A Day in Dali

Mr Waterman
(teacher)

Today was quite the day! We arrived in Dali this morning at 6:45 after sleeping (sort of) on the sleeper train from Kunming. On the train (which Kelby and I were desperately hoping was as elegant and comfortable as the Orient Express!), we had our own cabin. The bunks were relatively comfortable and we managed to stow our luggage mostly out of the way. Elizabeth and I lucked out by sleeping on the bottom bunks, and Iona and Kelby were happy to survive the night without falling off of their top bunks. The conductor woke us up this morning just after 6:00 and we gathered ourselves enough to stumble out of the station.

Carrie, our guide, met us outside the station and graciously let us sleep during the 30 minute ride to the hotel. We ate breakfast at the hotel, and while we were waiting for our rooms to be prepared, Carrie took us to the Three Pagoda Park. It was the perfect time of day to visit because the massive park was almost empty (it was 8:30 AM, after all) and the day was sunny and cool. We walked a long way in the park and we saw many different structures.

The first we came upon were the 3 pagodas for which the park is known. They stand side-by-side in front of the massive wall of mountains to the west. The average height is the mountains is 3800 m! The pagodas were built in the 1200s and they have never been destroyed- the original structures stand! I was amazed to learn that they have no foundation (!) and have somehow survived earthquakes and wars unscathed, the only sign of their experiences a slight tilt to the smaller two pagodas.

We also visited the large Buddhist temple complex in the park. Unlike the pagodas, it was destroyed during the years of World War 2 and its reconstruction was completed in 2006. I loved the colors used in the buildings- bright red, blues, greens, and gold. In the various temple buildings, Carrie told us about the importance of the various Bodhisattvas (Buddhist deities ranking just below the Buddha) in the daily lives of the families who worshiped at the temples. My favorite message from the Bodhisattvas is that your heart is more powerful than your environment, meaning that if you believe something strongly enough, you can accomplish it. I liked the optimism!

Carrie also told us that she is a member of the ethnic minority group called the Bai people. She grew up speaking the bai language with her family and she learned Mandarin at school. She was sad to say that there is no one left in her family that knows the written script for that language. Though she pointed out the traditional bai clothing worn by some of the tour guides, Carrie said that few people still wear that clothing on a daily basis. As a language teacher and learner, I was fascinated to hear her stories!

After a much-needed rest at the hotel, we met for lunch and to explore Old Dali Town. We visited a Catholic Church -indistinguishable from a pagoda except for the cross at the top - and the South Gate of the city which, like the pagodas, dates to the 1200s and is still intact. The girls shopped and we all enjoyed the sunshine. Since we had expressed an interest in tea, Carrie took Kelby and me to a tea tasting ceremony at a local tea store. Guided by a tea expert, we tasted 4 teas - puer green tea (caffeinated and a golden color), puer fermented green tea (herbal and a rich red wine color), black tea from this region (with hints of chocolate!), and jasmine tea (powerfully flavored and scented). We were mesmerized by the precise process of preparing the tea (heating water, rinsing and steeping the leaves, and pouring the colorful tea just so). It is an art form that I would love to learn how to perform!

We are off to Shaxi village tomorrow, and we are looking forward to more beautiful sunshine when we get there!