Friday, March 27: Lijiang and Shigu

Written by Rita Gerharz

We packed up our things and left our lovely hotel in Lijiang. We got on the bus and headed for Shigu to see the Yangtze River known as the “River at the Center of the World”. This is where the Yangtze River has a sharp bend caused by resistive limestone formation. The drive there was very scenic with lots of views of farms and the river along the way. We walked around the town a bit and went to the monument for the Long March in Shigu. There was a street market going on along the main street. People were mostly selling food items and fruits. We had lunch at a restaurant just off the main street and then we went down to the river to see the views. At the river, you can see the water, sand, mountains, and farms. The river valley is wide and surrounded by steep mountains. In the river basin there are large sand banks. One had a herd of black goats on it.

We went back to Lijiang where we had a choice to shop or take a hike up to a view of the town. Having spent a few hours shopping in the old town the night before, I opted for the walk to the top to see the view of all the rooftops in town. The old town is like a labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets with shop after shop. There are few canals that run through. It is easy to get lost in the labyrinth, but if you follow a canal, you might find your way back. On the way back down from above the old town, Barbara and I stopped to buy some silk scarves at a little shop. Back at the meeting place we got some $1.00 ice cream cones. Mmmm!