Live Your Best Lives
D1-6.15: Arrive in Kunming, visit Guandu Ancient Town, and enjoy the beautiful sunset at Wangguan Wetland Park
D2-6.16: Kunming-Puzhehei, visit the filming location of "Three Lives Three Worlds Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms", and stay at Huazhu Puzhehei Yunbanghua Love Inn
D3-6.17: Admire lotus flowers in Wanli Lotus Pond, climb Qinglong Mountain to overlook the panoramic view of Puzhehei, watch willow leaf boats fighting on the water, and taste local food
D4-6.18: Take selfies and play in the B&B, Puzhehei-Kunming, visit Kunming Nanqiang Night Market, and taste authentic wild mushroom hot pot
D5-6.19: Buy freshly baked Jiahua Flower cake, return trip
My trip to Yunnan's Honghe Prefecture at the end of 2020 seems just around the corner. In just six months, I've begun to miss my beloved Yunnan all over again. Yunnan is an addiction I can't quit. Plus, it's June, and the season for tasting wild Yunnan mushrooms has arrived again. I wanted to find a place to relax and take a vacation, so I thought of Puzhehei, not far from Kunming. In recent years, it has become well-known for filming TV dramas and popular variety shows. Friends have also strongly recommended it. Before the peak summer season arrives, let's continue our "fly-by-the-heart" journey and spend a few days in the fairyland of Qingqiu, a world of thousands of acres of lotus ponds!
June 15th
We arrived in Kunming at noon. We deliberately chose the Atour Hotel, which is close to Kunming South Railway Station. The hotel offers free airport pick-up service. Nearby, there's also the delicious Fuxian Lake Stone Pot Fish Combination. The clear soup pot retains the original flavor of the fish, and the spicy hot pot is fresh and tasty. The combination is perfect for both rice and soup, killing two birds with one stone.
The hotel is just a stone's throw away from Yihe Road subway station. We waited until the afternoon sun was not too strong before we made an appointment to go out and stroll around the nearby Guandu Ancient Town. Guandu Ancient Town boasts a pure and ancient charm. Despite its relatively small size, less than 1.5 square kilometers, it has been a renowned ancient ferry crossing in central Yunnan since the Nanzhao Dali Kingdom era. It was already a major market town on the east shore of Dianchi Lake during the Tang and Song dynasties. Established as a county alongside Kunming during the Yuan Dynasty, it became a prosperous commercial township during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Once a gathering place for merchants and shimmering towering pagodas, Guandu became a popular destination for high-ranking officials to build palaces and villas, and a popular destination for celebrities and dignitaries. Many cultural relics remain today, including five mountains, six temples, seven pavilions, and eight shrines from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The Vajra Pagoda of Miaozhan Temple is the oldest of the more than ten existing Vajra Pagodas in my country. It is the only typical Lama-style pagoda built entirely of sandstone. It is said that a snail-lion monster once caused trouble in Guandu, so the pagoda was built to suppress it. There is a two-story stage on the north side, which complements the two dense-eaves brick pagodas of Miaozhan Temple. It not only embodies the Buddhist spirit of "greatness comes from tolerance" and "the combination of exoteric and esoteric Buddhism", but also has a "品" layout, with buildings of different heights, magnificent and spectacular, forming the core of the ancient building complex in Guandu Town. The bottom of the base spans the air, with four gates in the east, west, south and north connecting them, allowing the passage of pedestrians and vehicles. A small square pagoda is built at each corner, guarding a tall conical pagoda in the middle. The five pagodas represent the Five Buddhas, and the main pagoda in the middle represents Vairocana Tathagata. The main pagoda is tall and handsome, and the five pagodas stand in a cluster, complementing each other with exquisite carvings. The entire stone pagoda is imbued with the aura of religious culture and the charm of architectural art. Miaozhan Temple has two towers, one in the east and one in the west, about 15 meters apart. Both towers are light yellow in color, 13 stories high, solid brick towers with dense eaves. They were first built in the Yuan Dynasty and rebuilt many times. The west tower was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty. The east tower still survives, and the current west tower was rebuilt in 2001. The towers stand 17.5 meters tall, crowned by a bronze Garuda bird to ward off floods. Legend has it that every 60 years, on the evening of the autumnal equinox, as the sun sets and the moon rises, the twin towers complement each other's beauty, rivaling the Golden Horse and Jade Rooster. While Guandu Ancient Town may be overly commercial these days, the local residents still enjoy their surroundings, treating the town as their own playground. Surrounding the Fading Temple, Tuzhu Temple, and Miaozhan Temple, there are always crowds of people, playing stringed instruments and singing, each one immersed in the music. Dian opera, lantern displays, folk songs, and folk songs are performed one after another, while others pull out their chess and card games, gather friends, and relax. The sun was setting. Unaccustomed to the hustle and bustle of the ancient town, we hurriedly left and headed to Wangguan Wetland Park to look for a beautiful sunset. Dianchi Lake is dotted with over a dozen wetland parks, large and small. Wangguan Wetland, famed for its stunning sunset photos on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), is known as Kunming's "Little Jeju Island." The park is small and unique, offering waterside strolls along the lake's shore or a wetland trail across the lake, complete with a floating plank road and underwater reflections, surrounded by lush greenery. Whichever route you choose, you'll enjoy the comfort of watching the waves crash against the shore and the rolling clouds. You'll also feel the gentle breeze, bringing the nourishing scent of water, flowers, and earth, bringing a touch of freshness to those strolling through the scorching summer heat. Standing on the shore, the water shimmers endlessly, waves crashing against the rocks, withered trees swaying in the water, and the lonely old tree standing alone in the water, adding a touch of melancholy.
Beautiful things are worth waiting for, just like the sunset in Wangguan Wetland Park. Some people set up their cameras early, just waiting for this moment to come. The afterglow of the setting sun shines on the water, and the undulating waves are all golden. The sky and the earth seem to be dyed, shrouded in an orange halo. When the sun gradually disappears in the embrace of the western mountains, the color of the sky becomes particularly charming, and the warm and cool tones blend together, showing the charm of the sunset to the fullest. The sunset here seems to have a kind of intoxicating magic, with warm and soft light and shadow, and the picture is beautiful and artistic (part of the picture is borrowed).
June 16
In the early morning, after enjoying a delicious breakfast and hot rice noodles, the hotel specially sent a car to take us to Kunming South Railway Station. There is a direct high-speed rail from South Station to Puzhehei, and the whole journey takes only about 1 hour, which is very convenient. Puzhehei High-speed Railway Station is located in Qiubei County. You can take Didi to reach our inn - Huazhu Puzhehei Yunbanghua Qingsu. The inn's courtyard is quiet and elegant, with vast expanses of flowers and meticulously decorated interiors. The view offers a 180-degree, perfect mountain, water, and lakeside vistas. Lotus Lake and Qinglong Mountain showcase their beauty, while distant mountains, lotus leaves, blue sky, and white clouds are all within your view, creating a scene you feel as if you were enjoying your own private life. The third-floor bedroom features oversized floor-to-ceiling windows. Lazily lazing in a rocking chair on the balcony, brewing a pot of tea, opening a book, and savoring the tea in peace and quiet—this idyllic rural life, far from the hustle and bustle, is exactly what we wanted. This distinctly different lifestyle from the city, where we can watch the flowers bloom and fall in the courtyard and the clouds roll and unfold in the horizon, makes us reluctant to get up again. Although the inn is at the end of Puzhehei Village, a certain distance away from the bustling village center, it is precisely because of this that it can enjoy a unique quietness. Although the road in front of the courtyard is dusty and has many potholes, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. What's more, the housekeeper always lets us borrow the store's electric scooter for free, which makes it very convenient to go anywhere.
Bearing the scorching sun, we went to the nearby Xiayu Lake to try the special lotus seed and soy milk chicken. The pot base is made with fresh soy milk and lotus seeds, and the local chicken is stewed. After boiling, a layer of tender tofu pudding is formed on the surface. The soup is thick and the meat is tender. It just doesn’t look very good. It is very fresh and sweet when paired with local vegetables. Peach blossom wine and lotus wine are both particularly delicious. The five-color glutinous rice has a firm and fragrant texture, accompanied by a faint bamboo tube aroma, symbolizing that people of all ethnic groups are united like glutinous rice balls, and life is as brilliant as a hundred flowers. The store also thoughtfully gave away their own lotus root powder and egg yolk cakes for tasting. They tasted very good and you can buy some to take home as souvenirs.
June 17
Puzhehei, which means "a pond full of fish and shrimps" in Yi language, is the golden season for tourism in Puzhehei from late June to September. It enters its flowering period in mid-May every year and the flowering period is extremely long, lasting until the end of September. There are more than 270 kinds of world-famous lotus flowers growing here, with a total area of more than 20,000 acres, which is approximately equivalent to the area of three small countries, the Vatican. It is known as the largest lotus garden in the world. It is said that rare twin lotus flowers have bloomed here (borrowed picture).
I woke up early in the morning, the warm morning sun shone on the lake, and the air was filled with the unique fragrance of lotus. I strolled along the lakeside, surrounded by lush green. The lotus swayed its body and danced gently, like a graceful and charming girl. The pink, crimson and white petals each had its own charm, and the warm yellow flower core was embedded in them, elegant and quiet. From time to time, bees flew over to collect nectar, and large lotus leaves stretched out unscrupulously.
Puzhehei at night is all about barbecue, and I couldn’t find a bowl of rice noodles. The locals said they only eat rice noodles for breakfast, so we went to the Four Seasons BBQ and randomly ordered a few skewers of roast beef and a plate of baked roll noodles. We were unexpectedly surprised by the deliciousness of the grilled roll noodles. The minced chives wrapped inside were salty and delicious, with a wonderful texture and unique flavor.
June 18
We made a guide before departure and decided that this trip would focus on leisure, so we gave up many surrounding attractions and did not charter a car. We only rode small motorcycles or walked around Puzhehei Village, climbed Qinglong Mountain, and walked We walked through Qingqiu Peach Grove, and spent most of the rest of the time drinking tea and resting in the inn, admiring the scenery in the yard... We who are used to the hustle and bustle of the city, coming here is like a fish returning to the water, leisurely and comfortable, we can put down everything, and throw all our worries away.
I am about to return today. I slept until I woke up naturally in the morning. I didn’t want to go anywhere. I just wanted to stay quietly in the inn. The inn in Nuoda was empty. All the guests had gone out to play. We were the only two sitting by the lake with a tripod. We started taking selfies and took pictures casually. People were in the scene, and everything around them became props. The rattan bed, glass swing, wine bottle, water gun... The two of them got carried away and had a great time. I think this is the true meaning of relaxation!
Before leaving, ride a scooter and cross the Puxin Bridge to eat lotus fish at Xiayu Luxuan in Puzhehei. The flesh of the lotus fish is tender and smooth, sweet and delicious, and the shape is beautiful. The leek and snail meat is rare. There was more meat than vegetables, and the snail meat was big and plump, with no muddy smell, and the leeks were also very fresh. The pine hair tea in the store was very similar to yesterday's phoenix tail tea. It was a refreshing drink to relieve the heat in the summer, so LG couldn't help but buy some to take back. We returned to the inn and said goodbye to the housekeeper, but found that Didi could not be called. Fortunately, the housekeeper helped find a familiar charter driver to take us to the station, so we did not miss the high-speed train back to Kunming.
On the return trip to Kunming, I chose to stay near the Tangzixiang subway station. Kunming South Station and Changshui Airport are directly accessible by subway. There are also Nanqiang Market and Pedestrian Street nearby where you can shop and eat. There is also the Yiduo Mushroom Wild Mushroom Hot Pot that I have coveted for a long time. Kunming Mushroom Hot Pot ranks first and is a must-eat restaurant. In Yunnan, which is known as the Kingdom of Plants, when the summer rain falls, wild fungi will always arrive as scheduled. They absorb the essence of nature and emerge quietly in the mountains and fields with a fresh and attractive appearance. In this season, eating fungi and drinking fungus soup is definitely a great pleasure in the world.
The queue was expected. After getting the number, we went to visit the Nanqiang Market next door. In the sultry night, the neon lights flashing on the street were like stars. The stores on both sides of the street were full of literary and artistic atmosphere. There were retro stone paths on the ground. There are enough delicacies and snacks everywhere to eat from the streets to the alleys. Among the crowds in Nanqiang Market, there are young people coming to experience the trendy lifestyle, tourists from other places coming to explore the atmosphere of the city, and even old Kunming people coming to find the unforgettable taste in their hearts.
A wild mushroom hot pot. I didn’t know much about the various mushrooms in the wild mushroom platter. The waiter introduced them one by one, then poured the pot full of mushrooms into the hot chicken soup pot, and put a small timer on it. Next to us, we were told not to touch any ingredients in the pot with our own tableware before the time was up, so we waited and waited. The overflowing steam was so fragrant that our saliva flowed three thousand feet straight. The timer finally went off. To ensure the safety of diners, samples of each soup pot were taken. After keeping it for 48 hours, you can finally eat it. Stir it gently and then drink a full bowl of mushroom soup. The soup is rich and delicious, sweet and nourishing. The freshly cooked mushrooms melt in your mouth. In terms of taste, I love the red milk porcini mushrooms the most. They are smooth and crispy. After finishing the chicken and mushrooms We cooked some wild vegetables, which were also very delicious. The set meal for two came with drinks and desserts. It was so rich. After queuing for more than 40 minutes, we were given two baskets of steamed matsutake dumplings. We had to eat them while they were hot. The dumpling wrappers were crystal clear and chewy, and the dumpling fillings had a strong matsutake flavor.
June 19
Before leaving for the airport, I couldn’t help but go to the Jiahua Cake House opposite the hotel to buy rose flower cakes. Be sure to buy the classic style that is freshly baked and sold on the same day. The crust is soft and refreshing, with a hint of egg liquid aroma, and the filling is rich in floral fragrance.
In just five days, I took a break in Kunming and wandered in the paradise of Puzhehei. I climbed up to see the panoramic view, saw the winding mountains, the leisurely ancient villages, the small bridges and flowing water, and the smoke of people's cooking stoves. I walked around the lake and saw the waves and lotus blossoms. Although Puzhehei has become popular in front of the world, but It still behaves like a fairyland in a low-key way. Only by visiting can you feel the uncontested beauty. Coupled with the gluttonous feast of wild fungi in Yunnan in summer, my attachment to Yunnan is temporarily satisfied. The next stop is Xishuangbanna...
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