the meaning of traveling

——A trip to Yunnan during the epidemic

 

On the National Day of 2019, I drove 300 kilometers to and from the Buddhist altar. Unknowingly, I cycled through Hao Yun's "Alive", "Back to That Day" and "Going to Dali" one after another. Their lyrics are not universally popular, but they really left a deep impression on me.

I first came into contact with folk songs when I lived in Xi'an for four years. Walking in the streets and alleys of the ancient city, you can always find different surprises. It is the strong atmosphere left by history, and it is also the infinite brilliance burst out from the collision of ancient and modern civilizations. This brilliance will not be fleeting, but It has a long history and is worth one's effort to savor. From Beijing to Zhengzhou and then to Xi'an, folk songs are widely spread and people love them. Perhaps only by relying on history can folk songs radiate life and flourish.

In fact, the meaning of folk songs is generally to express around ideals, reality, survival and memories, and is filled with a strong black earth atmosphere. It’s sad to hear it for a long time, but with the speed of 110 miles per hour on the highway, you can also gain an upward force invisibly, so that you can have an ideal in your limited life, and hope to work hard to experience this. world--

 

Why is life always like this
Could it be said that my ideal
This is how you spend your life
Neither humble nor arrogant, neither in a hurry nor in a hurry
Maybe life should be like this
Could it be said that after the age of 60
Go find the freedom I want again
In fact, I often tell myself
People must learn to be content and happy
But everything passes with a smile
What else does it mean?
——"Alive"
 

travel

 

Many people will think about the meaning of travel and put a label on their travel. However, many people do not understand the true meaning of travel, so they are unable to set off, or they set out just for the sake of traveling. In order to relax themselves, see the world, or for family ties, or love, people leave their residences one after another and embark on journeys to unknown places. My purpose is very simple, just to set off, relax and experience this colorful and magnificent world.

Yunnan, in most people's minds, is a tourist destination. South of colorful clouds, spring-like all year round, a gathering of ethnic groups, and the phoenix bamboo under the moonlight. There seem to be countless beautiful things to describe this province. Of course, I also take it with me. Such an impression has arrived. Unfortunately, the originally planned trip of more than ten days had to be terminated early due to the epidemic and shortened to five days. The short travel time cannot damage his beautiful scenery, nor can it damage the ability to appreciate the beautiful scenery. Heart. In fact, what I heard and seen is enough to qualify this sentence - a place that I have to visit in my life.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Haigeng Dam

 

It was already eight o'clock in the evening when we arrived at Kunming South Railway Station. There was more than 30km of straight-line distance from the inn where we stayed at Haigeng Dam. It took us more than three hours to find the inn, which was really not easy. After the driver's car drove away, there was no other car on Haigeng Avenue.

For some reason, I have always been obsessed with lakes and mountains. I always hope to own a small wooden house near mountains and rivers and live a secluded life like a paradise. Of course, the inn did not disappoint me. The house is close to the Dianchi Lake Caohai, and the warm and artistic decoration style makes people feel very soothing. There were only a few people on the dam late at night, and the slightly cold wind carried the water vapor from the lake and hit their faces. It was an extremely comfortable experience in the silent night.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

When it gets slightly brighter in the morning, the seagulls are ready to start work - it is said that these seagulls migrated from distant Siberia to spend the winter. The kind-hearted people of Kunming accepted them and fed them affectionately. It is precisely because of the "hospitable" Kunming people that we now have the spectacular scenery of flocks of Siberian seagulls soaring over the city of Kunming.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

A large area east of the dam was created by filling the lake with farmland in recent decades. The fertilization of farmland has seriously polluted the lake water, and the lake surface has gradually shrunk. Nowadays, only the turbid lake water can be seen, and only by continuously introducing improvement measures can the fragile ecological environment of Dianchi Lake be maintained.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Seagulls all over the sky are bustling to grab the bread thrown by tourists, showing no fear of humans.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The ethnic village opposite Dianchi Haigeng Park is a 5A-level scenic spot in Yunnan. The garden condenses the traditional architecture and customs of multiple ethnic groups in Yunnan 20. Each has its own characteristics and is well worth a visit.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Kunming, like most provincial capital cities in China, is vast and densely populated. It has a dilapidated and old train station located in the city center, countless scenic spots and parks, a university town, economic development zones, and numerous high-rise buildings. and hurried passers-by. Walking on the streets of Kunming,it feels like something familiar, yet different.

Walk through the crowded Haigeng Park and walk around the sparsely visited Haigeng Dam, feed the seagulls, enjoy the sea breeze, and feel the warmth and sunshine of Kunming. The Dianchi Lake Caohai, protected by the Western Mountains, also looks particularly gentle and beautiful.

For some reason, I missed the opportunity to go out on a cruise ship. It was a pity and I could only make up for it in Erhai Lake.

 

green lake

 

I once watched a movie on TV called "Old Man Seagull". It tells the story of an old man who walks ten kilometers every day to Kunming Cuihu Park to feed seagulls, day after day, until the day he dies. In order to commemorate him, people specially erected a sculpture of the old man in Cuihu Park.

This time I was also lucky enough to see seagulls in Green Lake Park.

There is an old street at the entrance of Cuihu Park. There are many local snack bars. Most of the customers are locals. The food tastes relatively local and you can taste it.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan
Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived at Green Lake. Most of the seagulls had left, but the number of tourists did not decrease. A large number of tourists surrounded a small group of seagulls and kept throwing bread crumbs into the lake, causing the seagulls to overeat.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Because there were too many tourists, the lake was filled with bread crumbs, and the seagulls lost interest in food because they were too full. The kindness of tourists is worth promoting, but is excessive concern appropriate? On the contrary, it will cause environmental pollution.

 

Erhai Lake

 

Are you not satisfied with your life?
I haven’t laughed in a long time and I don’t know why
Since I'm not happy and I don't like this place
Why not go all the way west to Dali
The journey is a bit bumpy and the air is a bit thin
The vaster the scenery, the lonelier I feel
Don't know who is waiting where
I don’t know what happened next
Who has no dust on his head?
Who hasn’t had teeth marks on their shoulders
Maybe love is waiting by the Erhai Lake
Maybe the story is happening
——"Going to Dali"

 

 

Many people must have fantasized about going to Dali, bathing in the bright sunshine of Dali, setting foot on this beautiful city, holding the hand of the person they love most on the shores of Erhai Lake, and having a wonderful and sublimated love experience. Or maybe you have your own coffee shop in the ancient city of Dali, with Cangshan Mountain as your back and Erhai Lake as your backdrop, leading to a literary and romantic life.

I don’t want to praise the beauty of Dali too much. There are so many words and articles praising it that almost all Chinese people have listed it as one of the must-visit places when traveling. Only after personally experiencing the "wind, flowers, snow and moon" in Dali can we truly understand why this city has such great charm.

Different from the majestic and majestic Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the snow on Cangshan Mountain and the moon over Erhai Lake in Dali are more poetic and picturesque. The scenery is unintentional, but lovers are passionate about it. With mutual praise, the city's popularity has been quietly increased.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

There were a lot of people at Kunming Station, and most of them wore masks vigilantly. From here, it took a two-hour train ride to Dali Station.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The uncle who came to pick up the car was very enthusiastic. He took the initiative to get out of the car to help carry the luggage, asked for the hotel address, and introduced Dali’s customs and customs. The uncle said that after the Chinese New Year is over in two days, a lot of tourists will arrive, but this kind of scene will probably be difficult to see this year.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

In winter in Dali, the wind is cold and dry, especially the wind in Xiaguan. It blows so hard that you might even think it was a typhoon. This is very unaccustomed to people who are used to it in Guangdong, but the scenery is also Incomparable. So far, only Shang Guanhua has yet to experience the "Fenghua, Snow, Moon" in Dali.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The innkeeper told me that Erhai Lake has been seriously polluted in recent years. I subconsciously glanced at the Erhai Lake and Erhe River at my feet. I was very surprised. This is probably the clearest water I have ever seen in my life... A street vendor in Dali Many, many people selling fried fish are said to be caught from the Erhai Lake. Walking along Erhe Street, there are very few people on the road. The setting sun sets off the blue river water, making it look like an ink painting.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

I deliberately chose ocean East One of the regions Jia Inn is an old-style residential building, which is only a few dozen meters away from the Erhai Lake. The room has a huge French window, which allows you to have a panoramic view of Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. The boss was very enthusiastic and took the initiative to give me Yunnan black tea, local ugly apples, and flower cakes. They are all Yunnan specialties. Pu'er/black tea is a major Yunnan specialty. It tastes delicious and has an endless aftertaste.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The cruise ship departs from Dali Port in the southernmost part of Erhai Lake. After stopping at Xiaoputuo and Nanzhao Fengqing Island, it continues north and finally disembarks at Taoyuan Ancient Ferry.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

In order to make up for the regret of the Dianchi Lake cruise, I gave up the plan of driving around the sea by myself and chose the cruise ship "Erhai No. 2" to go out to sea. Being able to have a close contact with Erhai Lake on a cruise ship has a unique flavor. The entertainment facilities on board are complete, and the three-course tea and ethnic song and dance performances are also worth appreciating.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Within an hour when the cruise ship docked on Nanzhao Island, I met a family from Tianmen who were working hard outside. The daughter came with her parents for a trip.

 

Dali ancient city

 

The day we arrived in the ancient city coincided with the outbreak of the epidemic and Wuhan was closed. The number of tourists in the bustling ancient city suddenly decreased. However, the bars on the street continued to open. Even though there was not a single customer or audience, there was an average of one person per bar. The resident singers were still playing seriously and were completely immersed in their performances.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The ancient city is located on the alluvial plain between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. It has a history of thousands of years and is now relatively thoroughly commercialized. There are all kinds of small shops with a dazzling array of products. Most of the shop owners are young entrepreneurs in their early 20s. People who come to start a business for their ideals are worthy of envy.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The gate of the ancient city facing Erhai Lake is called "Erhai Gate".

Almost at the same time that Wuhan was announced to be on lockdown, all the masks in the ancient city were out of stock. I visited all the pharmacies in the ancient city but could not buy suitable masks. Fortunately, when I was leaving the city, a young man was selling medical masks at the door for 30 yuan a pack, which barely supported my psychological defense before returning home.

 

Chongsheng Temple

 

Chongsheng Temple will be familiar to anyone who has watched Tian Long Ba Bu. It is said that the main pagoda and Xi'an Small Wild Goose Pagoda were built in the same period. It is currently a 5A-level scenic spot in Dali City.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

There are small towers on each side of the main tower, both with a history of nearly a thousand years. The tops of the three towers point directly into the sky, creating a beautiful scene in Dali.

Is this where Duan Yu trained the Six Meridians Divine Sword back then?

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

There were not many tourists, and everyone moved forward slowly in a tacit understanding to the soothing music of Buddha chants in the temple.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

It seems that playing this sky realm is very popular now.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

Chongsheng Temple is very narrow and long. It is built on a long slope. To reach the highest point, you need to climb many steps, one for each staircase and one for the Buddha statue. The day of the tour was the last day open during the epidemic. Climbing up the hill with a mask was really strenuous work. I became out of breath after a while, which made me suspect that it was chest tightness caused by infection.

 

epidemic

 

On New Year's Eve, after having breakfast early in the morning and saying goodbye to my friends at the inn, the boss took the initiative to take me to the train station. The boss is a local and is very skilled in driving. He shuttles freely in the alleys of Dali. However, Dali, shrouded in the epidemic, has long been deserted.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The trip had been planned for more than ten days. Due to the impact of the epidemic, scenic spots were closed one after another, and Lijiang and Shangri-La had to be removed from the itinerary. On New Year's Eve, I set off back to Zhuhai with no regrets. The sunshine at the station was very good, as if it was trying hard to drive away the haze on people's heads. I reluctantly walked into the station dragging my suitcase and left this beautiful little town.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The double-decker train in Lijiang➡Kunming that I originally planned to take can only be postponed as planned.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

After passing through Nanning, there was no one in the carriage anymore, and my originally tense nerves relaxed a little, and I chatted with the flight attendants.

This is also the first time I spent New Year’s Eve on a train. The voice of Bai Yansong reciting came from the mobile phone next to me. It was the special anti-epidemic program of the Spring Festival Gala.

I heard that my friends who used to study medicine were going to Wuhan to provide support. Looking at the empty carriages and the New Year’s Eve dinner, I thought that this must be another difficult year in 2020.

I remember when I was in college, I would pass by the formalin-smelling morgue of the medical school next door every day, and hear the descriptions of clinical students who personally dissected corpses, as well as those who were on duty in the emergency ward day and night. The situation is really hard, and now we have to go to the front line to save lives. Medical students are hardworking and great.

 

Tan_steve: Travel Notes on Half of Yunnan

 

The first time I took a train, I felt terrified. I subconsciously avoided it when I saw someone passing by. Fortunately, I returned home smoothly after a day's journey and my body was fine. This can be regarded as a special experience at the end of the year of birth.

This was considered a smooth trip.

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