The conference included a one day excursion to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and other local spots. Being a group almost100-strong, we split into two buses - one guided in English and one in Chinese. Our English laungage guide, Melissa (left), had studied in a local institute of tourism (a branch of the Kunming University, located near Shuhe).

We have taken buses across the Yak Meadows and up to the side of  Jade Dragon Snow Mountain some 20 miles NW of Lijiang. At the base of the gondola, a Yi woman sells grilled yams - her black hat indicates that she is married.

The Mountain reaches 16,500', supports a glacier, and is home to snub-nosed monkeys,  the clouded leopard, red panda, and the black bear and 400 types of trees.
 
We have ascended to a vantage point near the peak. A lamasery is situated along our path up the hill (above right).  The first two shots above are looking back down at the foothills; the next three are looking up at the clouded mountain before us.
 
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain looks chilly. Yak posing is available.
   
Yi women outside a market which includes a kiosk for medicinal goods: herbs, fungi, salamanders, etc.. It is a 1000 year old custom to shave a child's head for hygiene, but leave a front patch "for protection."
   
The white stupa outside the lamasery is hollowed to hold part of the Buddha's ashes (or essence) produced on his cremation. One can get about 100 prayer wheels (gold-colored cylinders above) spinning at once here, while the prayer banners on the hill behind wave ceaselessly in the wind. I had a small yak attack.

Yunnan is famous for biodiversity, having over 13,000 plants and half of them can be found on and around this mountain!  On our stroll  beside the summit, the wildflowers were everywhere.


           
 
The bluebell abobe is possibly called a "Rough Gentian" and grows only above 9000'.
   
 
The weather improved going down and when we stopped for lunch (and an art auction), the Mountain dramatically came out of hiding (Thank you, for your vigilance, Dandan!)  The glacier is also visible as the large central grey mass.
 


  I went to photograph some Yi tribal people in their ethnic costume, but instead, they put their robes on me, and photographed me. There are 13 subgroups of
Yi people in South West China. These folks led yak rides through the man-made rapids of the White River.
 
 
   
Astronomers goofing-off at the "White Waters"
    
Pierre and I almost convinced ourselves to go in without swimsuits, the water looked that good.
  
Looking upstream are myself, Aaron, Jason, and Atiya.

  
We stopped back at the meadows in the mist for a Conference Photo.

 
We also stopped by the town of Shuhe, which, although ancient, had be obviously dressed-up for tour groups like our own. I did manage to find two "real" scenes - Chinese chess, and two friends repairing a porch together. Seeing a child in a fine-laced papoose on a father's back is not uncommon in China - (he also holds his friend's child). Children in China are precious as typically each is an "only-child."
    



      

Getting back to Lijiang we had a grand feast in a restaurant that featured Naxi song and dance around courtyard bonfire. Dim dance movie 1.7 mbytes. Above, a woman plays  musical melodies by quite unbelievable blowing on leaves! Some in our group joined in the dancing and there were also some western style songs to be heard with talented contributions by one Dopita bloke and some Lonsdale-Smith types.  Quite a day's outing.