Day 10: The Bai Minority

Today is the first day that does not invlove any riding. I am going to spend the whole day exploring the Dali Old Town and its surrounding area. Dali Old Town is a fairly easy place to explore. The streets are neatly laid out running perpendicular to each other and it is not a easy place to get lost. Here are some photos taken from the streets.

















This place is the home to the Bai Minority and so I have to try the Bai food. Got one for breakfast.



In the midst of the crowd, I spotted one chinese muslim. I thought it is quite uncommon to see a chinese muslim here as most of them are all in XinJiang province.



The Bai Minority love tea very much and this is their speciality, The three course tea of the Bai.



Within these streets lies a foreigners' street, where you can find many foreingers, and ofcourse bars, which are catered for them.



I went to the post office to post something back home as my dad collects stamps. In the picture, you will see the mail box, the glue for you to seal up whatever you need, and water for your to stick the stamps. I find the glue pretty interesting as a wooden stick is provided. Very classic.



Mid autum festival, also known as Mooncake festival is just round the corner. But the mooncake here in this part of china is kind of different from what we have in Singapore. Their version is so much bigger. They call it Da4 Tuan2 Yuan2 Bing3.



As you know that the big game is in town, so you will see these everywhere. And I really mean everywhere.



Local Market.










Just as I was wondering around, I saw a church. One that I had never seen before. A church in the form of an ancient chinese building.









And then it begin to rain but the locals are still out in the rain trying to make a living.



After spending enough time in the old town, I headed out to the nearby Er2 Hai3 Hu2 (Er Hai Lake) for a little exploration. At the port, I saw some interesting food.

You know what is this



BBQ frog



How about this? BBQ Dragonfly.



BBQ Chicken, I think.



This was what I bought.



It was really fustrating as I waited for more than an hour for the ferry to move. They wanted to wait for more passengers so that they wont be making a loss. But after the long wait, it is still me and 2 other passengers.



While waiting, I tried the dragonfly!!!



Finally we lefted the dock.



First stop, a small fishing village.





The temple there.







People playing Mahjong.



Then we went back to the ferry and went to another temple which is much more interesting.



Good view of the lake from here.



Peeking at the lake.



More photos.





People Chanting.



Nice bag for carrying the baby.



While walking down the tower, I saw some people.



One was writing something,



The others were eating. They asked me to join them. It was kind of them. I kindly rejected.





Those who know me knows that I have a weak stomach. I woke up this morning feeling alittle unwell on my stomach. Now I felt much worse. Must be the BBQ dragonfly. I had no choice but to rush to the toilet, which is yet another kind of experience. No doors. People who comes in can see me squating there and I can see people peeing in front of me. Just imgaine, I am squating and they are standing. The height is just right. How nice.

Anyway, after my toilet rush, the ferry brought me back to shore. Then I went to see the famous Three Pagodas which is printed on many postcards.







Then I went to visit a place called XiZhou where I had a great experience of the Bai culture. This is a MUST visit place if you are in Dali.

Me on the newly wed bed.



Hang above the door to ward off the evil spirits.



In the living room.



Hand dye. The pattern you see on the cloths behind are done this way. First the cloth are sewed together by hand. Then the whole cloth is being soak in the dye. When it is dired, the sewed part are being undone and the pattern is formed. It requires fine skills.



Tea tasting, namely, Feng1, Hua1, Xue3, Yue4.



The white substances on the tea leaves are formed by snow.











Then its time for a performance to introduce the Bai culture to us. Different Bai Costumes.



Dances.







More tea sampling. The Bai always treat their guests with teas. These teas are nice.



Tasting the tea.



I love it.



I like this dance. It about how the local guys go after the local girls.





This dance is very entertaining. It is about how the local wedding is done. They pinch the bride and groom. Its mean good luck for them.











After that I took the cable car,



to this place,



which had a even better view of the lake.



But my main purpose is to visit the Tian1 Long2 Cave. This is the place where the show Tian1 Long2 Ba1 Bu1 was flimed.



Entering the cave.



Water from here flows out of the cave. Reminds me of those ancient chinese shows where people who got trapped in caves always escape through a secert water pathway.



This is a wishing place as the shaped is in the form of a heart.



Evidence that the show was flimed here.



More pictures.









This long flight of stairs is refered to as the stairs to heaven.





At the top, there is a laughing buddha. You are suspose to go up the stairs without looking back, and when you reach the top, you are to give 3 loud HA HA HA. Then you will be blessed.



After which I went to visit a garden nearby.











And yet another temple.



Then, I went back to the old town to see the night view. Was surprise to find a mosque here.





Time for dinner, again I tired the local speciality.







Dali Old Town at night.











Saw a shop that sells only matches. Interesting.



Saw this in the shop. Quite meaningful.



Then I saw many people watching movie in the open.





A 1959 movie.



Up the city walls.













Alright, thats all for today. :)



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