Lijiang is apparently the most visited tourist destination on earth, and it's not hard to see why. The original town was inhabited by the Naxi people. The new town was built alongside it, from 1947, apparently because it was deemed too expensive to resettle the inhabitants. The old town suffered from a massive earthquake in 1996, but the World Bank supported reconstruction in the traditional style. The result is a traditional town built along numerous rushing streams. It is perhaps most reminiscent of Annecy, except that at night the centre of the old town comes to life with numerous bars competing for custom on the basis of the loudness of their music or the beauty of the traditionally dressed greeters. The restaurants are brightly lit and afford the opportunity of eating alongside the many rivers. The shops and restaurants were preparing for the Chinese New Year with even more bright lanterns and decorations. At night the pulsating sound of music was increasingly interspersed with the sound of fire crackers being exploded.

The old town consists of many small alleys, all of which have interesting shops or restaurants. You can take a map, but it is of little use. You simply navigate knowing that the streams run North to South.

The streets are lined with shops, many specialising in yak meat, surprisingly pleasant to eat. There are also shops selling every souvenir imaginable, particularly jewellery, mushrooms,clothing, charms, and scrolls. Street after street has small shops with signs like Naxi girl's Yak Meat. In fact, just about every other shop is a tea shop, which as well as selling large cakes of tea which look at first glance like very mature French cheeses, also sell jade bracelets. Not sure what the connection is, but it is the case for all tea shops. Many of the shops are staffed by people wearing Naxi costume. Every few yards, another alley opens with another photogenic vista, more shops, people making jewellery,serving street food. Apart from the tea shops, every shop makes at least some of the produce it sells so you see people embroidering, weaving, hammering silver bracelets into shape, and pulling out long strands of molten sugar to make sugar ginger.

Improving signs are dotted around the place encouraging good behaviour. They are written in Chinese and English, and sometimes Naxi. The Naxi language is still spoken by some, and there are regular concerts of Naxi music. Popular souvenirs are scrolls written in the Naxi language, the only living hieroglyphic language. Quite distinct from Chinese which uses ideograms.

Our hotel, the Zen Garden Hotel was a traditional Naxi design of interlocking courtyards each one partially above the other, with running water & fish in small gardens in each courtyard. It is on the hill overlooking the old town thus affording views of the Snow mountains to the North, and the old town to the South.

A magical situation.