Well, when I am sitting here thinking of my family, they are actually on their way flying to Europe. Then very spontaneously I also came to a point where I started to fancy a holiday somewhere at some stage for myself.

Europe is a big piece of land in my heart, and of course I am interested. The things I wanted to do the most are to taste the exotic Spanish and French food, see the scene of Tuscan red poppy flowers popping out of balconies with white or golden bricks as a background, walk those narrow alleys between old residential buildings, linger around from one café to another, check out at Museums and galleries where I expected to see unusual contemporary art works or simply timeless classic ones, and also to observe how elegantly the French women dress themselves.

But after so many years’ longing for those scenes, funnily enough, in my entire life, Europe has never been put as the first top of my wish list to go, although I admit that I couldn’t find second place would suit my interest towards urban experience better.

I had dreamed of pure natural scenic views in Canada or New Zealand, thought about Brazil or at least some small part of South America, and moved once for Africa, but deep down in this skin, I sort of know that I would never be satisfied with an piece of isolated land where has no cultural or human aspects involved at all. I can’t get away from being an urban girl and also a bloody and stupid tourist. I would much more easily be pleased and turned on by those bits related to history, tradition, local people’s craft or art works (especially decoration stuff, fabric or traditional handmade craftworks), or simply their voice in a free market or the wrinkles on those local elderly people’s faces. I guess that I am too superficial and tend to spoil my visions too much while in a holiday.

That’s why I love Lijiang. That is the best place I’ve been in the past 10 year. It has the every element that I have been looking for, beautiful natural scenes just half an hour away, which you can see mountains and lakes, also traditional stuff, local people dress in special clothes, ancient artitectural style showing the history, unique atmosphere to entertain those sleepless crazy tourists coming from the urban cities at the nights, a bunch of good friends hanging around (without them, I can’t imagine what fun I could have) and endless pretty souvenirs that I’d love to carry back home if there is no limitation on my luggage weight.

Everyday in there was a surprise, also a moment to use the eyes and ears to find beauty. It’s quite a vision tour, and it’s like a feast as if it will never end and makes you forget about the time. Even now when sometimes I do feel tired and boring, once I see those photos taken in Lijiang, I still had my moments that the mind can get miles away……and fancy a holiday? I am glad that I had been one