Travel Notes in Southern Yunnan
March 11, 2018
The first day: Zhengzhou - Kunming - Luoping - Jinji Fengcong - Luoping,
250 kilometers by car
Similar to the trip to Daocheng Yading in late autumn last year, this year we still choose to fly first and then rent a car for our trip to southern Yunnan, which can save time and enjoy the fun of free travel.
At 5:20 in the morning, we drove to Xinzheng Airport. By around 6:30, we were sitting comfortably at the boarding gate, watching the sky turn from dark to gray and then bright again, and watching our flight enter the predetermined position. Everything is normal, we start boarding at around 7 o'clock. For special reasons, we were upgraded to business class and enjoyed better service along the way. At 10:35, the flight landed at Kunming Changshui Airport on time. The temperature is not as hot as we imagined, just warmer than Zhengzhou. The process of renting a car in Shenzhou was very smooth, but compared with the previous few times, the condition of the Angkola I rented this time is not very satisfactory, there are many bumps, and there is even a large dent under the right front door, and the car Fortunately, the staff quickly repaired the igniter. At around 12 o'clock, we finally drove Xiao Ang on the road.
The road from Kunming to Luoping County is the entire Shankun Expressway. The road condition is very good and there are not many cars. Moreover, to our surprise, we actually drove through the middle of the stone forest, which is equivalent to visiting the stone forest landscape for free. After getting off the expressway, take the Jiang (Jiangdi, Luoping County) highway (Zhaokua, Luliang County) highway, pass through Luoping County and continue eastward, and soon arrive at our first destination this time: Jinjifengcong. This is the main area for viewing rapeseed flowers in Luoping.
(Golden Rooster Peak Cong)
When I was doing my homework before I came here, I saw an introduction on the Internet that the planting area of rapeseed in Luoping has reached more than 200,000 mu, and the rapeseed flowers bloom one after another from December of the first year to March of the next year. Before, we also saw large fields of rapeseed flowers in different places, especially when we visited Gannan a few years ago, on the way to Langmusi, we happened to meet a large field of rapeseed flowers, and dozens of people in the same car almost boiled. Shouting and rushing to get out of the car, his expression was as if he saw a piece of shining gold. However, compared with Luo Ping's rape blossoms, the little witch really saw the big witch. There is only one word to describe the rapeseed flowers in Luoping Jinji Peak Cong: overwhelming. Especially on the viewing platform, as far as the eye can see, it is almost a world of yellow and green. Of course the yellow ones are rapeseed flowers, and the green ones are also rapeseed flowers, but the flowering period has passed and pods have formed. The local government is very responsible, and expressly stipulates that the observation deck is not allowed to charge or set up stalls, so that tourists can immerse themselves in excitement and have fun. We first took pictures among the rapeseed flowers, then boarded a slightly lower viewing platform, and then walked a long way into the depths of the sea of flowers, and finally came to the viewing platform that is the closest to the road and the highest superior. Standing on this viewing platform, I feel that the rapeseed flowers are really magnificent, and I really appreciate the charm of Jinjifengcong as the main venue. Looking from the viewing platform to the distance, small hills with round bottoms and sharp tops are scattered under the blue sky. Surrounding the hills is a sea of yellow and green flowers. There is a faint steaming mist above the sea, and the clusters of mountain peaks look a little blurry, like a fairyland.
(Golden Rooster Peak Cong)
(Golden Rooster Peak Cong)
The weather in Yunnan is very characteristic, the sky is clear, a cloud blows, and a few drops of rain come down, but when you are about to take an umbrella or put on a hat, the cloud has already flown by, and the rain Also disappeared.
When it was getting dark, we had already returned to Luoping County. After checking into the hotel, we wandered around the streets looking for special snacks, and tasted local delicacies such as bait silk.
March 12
Day 2: Luoping - Luotian - Jianshui, self-driving trip: 400 kilometers
When I woke up early in the morning, I found that the sky was gloomy, but when I opened the window, it had just rained, and the road was still wet. So I lay down for a while before getting up. After checking out, I went to look for breakfast and found a Wenshan rice noodle shop. I ordered two bowls of rice noodles. The taste was different from that of bait silk, and there were some oil residues in it, which made it more delicious. When I came out after eating, I saw glutinous rice cakes and fried dough sticks, so I ordered a fried dough stick, and my wife ordered a cake. Baba is a bit like our pancakes, but it is made of glutinous rice flour. When eating, it is roasted on the fire, and it is rolled in side dishes such as Houttuynia cordata and sauces, which has a special flavor.
After eating and drinking enough, we got up and went to the screw field. Luoluotian is also a place to watch rapeseed flowers. It is about ten kilometers away from the county seat. Almost all of them are mountain roads. The roads are narrow and there are many cars, so you need to drive carefully. Fortunately, the road is not far, and it will be here in a while. When the car turns off the roadside parking lot, the locals will come to collect the money first, 15 yuan per car, no matter how long it is parked. Rapeseed flowers are at the foot of the mountain, and there is a private viewing platform beside the parking lot, which costs 5 yuan per person. The person who built the platform told us that it was all about collecting some money for a year, and it was considered a scene at the moment, but in the past few days, it was nothing. Listen, understand.
The scale of rapeseed flowers in Luoluotian is far less than that of Jinjifengcong, but it has its own characteristics. Looking down from the mountain, the rapeseed at the foot of the mountain is planted layer by layer according to local conditions, which looks like a circle of screw patterns. And because it is planted along with the ups and downs of the mountain, there are circles, circles, layers, and layers, some are round, oval, and some spread out like water ripples. There is a residential area looming among the green trees. The red bricks and gray tiles set off with the sea of yellow and green rapeseed flowers, which has a special charm. It's a pity that the weather is too bad, although the rain stopped, but the gloomy face has not let go, and the fog in the mountains, so the viewing effect is not as good as yesterday.
(screw field)
Around 9 o'clock, we drove away from the Luoluotian viewing area and started running to our next goal: Jianshui. There are two ways to go from Luoping to Jianshui: one is to take a section of Provincial Highway 203 from the county seat, and then take Milu Expressway to Guangkun Expressway; the other is to take Shankun Expressway to Guangkun Expressway, which is six miles farther than the previous one. Seventy kilometers. After discussing, we chose the latter, the whole journey was high speed, mainly because we were not familiar with the road conditions, and I was afraid that it would be difficult to drive on the provincial road due to construction or other reasons. As soon as we got on the highway, the sky gradually showed a good face, the sun slowly climbed up, and the temperature inside the car rose accordingly. We walked unhurriedly, and went down to rest for a few minutes every one or two service areas to exercise our bodies. At two or three o'clock in the afternoon, we arrived in Jianshui smoothly and checked into the Sanlong Hotel in the ancient city. The location of this hotel is excellent, just next to Lin'an Road, the main road in the ancient city, and opposite the intersection leading to Zhu's Garden. Seeing that the location is so good, we were so happy that we just ran a few hundred kilometers, put down our luggage, and wandered around the ancient city looking for something to eat. According to the search results on the Internet before we came, we went straight to Xiangmanlou, which is the most recommended by netizens, and ordered famous dishes such as steam pot chicken and baked tofu. We planned to have a big meal, but maybe it was because we arrived too late , or this restaurant is too famous to be worthy of its name. In short, the dishes served are not only colorless, but also taste unexpected, with no special features at all. But since I missed the lunch time and came here on purpose, I just made do with it, so I hurriedly finished my meal and went downstairs to the street.
Diagonally opposite the restaurant is the famous Zhujia Garden, known as the Grand View Garden in southern Yunnan. It is the first choice for tourists to the ancient city, and we are no exception. When I first saw Zhu’s Garden, I was skeptical about its gate. The front of the gate was not big, and there was a red plaque hanging on the door. I have doubts about the name, it won't be another Xiangmanlou, right? There are two doors diagonally across from the entrance door, one of which is a round door made of blue bricks with the words "follow the rules" written on it, which is quite satisfactory. After listening to the explanation later, I realized that the buildings here use "wrong door ramps" as a way to avoid evil, which is also one of its characteristics.
After passing through this round gate, passing through the Hanyu Tower, and entering further, you will see "Brother Lianke" on the left hand side, which is about the two cousins of the Zhu family who passed the imperial examination one after another, leaving a good story. Since then, the garden has become larger and larger. There are courtyards such as "Sishui Guitang", "Plum Pavilion", "Chrysanthemum Garden", "Bamboo Garden" and "Lanting Garden". There are various beautiful trees and famous flowers planted in it, which makes people feel that it is slightly in line with the previous imagination.
After turning around, when we came to the back garden, the weather changed again. The lake water was swaying, flowers dazzled the eyes, pavilions, pavilions and corridors were connected. It was really a good place to go.
(back yard)
(stage)
The owner of this garden is Zhu Chaoying, whose ancestor was from Mayang County, Hunan Province. He settled in Jianshui in the Ming Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, his business name "Zhu Hengtai" became one of the eight major business houses in southern Yunnan. Zhu Chaoying began to build a large-scale construction project. It took 30 years to complete the garden, which was like no other in southern Yunnan at that time.
After leaving the garden, we walked along Lin'an Road to Jianshui Confucian Temple, which is known as the largest Confucian Temple in the country. The scale of this Confucian Temple is indeed not small, mainly because it covers a large area. After entering the gate, a lake accounts for almost two-thirds of the entire Confucian Temple. After the lake, the huge archway is listed in the book "Zhusi Yuanyuan", with ancient cypresses and old trees inside. Standing towering, one can't help being awe-inspiring. We lingered there for a long time, until it was getting late, and a friend who was making pottery in Jianshui in Zhengzhou found it here, and we didn't go out.
With the kindness of our friends, we tasted a Hani-style dinner together. After dinner, a friend led us to Zitao Street opposite Wanyao Village. Purple pottery is one of the specialties of Jianshui, and it is listed among the four famous pottery in China. It turned out that I didn't know much about it. I only discovered this special product when I was doing a strategy before I came here. It is naturally better to be accompanied by friends in the industry. Probably because I like purple clay teapots, I had a good impression of purple pottery when I met it for the first time, and I was impressed by its beauty. What makes it different from many purple clay teapots is its carving and filling process, which is to first engrave the pattern to be fired on the body of the teapot, then fill it with paint, and then scrape it flat before firing. Therefore, the finished purple pottery has multi-color patterns, and it feels slightly concave and convex to the touch. It looks more joyful and beautiful than plain purple clay. After listening to a friend’s introduction, I learned that purple pottery is Jianshui’s current specialty product and one of Jianshui’s pillar industries. During the long Spring Festival holiday this year, it is said that 100,000 people came to Jianshui from all directions, and Zitao Street was overcrowded for a while.
Returning to the ancient city from Zitao Street, we went to see the east gate of the ancient city known as "Little Tiananmen", Chaoyang Tower. This is back to the hotel to rest.
March 13
The third day: Jianshui-Yuanyang-Qingkou-Duoyishu-Bada-Tigerzui,
Self-driving trip: 160 kilometers
Today's itinerary has been adjusted. The original plan was to see Tuanshan folk houses and Shuanglong Bridge in the morning, and then drive to Yuanyang terraced fields. It was adjusted to go directly to Yuanyang in the morning, and then go to Tuanshan folk houses after returning. This arrangement is more reasonable in terms of time. So, get up, check out, and drive on the road.
The distance from Jianshui to Yuanyang is not too far, only a hundred and ten kilometers, but it is basically a mountain road. Coming out of Jianshui, we plunged into the mountains. Although it is a provincial road, but because most of them are in the deep mountains, the road conditions are average, and there are two sections of the road that are classified as bad roads. Moreover, there were many large vehicles on the road, and there was fog or rain in the mountains from time to time, so we drove very carefully and rarely overtook. When I came out of the mountain, the first thing I saw under the bright sun was a big river. The wide water surface was sparkling, and there were small boats floating in the water in the distance. It was later learned that this river was the Red River, and the autonomous prefecture to which it belongs was named after this river. We walked along the river for a while and saw Yuanyang County after passing a water conservancy project site. Since the goal was Hani rice terraces, we didn't go into the city. We just took a rest by a small garden outside the city and went straight to Qingkou. When we arrived at Qingkou and stood on the viewing platform of the terraced fields, it was already noon.
The first impression of the terraced fields here is shocking. The similarities with Luoping Rapeseed Flowers lie in their scale. From the top of the mountain to the foot of the mountain, there are layers upon layers, which is extremely spectacular. As the seedling transplanting period has not yet arrived, the terraced fields are filled with water. Under the reflection of the blue sky, white clouds and sunny days, the color of the water surface changes piece by piece, making it look colorful. And if you change the angle, what you see may be a completely different scene. This is not at all different from the terraced fields built on the barren mountains in the north. Some people say that the northern terraced fields (such as Dazhai) look like a burly man, so the Hani terraced fields here can definitely be called a beautiful girl. Or a handsome boy. In fact, at that moment, in my heart, I felt that compared with the two, the terraced fields we had seen in the north looked more like an old man with gray beard. I remember someone said that the Hani Terraced Fields are the result of thousands of years of hard work by the Hani people, as well as the crystallization of their wisdom. The predecessors planted trees, and the descendants took advantage of the shade. Believe it. The secret of man and nature being able to live in harmony lies in adapting to nature and making changes that are conducive to their own survival and life within the scope allowed by nature, rather than trying to change nature beyond the laws of nature. The so-called survival of the fittest, this is also called.
(Qingkou Terraced Fields)
It should be related to the development of tourism. The life of the mountain people has changed greatly. Everywhere they went, there was a lot of construction work, new houses were built next to the road, row upon row, and various hotel and restaurant flags hung up, which was quite prosperous. The Yunshui Xiaozhu we booked is a typical Hani farmhouse hotel, which is not far from the Duoyishu viewing platform. The hostess was very young, and greeted us warmly to park the car. Even though she was carrying the child on her back, she still insisted on helping us move two trolley boxes to the upstairs room, which made me feel ashamed. After putting down our luggage, she greeted us to have dinner at her parents’ house next to the hotel. It was also a farmhouse hotel. Although the elderly could not understand what we said, they still communicated with us with their smiling faces, expressing their welcome and happiness. . Soon, two bowls of fragrant rice noodles were served.
After lunch, we communicated with the hostess and asked her about the viewing of the terraced fields, which was roughly the same as what we knew in advance. So, we followed the planned route and went to Duoyishu first. In fact, Duoyishu is the best place to watch the sunrise, but since the weather forecast will rain the next day, I don’t know if I can see the sunrise, so I will take a look first to avoid disappointment. Then go to Bada. Although they are all terraced fields, because of the different mountain conditions, different viewing times, and different weather conditions, the scenery looks very different. Therefore, there are people who specialize in photography and set up camp here. They live here for ten and a half months. They go out early and return late every day. On the day we arrived, the weather was not very ideal. Especially in the afternoon, the sky was almost occupied by overcast clouds. Occasionally, the sun appeared, and it would disappear after a while. There was basically no change in light and shade on the hillside. This is a big taboo for photography. There is no light available, so I have to do some tricks in the later stage, but the effect will definitely not be as good as the natural one.
In Bada, the mountain on the opposite side is relatively gentle, and the terraced fields appear to be layered and numerous, and the ridges are curved. From a distance, they are densely covered with lines. The lines between the lines are bright or dark, which is the water surface.
(Bada Terraced Fields)
This was originally an ideal place to see the fairyland in the clouds, but because the clouds are too thick, the terraced fields are almost all beautiful, lacking changes, and appear dull. Fortunately, we don't have high requirements for photography, we just want to relax, and we can feel happy when we come here, so we take our time, change positions from time to time, find a stool to sit down later, and feel very comfortable. When it came to 4 o'clock, I set off for Tiger's Mouth.
Tiger Mouth is the best place to watch the sunset. Every evening, tourists in this mountain gather here, waiting for the sunset to see the gorgeous scenery of the terraced fields under the sunset. When we arrived, it was still early in the sky, so we sat down by a barbecue stall outside the scenic area and tasted baked tofu. The barbecue grill is on a round pot, and the charcoal is used in the pot. The female boss uses a pair of chopsticks to move the tofu or potatoes on the rack. Appetite whetted. The tofu here is different from that in the north. It has patina inside. It tastes soft and smooth, with a slight smell of stinky tofu. It is very delicious. As long as we are free these days, we will eat a few pieces at the barbecue stand It's too much of an addiction. After eating the baked tofu, we entered the scenic spot. The wooden plank road was already full of tourists, and the better positions had already been occupied. The long guns and short cannons on the tripod pointed straight ahead, and there were faces full of expectations behind. People are not allowed to stand on the hillside outside the plank road, but there are local women who are willing to turn over the plank road to find a good place below, 20 yuan per person, and she will take it there. If you are not satisfied, you can still Turn it over again, and if you are satisfied with the payment, it is fair and fair. However, the setting sun didn't consider the wishes of so many people. It hid behind the clouds and didn't bother to come out. It just let out a little red light, which made the western sky stained a little red, and the water surface of the terraced fields also changed slightly. That's all.
(Watch the sunset from the Tiger Mouth Terraced Fields)
After waiting for a while, seeing no hope, many tourists had no choice but to leave Tiger's Mouth. We drove into the mountains in the twilight. Not far away, the sky suddenly became pitch black, and then the rumbling thunder approached from far away, and within a few minutes, the pouring rain poured down. The mountain road is rugged, there are many turns, the wipers are constantly blowing, the headlights are wide open, and you can't see far, so you have to move forward slowly. Fortunately, it didn't take long to catch up with a car. Much better. I drove on the mountain road for about half an hour, and when I saw lights ahead and the rain stopped, I was very moved. When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess was already waiting there, and took us to her parents' place, where we ordered two dishes and rice noodles, which was a taste of the real home-cooked taste of the Hani people.
March 14
Day 4: Duoyishu - Ai Village - Yuanyang - Xinjie Town - Jianshui,
Self-driving trip: 230 kilometers
early morning. It was not yet dawn, so I got up and opened the curtains to see that it was not raining. Just put on your clothes and go to Duoyishu.
It takes about 10 minutes to walk, and we are here. The viewing platform where I stood yesterday afternoon was already overcrowded. We found a place and squeezed in. Looking straight ahead, the east is in chaos, and there is no white belly, so I am a little disappointed. Looking down the terraced fields, it looks a little bright. So we waited and took random pictures. The sky gradually dawned, but the exciting red never appeared. According to common sense, the sunrise should be hopeless. Some people started to collect the stalls, and we also collected the tripods and walked back. However, not far from the main road, I saw the sky suddenly brighten, and when I looked to the east, a red fireball had already shown a small face on the other side of the mountain. It was too late to go back, so I had to choose a location on the side of the road and took a few photos. I feel unhappy, but I can't blame others for my own choice. Think about it, you basically see everything you need to see, and you feel relieved. But it must be said that empiricism kills people.
(Duoyishu terraced fields in the morning light)
After breakfast, we were packing our bags and preparing to check out, when the hostess came in suddenly and greeted us hurriedly, hurry up and see the blue terraced fields, it will be gone if it is late! And told us the location is in Ai Village. When we heard that there was nothing in the guide, we hurriedly dropped our luggage and drove into the car and left. On the way, I also encountered a terraced field in the clouds, which looked like a fairyland, it was really worthwhile. When we arrived at Ai Village, it turned out that this is also a good place to watch the terraced fields. The scale is average, but if it is a sunny day with blue sky and white clouds, at this moment in the morning, the sky is reflected on the water surface of the terraced fields. After refraction, what we see is The blue terraces! Although we were not lucky enough to encounter such a sunny day, we did not see the blue-shimmering terraces with our own eyes, but we should thank the hostess!
(Ai Village Terraced Fields)
Along the way, we also saw that although the living conditions of the farmers here have improved, there are still quite a few people who are still poor. Thinking about it, there are only a few people in this deep mountain who can enjoy the light of the terraced fields, and there are many poor people. Even beside us, although the terraced fields are beautiful to watch, farmers have to work in the water and mud. It is difficult to expect mechanization in such a small piece of land. Looking at the muddy legs, the joys and sorrows in it may be difficult for those of us who come here to click, look at the scenery, and leave after a few praises.
We left Qingkou around 9:00 am and arrived in Yuanyang County around 11:00 am. Here, we have to complete a special task: my wife’s grandma’s family lived in Yuanyang County decades ago. Before this visit, the old mother-in-law hoped that we could visit her hometown and take some photos back home. This is of course to be done. So, we asked in a sentry box on the edge of the county seat to find out the situation and avoid detours. Unexpectedly, after asking, we found a big problem. We originally thought that Yuanyang County would be the same as other places, with the old city and the new city next to each other. Who would have thought that people would tell us that the old Yuanyang County is not here at all, but in the distance. The mountain more than 30 kilometers away here is now called Xinjie Town. We both looked at each other, what should we do? After a discussion, we have already come here, and it’s not too far away, let’s go! As soon as the car turned around, we went up the mountain. The road up the mountain is very good, and the newly paved asphalt road is very comfortable to run on; there are not many cars, and the banana trees all over the mountains look beautiful. It's just a little confusing that there are road signs on the road that show that this road also leads to the Hani Terraces! Did you go back around? More than half an hour later, we came to Xinjie Town, the old Yuanyang County seat on the mountain. The topography of the town is very different from what the old mother-in-law said, but the places she mentioned have long since ceased to exist. The two of us parked the car and went separately to find the school and small temple in the memory of the old mother-in-law. After working for an hour, we finally took some photos of "substitutes" that could be touched, and hurriedly sent them back from WeChat. Comfort the old man's homesickness.
Before leaving the town, I checked the map and found that it is only 22 kilometers away from Yunshui Xiaozhu, which is the terraced field scenic spot, where we live! Alas! It was still the empiricism that allowed us to run twice as long. We ran nearly 130 kilometers on a road of fifty or sixty kilometers. But thinking about it, it's worth it, after all, the old man's wish has been fulfilled!
Backtrack. downhill. Pass Yuanyang County again. Into the mountains again. At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, we have already appeared in the marketing center on Zitao Street in Jianshui. It turned out that I fell in love with Jianshui purple pottery almost at first sight. My wife saw it and suggested to buy a teapot to appreciate and use it. So we went directly to Zitao Street, picked out a pair of colorful lotus flower stone ladles, and bought a steam pot by the way. Return with satisfaction.
(This is the pot)
In the evening, I tasted local delicacies with my friend Li Ruisheng from Zhengzhou. Ruisheng studied fine arts and came to Jianshui because of his love of purple pottery. He was the first person in Jianshui to transfer the art of oil painting to purple pottery. His works are unique and he won an award not long ago. It is a pity that the time is too short, and there is no chance to appreciate his masterpiece on the spot.
March 15
Day 5: Jianshui-Tuanshan Village, Shuanglong Bridge-Kunming, self-driving trip: 220 kilometers
Jianshui Ancient City is a national historical and cultural city, located in Lin'an Town, Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan. Jianshui was called Butou in ancient times, and it belonged to Yizhou County in Han Dynasty. During the Yuanhe period of the Tang Dynasty (806-820 A.D.), Huili City was built here. The Ming and Qing dynasties were the seat of Lin'an Mansion, and it has a history of 1,200 years. In Jianshui's history, the style of writing prevailed, and it was known as "a well-known state in literature" and "Zoulu in southern Yunnan" in ancient times. There are still more than 50 historical sites in Jianshui Ancient City, known as the "Museum of Ancient Architecture" and "Museum of Folk Houses". Today, what we are going to is an ancient residential village: Tuanshan Village Residence.
After exiting the ancient city, turn right in front of Chaoyang Building, cross the antique Yinghui Road, and go to the archway of "Document Mingbang", and you will see Lin'an Station on your right hand. Knowing that this is a station with a long history, I parked my car and entered it. I visited its waiting hall, entered the platform through the ticket gate, and saw an old-fashioned train decorated with red and willow green. Drive to Tuanshan Village. The old station, the old wagon, rejuvenated.
(Quite ancient Lin'an Station)
Tuanshan, in the west-north direction of Jianshui County, is more than ten kilometers away, and it will arrive in a while. According to reports, this is a typical immigrant village of the Han nationality in southern Yunnan. The ancestor Zhang Fu entered Yunnan from Jiangxi trade during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. He first lived outside the west gate of Jianshui City, and then settled in Tuanshan. Over the past 600 years, the members of the Zhang family have followed the family motto of "Hundred Endurance" as the foundation of their lives. They have a good family tradition and a large number of civil and military talents. At the end of Qing Dynasty, he got rich because of his participation in the development of Gejiu tin mine. There are well-preserved large-scale residential buildings and village gates such as Huang'en Mansion, Sima Di, Battalion Commander's Mansion, and Zhang's Ancestral Hall. In June 2005, it was announced as a world monumental architectural heritage by the World Monumental Architectural Heritage Protection Foundation (WMF). However, we walked around the village following the indicated route, and we were quite disappointed. Most of the buildings here are under repair and renovation. The gate of the Emperor's Mansion is still there, but unfortunately there is nothing in it for viewing or for tourists to learn about the history of the mansion; the residents of Simadi Middle School were very indifferent to our visit, making us feel like staying in that yard for a minute longer It is superfluous; only the buildings in the Zhangjia Garden are relatively intact, with rippling water, fragrant flowers and plants, and exquisite carvings of pavilions and pavilions, which make people think about the beautiful scene of this garden in the past. But in general, I feel that there is still a long way to go as a qualified scenic spot. Before leaving the village, I tasted roasted tofu and shredded bait at a barbecue stand next to the parking lot. The tofu was roasted until the four skins were browned, and the inside of the batter was white and tender, with a strong fragrance.
Come out of Tuanshan Village, go back to Jianshui Road and pass Shuanglong Bridge. The bridge, also known as the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, is located 5 miles west of the ancient city of Jianshui, across the confluence of the Lujiang River and the Taichong River. The peculiarity of the bridge is that it was not built at one time, but three holes were built in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, and fourteen holes were connected to it in the Daoguang period. The body of the bridge is made of huge stones. There are three-storey pavilions in the middle of the bridge, with a pavilion at each end. The shape is ingenious, and it is one of the excellent ancient bridges in my country.
(Shuanglong Bridge, also known as the Seventeen-Arch Bridge)
Leaving Shuanglong Bridge, we went through Tongjian Expressway, Provincial Highway 304, Jinhong Expressway, and Gaohai Expressway. We arrived at Spring City Kunming and checked into Pudding Hotel Xiba Road Branch.
March 16
Day 6: Kunming-Chuxiong-Kunming, self-driving trip: 300 kilometers
A day trip to and from Chuxiong and Kunming to visit relatives.
March 17
Day 7: Kunming - Yuantong Mountain - Fuxian Lake - Kunming, self-driving trip: 130 kilometers
According to the plan, today is to enjoy the flowers in Kunming, so that the trip with the main theme of highways and scenic spots in the past few days can be relaxed, so as to ensure that I can return home full of energy tomorrow.
Where are you going? We wanted to see the cherry blossoms, so we searched the Internet and decided to go to Yuantong Mountain. This place is not far from our hotel, so we took a rest for a while, but when we arrived, it was already full of cars, and we finally found out when we parked in a community and entered the Yuantongshan Zoo. Cherry blossoms are not as beautiful as in the legend. Disappointed, we decided to go to Fuxian Lake, where the Cherry Blossom Festival opened today, and from the map it is not far from here, only tens of kilometers away. So, I walked as soon as I said, listening to the instructions of the navigation, I finally got on the expressway, and then I ran all the way, and I arrived at Fuxian Lake in a short time.
According to our imagination, Fuxian Lake is a scenic spot, so there should be a gate, with a large area of cherry blossoms inside, and the lake water after going inside. As a result, when we walked into a parking lot marked with the words Fuxian Lake under the guidance of the navigation, we realized that there was a huge gap between the imagination and the reality. The local people told us that Fuxian Lake is huge, and there are more than 100 kilometers around the lake. The cherry blossoms we want to see are dozens of kilometers away from the parking place, on the other side of the lake. We didn't dare to delay, so we turned around and got on the road around the lake. On the way, I made up some knowledge about Fuxian Lake, only to realize that it is the largest deep-water freshwater lake in China, located between Chengjiang, Jiangchuan and Huaning counties in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. The volume of Fuxian Lake is 20.62 billion cubic meters, which is equivalent to the water volume of 12 Dianchi Lakes and 6 Erhai Lakes. It accounts for nearly one-tenth of the freshwater lake storage in the country. It is one of the natural lakes with the best water quality in my country. I can't help but add my hand, I'm glad I came today, no matter whether I can see the cherry blossoms or not. After nearly an hour of galloping, in a place called Shijia Village, there were more and more people and the cars were getting more and more crowded, and finally saw the banner of "The Second Fuxian Lake Cherry Blossom Festival". So we quickly found a place to park and entered the scenic spot. It is worth mentioning that this Cherry Blossom Festival is free for people over 60 years old, regardless of whether you are from Yunnan Province or not.
The cherry blossoms in Fuxian Lake are really unique.
Of course, there is nothing unusual about the flower itself, but on the edge of such a plateau lake, stretching for several kilometers, it is full of pink, and there are colorful unknown flowers planted on the ground, which is more beautiful against the background of the cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms in other places do not have the characteristics. Fuxian Lake is not only wide, but also extremely deep. It is said that the deepest part can reach more than 150 meters, so the water is dark blue, which is quite beautiful. The warm wind blows, and the lake water is rippling. From a distance, there are large and small peaks on the other side of the lake. The cherry blossoms are swaying in the wind with the lake and distant mountains as the background, attracting tourists to be mesmerized, wishing to capture the beautiful scenery in their own camera lens at once. We were also completely relaxed physically and mentally. Even though the spring breeze with the temperature of the lake was blowing, we wandered back and forth along the lake, and we still felt that the excitement was still unfinished. However, it was past two o'clock, and I was so busy admiring the flowers that I forgot to eat lunch. So we drove to bid farewell to Fuxian Lake. On the way back, we came across a beautiful restaurant. When we asked, we could still order food, so we sat down and had our meal calmly. We bought the local specialty lotus root noodles at the front desk, and then returned to Kunming by the same route. . I went directly to the airport because I had to fly the next day. check in to a hotel. return car.
March 18
Day 8: Return to Zhengzhou by plane.