We’ve ultimately spent a good week seeing several towns in Yunan Province, situated in the southwest of China at the foot of the Tibetan Plateau and bordering Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. Today I spent the day exploring Tibetan Buddhist monastaries north of Lijiang, many of which were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Nine photos of Lijiang and central and northern Yunan Province follow.

Lijiang is the home of beautiful scenery and a wonderfully restored old town. Here you can see snow-capped mountains in the distance.

Outside a Tibetan monstary in northern Yunan Province.

More of the old city.

Buying breakfast in Lijiang.

Overlooking Lijiang from a nearby hill. The city was historically an important town on the route of the Southern Silk Road (also called the Maritime Silk Road) that linked China with Southeast Asia and India.

The Naxi, a minority based in China and India and who have a strong presence in Lijiang.

Overlooking a village while hiking the northern hills to see the monastaries.

The Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang.

Traveling ever upwards; this was taken north of the Erhai Lake in central Yunan.

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