Flower City Revisited: Jade Lotus
The Dali–Kunming bullet train takes just over two hours. You might chance upon beauties in Bai ethnic attire (the phone picture is too small to upload). The bustle of Kunming contrasts sharply with the tranquility of Dali. People always yearn for bustling pleasures yet also crave a serene vibe. Sometimes you really can’t have both. Hotels in busy downtown are very noisy, but the convenience of getting around is real. In Kunming, use Huaxiaozhu or Didi for rides and a transit QR code for the metro.
This is my second time in Kunming. The last time was during the National Day holiday, when I deliberately took an opposite route to the tour groups, first visiting Lijiang and Xishuangbanna, then came here. I heard the lotus at Cuihu (Green Lake) was in bloom. Cuihu is also known as “Jiulong Pool”. In the early Republican era, it was transformed into a park. Cuihu has a wealth of anecdotes and historical legends, which I won’t detail here. Let’s hurry and see the lotus!
The famous Tang Causeway: Tang Jiyao built a long causeway from east to west, linking it with Ruan Island in the middle. This later became known as the “Tang Causeway” among Kunming locals. He also built a waterworks! Water from Jiulong Pool was pumped up to Wuhua Mountain, filtered, and supplied to Kunming residents for drinking!
The lotus in some ponds has already faded.
Do you know the name of this flower?
Can you guess the tree rings of Cuihu’s trees?
So many ancient trees in all kinds of shapes.
The beauty of independent travel is that you can freely plan your route and time.
The Waterfall Park is a man-made channel renovation. When I went, the waterside walkway was closed due to some promotional preparations, so I could only view it from a distance.
It actually looks like this. If you’ve ever seen a real waterfall, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s far from the city and can’t compare with natural landscapes. Don’t believe everything about scenic spots promoted on certain platforms.
Zoomed-in effect.
The pedestrian street is brilliantly lit, with crowds weaving like a river.
A singer in front of a restaurant.
For the steam pot chicken I’d been longing for, I came to this highly-rated restaurant. The flower cakes were fresh and slightly sweet, similar to Jiahua’s. I don’t know if food never tastes as good as the first time, or what, but that nostalgic flavor of steam pot chicken seemed lost.
The night before leaving, I stayed at the Kunming Airport JI Hotel. I have to say it was incredibly comfortable. Despite being at the airport, it wasn’t noisy at all. Whether upon arrival or for the airport drop-off, the young bellman always helped with luggage, and the lobby manager always had a warm, family-like demeanor—so cozy and genuine. It’s just a bit far from the city center. If I have the chance, I’ll stay here again.
Goodbye, Spring City!
Friends, see you at the next stop.
