Hiking Lugu Lake | Day 8 Lugu Lake-Lijiang

While in Lijiang, I unexpectedly learned that Jingzi and Qiying were also in Yunnan and would be arriving in Lijiang soon. So we immediately agreed to have a meal when we return to Lijiang.

Now that we have arrived in Daluoshui, and we have to take a bus back to Lijiang at noon, we don’t get up early.

The room we stayed in was in the courtyard, with the windows facing the corridor. It was not as bright and bright as the one we stayed in Daluoshui on our first day. The lights in the corridor are not very bright, which would be a bit scary if you lived alone.

I am ashamed to say that I feel that I have not fully appreciated Daluoshui Village.

When we first arrived, it was raining lightly. We walked through different streets and alleys under the warm or bright lights in the shops, and finally walked on the road for a while before we arrived at the place where we lived. After the sky darkened, the rain became heavier. Before the rain stopped completely, we couldn't help but go out to look for food, and just walked along the lake to the end. I'm a road addict, so I can't have a deep impression of this. I just remember that I walked a long way, and there were puddles all over the road. There were almost no people staying in the lake-view rooms in the inns along the way. There is a large pool of water in some alleys, reflecting the red and green lights on both sides, as well as the yellow lights on the motorcycles of the delivery guys who occasionally drive by, and the two of us pedestrians walking slowly holding umbrellas. Not out of nowhere.

Today I feel different.

The number of tourists can be seen to the naked eye, and the houses that were empty at the time are now occupied. Locals and tourists were standing or sitting next to the shops, and there were also children carefully choosing souvenirs in front of the stalls.

Walking along the lakeside path, it was completely different from that day. The sun is shining brightly and the Lugu Lake is open. Dicos, a fast food restaurant that we didn't notice on the first day, suddenly came into view.

Walking straight along the street we came in that day, we arrived at the place where the return bus was parked.

There is also a small intersection in that street, leading to another small street.

After eating the junk food from the fast food restaurant, we got in the car. Before leaving, Brother Tao found a place by the lake with clear water and gave Xiao Jingzi a bottle of Lugu Lake water to take with her. There were already many passengers in the car at this time. After all passengers had properly placed their luggage, the bus slowly started and headed for Lijiang.

Because the weather today is quite good, unlike when we came, which was always cloudy, we can naturally see a lot more scenery. On the winding road, I said goodbye to Lugu Lake and Gemu Goddess Mountain for the last time, and then I started snoring. According to Brother Tao, I missed a lot of scenery while sleeping.

After waking up, the bus had already passed the Jinsha River. The bus continued to loop up the winding mountain road. Some mountain roads were so narrow that only one car could pass. I made several turns with my heart in my throat, fearing that the wheel would be suspended if I wasn't careful. Indeed once, I saw the car leaning against the guardrail.

But my nervousness soon dissipated as the scenery changed. The scenery along the winding road at the top of the mountain is the most beautiful. Looking up you can see the lush woods in the distance. The mountains change and the trees take on various forms. Downward is the rolling Jinsha River. It was tumbling, and white waves appeared in the surging river water.

When the terrain was relatively stable, I couldn't help but pick up my phone and take a look. I

I still remember seeing a limerick written by A and B about climbing Mount Naama. "The dream is still there, but the horse is gone." His spirit of joy in hardship is truly admirable. When we saw the section "Brother Ma sheds tears", we also expressed our sincere greetings to Di Dalonglong through WeChat.

The bus stopped at a rest stop on the mountainside for a while, and everyone was able to get off and walk around. We bought a serving of jelly and met the store’s cute cat. The cat seemed to have injured its foot and was lying there obediently. Brother Tao chose different angles to take beautiful photos of him. When we were playing near Hongshan District in Wuhan, we also encountered a blue cat with an injured foot. The blue cat had lost all of its front paws and was lying pitifully in the flower bed of the community. But as soon as we got closer, it ran away quickly.

Behind the small house at the rest stop, there is also a corridor-style viewing platform where you can see a section of the Jinsha River more clearly. However, the Jinsha River seen here is relatively calm and has nothing to do with roaring.

After getting in the car again, I took a nap in the car again. Soon after waking up, we arrived at the entrance of Lijiang Old Town.

There are several entrances to the ancient city, and you need to swipe your ID card for identification when entering.

In the past few years, a maintenance fee was required to enter, which was 80 yuan per person. In recent years, this fee seems to have been cancelled. After we entered, we contacted Xiao Jingzi and the others and learned that they had not arrived yet, so we walked slowly towards the B&B where we were staying. (We made an appointment the day before and booked the same B&B.)

It was about three or four o'clock in the afternoon. The sunshine in the ancient city was neither strong nor hot, but it still made it difficult to open one's eyes when it shone on the face. We chose a path shaded by trees. There is a stream in the ancient city, and sometimes we can hear the sound of gurgling water. Guessing that it wouldn't be too early to eat in the evening, I bought a small flower cake. I think the flower cakes here are a bit hard and not as delicious compared to those in Tengchong.

The place we chose was on a higher ground, and we had to walk up a dozen stone steps with our suitcases in tow. By the time I checked in, I was out of breath.

This B&B has a large courtyard and a rooftop on the fourth floor. The inn in Lijiang Old Town where we stayed seemed to have an observation deck, but when we came two years ago, it was on the edge of the ancient city. From the observation deck, we could only see the constant flow of traffic and people walking on the main road. From this viewing platform, you can see half of the night view of Lijiang Old Town. There is a round wooden bench surrounding the big tree in the courtyard, where a circle of people can sit. There are also several wooden benches and a rocking chair. There were puppies running around in the yard, and there were also scared kittens lying in their nests watching us vigilantly. There are still clothes hanging on the clothesline in the yard that are not dry, and sometimes water drips down. A picture of the ancient city full of life is displayed in front of us.

After putting away our luggage, we rested for a while. Not long after, Xiao Jingzi's call came in, saying that she had arrived at the gate of the ancient city. Based on our experience of coming to the inn, there were many side roads and the terrain was high. We wanted them to avoid detours and also thought we could help share some luggage, so Brother Tao went to pick them up. I felt bored after sitting in the car for a long time, so I took advantage of this gap to take a shower.

While I was busy here, Brother Tao, Xiao Jingzi and Qiying also came back. What was more embarrassing was that I didn’t wear my glasses. Qiying greeted me. I was stunned for a moment, and I didn’t recognize her until I got closer. Sure enough, you can't tell the male from the female ten meters away, and it's hard to tell the difference between a human and an animal fifty meters away.

We chatted casually for a while and then it was time for dinner. It turns out that we underestimated the flow of people in Lijiang Old Town. By the time we arrived at Yunxueli, a Yunnan specialty restaurant, people waiting for tables at the door had already lined up in the restaurant courtyard. We had no choice but to take a number and wait. Feeling that we wouldn’t be able to get there within half an hour, we decided to walk around Lijiang Old Town and buy some snacks. (There are also photos of Xiao Jingzi and Qiying’s daily love life).

It is very close to Mufu (a scenic spot in the ancient city). I didn't go through a few alleys, and I didn't deliberately look for directions. I just arrived. It was already past six o'clock, and the Mu Mansion had long been closed, but people were still coming and going at the door, and from time to time people were taking photos under the wooden plaque hanging high.

The gate of Mu Mansion looks majestic. The stone lions on both sides look very tall and majestic. Couplets with flying dragons and phoenixes silently tell the rise and fall of an era. If we weren't pressed for time, we really should go in and have a look. I remember we also walked to a square and took a group photo next to the square.

After going around in a circle and returning to Yunxueli, as we expected, there were still people waiting in line before us. But it was no longer as jaw-dropping as it was half an hour ago. After about ten minutes, we were seated as we wished.

(Finally I’ve written about the part I’m most looking forward to!) Every dish we ordered this time was worthy of Amway!

The first is the plateau beef copper hot pot. This hot pot has a large portion and the heat is well controlled. The beef is very delicious! Although we all feel that this is no different from ordinary beef, what is written on this sign is not yak meat, but plateau beef, maybe cattle raised on the plateau...

Griddle organic cauliflower is simply good news for people who don’t like vegetables! I hated eating cauliflower at school, and broccoli. It felt like it was cooked, but in fact it still tasted almost like raw. But it's completely different here. I feel my taste buds are beating, and I even want to eat more bowls of rice (face covering). The quality of the rice is just a little worse than the stir-fried yellow beef in Changsha's kitchen smoke era and Lu's restaurant.

Secret grilled pork belly skewers, I won’t go into details on this one. It was roasted very evenly and the sauce was spread just right.

Self-grinding spring water tofu, this is a must-try! It is also the merchant’s signature dish. The tofu is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and melts in your mouth. Don’t ask me which one I would choose between it and Changsha Stinky Tofu, of course I would choose it!

Others, such as colorful potato chips stir-fried with sauerkraut, colorful shredded chicken rice noodles, etc., all have their own flavors. It is worth mentioning that the taste of their dipping sauce is simply amazing. It is hot and sour but not just hot and sour. I am at a loss for words at this moment. There is a Golden Peacock Dai restaurant near Weigong Village, which serves Dai roast pork. The dipping sauce is similar to this one. The last time I went there it was already 88 yuan a serving, which is terrible.

For our main dish, we ordered buckwheat pancakes, which were crispy and didn't pierce our mouths. We finished them in a short while.

This store is very good, and there is nothing wrong with it except that it is expensive. There is also a store called Dianxi Prince, which is said to be good, but we didn’t try it. We will try it next time we have a chance.

After dinner, we all took a walk in the ancient city in the dark. ancient city

It is still very lively, and the oil-paper umbrellas hanging upside down on the small streets give people a strong sense of regional color. There were people playing drums and singing in that small street. This scene reminded me of one summer when Da Fei played guitar and sang with his partner in Orson Park. These days of singing are gone, but those melodies are still in our ears.

Occasionally, one or two young ladies wearing Hanfu would appear in the crowd. Xiao Jingzi and Brother Tao looked at each other and had an idea. At first, Qiying and I were just a little excited about it, but when we passed by several Hanfu stores, we finally felt itchy and entered one of them.

The people working inside were all young ladies, and one of them led us upstairs to choose Hanfu. The Hanfu exhibition area is on the second floor, and the first floor is the makeup and hair area. Under the guidance of the young lady, I chose a suit of water red placket, and Qiying wore a lake blue skirt. Then we came to the makeup and hair area. In fact, we are all familiar with makeup, but headgear spacers are a blind spot in our knowledge. I felt like a country bumpkin as I watched the young lady help me raise the top of my hair and choose a headdress that didn't look so big against my face. Looking back, two cute male classmates were looking at us and whispering.

After everything was ready, our night tour of the ancient city officially started. I've been here several times, and I feel like I've just found the right way to open it this time. I was immersed in the joy of "traveling" and took selfies all the way. In a trance, I followed everyone across the antique stone bridge, passed through the narrow corridor, saw the flowers placed in the ancient city, listened to the gurgling water, and caught a glimpse of the river lanterns rising in the river.

In a small alley, we met a dashing girl in black Hanfu and a fairy-like young lady in white gauze Hanfu and a face scarf. Next to them, there was a male photographer holding a camera and directing the photos. What Qiying and I noticed was that their round fans matched their clothes and their face scarves looked very mysterious. But what the two male classmates paid attention to was, was this photographer paid? When I asked later, I found out that I really paid for it. (Ah, having someone who can take photos can be considered as saving money). Inspired by them, we also unlocked some fairy-like (and very silly) ways of taking photos.

This night was really lively, and when it was time to return the clothes, a feeling of reluctance and unfulfilled feelings welled up in my heart.

We also braided our hair as a farewell. I chose one golden thread, one blue thread, and one purple-red thread. These threads all sparkle with a little bit of gold, and they look very cool. I couldn't bear to take it off until I got home and showed it to my mother like a treasure. When school was about to start, one of them naturally fell off, and the other two became very loose, so I untied them.

It was probably past ten o'clock when we returned to the inn in the evening. We were still very excited and not sleepy at all. The rooftop is decorated with small warm yellow lights, making the atmosphere very warm at this moment. Brother Tao and Xiao Jingzi made an impromptu decision and went out to buy beer and brought it to the rooftop on the fourth floor. Everyone poured wine into the wind and chatted happily. The night view here is the same every clear night, but it brings a different mood every time you see it. Like now, I am reminded of Li Bai's poem: I will exchange for fine wine with you, and I will sell the eternal sorrow with you.

But it's not very quiet here at night. At around two o'clock in the morning, young people coming back from the bar would pass by the window noisily. Our place to rest at night was not very good. However, we only made a reservation for one day. I was scheduled to fly in the afternoon of the next day, and Xiao Jingzi and Qiying were also going to Shuhe Ancient Town.

Everyone had a great time yesterday, but they were also very tired. So I wake up naturally in the morning. After waking up, I sit in the yard and think about what to eat for lunch. Since we already had a feast yesterday, we wanted to keep things simple for lunch. I turned on my phone to browse Meituan, and accidentally caught a glimpse of a flash sale at a nearby Sichuan restaurant. Everyone made a decisive decision: this is it!

We walked a few blocks on the way to dinner. Some small streets here are still under repair, so we can only take a detour. The Sichuan restaurant is a bit far from where we live, about a kilometer walk.

I remember there was a small shop on the roadside, probably a musical instrument shop, with a low wooden threshold. There were two kittens lying beside the threshold, timidly, with their paws on the threshold, secretly looking at the world. After walking a long way, I still couldn't help but look back.

When we arrived at the Sichuan restaurant, we also had an unexpected mistake. After we showed the Meituan coupon code, the store said that they did not have this set meal. Afterwards, Brother Tao took his mobile phone to ask the boss, and he finally responded and explained to us that this was a promotional event and there was usually no such thing. Probably I didn’t expect that some people would come to travel and watch flash sales if they were bored. However, we still had a relatively hearty (that is, full) lunch.

We were the only table in the whole restaurant. The receptionist looked at us and smiled, and we could always feel a hint of sadness in her smile. We laughed awkwardly while eating, and we didn’t know what the reason was. After all, the price of this meal is about the same as that in the student canteen, but it does taste better than the canteen. Maybe the ‘Sichuan Spicy’ is more in line with our taste. I still remember Xiao Jingzi jokingly said: "It would be a good thing if the boss doesn't kick us out. After all, the price is here." Everyone burst into laughter, and the slightly awkward atmosphere just now was swept away.

In the afternoon, the sun appeared and disappeared, and the weather was not so hot. We decided to stroll around this ancient city area that we had never been to before. We quickly walked to the creek in the ancient city and walked along the creek. At the corner there was a store selling ethnic clothing, with a blue cat lying at the door. He looked at us with his round eyes, but he was not that scared. Next to him was Garfield who came to visit. His short little nose looked wrinkled and even a little sinister.

After passing this corner, there is an antique shop. There is a big Alaskan on the open ground inside, which is called Erha for short. Its hair is light blond, slightly brown, soft and shiny. It lay lazily on the ground, not even bothering to wag its tail. Because it was so big, bigger than Brother Tao and heavier than Xiao Jingzi, it lay on the ground and blocked a door! So the owner tied it with a chain, perhaps because he was afraid that it would run around or hurt someone. After obtaining the owner’s permission, Brother Tao and Xiao Jingzi both had friendly contact with the dogs and invited us to come too. Although Erha looked really easy to touch, its size made us intimidated and we rejected it repeatedly.

After leaving here, we came to a wooden building. There is a rockery and a fountain in front of the door. The first thing I saw was a peacock perched on the treetop; after a closer look, I saw a peacock on the rockery. Their tails are a kind of green that is not dazzling. No wonder there is a color called malachite green. However, it was probably not the season for the peacock to open its wings at this time, so we were a little disappointed when we did not see the peacocks in full bloom.

Walking all the way back to the inn where we lived, we climbed onto the observation deck again. The wind blew into Lijiang Old Town for the last time that year. I saw the neat eaves and gray tiles under the canopy, and silently said goodbye to this place in my heart.

After saying goodbye to the innkeeper, we separated from Xiao Jingzi and Qiying at the bus stop. Watching them get on the bus bound for Shuhe, waving goodbye.

Returning to the Old Town of Lijiang, I once again walked the same road I walked last night, climbed the same steps, and once again passed the alleys hung with oil-paper umbrellas. Thinking that this trip was coming to an end, Brother Tao and I were silent.

How did we get to the airport? It’s quite funny to say that we were waiting for the airport bus at that time, but who knew that the last one had just passed by. At this time, an uncle who looked like a driver came over and struck up a conversation: "Are you going to the airport? This is a BMW! He shook the key in his hand." Brother Tao and I were a little bit dumbfounded. However, we had to wait for a long time for the next airport bus. After confirming again and again that it was not a black bus, and writing down the license plate, we waited for the remaining two carpoolers to arrive and went to the airport together.

The road to the airport is really long. Through the car window, I can see the blue sky, which gradually turns into dark blue, and finally it starts to rain. Raindrops fell on the car windows one by one, turning the fields beside the road into a hazy green.

Going to the airport this time was much more comfortable than when I came out of the airport - because I was no longer afraid of a strange city. I remember coming out of the airport and looking around alone. My phone only had 20% battery left, so I had to quickly get on the airport bus for fear that my phone would run out of battery and I wouldn't be able to get on the bus. At that time, I didn't even have time to take a look around here. This time I can hold Brother Tao's hand and walk around here, and I feel really satisfied.

The first day I got off the bus, my phone was dead. I wandered around aimlessly for a long time, and then I thought about renting a power bank from a roadside store. As long as the store charged the phone until it turned on. Unexpectedly, the simple-looking aunt rejected me without hesitation, as if I just wanted to use her electricity. Later, I slapped my forehead, entered a restaurant, ordered fried rice, and plugged my phone into the socket to charge it. I happily charged up to 50% before leaving.

But now, I finally don’t have to worry about it happening again. This feeling is probably similar to "I wonder if Lingnan is good, but I think this is my hometown."

I remember that we still had Dicos for dinner because we entered through the side entrance of the airport lobby. After eating, we went back to the lobby from the main entrance and went through the security check again.

I remember it really rained that night, but by the time the plane was flying smoothly through the clouds, it had cleared up.

I remember looking down from above, I could still see the rolling Jinsha River, although it looked like a wet line drawn with a yellow watercolor pen at the moment.

I remember that when the sky gradually darkened, the skylight was blue, and then solidified into a deep blue, gradually sinking into the night.

There are too many separations in life, but I still look forward to the next encounter.