I am sitting here trying to figure out what was it about Kunming that made it so beautiful, it's hard to put into words. Thinking about it critically, it wasn't the city itself. While not the dusty dirtiness of northern Chinese cities, Kunming did not have any of it's own special charm. In fact, I think I only took pictures of one temple, and a gate here and there. But underneath a crystal clear blue sky even the shabbiness of the buildings seemed pretty. And now that I'm thinking about it, that has to be what it was. The blue blue sky, the green green grass, and the sparkles of the sun dancing off the lake (in the park near our hotel). The weather was awesome. Right on the edge of being hot, but never quite making it. In the background there are mountains, and lots and lots of greenery. In some ways it reminded me of Southern California. I think coming from the land of the perpetual grey skies (Chengdu) it was shocking just to see blue skies. Anyway, a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. Some views of the lake, and also of the really Yum yum yummy Yunnan food. Have I mentioned that I LOVE how much variety there is of Chinese food? Just one district over from Sichuan and already you have a completely different food experience, instead of a mouth numbing intestine burning dining experience. There is a sweet/sour burning that sets your mouth on fire, but does not burn in your intestines for days. Also lots of fresh fruit and edible flowers. What's not to love?
