Happy Chinese New Year; A Most Interesting Day in Lijiang

I missed the ATC session in Bishan Library last month, and it seemed ages for the next one to come - perhaps because January session was postponed a week ;) We had a fun evening doing paper quilling. I do quill occassionally, but it was fun doing together, and an eye-opener looking at all the dragons and Angry Birds Mdm Au did. She was our instructor for the night, and what a lot she prepared for us - papers, tools and the ATC backing.(Above) The quilled fish ATCs I did - planned for the Chinese New Year! Wishing everyone 年年有余 - a year filled with abundance. And for the theme "Simply Red", my ATCs (below) adorned with red tatted flowers, wishing all 洪福齐天!

The quilled dragon and Angry Birds (bottom left) are the amazing works of Mdm Au.

I finished this birthday ATC for Annette (New Zealand) in good time. This should reach her before her birthday in early Feb.

Another few alphabet ATCs done, I have completed the series for Sherry! Just need to do another set for Mari.

2 gorgeous ATCs came - V is for Violet and a very cute W is for Worm - from Sherry. I love her needle-punching works, and that's something I haven't tried.

Still on Day 3 (8 Dec) PM in Lijiang: We stopped by a jade city - Dian Mian Yu Shi Cheng (丽江滇缅玉石城) . This is one of the largest in China - rows and rows of counter-top, thousands of pieces of jade, in colours and unlimited designs from earrings, pendants to bangles, small to big sculptures. Not only jade, but there were also some crystals, and Chinese herbs. We bought quite a bit of the herbs here, not that they were cheap, but guaranteed that they are the real and quality ones.
This is the model of the place which acts to provide directions around the counters. The squarish tables at the bottom right are those selling herbs.
Next was a visit to Shuhe ancient town (束河古镇). We gave up walking after going down one of the streets. Still very cold despites the glaring sun, we could hardly opened our eyes walking in the direction of the sun!
One interesting shop.
On one side of the road, trees were bare, .... ... and on the other side, greens!

Here you can see both sides of the road.
Just one of the numerous signs - this one written "Be kind to the followers and grasses".
Along the main streets in Lijiang.

The "Acrossed Bridge Rice Noodle" (过桥米线) as written on the signboard in front of the shop, is one of the Yunnan's special food item, with some interesting stories behind it. I went to Yunnan once about 10 years ago, and believe it or not, I missed this rice noodle cooked in booth so much, I just must take this again. I had my good share of it for 3 meals! More delicious than our local fishball noodle soup!

Finally, we visited Lijiang ancient town (丽江古城) .

"The sun's in my eyes!!!! "
The sun was going to set. No more glaring sun, but the uneven tiles on the ground and steep terrain made the walk pretty tiring.

Weaving in process. Although the Chinese government classifies the Mosuo (摩梭) as a part of the Naxi minority people, they have many of their own distinctly different cultural practices.

Along some of the streets in the ancient town. There were a number of shops selling yak meat here.

We were almost lost inside the town. Armed with a map and not-to-scale directional signboards along the streets, with lesser and lesser people to almost deserted streets, we finally found our way out to the main road to hail a taxi back to the hotel.

The front lobby of the Guanfang Hotel (官房酒店), the morning of 9 Dec, when we checked out after breakfast.