There are some things you will only ever find in China. And if you ever need a reminder of this, you only need to frequent one of the bathrooms in the old town of  Lijiang, which is currently base camp．China is a place of contradictions, where the west is rapidly and forcefully colliding with the east. As we plough our way to economic development, we still struggle to maintain our cultural identity, or at least a “Chinese” way of doing things. Which is why we end up with squatty-potties equipped with LCD TV screens to entertain you as you go about your business. Really. Now if that isn’t an example of modernization meeting culture shock, I don’t know what is.

Ｉf I can summarize my experience in Lijiang, it would be Venice meets Disneyland. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and is over 800 years old. The cobblestoned streets are bisected now and then by canals of clear water, kelp and even goldfish. The only thing is, for something that is supposed to date back to the Tang and Song dynasties, it’s awfully… shiny. The ethnic minority group represented here are the Naxi people.　(China is predominantly Han Chinese, including yours truly, but there are 55 ethnic minorities, over half of them reside in Yunnan where I am back packing) The Naxi are closer to Tibetan people in language, dress and ethnicity. And while the photographer in me thrills to see an elderly Naxi in traditional dress, when I encounter them in Old Town, I can’t help but feel like they resemble Disney mascotts on display.

The nice thing is however, is we bartered our way to a real Naxi village, and spent most of the day wandering around amongst them. It reminded me a lot of the Newari village I visited when I was in Nepal. Just walking and shooting. We met a tiny woman who fished out a fistful of sunflower seeds in one hand, and a tiny green notebook in the other – revealing notes from various travellers who had visited her house. She was incredibly warm and welcoming, half-dragging all eight of us to her house, where she shared tea, fruit and biscuits with us. I never ceased to be stunned by the generosity of those who have so little, and the stark contrast of attitudes in us that are blessed with so much.

There is more to tell about how we were smuggled in to an 80 kuai park (per person. highway robbery, I say!) and the antics that ensued. But ’tis getting late, and tomorrow a 2 day trek to Tiger Leaping Gorge awaits. I will be dragging all my photography gear with me, and so help me if I get so exhausted I need to dump clothing and other necessitites, I will drag back 20 gigs of images. There’s BOUND to be something decent burried there. Right???

note: my faithful D80 has since been dubbed the kalashnikov (or just “kalash” for short). So inspired by a line from Lord of War, adapted for photographers. “A weapon all shooters love. An elegantly simple 20.48 ounce amalgamation of forged steel and plastic. It doesn’t break, jam, or overheat. It’ll shoot whether it’s covered in mud or filled with sand. It’s so easy, even a child can use it; and they do.”

Yes, I know it’s been replaced by the D90, and that the D700 is full frame. But it’s my baby. I know that thing like I know the back of my hand, and it will bｅ shot with until I have to  hold the thing together with duct tape, so help me nikon gods.

Until next time, hopefully hailing from the breath taking views of Tiger Leaping Gorge.

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