Lijiang

Since I have a break between semesters I decided to see why everyone always makes such a fuss over Yunnan. Yunnan is a province located in the southwest part of China.  My first stop was Lijiang.  The population is a little over 1 million people.  It's history dates back 800 years.  The elevation is 2500.  The main attraction is Old Town.  It is a sprawling town of streets that go on and on in no particular pattern.  The streets are filled with shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, and guest houses.

 (You can see the faces on these animal skins)

 (Even an old Chinese city isn't complete without a Pizza Hut and KFC)

There are waterways that go through Old Town.  Though boats couldn't fit on the river this town really reminded me of Wuzhen.

My favorite bit of the town were the shops that go up a hill.  All the businesses there have a fantastic view. 

 (A nice view to enjoy with a cup of coffee.)

I'll say it again (this won't be the last time) China is beautiful at night.

Something unique that Lijiang has are styrofoam boats you can buy, make a wish, and send floating down the river.   It's a very nice site to just sit and watch the little boats go by.