Dali Street Dancing and Lazy Lizard Haloween Party

Following our second attempt to catch the number three bus to the station (our first attempt was thwarted by the fact the bus turned and went in the opposite direction) we were hussled onto a crammed minibus bound for Dali. Already at 2000m above sea level in Kunming, the road to Dali just seemed to continue up into the mountains. Dropped in New Dali/Dali City/Xiaguan we caught another bus along the new concrete dual carriageway to Old Dali. The entire journey reminded me of the Salkt Lake City to Provo drive, along a commuter belt of new development sandwiched between the Cang Shan mountain range and Er Hai lake, with another tall mountain range reaching down to its far shores. The only major difference here was that the land between the new developments consisted of hundreds of rice paddies tended by dozens of workers.

Old Dali itself, plugged as a backpacker haven, we actually found to be rammed with hundreds of anonymous souvenir shops, well on the main street at least. Unable to fathom the appeal of Dali, beyond the souvenir shops, city gates, dancing and a sheep-pulled cart - all put on for the relentless flocks of Chinese tourists we went in search of food. In the side streets we found what we'd been looking for - restaurants with English menus and even free DVD-watching! We went with one of the Rough Guide recommendations and on ordering two dishes I found I could have been full on only 40p with one of the locals Dali soup specialties - this is more what we're used to!

That night it was the Halloween Party at the Lazy Lizard so we headed on down and got chatting in the luminous-coloured pub to a bunch of Americans and a total queen who called himself Kim - apparently here for his Chinese girlfriend though I remain skeptical.