Woke up at 7.30 feeling so much better than yesterday. I had slept for 11 hours straight and obviously needed it. I looked out of the window and it was the most beautiful sunny day. I did not know what to do as I do not have much time to get to Xian but I yesterday I was disappointed not to see Juizhaigou in all its glory... I contemplated it for a bit and then decided that as I had come all this way to see the nature reserve I could not do anything but visit again. This time I knew exactly how to.get there and I could hike a part of it away from all the tourists and see different sections from those I saw yesterday. It was the right decision.
As I was up early and my energy had returned I was dressed, fed, packed and ready to catch the bus at 9 and in the park on the walking trails by 10. It was a beautiful morning with blue.skies and the scenery was fantastic. It was much.easier going there for a second day as I knew what all of the really great parts were to make sure I went back to see in the sunshine and also I could walk the paths that I did not walk yesterday. For most of the lakes the bus runs on one side and the walkway on the opposite. It means that when you are on the walkway you can not see or heard the buses and it gives you the illusion of just walking in nature rather than in the middle of a major tourist site. In fact for the 8 hours that I spent on the park today only about 1.5 hours were with crowds of other tourists. Most of the time I was walking on my own with my headphones on listening to war and peace, taking photos, appreciating the scenery and generally being in my element. :)
This photo looks like I have been photoshopped in! I really was there.... honest. And it is that beautiful. Like a fairytale land.....
See through blue lakes - 108 of them!
Lovely flowers everywhere.
This spiders web was HUGE!
This is a photo of the path through the forest. Really easy walking and well maintained.
As usual in China, the flag was ever present.
Tweety Pie enjoyed himself as usual.
This is an example of the path through the forest.
I saw 4 other people walking for the first 2 hours. The buses take people past all of the sites on the way up and then you can get on and off on the.way down. This meant that most tourists were in the upper parts of the park as I has walking in from the entrance and so I had some of the most beautiful parts (the bits most tourists get to in late afternoon) all to myself.
The place really is like a fairy land. The land that they showed.on lord or the rings for the elvan home world could really have been here. Some of the.photos look like pictures but it is actually like that. The waters are completely clear and blue.
It was almost too beautiful today and too perfect! Yesterday there were clouds and mists and contrast between the clear blue waters and the gray skies. Today it was almost too quaint. I am really glad.that I spent 2 days in the park and saw it in both lights. Today was much better for me though as I could see it on foot away from all of the tourists. Much more.natural for.me. I did not have time to go all the way to long lake and the primeval forests but having seen them yesterday I was not so bothered about seeing them again and they are not the highlights of the park anyway.
I had a late lunch at the restaurant at the tourist center. The center is huge with a massive shopping area and 5 huge restaurants. I went to the cheapest place but they did not have any food left at all so I ended up getting a buffet for £6. It really was very bad food served on plastic plates.
Today I walked 37km and as I was running out of time to.get back I caught a bus for the section back to the entrance (a bit naughty as I had not paid.for a £9 ticket but I only did one short journey and had paid yesterday so I did not feel too guilty).
I was back at the entrance in time to catch the 5:00 bus but it had still not arrived by 5.15 so I caught a taxi back to town with some other people - only £1.
I bought some noodles to go from the same little stall that I had bought lunch from yesterday. The noodles with a spicy sauce and bean spouts are a local dish and are very tasty and only 40p for a huge bowl full.
I treated myself this evening. I found CHOCOLATE! I was no longer craving it (like I had been 1 week ago) but I really just fancied some. Occasionally it is nice to have something that is not noodles, rice, veg or meat. I have to say I am not very impressed with Chinese food. In general it is very bland.
I also bought a bottle of red wine for £1. I had to see what it tasted like! It was sweet and fruity. Not the best wine I have ever had - far to sweet for me but not horrendous.
I bought a large bottle of clear liquid thinking that it was water. When I got back I found out that it was in fact a Chinese spirit - only £2 for a huge bottle - about the same amount as water for that amount of mineral water.
I spent the evening having a long bath and organising my photos from today.
As I was up early and my energy had returned I was dressed, fed, packed and ready to catch the bus at 9 and in the park on the walking trails by 10. It was a beautiful morning with blue.skies and the scenery was fantastic. It was much.easier going there for a second day as I knew what all of the really great parts were to make sure I went back to see in the sunshine and also I could walk the paths that I did not walk yesterday. For most of the lakes the bus runs on one side and the walkway on the opposite. It means that when you are on the walkway you can not see or heard the buses and it gives you the illusion of just walking in nature rather than in the middle of a major tourist site. In fact for the 8 hours that I spent on the park today only about 1.5 hours were with crowds of other tourists. Most of the time I was walking on my own with my headphones on listening to war and peace, taking photos, appreciating the scenery and generally being in my element. :)
This photo looks like I have been photoshopped in! I really was there.... honest. And it is that beautiful. Like a fairytale land..... 
See through blue lakes - 108 of them! 
Lovely flowers everywhere. 
This spiders web was HUGE! 
This is a photo of the path through the forest. Really easy walking and well maintained. 
As usual in China, the flag was ever present. 
Tweety Pie enjoyed himself as usual. This is an example of the path through the forest. 
I saw 4 other people walking for the first 2 hours. The buses take people past all of the sites on the way up and then you can get on and off on the.way down. This meant that most tourists were in the upper parts of the park as I has walking in from the entrance and so I had some of the most beautiful parts (the bits most tourists get to in late afternoon) all to myself.The place really is like a fairy land. The land that they showed.on lord or the rings for the elvan home world could really have been here. Some of the.photos look like pictures but it is actually like that. The waters are completely clear and blue.
It was almost too beautiful today and too perfect! Yesterday there were clouds and mists and contrast between the clear blue waters and the gray skies. Today it was almost too quaint. I am really glad.that I spent 2 days in the park and saw it in both lights. Today was much better for me though as I could see it on foot away from all of the tourists. Much more.natural for.me. I did not have time to go all the way to long lake and the primeval forests but having seen them yesterday I was not so bothered about seeing them again and they are not the highlights of the park anyway.
I had a late lunch at the restaurant at the tourist center. The center is huge with a massive shopping area and 5 huge restaurants. I went to the cheapest place but they did not have any food left at all so I ended up getting a buffet for £6. It really was very bad food served on plastic plates. Today I walked 37km and as I was running out of time to.get back I caught a bus for the section back to the entrance (a bit naughty as I had not paid.for a £9 ticket but I only did one short journey and had paid yesterday so I did not feel too guilty). I was back at the entrance in time to catch the 5:00 bus but it had still not arrived by 5.15 so I caught a taxi back to town with some other people - only £1.
I bought some noodles to go from the same little stall that I had bought lunch from yesterday. The noodles with a spicy sauce and bean spouts are a local dish and are very tasty and only 40p for a huge bowl full.
I treated myself this evening. I found CHOCOLATE! I was no longer craving it (like I had been 1 week ago) but I really just fancied some. Occasionally it is nice to have something that is not noodles, rice, veg or meat. I have to say I am not very impressed with Chinese food. In general it is very bland. 
I also bought a bottle of red wine for £1. I had to see what it tasted like! It was sweet and fruity. Not the best wine I have ever had - far to sweet for me but not horrendous. 
I bought a large bottle of clear liquid thinking that it was water. When I got back I found out that it was in fact a Chinese spirit - only £2 for a huge bottle - about the same amount as water for that amount of mineral water.I spent the evening having a long bath and organising my photos from today.
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