After Shangri-la we went to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. Apparently this gorge is where an emporer had hunted a tiger down and thought he had the tiger cornered. The tiger leap the gorge at a narrow onto a large boudler in the middle of the gorge and was able to get away. I'm not sure but I think I also heard that the emporer saw that the tiger was so resourceful that he let him live? Anyways, it is important to know that tigers are critically endangered and there are around 3000 left in the wild since the last time I checked. And there is no way there are any tigers around the gorge.
We did a two day hike on the middle path which was mostly goat and mule paths going around steep rocks, waterfalls, bamboo and small villages. It was awesome and felt like real China. The mountain tops across from us were amazing and the sun was strong. I got a burn on my shoulders face and right arm (I hope it will even out eventually). Also on the trail was random locals selling stuff from a makeshift stall. A couple of these stall the women tried to sell us some "weedie, weedie, ganja, ganja". I didn't believe it at first but it is true! Even though marijuana is highly illegal and foreigners have been targeted in clubs for random drug tests and deported, here are locals selling the stuff. Mind you this is the unaltered probably grown wild low THC kind. It was not strong smelling. We didn't buy any of course, but it was still hilarious that it was possible on a mountain trail. The second day of the trek I could smell it in the air but thought some farmer was smoking it
But no, there it was, growing tall right beside me. I thought it was bamboo until my friend pointed it out. It wasn't being cultivated by anyone according to my friend's quick plant biology lesson on marijuana. Once again though, it was pretty funny to find.
While on the trail we stayed at TeaHorse Guest House. It has to be one of the best places to stay on the trail because we were so tired we couldn't have made it to the other Inns further away. Not only that but it's modern, cheap, food is excellent, the best view on the roof, and the staff are so kind, axcomadating and responsive to you. Unlike Tina's guesthouse at the end of the trail. The woman in the reception must have been having a bad day by the way she treated us. The food was great though! And taking the bus back to Jane's hostel before Lijiang was awesome because we could pick up our things.
Tiger leaping Gorge is awesome and if you want to get in for free and take the hiking trail you should start at Jane's Hostel. If you take a tour bus the bus will stop before the trail and someone will collect a fee from you for the gorge. Since we walked to the trail from the hostel we completely missed this supposed fee. We had no idea were the entrance really was because there were few signs and no official building. However on the other side of the gorge there is a much more refined walking trail and clearly a tourist spot. It was a good time though and I finally didn't have to pay to do something in China and it wasn't under construction!
I'm in Lijiang now and will be updating before I leave to Dali.
