Day 6: After Lunch Stroll at Ancient Town Shuhe (束河古镇)

Many raved about the ancient town of Shuhe. Hence we took a stroll there after lunch.

We didn't managed to get past the commercial part of the town & wasn't able to experience the laid back & rustic ambience mentioned by many others who went there. *.* If you're into peace & quiet, you would find Shuhe appealing. We prefer vibrancy & a little more action.

Here are some photos I took.

Shuhe food street

One of the many teahouses

And street snacks

Efforts have been made to preserved the thousand years Dongba script. Much has been destroyed during the cultural revolution. As you can see, directory are in Chinese, English & Dongba Script. I actually find the drawings pretty cute. :)

The streets are dotted with souvenirs shops.

Colourful wooden crafts that appeal to kids & even us. :)

We got a little bored and didn't want to venture further. We needed some action to get us up & going and clearly we couldn't get it here.

Day 6: Prettylicious Naxi Lunch

Mr Wang drove us to this extremely pretty lunch venue! :) Happy! :D

From the outside, it looked like any Naxi residence. But once you stepped in, you would be awed by the gorgeous plum blossoms. We were! :)

Dongba script on the entrance wall. :)

It's difficult not to fall in love with this place. :)

We placed our order in the kitchen like in Luoping. What did we order? :)

We had a plate of slightly spicy local fish & the ooooo-so fatty but tasty preserved pork. :)

We have no idea what this grey qq stuff is. I didn't really like its texture but I give the spicy sauce a thumbs up. :) I reckon it will go much better with dumplings...We also had two plates of greens. :)

All these dishes couldn't go without steamed rice. We had a pot of it! Too much eh? :)))

Indulgence can be so simple. A simple meal with an awesome company & the beauty of plum blossoms. Bon appetite! :)

Day 6: Horse Riding & Boat Trip in Lashi Lake

It was an awesome morning for horse riding & a boat trip in Lashi Lake. :) The scenary around Lashi Lake was picturesque. :D
We were first given a briefing of the areas we would cover around Lashi Lake and then taken to choose a horse each. :) Woohoo! :)

The classic horse riding route rolls along the historic Tea Horse Trail (茶马古道).

Along the way, we got to catch a glimpse of local Naxi farming life in the little village.

Naxi minorities busy with their daily chores. :)

Naxi village.

Naxi lady :)

Some people might find the horse riding & boat trip packages pricey. However, for city dwellers like us with limited opportunities to experience such closeness to nature, the money was well spent. :)

 

We found the weathered path alluring. :))) How often do we get to do this??? :D Loving every minute it! :)

Tina & Ann trod behind... Ann's horse took fancy of Tina's horse! :)))

Into the woods we go...

Lovers' Lake (情人湖)

Friends at Lovers' Lake :)))

There was a 15 mins break here, both for the horses & us. :)

The horses were starving! :)))

We needed some warmth. ;)

After the horses had taken their fill, it was time to move on. :)

Thank God for the perfect weather. These activities wouldn't be possible if it rained...

 

I just love looking up! hahahahah :D The blue, the green & the brown :) What's not to love about it?

Off to boating next. :)

Don't you heart the row of greens? :)

We managed to pick up some horse riding skills after 2-3 hours riding on one. ;) Tina & I tried to capture as many shots as we could, but when the horses galloped, we could only hang on! Hahahhaha :)))

Lashi Lake is home to over 57 types of immigrant birds and some are protected species such as the black-neck Crane. Early morning & late afternoon are the most ideal time to catch a glimpse of the bird flocks and lake scenery.

The four of us chilling in the boat & taking in the beautiful sight. :)

Row row row the boat :)

If only every Friday is this relaxing... :)

By the time we were done with boating, it was time for lunch! :) Hungry? Quite. ;)