Dali: A Leisurely Stroll Through the Ancient City, Just to Encounter That Cherry Blossom Rain.

DAY1: Shijiazhuang to Kunming

DAY2: Kunming to Dali Ancient City

DAY3: Dali Ancient City—Caicun—Xizhou—Ancient City

DAY4: Dali University—Ancient City

DAY5: Dali--Kunming--Shijiazhuang

An ancient saying goes: Traveling a thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books. Travel and reading have always been the two most important things in my life. Either my body or my soul is always on the way—either reading or traveling. Reading enriches the mind, while traveling broadens horizons and expands one's vision. Every year, I make a reading list and a travel list. For the first stop on my spring 2019 travel list, I chose Yunnan and came to the long-awaited Dali.

At eight in the morning, I took a direct flight from Shijiazhuang to Kunming. I was lucky to get a window seat for 600 yuan. At exactly eleven o'clock, the plane landed at Kunming Changshui International Airport. As soon as I stepped out, warm air rushed toward me. The large characters reading "Colorful Yunnan Welcomes You" strongly conveyed the breath of spring, because at that time Shijiazhuang was still chilly and a bit cold. I had worn a thick coat when leaving home, but after arriving I changed into a light trench coat. Since I didn't want to rush my itinerary and prefer to travel leisurely, I didn't immediately transfer to Dali but stayed overnight in Kunming. After arriving at the pre-booked hotel and dropping my luggage, I rested a bit and then went out for food. For the first meal, I chose Yunnan Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles, then went to Green Lake Park to feed the seagulls. But perhaps because it was the weekend, I saw too many local residents with their children feeding the seagulls, so I didn't join the crowd and didn't take any good photos. There were also many local Kunming aunties dancing square dance in the park. My friend and I simply sat in a corner, watching the seagulls that had been fed so much they could hardly fly, while watching the aunties sing and dance—it had its own charm.

In the evening, I visited the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster Archways, found a Yunnan restaurant for dinner, and then returned to the hotel early to rest. I slept well without any dreams. The next morning, I posted a carpool request on my phone, and within minutes I found two other travel companions to share a car to Dali. We passed through the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Xiangyun County, and Dali City, arriving at Dali Ancient City around noon. I checked into Yonglin Inn at No. 68 Wenxian Road in the ancient city.

The inn's architecture had strong Bai ethnic characteristics. The pretty front desk lady arranged a room on the third floor. When I opened the window, I could see Cangshan Mountain in the distance. The room was tastefully decorated, clean, and tidy. The lady also gave me a map of the ancient city—very thoughtful service. After dropping my luggage, I took the map and went out to explore the ancient city. Within 100 meters from the inn, I reached the South Gate of the ancient city. Before entering the city, I bought a sun hat for myself. The ultraviolet rays in Dali are really strong; you must apply sunscreen and wear a sun hat, or you'll definitely get two shades darker. With my sun hat on, I marched triumphantly into the city, haha.

Yunnan's characteristic large waterwheel, water everywhere, all kinds of flowers whose names I didn't know, and the warm sunshine—my mood instantly became leisurely.

Although I always claim to be an artistic young woman, every time I arrive at a new place, my foodie nature is revealed. Seeing the large baskets of roses at the Jiahua Flower Cake shop and smelling the aroma of freshly baked flower cakes, the greedy bugs in my stomach were clamoring to be fed. Sitting on a carved chair by the street, eating the crispy pastry full of floral fragrance and basking in the warm sun—such a life is utterly captivating. I only wished time would slow down and extend this laziness that can only be found in Dali indefinitely.

The sky in Dali is very blue, with large, fluffy white clouds resembling cotton candy.

The sky in Dali is capricious—one moment blue skies and white clouds, the next moment dark clouds surging. Only in Yunnan can you see those beams of light shooting down from the clouds.

Dali Ancient City comes alive at night; that's when the nightlife truly begins. The South Gate was under renovation at that time, so everyone entered through the side gates. There were lively square dances everywhere, haha.

After entering Wuhua Tower, the entire street became bustling. The bars that were closed during the day opened their doors to welcome guests, and the resident singers began to sing soulfully. Groups of two or three, or larger crowds, either drank and chatted or quietly listened to the music, enlivening Dali's night. Passing by taverns decorated with a touch of martial arts style, and the row of antique-style bars, it gave a surreal feeling, as if I had traveled back to the ancient Dali Kingdom and I was a wandering knight-errant.

Strolling through the bustling crowds, I browsed one small shop after another. I picked out a few favorite dresses, a beautiful brooch, or some hairpins for myself, and my heart suddenly became elated. I also stopped to taste food at small, beautifully decorated eateries. That's the meaning of travel, I suppose—seeking different moods in different places. Dali's night is too beautiful and alluring.

Late at night, on my way back along the main street of the ancient city (Fuxing Road), I went to Zhao Ji Mei Zi (Plum) Shop and bought some rose-flavored flower cake yogurt to bring back to the inn. It had a strong rose flavor and was delicious. Zhao Ji Mei Zi is very famous; they have many local snacks, and the plums are their specialty. They make great souvenirs for friends and family. The first day in Dali ended, and I still slept very well. A special mention: the bedding at Yonglin Inn matched that of a five-star hotel—extremely clean and comfortable, and the quilt had the smell of sunshine. So during my stay in Dali, I always stayed at Yonglin. The next day, I got up early to cycle around Erhai Lake.

I got on my beloved little scooter and started circling Erhai Lake, haha. This clumsy-looking scooter with two wheels in front and one in back was rented from a shop called Douha Quick Rent near the South Gate of the ancient city. The deposit was 300 yuan, charged by the hour, and you could return the scooter via WeChat. It was easy to ride and convenient. I saw many of the same model along the way; it could also carry a passenger, and it looked cool as a photo prop, haha.

After exiting the East Gate of the ancient city and passing Caicun, I finally saw Erhai Lake. Seeing the Erhai Lake I had longed for, I was still very excited. In the morning, Erhai was slightly misty, and since I'm not a professional photographer, I didn't capture the blue of the lake.

How could I not take some photos at Erhai? Around noon, the mist dissipated and the sky became azure. I sat on a stone pier by the lake, tilted my head back, closed my eyes, and breathed in the fresh air. I sat there for five minutes, soaking up the sun. How could I miss the popular photo spots? It was 30 yuan per person for one hour of photography time. If you wanted a photographer or needed costume rental, there was an extra charge. Since I didn't consider myself attractive enough, I didn't hire a photographer and just wore my own clothes while a friend casually took a few shots. Then I continued riding the clumsy little scooter straight to Haishé Park in Xizhou Ancient Town.

Around noon, I arrived at Xizhou Ancient Town. The most famous thing in Xizhou is Xizhou Baba (a fried pastry), but I don't really like fried food, so I didn't have any. I ordered some stir-fried dishes, and the owner recommended a local specialty soup that looked like tea but tasted very good.

After lunch, I parked the scooter at the restaurant owner's place and headed to Haishé Park. The owner suggested taking the small horse carriage at the entrance, saying the park entrance was still far away. So I boarded a carriage decorated like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage, and we went jingling and clattering to the park. Haishé Ecological Park is truly untouched! The entire park has preserved its original appearance, with no signs of artificial construction. There is no park gate, the paths are natural dirt roads, and there are no benches to sit on. Everything is in its original state, but it's very artistic and great for photos. The photos come out clean—the driftwood on Erhai Lake, vast fields of rapeseed flowers, branches swaying in the wind—the scenery is uniquely beautiful. After walking around for a while, it seemed like rain was coming, so I returned to the ancient city. Before dark, I returned to the ancient city and returned the scooter. I ate at a popular restaurant that only sold Lu Rou Fan (braised pork rice) and then went back to the inn early to rest. Riding a scooter all day is quite tiring; I needed to replenish my energy for the next day's itinerary.

On the third day in Dali, I went to Dali University, located at the edge of the ancient city. Dali University, backed by Cangshan Mountain and facing Erhai Lake, had cherry blossoms in full bloom. Looking around, mountains and fields were covered with cherry blossoms. When a gentle breeze blew, cherry blossom petals fell like rain, so intoxicating.

Sitting on a hillside on campus, overlooking Erhai Lake in the distance, I couldn't help but sigh that the students studying here are so fortunate to be accompanied by Cangshan and Erhai every day. Dali University, one of the most beautiful universities in China, is well worth a visit to see its splendor.

The central lake on campus, the reflections of trees, the calm water surface echoing the sky—water and sky merged into one, like a fairyland.

An unexpected cherry blossom rain made me carry a lasting longing in my heart, and I made a vow to come every spring to fulfill this cherry blossom date.

On my last day in Dali, since I had to go from Dali to Kunming in the afternoon and then catch a night flight back to Shijiazhuang, I did nothing in the morning. I simply sat on a bench in Erhai Park, daydreaming, watching the lake, and basking in the sun. Once, Erhai Lake seemed like an unattainable dream, and Dali seemed so far away. I had heard countless legends about Dali: the wind of Xiaguan, the flowers of Shangguan, the snow of Cangshan, the moon of Erhai—all very beautiful. Right now, Erhai Lake was right before my eyes, and I was reluctant to leave. Beautiful scenery always makes people linger. The dream has come true, but my heart now holds a hope that I will have the chance to come again and reunite with this vast blue of Erhai!