Day 6 - Jiuzhaigou 1

This morning, we were brought to a warehouse in the morning for Chinese tea tasting. This is not any ordinary warehouse, this is one of the famous port of call of the ancient "tea trading route" 茶马古道 where the tribesmen transporting the valuable Chinese tea leaves from the Southern plantations to the western part of China on horseback


This place exist for centuries and still well maintain with reasonably updates for the convenient of modern people


A look of the exhibition hall, you can read the history and have a feel on some of the tools used in the trade


In the tea tasting room, the little girl is from Qiang tribe and she did a good job in introducing some of their very best collections and demonstrated the right way to taste a fine tea. In the same time we have the opportunity to bring home some of their very best collection, part of the premium will be used in funding the education of the native kids.


Next we proceed to the Jiuzhaigou Valley -- 450 km to the north of Chengdu City. Jiuzhai means nine stockaded villages of Tibetan origin, and the place is regarded as a holy mountain and watercourse by the Tibetan people.


This is the entrance


Another Unesco heritage site


Some landscape to welcome the tourists


A shops row for restaurant and souvenirs


This is the main gate, well this is off peak view, normally you will see long human Q lining up to enter the park


Very smooth morning so far


And nice weather too


We have the whole environment friendly(CNG powered) bus by ourselves, usually we have to pay RMB8000 to book one of this if we travel in group. Alternatively we have to join the public q to board on first come first serve basis, the bus fare was about RMB80 which is paid together in the entrance fee


Our first stop is the furthers viewpoint in the Jiuzhai Valley, Long lake(长海)，this is the largest lake in Jiuzhaigou and due to its high altitude(> 3000m), it was frozen so we can only see it in white instead the enchanting torques color.




You will see there are a lots of native people touting for business




Kodak moment like this


Will sets you back like this


These are the eco friendly portable toilets for tourists


Your droplets will be brought out in plastic bags.


Next, we proceed to the next interest point on foot.


In the same time enjoy seeing various type of pine tree


It was down hill walking, so it was a pretty comfortable walk despite in high altitude.


Get to touch the real snow


Here you go, five color pool (五彩池).


Crystal clear water and will not frozen despite in cold temperature.


One more shot in difference angle


Next, we proceed to our bus pickup point in another 5 minutes walk away, again can buy some souvenir from the tribes people who live in the area




Watch out for the melting snow, it will not hurt but definitely won't feel comfortable if drop on your head


Toilet to the left, bus stop to the right


Got to cross to the other site of the road to return


People start queuing, it was quite sunny so shade or umbrella is recommended to prevent sunburn