Kunming (June 24 - June 25)

I stopped here after Yuanyang for a few days and originally planned to stay longer, but the sheer lack of things to see cut my time here in half. (This is fact turned out to be a blessing since I then made time to go to Shangri-la)

Kunming is a relatively medium-sized city and the capital of Yunnan province. Like all capital cities it's clean and safe. And well, that's it...! I can’t say that there isn’t a thing for everyone. Some people do love this city but I was going for character and this city lacks the old charms of so many other smaller cities.

What Kunming did do, in fact, was show me another side of China; one of day-to-day charms like markets and community bonding rituals like the great Chinese past-time of Mahjong. As I noticed before at the bus station on my way to Yuanyang, Kunming seems to be the gateway of modernity in a province that is still grasping on to its roots, and while other cities like Shanghai are tripping over themselves trying to race for an invisible finish line, Kunming is happy to be prancing and whistling while it enjoys the run.

The great game of Mahjong