Can you imagine? Being in China in the traditional Chinese mansion, enjoying cherry tree in blossom I was listening to the tunes of my favoelomployeeseomposer – Chopin!  My hosts have a huge collection of several thousands of CDs. They wanted to make me happy… Thaink you!

It is Saturday – free day today. After Chinese breakfast under thegcherry tree (little boiled bread balls filled with peanut and sesame) Julia & David decided to go with me to the bottom of Yulong mountain to show me traditional village of Naxi people living around Lijiang. They built their houses using mud and stone. The village still looks like centuries ago.

Finally they left me at the Tibetan Monastery of the Red Hat sect. The name is very poetic: Jade Peak Monastery. In the gate they wanted me to pay 80 juan entry fee. I was staing there almost an hour looking at the people going through. More then 150 people passed through the gate. Nobody was controlled and asked to buy the ticket. Only me, because I look like the foreigner!  That’s discrimination!

But I entered monastery anyway – to see there praying halls and famous Sacred  tree of 10000 camelia flowers. I am not sure if there are 10000 flowers but it is the fact that the tree is more the 500 years old. It was saved during the Cultural Revolution by the monk, who risking his life was bringing the water to keep it alive. His portrait is there on display.

It is very hard to see here other wasterners. So believe or not – I am starring… At the bottom of the monastery I met the group of the employees of the bank. They came as volunteers to clean the forest. And this was opportunity to have a picture with the star: