Haba, Haba, this Place is GORGEous

Aside from staying in Dukezong Old Town, I was able to explore some of the natural beauty Shangri-La county had to offer, including Tiger Leaping Gorge and the White Water Terraces. While I lost one of my lens caps to the gorge and was nearly duped into paying for incense a man shoved into my hands at the Terraces, I couldn't help but hang my head out the window as I rode through the mountains and marvel. Every now and then I'd glimpse a snow capped mountain (though none of them seemed to be THE snow capped mountain) behind those that were covered in trees while there were others that appeared bare, revealing gray and red stone. Nestled in the valleys were small towns and terraced fields. In one of these vallyes I tried, for the first time, the red rice grown in the area. (It tasted just like white rice, but the red made me eat it with an enthusiasm that had waned after a few weeks of eating rice so often).

Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La, China

Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri-La, China

Haba Mountain, Haba, Shangri-La, China

Haba Mountain, Haba, Shangri-La, China

White Water Terraces, Shangri-La, China

White Water Terraces, Shangri-La, China

View from hostel in Haba, Shangri-La, China

View from hostel in Haba, Shangri-La, China

Attn. Chimney Corners Camp: Shangri-La is a Real Place

Chimney Corners Camp for Girls had led me to believe that Shangri-La was a make-believe magical land since I was 8. Turns out, it's a real life magical land complete with the rare Black-Neck Crane, thousands of fluttering prayer flags, and some of the most friendly locals I've encountered thus far.

Temple in Dukezong, Shangri-La, China

Temple in Dukezong, Shangri-La, China

Thangka Center, Dukezong, Shangri-La, China

Thangka Center, Dukezong, Shangri-La, China

Napahai Lake, Shangri-La, China

Napahai Lake, Shangri-La, China

Shangri-La, China

Shangri-La, China

Dukezong Temple, Shangri-La, China 

Dukezong Temple, Shangri-La, China

 

Napahai Lake, Shangri-La, China

Napahai Lake, Shangri-La, China