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Around the world in 2000,
via Asia and Madagascar.
China (3 Jinghong)
Bec2004-09-18 12:37:45
Displayed times (last time: )
Jinghong
Getting here from Kunming took a long and rough 23 hour bus ride over bad roads. I shared a sleeper bus berth with a large elderly gentleman and frankly it was not comfortable. I took a long walk stretch my weary limbs and it was soon dark so I went to bed early at the Jingyang hotel where I had a nice room for only 3.70$US.
Jinghong turned out to be more modern than I had expected. The new bridge that you can see in this photo was impressive for such a small city.
There were very few tourists when I was there in December but it was obvious that the tourist industry was very well developed. This is the midrange Xishuangbanna hotel, more expensive than the Jingyang but not as fancy as the Banna Mansions Hotel.
My one year old guidebook mentioned Jinghong as a sleepy town. Things change quickly in China these days and Jinghong had woken up. Everywhere I turned I saw evidence of entrepreneurship and new business ventures often in the hands of women. Sandra, the girl on the right below, was an ex waitress now was doing very well with the "Forest" cybercafe she opened to satisfy the needs of the growing stream of tourists.
Gasa
Gasa is a Dai village only 20 minutes by bus from Jinghong. I had to walk a long way through dull recently built-up areas to get to what was left of the old village.
These ladies responded positively to my query "Dai tsu, Dai tsu ?" so I took their picture as the first example of the local Dai nationality people even though they were not wearing their traditional costumes.
Mengyang
In the evening after visiting Gasa, I had a relaxing massage in my room for less than 10 dollars and the next day I took this mini van to Mengyang about 20 kms east of Jinghong where I boarded a second minibus that brought me to the village of Jinuo named after the Jinuo people who live
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See photographs from:
China Gallery
