Mystical Beauty of Lijiang [Yunnan Province]

The Ancient town of Lijiang is a marvel in so many ways. It is the 1st
City in China that I can see myself living in for some time. There is
magic beyond words here. It is somewhere between the web of canals
with waving water grass that infiltrates the town, the ancient symbols
embedded into the roofing and courtyard floor mosaic, the maze of
steep cobblestone streets and the fact that someone would sell candles
in wax flowers just so that one could float the glowing flower down
one of the canals!

There is a multitude of scents that scintillate one's senses - from
red clay to the nutty aroma of the Naxi tea [think Yak butter,
peanuts, egg, tea and milk - yes, I feel that when I drink it, I don't
need to eat for a day], local furs and onion-filled baba [local thick
savoury pancakes]. There are elders in traditional Naxi garb dancing
to mountain music in the streets....The town is filled with music.
Many local singers with Brittish accents and a guitar create a
relaxed, somewhat festive ambiance... The red glow of myriads of
lanterns adorns the streets, reflecting in the canal water and
resonating with the wax flower candles floating through... The trees
lit up in the background frame the hill filled with curly roofs...
Craftsmen create their art in every second shop [most of which are
fully open to the street] - woodwork, weaving, painting of every kind.
There is an enchanted, mystical feel to this place.

On another note, Here I was blessed with a warm space to stay in. It
turns out that the majority of the guesthouses in this part of China
do not have heaters. That leaves the body quite cold [the
all-permeating, Venice-in-the-winter kind]. However, here I got lucky.
A Russian couple I met while admiring the underwater grass waving [and
remarking to myself just how much that reminds me of Tarkovsky's
"Solaris," and hearing the Bach score in my head....] has suggested
the hotel they found by accident: Naxi Mama's. There is 24/7 hot water
here and HEATERS in the rooms!!!! Of course, I immediately moved my
things there and am now recouperating in warmth.

The tourist flux here is unparalleled. And, frankly, with the beauty
of the place, how can it not be? However, the distribution of the
crowds seems to follow Pareto's Principle to a T. Most folks sediment
down below....and as one ascends the cobblestone maze to the top of
the hill, one is in awesome solitude.