nomadsally: Kunming, Yunnan, SW China

Kunming, Yunnan, SW China

Kunming is North Centrally Located

Our Hotel

Central Kunming, Near Our Hotel

Kunming, Yunnan Province, Southwest China

If you look at the map, you'll find Kunming in the very south bordering Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. I had prepared regional maps for my blog readers before leaving Yakima, but upon arrival I found out that the government has blocked all social media which seems to include Facebook, Twitter and blogs! So I've had to find another application to record our adventures.

We have also found that wi-fi just isn't very reliable and is often quite weak. Somehow I thought that Kunming with 6-7 million (more population than Washington State) would be with it, particularly in the city center..

We are amazed with the enormity of Kunming...thousands of high rise apartment buildings (15-20 stories) going up everywhere. So much of the town is newly built and on a massive scale. Hundreds of apartment buildings and condominiums are still in the process of being constructed. Pile Drivers are everywhere. There are new freeways everywhere, The growth is unbelievable.

What will it look like in 10 years? I wonder....

Today after changing hotels, we visited Old Kunming on the eastern side of the city. Yuantong Temple from the Tang Dynasty (800 AD). En route I saw the first ethnic dressed (Yi) woman of the trip! The neighborhood is colorful with Buddhists temples, temple gift shops, a large elegantly decorated traditional Chinese Hospital full of clients. Approaching the temple were a handful of beggars and severely handicapped men and women. The appendages looked like leprosy or elephantitis....

The temple is the largest Buddhist complex in Kunming and is a graceful example of Tang dynasty design.

Yuantong Temple

We found a great Vegetarian Restaurant near the Temple. You could choose hamburgers, steaks, pork, chicken all made with tofu. Very clever and the food was very delicious!

Nearby we joined the multitude heading towards Green Lake. It seemed as half of Kunming was there enjoying the beautiful afternoon listening to a multitude of bands, dancing in all forms, eating, and just hanging out. We walked by a lovely kindergarden in a beautiful old temple setting. The women pictured above were some of the minority people having great fun dancing and singing.

Visiting the Kunming Provincial Museum, we learned that in 1955 elegant bronze statuary was found indicating an early civilization dating back to 1200 BC. the Dian people.

Minority Dress Featured in the Kunming Minority Museum

Tibetan Minority

Yi Minority

Hat of Hani Minority

The most wonderful activity in Kunming was the visit to the National Minorities Museum located near Lake Dian outside of Kunming. There is a vast in-depth collection of the 28 minorities cultural life. Several large rooms are filled with the traditional garments of these people, illustrated above. Weaving, embroidery, dyeing technics are all illustrated as well. Also featured are musical instruments, paper making, paintings, religious practices, pottery, masks, and home construction. Almost every part of the museum is well documented in Chinese and English.

Great outfits wouldn't you say.....You should see the masks. See you when we get to Yuanyang, south of Kunming.