Spent a full day somewhere in the Cangshan mountains with the funniest local guide, trying to communicate with bits of English (thank you for translating, Yu),a little Cantonese, and my very limited, barely existing, Mandarin(I really need to learn).
Xiaoqi drove us deep into the hills, bringing us to a Yunnan family living in the mountains. With ingredients and produce from their land and farm,they cooked organic,homemade dishes for us:fern, broad beans, home-aged ham,different vegetables, corn from the land, and tomato eggs, all of which tasted so good and wholesome.Home-cooked meals made by grandmas are my favourite,no restaurant could beat them for me.
We walked through forests,hills,and meadows,meeting a very sweet grandma who lives alone in the mountains along the way, with Xiaoqi telling us more about all the Dali flora, introducing us to the flavours of local edible plants and flowers, and taking in the changing landscapes,all accompanied by the mountain family's sweet little dog.
I found a new favourite fruit named bayberries (sweet, sour, refreshing and pretty) and witnessed the sunset from within a car, while Xiaoqi drove us in his van out of the mountains, back to the city.Something about watching the sunset while driving with the windows open...
WhatI found most affecting was how connected to nature Xiaoqi seemed,and even though he does this hike quite often,he still seems in awe of everything.
A day without any reception,but didn't miss it once
