dozens of horses still carrying goods
through the ancient village. Their
clomping hooves and jangling bells
provided a backdrop to all we did.
A recognised area of the Lijiang
UNESCO World Heritage site, and
one of the earliest settlements of the
ancestors of Naxi people, Shuhe was
far less crowded and much more
charming than its higher-profile
neighbour, and boasted wide lanes
lined with weeping willows and
women washing laundry in the natural
springs just as they have since the 13th
century. The town is alive with the
deep culture of primitive simplicity.
Where to go, what to do
We went with our friends, and stayed
in a delightful guesthouse in Shuhe,
basic but comfortable and clean.
Breakfasts at the Vanilla Café set us
off nicely for the day as we watched
the buffalo tending the land. There
are plenty of local places to stay, but
if you’re looking for a bit of luxury
mixed with authenticity, that’s easy to
find in the Banyan Tree, the Anantara
a little further up the mountain, or
the Aman and Grand Hyatt, both
scheduled to open in 2014. Good local
food is plentiful, and the markets have
an abundance of delicious fruits and
vegetables. Bring your own nappies,
though – I ran out and found that
sanitary towels were the only local
option for my poor nine-month-old,
besides the split pants trousers the
locals prefer.
We rented bikes for the duration,
and each day packed a picnic and
went exploring – two couples and six
children (aged from nine months to
seven years) all perched in various
positions upon the tandems. Ambling
through the area by bike is to pass
steep gorges and stunning lakes, an
extraordinary setting with staggering
views and eye-wateringly bright
snow-capped mountains. There are
gorges and waterfalls, parks and
mountainsides, wind-blasted and
timeless scenery all around – days
of exploration and adventure for the
children.
One particular favourite of mine
was the remote village of Baisha – one
of the oldest villages in the area and
far enough removed that we were
the only tourists. Baisha was the first
Naxi minority ancestor stronghold
and you’ll still find the Naxi women
selling vegetables on the well-worn
steps in the village square. Much of
the architecture and frescoes built in
the Ming Dynasty are well preserved
in the village. Baisha also plays home
to Dr Ho Shixui, an expert in herbal
cures and regularly featured on
the BBC and National Geographic
Channel, whose philosophy is simple:
“Optimism is the best medicine.”
But something that beats all
of this is a small Baisha post office
that sends letters “into the future”.
Unbeknownst to me, my husband
ventured in and wrote a beautiful
piece of prose and chose a date. Sure
enough, three months later, on a well-
chosen house-moving day, I received a
perfectly timed pick-me-up note with
everything I needed for the task that
lay ahead!
Unique adventures
Our friends had made contact with
the local village school and our five-
year-old daughter Georgia joined
her two friends, Romi and Tara, for
a few days at the school – total pupil
count 15 – eating duck egg and jelly
with soy sauce, napping with the other
October 2013
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