Jiuzhaigou

After Chongqing, on the day we were to fly to Jiuzhaigou, we were so lucky to have a perfect weather, with blue sky and white clouds. Jiuzhaigou, located only about 40 minutes' flight away, is praised to boast the prettiest water views in China.

'Especially this season.' the guide explained. ' the best time, when the tree leaves were in the very middle of changing colors; and besides least crowded this year, after this spring's earthquake and many after quakes hitting this area.'

'But I assure you that the airport is safest in the world, for it's constructed on a platform chopped out of high mountains, so, even there were any problems of landing, the pilots will find no difficulty at all of taking off again.' he joked.

To be honest , I didn't welcome such excitement as that; but during this short flights both ways, when I was using the toilet, the strong turbulence made the craft shake violently. I tried so hard to hold the handles, sitting there and praying that, I wouldn't like to die with shits this way.

Except that, we were lucky that airplanes didn't delay too long, for this airport 'Jiu-huang' airport is very notorious for very frequent delays or cancellations.
Jiu-huang Jiu-huang, Shi you jiu huang
which means ' nine out of ten is failure'.

On the way from the airport to Sheraton Hotel, the local guide explained that the program had to be rescheduled since it would be too late, dark and then dangerous too if we were to do the Huanglong scenic spot that afternoon. Huanglong forest is located about 2 to 2.5 hours away from the airport.

We all agreed, nothing to complain, when the golden ray shone all the way on the green cedar trees, dotted with red, and yellow ones against snow-capped mountains. From time to time we drove past herds of cows, sheep and yaks and villages of stone houses and high watching towers, belonging to the local minority people of Tibetans and Changs. Jiuzhaigou, is along the frontier between mainland China and Tibet, derives its name from 'valley of nine tibetan villages'.

Traditionally they are nomads but now affected by tourism, they mostly work for hotels, restaurants and performance troupes , making adequate money from tourism and extra from bonus and stipends from admission fees of this scenic areas.

'They make a lot. The ticket is 220 yuan (35 dollars) and 200 for Huanglong (33 dollars). And the rental for a van (22 seats) per day is 3000 yuan ( more than 450 dollars).'

Of course for me everything is covered, even the hotel room of Sheraton, I stayed on a small attic room at the 7th floor. According to hotel lobby manager, when they designed the two wing hotel buildings they on purposed designed one extra floor about the attics for tour guides and drivers. (So so touching!)

Sheraton is only about five minutes' drive away the scenic spot. Next morning we entered the valley, we were so attracted by the scenery there, all like beautiful oil paintings in all colors from palette, red from maples, yellow from birch, green from pine trees, white from waterfall, blue from the lakes.