Er Hai Lake is close to Dali (see map below)
We organized a guided tour of some local points of interest around Er Hai
Lake with our host at Jim's Tibetan Hotel - Jim himself! First of all, a
minibus trip to Xizhou, a wander through the market there, then a horse
and cart ride down to the lake shore at Sha Cun. We passed rice noodles
hanging up to dry (yes, spaghetti really does grow on trees!) and acres and
acres of rice paddies. Next, we crossed the lake on our own private ferry boat
(not the one pictured above!).
Wase Market
In Wase we spent some time taking in the atmosphere at the busy market (it's
held every 5 days). Aubergine seemed to be the vegetable in season.
The women are Bai nationality - the dominant ethnic group around Dali. From Wase,
the next form of transport was an open truck (not the one pictured,
unfortunately).
In Xiao Chen we visited a local doctor/midwife. This is the room where he
delivers the babies. The facilities he has are basic but he makes every effort
to keep things hygenic - and, most importantly, he has the knowledge of
experience. If there are any complications (baby 'ass first' for example) then
the woman will be sent to the 'modern' hospital in Dali. Our visit here was a
fascinating and moving one.
L to R: The open truck - Jim and Ali enjoying the fresh air; afternoon tea at a
temple in Xiao Chen; Grandad 'meditating' on the boat on the way back to Dali
- it had been a long and tiring (and rewarding) day!
We had previously visited Dali during Spring Festival
2006. Click here to see the photos.
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