The bus trip from Kunming to Dali passes many small agrarian villages like this one.  Not long ago, the bus trip from Kunming west to Dali took a full day, due to the poor condition of the roads.  Not anymore.  The trip now only takes around four hours on the new highway, with magnificent views of mountains and terraced rice paddies along the way.

Terraced hills, designed for crop irrigation, are the norm throughout China.  Consider that China is about the same size as America, but with five times the population and only a fraction of the aerable land, and you understand why every possible hillside must be used to grow food.

Entire mountainsides terraced for growing crops, on the road from Kunming to Dali.

Villagers tend to the fields in this flatter region of Yunnan province.  Despite the country’s recent development, China is still very much an agrarian economy.

The old city of Dali turned out to be a wonderful surprise, and the highlight of the Yunnan part of the trip.  A traditional town beautifully situated between the 4,000-meter-high Jade Green Mountains and the huge Erhai Lake, Dali and the surrounding area offer many activities.  This is one of many historic sites within the old town of Dali.

I was pleasantly surprised when this young lady, who I thought was with a tour group to the same historic site, suddenly emerged in an elaborate dress and posed on a stage with an ancient musical instrument.

Displays of batik in the Bai area of old Dali.  Batik, with its deep blue dye that rubs off on the hands, seems to be the primary item for sale to Westerners; the material is used for wall hangings, dresses, purses, and much more.  Hangings like these cover the walls along the “foreigner street” and in other tourist areas of Dali; the old ladies selling them constantly call out to Westerners to come bargain with them.

A rice field just outside of town, looking toward the Jade Green Mountains.

While walking through old Dali near a schoolyard, I came upon an amazing huge tree that was home to hundreds, maybe thousands, of egrets.  Their numbers were so thick, they looked as if they were fruit hanging from the tree.  Just as stunning as the sight of the birds was the sight of the ground of the schoolyard below, coated in dirty white; a “white rain” was constantly falling around me as I took this picture.

The Three Pagodas, viewed from near the foot of the Jade Green Mountains eastward towards Erhai Lake, in a perfect postcard picture.

A view north of the Three Pagodas, on a beautiful evening near sunset.  The ever-changing cloud formations that appeared over the Jade Green Mountains were always a joy to watch.

Old men chat and play games in the old part of Dali near the lake.

The “foreigner street” of old Dali mixes East and West in a way that makes Westerners feel exotic but comfortable.  Restaurants serve an amalgam of Western, Chinese, and Tibetan food.  Bars serve beer, traditional three-tea ceremonies, and yak butter tea (which I liked!).  Shops sell batik dresses, marble carvings, and tourist trips up the mountain or across the lake.  Hours easily slip by sitting at the outdoor tables watching tourists and locals walk by; that’s probably why I spent five days here.