Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Koh Mak (kin')

After enough planning to make you crazy....

We jumped onto this guy's boat (couldn't resist the goggles) to Koh Mak

We found paradise....

Ed managed to relax a little...

Even Greg Oden could not resist the chance for a swing in paradise

Incredible food, again...

My sister Amy followed her dream, changed her name a little and opened her own place...delish kiddo!

Another great sunset...can you find the coconut????

Monday, April 28, 2008

This is Lijiang (aka This is why you should go to China)

This is the view from the daily market just outside of the old town of Lijiang (Jade Snow Mountain is everywhere)

This is Ed and Sally in front of the Water Wheels at the main center of the Old town

This is a Pagoda in the park at the end of the town below the Mountain

This is the Naxi Orchestra, they perform ancient songs of The Naxi people. They were oppressed by the cultural revolution and the songs were destined to be lost. A few of theses guys buried their instruments, recovered them in 1980 and startted playing the music again...

THis is a picture of a few of those original musicians, catching a snooze between sets.

This is an evening shot down on of the many small roads of Old Town Lijiang, it is impossible NOT to get lost here!

This is the morning view looking down on the roof line of Lijiang.

This is Sally holding Haaaaawwwkk and his owner holding Tsing Tao.....(Hawks all the way 2008!)


This is an automatic pepper masher in the market, fresh spicy paprika, yum!

This is a tower of Pu-er tea, the local speciality


This is a bike full of PBR boxes

This is Sally procuring Yak Meat jerky (Don't worry Dad I'm saving you some!) and Yak Milk Candy.

This Nancy and Sally enjoying some fresh juice along the canal

This is the best lunch we had in Lijiang, of course we found this spot on our last day

This is possibly the rear honches of a few yaks


This is a picure of some Dead ducks, for good luck

This is Sally practicing traditional Naxi songs with some of the gals

This is the chef who catches the Golden Trout out of the pond at the Summer Palace and then fries it up special for you



This is our guide Mr Gou, EXCELLENT tour of Lijiang

This is Nancy sketching among the beautiful colors as we hiked up for a better view and some great photos

Again Nancy found the spot to be, the Wisteria was in full bloom


This Ed and Mr. Gou in a small traditional Tibetan town, it is the last town before the journey to the Tibetan Plateau

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Dali/China

Dali sits at the base of the Jade mtns, which loom over all parts of town. These three pagodas are the symbol of the city.......

Sally misses her yoga classes so much, she just busts out at some very strange places....

The train ride to Dali really bored Sally.....

We sat in a tight compartment with these 5 Chinese people who talked in the loud manner that the Chinese speak, all jacked up on green tea, for the entire 8 hour train ride......And Sally slept through it all.

We took a chair lift up to a temple on the jade mtn...going up

Epic View and great hiking.....makes you want to jump into it all

Nancy contemplating @ the temple...

This might be the only picture of my mom on a chair lift in existence...They wouldn't even slow the chair down for her....going down

Live chicken transport.....

Yak cheese...

Chinese temples are super colorful and have no real strict patterns in there images...

This was our guide Jim, classic Tibetian man that smoked 3 packs a day and was born in a chinese prison........The best tour guide in Dali...

Tons of rice paddies...

We had lunch in a Wui village, Muslium people. One of the best lunches we had in China......

Finally a real beer.....Party....

We need a personal photographer......Patty..

Always remember to stop and smell the roses...........

China/Kungming

Ed, Sally and Nancy ventured North to Yunnan Province in Southwest China...tea is an absolute staple and a very distinct culture and yummy Tsing Tao beer is served lukewarm!

We spent the frst day of our whirlwind tour of Kunming in Shilin, "The Stone Forest"

The Karst pinnacles looked like stone trees, it was easy to get lost in the maze, but the views were always rewarding!


Our only night in Kunming was filled with images of the Olympic mascots and back alley food stalls.....