What a start to the New Year!

January 1st 2009, bought with it a beautiful day and two very slow moving Laowais!

However after a big breakfast nothing could stop us as we ventured up to Yulong Snow Mountain! The mountain has a massive long cable car and we are allowed to go up to 4506m above sea level...feeling very heady anyway we bought some oxygen and were glad we did! Lijiang is 2500m above sea level.

As the cable car got further and further up the mountain the visibility was nil! There was very bad weather up the mountain but armed with my camera I was determined to take pictures of snow on New Years Day!! It was extremely cold up there and after frolicking with all of the other Chinese tourists in the snow we emerged to suck in some oxygen and trying to defrost my frozen hair! - HILARIOUS!

The views coming down were amazing as we emerged from the oncoming snow storm, you could see for miles and it felt a lot like clean, fresh aired countries.....we were feeling good (well after some greasy food...much better!)

In Yangzhou in July, with Mum and Dad, we went to see Impressions, a show on water by a famous Chinese director. Lijiang had it's own show by the same director, with a background of snow mountain and it was sensational! It had all of the minority cultures and told stories about the caravans of warriors that used to go through the mountains and lovers who would jump off so they could be together forever. The music was amazing and with the back drop of the snow mountains, it was so lovely to watch! I love listening to stories and legends about different cultures so I was in my element. Afterwards you were able to write down your wish and walk up the old weathered stone stairs to the burning cauldron and have it granted by the Dragon of the mountain, we were even taught how to pray Naxi style.....it was very humbling!

We spent the rest of the day relaxing, reading books and enjoying the Gluehwein (Mulled Wine) that David had bought all the way from Germany! He even heated it in the wok and it was delicious!