Standing in the middle span of this famous Luding Bridge 泸定桥
Day 4 (2.4.2013) Hailuogou 海螺沟 to Luding 泸定 (46km/1hr) to Kangding 康定 (55km/1hr 10min) to Xinduqiao 新都桥
Breakfast at 7am and took a van at 8am for 1hr journey to Luding to visit the famous Luding Bridge 泸定桥 and a temple beside. We then continued the journey 1hr 10min to Kanding (the cowboy town of China) arriving at 10.45am and at 11.15 we had to change vehicle to Xinduqiao (new capital bridge) or Tibetan name is Garze. Check in to Xinkangzhu hotel and had lunch there. We then walked around the one street town and later hike up the hill top. Came back and had dinner at 7pm. Today’s lowest temperature is -4c.
Luding Bridge 泸定桥 is a bridge over the Dadu River in Luding County. The bridge dates from the Qing Dynasty built in 1701 and is considered a historical landmark. The bridge consisted of thirteen heavy iron chains with a span of some 100 yards. Thick wooden boards lashed over the chains provided the roadway across the bridge. In 1935, during the Long March, soldiers of the Fourth Regiment of the Chinese Workers and Peasants' Army secured the bridge as a river crossing vital to the Red Army.
Sleeping: Xinkangzhu hotel 鑫康珠客栈
A very comfortable van ride from Hailuogou to Luding - by the look at their faces.
There are many such beautiful bridges along the way from Hailuogou to Luding.
The country side villages and towns along the river from Hailuogou to Luding.
The bridge entrance from the Guan Yin Gu temple side in Luding.
Luding Bridge 泸定桥 is a bridge over the Dadu River in Luding County. Thick wooden boards lashed over the chains provided the roadway across the bridge.
Luding Bridge 泸定桥 consisted of thirteen heavy iron chains with a span of some 100 yards.
A panoramic view of the two entrances taken on the Luding Bridge 泸定桥.
A panoramic view of Luding city taken from Guan Yin temple.
Luding Bridge 泸定桥 dates from the Qing Dynasty built in 1701 and is considered a historical landmark.
In 1935, during the Long March, soldiers of the Fourth Regiment of the Chinese Workers and Peasants' Army secured the Luding Bridge 泸定桥 as a river crossing vital to the Red Army.
Lee Kam Boon standing with a lady soldier at Luding Bridge 泸定桥.
Luding Guan Yin Gu temple in Luding city.
Another view of Luding city from the Guan Yin temple.
The gigantic temple bell at Guan Yin temple in Luding city.
Kanding (the cowboy town of China) arriving at 10.45am and at 11.15 we had to change vehicle to Xinduqiao (new capital bridge) or Tibetan name is Garze (note: commercial van or taxi cannot cross to another district or province).
The breath taking view of the mountains along the road from Kanding to Xinduqiao.
The breath taking view of the snow cap mountains along the road from Kanding to Xinduqiao.
The breath taking view of the snow cap mountains along the road from Kanding to Xinduqiao.
We are surrounded by snow up in the mountain along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
Chinese soldiers putting chains on the tyres along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
We are surrounded by snow up in the mountain along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
We are surrounded by snow up in the mountain along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
One of our Tibetan van drivers wearing his cowboy hat on the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
A panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
A convoy of Chinese military vehicle that slow down the traffic on the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
The traffic jam at certain stretches of the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
A large Tibetan pagoda and shrine at the mountain top on the road to Xinduqiao.
The traffic jam at the mountain top on the road to Xinduqiao.
The snow-capped mountains along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
Lim Cheng Tee and Bernard Lee using the open public toilet along the mountain road to Xinduqiao.
Ching Neng Bin peeing by the road side as he dare not walk into the snow covered ground.
Not so lucky for Mrs Ng, she dropped into the snow covered drain with her umbrella while looking for a suitable place; she was lucky to be rescued by Grace and Lily Yap.
We met some local bikers at the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
Another Tibetan pagoda and shrine at the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
A stone marker beside the Tibetan stupa shrine tells us that we are at 4,298m high (13,754 feet) on the road to Xinduqiao.
More bikers along the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
Along the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
Along the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
Another traffic jam at the mountain top road to Xinduqiao.
The pasture scenery of rolling mountains, river valleys dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
A Tibetan shaggy black yak roaming freely on the road to Xinduqiao.
Tibetan shrine on the mountain slope with pasture scenery along the road to Xinduqiao.
The pasture scenery of rolling mountains, river valleys dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of rolling mountains, river valleys dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The enchanting plateau pasture scenery of rolling mountains, river valleys dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
Sleeping: Xinkangzhu hotel (鑫康珠客栈) - room is equipped with electric blanket, television, hot water shower, free Internet access.
A good lunch in Xinkangzhu hotel as we were very hungry and very cold - Sichuan food and vegetables.
Xinduqiao Tibetan-style houses is very characteristic, has a spacious white walls and red lacquer door courtyard, all the walls of each building open three or four windows, window eaves with red, black, white and other colors depict a flourishing population and the symbol of a bumper grain harvest moon or triangular pattern.
Visited an ancient Tibetan temple (居寺) in Xinduqiao town beside our hotel.
Visited an ancient Tibetan temple (居寺) in Xinduqiao town beside our hotel.
Two horses in a farm land of Xinduqiao town beside our hotel.
A walk around Xinduqiao town main road.
A big fat Tibetan pig roaming around for food at Xinduqiao town main road.
Four of us challenged each other to get to the hill top towards the prayer flag field that we pointed.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
The pasture scenery of Xinduqiao valley dotted with grassland and Tibetan villages.
Can you see Ching Neng Bin in this Xinduqiao hill?
Can you see Ching Neng Bin standing on the left side of the flag field in Xinduqiao hill.
Ching Neng Bin standing at an altitude of about 3400 meters just below the Tibetan prayer writing in Xinduqiao.
The hill top flag field and the concrete Tibetan prayer writing in Xinduqiao valley.
A view of the Xinduqiao town from the hill top flag field. A small town located 437km west to Chengdu and 83km west of Kangding, at the separating point of the North and South Sichuan-Tibet highway, with Ganze in the northwest and Litang in the west.
Another view of the Xinduqiao town from the hill top flag field.
Another good dinner in the Xinduqiao hotel - Bernard showing pictures on his new iPad to the hotel staff.
Another good dinner in the Xinduqiao hotel.
/// Backpacking Adventure to ShangriLa the Last Frontier 30 March to 23 April 2013 (25 days)
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Day 01 (30.03.2013) AirAsia D7-320: K. Lumpur to Chengdu (成都), Sichuan (四川)
Day 02 (31.03.2013) Chengdu to Hailuogou (海螺沟) (296km/7.5hrs bus)
Day 03 (01.04.2013) Hailuogou (海螺沟) Red rocks @ Swallow Gully (燕子沟)
Day 04 (02.04.2013) Hailuogou (海螺沟) Luding (泸定) Kangding (康定) to Xinduqiao (新都桥)
Day 05 (03.04.2013) Xinduqiao (新都桥) to Danba (丹巴) Land of thousand watchtowers
Day 06 (04.04.2013) Danba – day trip to Jiaju Tibetan Village "the most beautiful ethnic town
Day 07 (05.04.2013) Danba (丹巴) – staying in Jiaju Village
Day 08 (06.04.2013) Jiaju Village (甲居藏寨) to Xiaojin (小金) to Rilong (日隆)
Day 09 (07.04.2013) trekking up Changpinggou (长砰沟) middle gully of Siguniang (四姑娘山)
Day 10 (08.04.2013) Rilong (日隆) to Chengdu (成都)
Day 11 (09.04.2013) Chengdu (成都) day trip to Huanglongxi (黄龙寺)
Day 12 (10.04.2013) Chengdu (成都) to Xichang (西昌)
Day 13 (11.04.2013) Xichang (西昌) to Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
Day 14 (12.04.2013) Lugu Lake - cycling around Lugu Lake
Day 15 (13.04.2013) Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) to Lijiang (丽江)
Day 16 (14.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江)
Day 17 (15.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江) to Shangri-La (香格里拉) (Zhongdian (中甸)
Day 18 (16.04.2013) Shangri-La (Zhongdian) - day trip to Potatso National Park
Day 19 (17.04.2013) Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡) / Bai Shui Tai terrace waterfall（白水台）
Day 20 (18.04.2013) Tiger Leaping Gorge to Lijiang (丽江)
Day 21 (19.04.2013) Lijiang (丽江) to Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
Day 22 (20.04.2013) Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) to Xichang (西昌) to Chengdu (成都)
Day 23 (21.04.2013) Chengdu
Day 24 (22.04.2013) D7-327 Chengdu to K. Lumpur (2355 – 0430)
Day 25 (23.04.2013) 25 23/04 Arrival K. Lumpur: 0430 hrs
| RMB | RM | |||
| Total Costs per person excluding Air fare | 4,664.15 | 2,360.06 | ||
| Return Airfare per pax incl. insurance, meals | 1,632.41 | 826.00 | ||
| Total Cost Per Pax incl. of Airfare | 6,296.56 | 3,186.06 | ||
It's already June of 2013. Now the detailed pics are only out since you've conquered another dimension in China after N. Thailand. I'll read the short captions and browse through the enchanting pics Chung NB has posted. Thanks Ching and partners. You fellas are great travelers like Marco Polo. You guys never know when to call it a day! Anyway the earth is a big one! Somewhere out there awaits you. I'm having fun reading every detail of your travelogue. Have many exciting days ahead.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Alan Kok
KL