A Transforming Landscape

From Lijiang to Zhongdian, you see a landscape transform from a green fertile land
to a more barren land with drier lower growths.

You see people's clothes transform from the simple white and blue outfit and a simple blue hat of the Naxi, to the tall and elaborate headdress (of the Yi?), to the colourful outfits of the Tibetans.

You see architecture transform from the Naxi houses with storage on the second floor, and living quarters on the lower floor, to the Tibetan houses with elaborate details and colourful painted walls.

It's amazing that landscape and culture can all transform so quickly in a 4-hour bus ride. Does this speak to the immobility of the people? Their love of their identity and their local land?

A road sign sweeped by, instructing drivers to drive no faster than 40km. I glanced over to my driver's speed meter.


It's broken. It's stuck at zero.
May be the change of landscape just speaks to how fast my driver is driving...