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Hi friends,
Following
@Oliver Z.'s post last week, here goes another unfamiliar face writing the Weekly Update
Well, maybe not that unfamiliar, some of you may know me through several Community Events like OEFs, or, more recently the Community Awards, but in case you are still curious about me, you can find my intro
here.
First things first, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! We all know 2020 has been a challenging and a unique year for many, if not all of us. The pandemic has become a pervasive and chilling backdrop to man’s inhumanity to man – and a timely reminder of our own vulnerability on a planet teetering on the edge. 2020 is forcing most people to adapt to new realities, but what makes me optimistic is seeing that people are capable not only to adapt but thrive on change. As we look ahead to 2021, the experiences of this past year give me hope for better times and new opportunities.
In a rebound week from all User Festival fun and being the first day of the year, without much to update you about, I decided to mix things up a bit and write my own weekly update - a travel journey of sorts.
I took last week off as a treat to myself
, both for Christmas and the New Year. I went to Yun'nan Province with friends, a landlocked province in the Southwest, situated in a mountainous area with high elevations. Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture was my first stop, finally checked off Meili Snow Mountain from my bucket list.
![[IMG]](https://forums-images.oneplus.net/data/webimg/2021/02-01/6017a0f7eb7d0.gif)
It's totally worth the 4-hour mountain-road driving from Shangri-La and getting up at 7 in the morning with a freezing 10 degrees below zero. I can't even begin to describe how spectacular the scene was, only with a "Wow!".
By the way, the crest of the range rises to over 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) above sea level and the highest peak is Kawagebo (shown in the picture below), which rises to 6,740 meters (22,110 ft). Kawagebo is considered sacred for Tibetan Buddhists. Because of restrictions and dangerous conditions, none of the major peaks in the range have ever been summited.
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“Sun Shining on the Mountain” – in Chinese we call it 日照金山 – which can only be seen at a specific time and place, is the breath-taking golden light falling from the sky on the top of the snow mountain. Locals say that there are about 40 days out of 365 days in a year when you can see the sun shining on the mountain, and seeing the golden light means good luck for a whole year. I was extremely lucky and grateful that I saw the golden light 2 days in a row, and now I am passing down the luckiness to all of you
.
After two days in Diqin, I drove almost 8 hours to Shaxi, located in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. The journey wasn't too bad, there are amazing scenes along the way, ranging from Snow Mountains, Alpine Lakes, to Rocky area, so I took a bunch pics
, but decided to only show you guys 2, haha
Shaxi is a historic market town. The Sideng market square of Shaxi was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 2001. Shaxi started as a trading point for tea and horses during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). It is probably the most intact horse caravan town on the Ancient tea route leading from Yun'nan into Burma and Tibet.
It is amazing to walk around the town for a look at true ancient history as most of the building are 600+ years old and the history dates back over 1000 years. I feel like the most original scenery is preserved and life here is slow and quiet, you can be close to nature, definitely worth a visit!
Then, my last stop was Lijiang. I went to another Snow Mountain, called Jade Dragon, its highest peak is named Shanzidou and is 5,596 m (18,360 ft) above sea level. Unlike Meili Snow Mountain, you can actually take the cable car and climb the steps to the Jade Dragon till 4,860 m (15,945 ft).
Yep, here is how I dressed, I remember it felt like 20 degrees below zero with the wind. And do you see the backpack's side pocket? It's an oxygen tank! You need it because of the high altitude and the physical exertion required for climbing. But I still decided to take off my ugly puffy down jacket...
...because it's Christmas!!! Put on that red sweater and make this Christmas cheer!!!
I did not want to upload too many pictures to get you guys envied, hopefully you guys are having fun reading my post, and this can light your brand-new year of 2021 a bit. Again, HAPPY NEW YEAR guys, and, remember, the most fun part about making New Year’s resolutions is breaking New Year’s resolutions. Can’t wait to start messing them up!
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