum across the square.


The hill is surrounded by player flags. Visitors circumvent the temple 3 times, clockwise, as a form of prayer ritual.


The village surrounds the hill to the north and east.



Click here to see a large version of this panoramic

Under construction: the world's largest prayer wheel.

[Matt]

NaXi women finish their rounds at the temple.


From the top of the hill I could see all the hotels being built on the far side of the village.


As the sun goes down, the buildings light up.


NaXi women sit an chitchat along the stairs of the temple.


A view of the temple from the square.


the pool below the temple.


Museum and courtyard.


The temple, gold prayer wheel, gate, steps, and pool

[Matt]

I go exploring the old village at night. Restaurants and cafes are busy. There's a bar or two... all playing loud Tibetan techno music. Things are dark here. There are a lot of shadowy alleys and gaps in what is expected to be lit up. There tourist industry has just begin and the infrastructure isn't there yet.

A window of a cafe.


The alley leading to my hotel. The rise in the stone is actually the base of the hill (with the temple on it) - and that's how i was able to navigate back to my room. The granite cobblestone road here is slippery (polished by hundreds of years and millions of people stepping across.


Restaurant have these hot pots flaming in the alleys. After settling down enough that pick up the brass pot and set in on a customer's table to heat up stew for Tibet-style hotpot.


The government encourages trilingual signs to help with tourism.


More slippery steps lead down an alley filled with shops and restaurants.