Tour of Beijing and Yunnan: Beijing – Kunming – Stone Forest – Yuanyang – Jianshui – Kunming – night train to Dali – Xizhou – Shaxi – Shangri-La – Lijiang
Hello Paul,
A little late, I’d like to give you a short report on our recent trip.
First of all, thanks again for responding so quickly about the shuttles on the last day, and once again, my apologies for forgetting them.
As for accommodation, nothing to fault, quite the opposite. In Beijing, the Lusongyuan is as pleasant as ever (in our view), even though the hutongs running off Nanluoguxiang are changing in appearance. The working-class, slightly chaotic character of these neighbourhoods, with the little shops, restaurants and hotels that made them so lively and pleasant, is disappearing. It is being replaced by architecture that is no doubt more faithful to the architectural and historical principles of these neighbourhoods, but which gives them a sanitised and overly standardised look for my taste (no terraces, no more wide openings, but small high windows, narrow doors, and so on).
This isn’t the case everywhere, of course, notably north of Gulou Dajie and in the other hutongs, but it suggests more renovations of the same kind to come. I’m not saying this out of nostalgia, but it seems to me that keeping a balance between restoring historical heritage and preserving traditional working-class housing would be a good compromise.
At the Lusongyuan, we saw the owners and some architects very busy, plans in hand, throughout our stay, which suggests, as you said, that work will start soon!!! I hope this hotel will keep its original character and won’t become a “trendy” place…
As for the other accommodation, it was perfect, all of it suited us perfectly, and we truly loved some of it. Among them, a special mention for the Timeless Inn in Zhongdian (Shangri-La), certainly for the place itself, but above all for the welcome from Rose and her partner. This place is a haven of peace, smiles and kindness… Truly exceptional.
Special mentions also go to the Old Theatre Inn in Shaxi, a superb, truly magical place ideally set in the middle of the countryside, and, in a more classic upscale hotel category, to the magnificent and exceptional Linden Centre. Being welcomed by Brian and Jeanee Linden, with whom we had the pleasure of chatting, was a special moment. The project they run there is remarkable and makes it a unique place.
Jacky is as wonderful as ever, thoughtful and smiling, and staying in Yuanyang is a real privilege. We spent wonderful days there. His wife and the two local women who work with him are just like him, always ready to please their guests.
As for the journey itself, no problems either, quite the opposite! For the Beijing part, which we did on our own, we discovered the new Simatai, but I’ve already told you about that… Thanks to our guide, Philippe, we enjoyed discovering places that were each more interesting than the last. Philippe is experienced, his choices and advice are spot on, and his knowledge of the sites, Chinese history, botany and more is astonishing… Everyone agreed it was fascinating to listen to him. He was attentive to each person’s pace and abilities. He knows how to give the group some independence and is there without imposing himself. In short, as you’ll have gathered, he’s a gem!!!
Among the encounters that made an impression on everyone was, without question, the elderly lady from the family who hosted us for lunch in Tuanshan village (Mrs Zhang, a common name in that village). She took care of Lydie, who was unwell (a digestive problem and severe fatigue combined with a blood pressure problem). She must be something of a shaman, because with a few hand movements and incantations, our patient was back on her feet within half an hour!!! It was impressive. She was a lovely old lady, full of empathy, kindness and gentleness.
We should also mention the welcome and the show organised by the Yi village women. Philippe explained that few agencies offer it. A pity, as I think these women’s project deserves a little time… There are certainly more professional performances, but they are less authentic, much less. And we felt we were contributing to a real local project. Not to mention how warmly they all welcomed us…
We found the rice terraces remarkable at harvest time, and the whole group enjoyed Yunnan without reservation or disappointment (the only one being that we couldn’t stay longer).
Thanks again for your planning!!! Absolutely outstanding…
Kind regards,
Luc