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Sichuan Province

Food in China… so much choice!

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This is a difficult subject to address given the gastronomic diversity of China and the short visit to the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan provide good examples, so it is difficult to choose a traditional dish or a typical meal that is homogeneously found in all places.

However, in the visited areas, restaurants can easily be found where the common denominator is the existence of a fridge where the available food is exposed, from vegetables, meat, mushrooms, tofu, eggs… and from where the customer can chooses the desired combinations, which are cook in a few minutes. The dishes the come to the table are always shared among the group of friends or family, gathered around the table, being polite to remove one piece of food at a time and put it in the bowl, from where, after mixing with a piece of rice it’s eaten. At the end of the meal, it is respectful to leave some food on the plates, a sign of the abundance of food.

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Contrary to what is common in Southasian countries, in China it’s unusual to find “street-food”. The most popular and economical option is the small family restaurants, informal and open to the street, where the kitchen is located at the entrance of the restaurant advertising the menu. The most common in these eateries is the noodles soup with all the possible meat variations: pork, beef, chicken, intestines and other internal organs… ghrrr!

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In fact, China is not an easy country for vegetarians, and the concept itself is a kind of unknown is more remote areas, even among the Buddhist and the Tibetan communities. Although, vegetables are a constant presence in Chinese meals that are compost by several dishes where meat is an almost mandatory presence. 

The tofu, as a Chinese intention, is easy to find both in restaurants menus as in snack stall, as it is part of traditional food the tofu isn't seen as a vegetable alternative as in western countries. Mushrooms are also very common and can be a good choice for vegetarian dishes.

However, some traditional Chinese dishes are practically impossible to find without meat, fish or seafood, as is the case with dumplings, steamed buns and the dim sun.
But rice and noodles dishes, stir-fry or in soups, are good alternatives for vegetarians as far as you can order them without animal meat... the communication is always the big issue!!!

The good thing for vegans is that dairy is almost 100% excluded from the traditional Chinese cuisine, and things like cheese and milk are rare. On the other hand, soy milk is very popular and is part of the traditional Chinese food, particularly a the breakfast.

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In Sichuan, famous for its aromatic pepper, the gastronomy stands out for the spicy taste present in almost all dishes, from soups, stir fry or grill. The ingredients, usually vegetables and meat, often cook in a thick of spicy gravy, come wrapped in oil, but with a delicious and aromatic!

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In areas closer to the Tibet Autonomous Region you can find some of the typical Tibetan dishes, although the number of restaurants serving them is small compared to the overwhelming presence of Chinese food restaurants. It stands out the traditional tupka, a soup of vegetables or meat, in a thick broth and with barley pasta cut roughly in pieces. The dumplings that in the Tibetan version are called momos, are also traditional in this area and can be found as a morning meal.

Traditionally from the cold Tibetan areas is butter tea that accompanies meals. The salty butter’s taste stands out in this drink, which as it cools creates a thin layer of fat at the surface.

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Refeição típica chinesa, em que dois ou mais pratos acompanham uma tijela de arroz. Sempre presente está o chá que muitas vezes é disponibilizado gratuitamente
Typical Chinese meal where two or more dishes are eaten with steam rice. The tea is the most common drink and many time is served for free at the restaurants.

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Sopa à base de noodles sobre os quais é despejado um caldo e são acrescentados legumes ou carne, assim como condimentos salgados ou picantes, de acordo com o gosto de cada pessoa
noodles soup

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Legumes no mercado de Dali
Dali Market

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Raiz de lótus, à venda no mercado de Dalí, muito popular na gastronomia chinesa
Lótus root, at Dalí market

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ovos sujeitos a um prolongado processo de fermentação tornando a clara transparente e que lhes confere um gosto muito particular cuja intensidade os torna repulsivos para certos paladares
fermented eggs with a funny smell and taste… that doesn’t suite everyone

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Legumes no mercado de Dali
Dali market

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sopa fria de noodles: encontra-se por vezes ao fim da tarde nas ruas das cidades de Yunnam, onde pequenas banca oferecem um diversidade de noodles, tanto em forma, cor e sabor, que são condimentados com um molho picante, algumas ervas frescas, cebolinho e amendoim ralado
Cold noodles soup: easy to find in the end of the day in the street of Yunnan cities, seasoned with spicy sauce, fresh h and grind peanuts

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Amazing dinner prepared by my two travel mates. The food is an serious issue in China, and is always prepared with fresh ingredients brought everyday in the markets

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dumplings feitos de massa de arroz, geralmente recheados de carne, e cozinhados ao vapor. São uma das mais populares opções par ao pequeno almoço, com os restaurantes fazendo-se anunciar pelas grandes panelas metálicas constituídas por diversos tabuleiros, de onde sai um intenso vapor que se espalha pelas ruas; são acompanhados por um molho picante e por vezes com um caldo feito à base de arroz cozido, simples e praticamente sem sal
dumplings made with rice dough, usually fill with meat and steamed, are the most popular option for the breakfast. the eateries that serve the dumplings are easily spotted by the big metal pans that stand outside the front door

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outra opção de pequeno almoço, com uma sopa de noodles de sabor acre e ácido, acompanhada de ovo cozido e de pão frito, de massa semelhante às “farturas” mas de sabor salgado
another option for the breakfast are the noodles soup with a sour taste, served with egg and fry bread

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panelas para cozinhas dumplings ao vapor e o pão frito em forma de longos palitos, que se pode também encontrar no Laos e na Tailândia como acompanhamento da primeira refeição da manhã
dumplings pan and the fry bread that is also traditional in Thailand and Laos

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Cozinha de um restaurante na China
Kitchen from a restaurant in China

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Cozinha de um restaurante na China
Kitchen from a restaurant in China

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Cozinha de um restaurante na China
Kitchen from a restaurant in China

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noodles frescos à venda no mercado de Chengdu
fresh noodles at Chengdu market

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dumplings de vegetais acompanhando um "sumo" feito de arroz muito cozido ligeiramente adocicado e que constitui uma das populares opções para acompanhamento do pequeno-almoço a par com o leite de soja
vegetarian dumplings for breakfast and a drink made with soy milk

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cabeças de pato e pescoços de galinha, grelhados e condimentados: popular como snack entre refeições
duck heads and chicken necks can be a snack between meals

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Um dos pratos pelo qual a gastronomia de Sishuan é muito popular em que num caldo espesso e oleoso, condimentado com especiarias e pimenta, são cozinhados vegetais, cogumelos e algas, com ou sem carne, decorado com cebolinho e sementes de sésamo, e que é acompanhado de arroz
One of the most popular Sichuan dishes, a thick and oily gravy, seasoned with spices and pepper, where meat, mushrooms or vegetables are cooked

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O tofu encontra-se presente em muitos restaurantes, sendo contudo mais fácil de encontrar nas grandes cidades
The tofu is easy to find in China, and is a good alternative to vegetarians in a gastronomy where the meat is a constant presence

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restaurante junto à estação de comboios de Chengdu que dispõem de tofu confecionado localmente e onde os dumplins são cozinhados nos tradicionais recipientes de bambu
eatery in Chengdu with tofu and dumplings cooked in the traditional bambu baskets

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pão feito de massa de arroz e cozido ao vapor, muito popular nas zonas regiões tibetanas, e que pode ser simples ou recheado de legumes, carne (quase sempre porco), cogumelos ou à base de feijão azuki que lhe confere um sabor ligeiramente doce
steamed bread, popular in tibetan areas, that can be plain or filled with meat, vegetables or with Azuki beans that give a touch of sweetness

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queijo à base de leite de yak, e que no caso de ser fumado adquire um tom acastanhado; apesar do aspecto tosco a este queijo tem uma forte consistência apresentando-se compacto e “borachoso” ao mastigar
cheese made with yak milk

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Hot-pot, muito popular em vários países asiáticos, mas com diferentes cambiantes em relação aos ingredientes, mas reservada para dias festivos ou jantares de fim de semana, em que um caldo é mantido quente com ajuda de carvão ou de um dispositivo elétrico ou a gás, colocado na mesa, e onde os comensais vão mergulhado os diverso ingredientes. Na região do Tibete, este prato é constituído por legumes, cogumelos, algas e algumas tiras de carne que vêm já misturadas com o caldo.
Hot-pot, reserved for special day and family gatherings. Different ingredients are cooked in a stock that is kept war at the table.

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Tupka tibetana
Tupka, tibetan traditional soup that can be made vegetarian

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uma sopa à base de dumplins recheados de legumes na região de Sertar, mais ligada à gastronomia do Tibete... deliciosa para aquecer o corpo e o espírito nos frias noites do planalto tibetano
dumplings soup in Sertar region, a warmer Tibetan version adjust to the colt temperatures

Chengdu… without the pandas!

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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The day dawned strangely silent as if a cloak had muffled the usual sounds of the city. Despite the characteristic almost permanent overcast sky covering Chengdu, this morning presents itself much worse with a kind of fog that in spite of the warm temperature stubbornly stays in the city erasing the top of the tallest buildings.

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The city, with more than four million inhabitants, is not that confused or noisy. However, the fog that almost permanently covers the city is partly due to pollution coupled with the hot and humid climate of the city.
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Most of the visitors that arrive in Chengdu has the Panda Research Center in the top of the list of things to do in this city, that doesn’t have much more to offer than commercial areas, shopping center and a wide range of delicious Chinese food.
I decided not to visit the Panda Center as I don’t appreciate to see the animals being used as entertainment… and as shopping is not my “thing”, I was left with the Chengdu food experience, guided by my Chinese friends with who I have been hitchhiking in the last five days!
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Chegada triunfal a Chengdu, depois de mais de 12 horas de viagem desde Sertar, com algumas paragens para trocar um pneus furado, remover pedras da estrada resultantes de uma derrocada e umas pausas para esperar que o deslizamento de terras resultante da intensa tempestade da noite anterior estabilizasse
Arriving at Chengdu, after 12 hours driving from Sertar, with a flat tire, rock on the road, and some small landslides resulting from the heavy rain

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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uma das zonas de maior concentração de centros comerciais, e onde um dos mais recentes edifícios tema decoração de um panda gigante, sendo os pandas o símbolo da cidade devido ao centro de recuperação existente nos arredores
the pandas are the symbol of the city and are used as decoration in shop windows and building facades

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Antiga zona industrial da cidade convertida em zona de lazer, com restaurantes, lojas e actividades culturais
Old industrial zone converted in leisure area with restaurants, art galleries and shops

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Estátua de Mao localizada no cruzamento de duas das avenidas principais, e onde se localizam as lojas como Dior, Mc Donalds, Nike, Addidas, Starbucks...
Mao statue in one of the main Chengdu acenues, where the big international brands like Dior, Mc Donalds, Nike, Adidas, Starbucks… are located

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chá de jasmim tomado num dos jardim que se podem encontrar na cidade e que são local de eleição para os habitantes de Chengdu, em especial aos fins-de-semana, para passarem as horas de maior calor
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Jardim que envolve um doa muitos templos budista da cidade e onde diariamente pessoas se reúnem, trazendo consigo gaiolas, que à chegada são destapadas para os pássaros nem cativos poderem apreciar a natureza
Chengdu

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Templo budista em Chengdu
Buddhist temple in Chengdu

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Templo budista em Chengdu
Buddhist temple in Chengdu

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Chengdu
Chengdu

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Uma das ruas denominadas de "antigas" onde se concentram lojas e restaurantes, atraindo visitantes e população local
“old” area of Chengdu

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templo Taoista em Chengdu
Taoist temple in Chengdu

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templo Taoista em Chengdu
Taoist temple in Chengdu

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templo Taoista em Chengdu
Taoist temple in Chengdu

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Population: 4.100.000

Elevation: 500 m

Larung Gar… looks like a dream

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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Larung Gar, located in the Sertar district in the western region of Sichuan province, is the largest Tibetan Buddhist school, housing about 40,000 monks, forming almost a town in the Larung Valley.

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Through the hills surrounding the main building are thousands of small houses, which evenly cover the slopes, forming a pattern similar to small squares painted with maroon color, the same color adopted by the Tibetan monks who follow the Mahayana current of Buddhism.

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The gray of the sky with its heavy clouds contributes to the mystical atmosphere that surrounds the place, intensified by the morning mist that comes out from the slopes covered with a mantle of fine green grass.
From the fireplaces of the small wooden houses comes out a thin column of smoke that slowly mix with the heavy clouds.
The houses, located very close from each other, create an intricate labyrinthine of narrow streets and uneven steps.

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It was a special day, with the celebration of a ceremony attended by the founder of the institute, Lama Jigme Phuntsok, whose image can be seen in houses, cars, restaurants, and shops, in the neighbouring villages such as Sertar and Lughuo, as well as hanging around the neck of many Tibetans.

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The vision and atmosphere of Larung Gar, which until recently was barred to foreigners, is too impressive to be recorded in pictures and even less in words, having been one of the most remarkable places of trip in China.

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Boleia para ir de Sertar a Larung Gar, num mini-tractor
Hitchhiking in a tractor to Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Estrada de acesso a Larung Gar
Road to Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

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Larung Gar
Larung Gar

… hitchhiking by Kangding, Tagong and Sertar

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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Because of a misunderstanding between me and the Litang taxi drivers, as a result of my poor Chinese pronunciation and the limited knowledge shown by the Tibetans about Mandarin, I ended up going to Kanding, near Garzé instead of Ganzi… instead of going North, I was on my way to Chengdu, East, forcing me to spend a night in the uninteresting city of Kanding.

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But everything happens for a reason and the disappointment brought a succession of events that become positive: in the hostel where I slept in Kanding, I met two Chinese on school vacations that were planning to travel in the western region of Sichuan.

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So, it began a pleasant three-day adventure hitchhiking through the Kangding region, which took us to the green hills of Tagong, to a sky burial near Luhuó and the incredible monastery town of Sertar.

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The Chinese generosity was evident during these days, with countless vehicles stopping to offer us a ride (with the exception of the trucks that are forbidden to carry foreigners) being available to arrange space even when the car was apparently full, offering us water and food. Along the way, our drivers stop at temples, monasteries, and viewpoints to appreciate the wide landscapes of this region, where the Tibetan presence is evident and the Buddhist religion has a strong presence, visible by the numerous stupas and prayer flags that stand out at the top of the hills.

Easy, easy hitchhike in China, but it’s necessary to speak the language or travel in the company of Chinese!

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Kangding district

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Monastry at Kangding disrict

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Luhuó

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Luhuó
Tagong

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Luhuó
Tagong

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Luhuó
Sertar

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Tibetan High-way: Estrada G318 que liga Chengdu a Lhasa e que é a rota mais popular para quem visita o Tibete, em especial entre os muitos chineses que efectuam este percurso mais de 2000 quilómetros, de carro, de bicicleta e por vezes a pé.
Tibetan High-way: Estrada G318 from Chengdu to Lhasa

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Kangding
Kangding

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Xinduqiao
Xinduqiao

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Xinduqiao
Xinduqiao

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Paragem na estrada perto de Xinduqiao, enquanto se espera por nova boleia...
Hitchhiking near Xinduqiao

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Tagong Grasslands
Sertar

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Itinerário dos possíveis percurso para chegar a Lhasa; este género de autocolantes que decoram muitos dos veículos da região fazem com que a viagem pelo Tibete se pareça com um rali, sobressaindo o espírito de aventura com que os Chineses encaram esta viagem... um pouco como a descoberta da "ultima fronteira"!
map of the tibet region with the different roads that reach Tibet

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Tagong Grasslands
Tagong Grasslands

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Muito mais que uma boleia, este ex-monge tibetano durante 17 anos, levou-nos a conhecer a região, mostrando paisagens, mosteiros, levando-nos a assistir a um sky burial, pagando refeições e alojando-nos no seu hotel... uma incrível generosidade!!
More than just a hitchhike, this tibetan, that was a monk for 17 years, took us to visit the region during two days… an amazing generosity!!

Tiãnzàng… Tibetan sky burial

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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The so-called “sky burial” (tiānzāng, in the Tibetan language) is an ancient tradition of Tibetan Buddhism that considers the body only as a vehicle to go through this life; once a body dies, the spirit abandons the body leaving it useless.

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Giving the body as food for the vultures is a final act of generosity toward the world of the living and is part of the life cycle. The vultures themselves are revered and believed to be a manifestation of the god Dakinis.

In addition to spiritual significance, Sky Burial is also a practical way for Tibetan plateau populations to rid of the bodies in an area where temperatures keep the soil frozen during most of the year, in a place where wood is scarce and can’t be wasted on funeral pyres.

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The ceremony, more practical than ritualistic, is usually held in the morning on a hillside, further away from the villages. On one side small groups of people wait, almost exclusively men, many wearing the traditional Tibetan coats that with the help of the excessive long sleeves keep tied to the waist. On the other side groups of vultures forming brown spots on the green of the terrain, wait calmly. Not far away, another group is distinguished by the colourful clothes and trekking equipment: it is mainly Chinese tourist who visit these areas along the route between Chengdu and Lhasa, one of the most popular adventure travel routes among the Chinese tourism, which sees Tibet with a primitive and wilderness area… a kind of discovery of the “last frontier” in their own country.

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From the bodies that are waiting on the ground, a smell of seven days of decomposition is released, which the gentle breeze brings up along the hill. As the men in charge of preparing the bodies do their work, the various groups of vultures gather, flying low over the place and down the hill in a slow but determined walk, forming an impressive group.

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At the discreet signal of a monk attending the ceremony, the groups of vultures begin with semi-open wings the descent of the hill, towards the bodies, which in seconds disappear under the undulating brown cloak formed by the birds, greedily cut and tear viscera, skin and flesh, from which abruptly a nasty smell kick out most of the spectators, provoking ravages of agony and vomiting, despite the scarves that cover the faces.

After less than half an hour, little remains of the corpses beyond the bones, which are methodically broken against a stone, with the aid of hammers, until they become small pieces that are mixed with barley flour and served again as food for the vultures, which as trained animals, wait patiently, at close distance, for the second part of the feast.

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Despite the apparent relaxation with which Tibetans attend this ceremony, without lamentations or exuberant emotional manifestations, the sky burials are intense and disturbing, remaining forever the memory of the smell of death that sticks to the skin of the living and the heavy beating of the vultures’s wings, flying lower and lower as they run to the corpses.

All this ceremony is enveloped under the majestic calm of the green landscape and the intense blue sky of the Garzê Hills.

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Sky Burial em Litang
Sky Burial in Litang

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

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Sky Burial perto de Luhuo
Sky Burial nearby Luhuo

Litang… the Chinese “wild, wild West”

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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Wild, Wild West… are the words that best fit the image that one has on arrival in Litang: dusty, paved streets, pigs eating scraps of food in the middle of the main road, forcing old and noisy trucks to get away, releasing clouds of black escape and raising the dust of the road that seems to cover the whole city, robbing it of the colours and leaving an uniform grey tone.
Groups of men gather along the sidewalks, leaning against the walls, the poles, and the trees, wearing heavy, thick jackets, chatting and watching the street movement, with a strong, dark-skinned face, half-covered by the flaps of felt hats, rolling the beads of the rosaries in their fingers.

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The city is famous in the region for the annual horse races that in August bring together several ethnic groups of this region, some still nomad, living from the cattle raising, to exhibit their talents and equestrian skills. However, these races were banned last year by the government due to protests against the Chinese presence in the region.

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Around Litang, a small and compact city lies a vast plain of agricultural fields where cattle pasture, which extends to the mountains with rounded ridges, almost deserted, which dominate the landscape. This produces an interesting contrast with the intense blue of the sky, which characterizes these regions of dry air and high altitude of the Tibetan plateau.

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In spite of the evident Chinese presence, which stands out in the dozens of restaurants that line the main street, Tibetan culture clearly dominates, with a large part of the population resisting the adoption of Mandarin, with the exception of children who learn it at school.

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At night, the people gather daily in the central square, built in a modern, organised Chinese style, to perform traditional Tibetan dances, with the ladies seeming to compete in the display of the traditional long dresses adorned with colorful aprons, characteristic of Tibet. Around the square, several groups of policemen watch over the participants, as these gatherings provided before a pretext for demonstrations against the Chinese presence in Tibet.

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Viagem de autocarro entre Dao Cheng e Litang
Bus trip from Dao Cheng to Litang

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Viagem de autocarro entre Dao Cheng e Litang
Bus trip from Dao Cheng to Litang

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Viagem de autocarro entre Dao Cheng e Litang
Bus trip from Dao Cheng to Litang

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Viagem de autocarro entre Dao Cheng e Litang
Bus trip from Dao Cheng to Litang

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Viagem de autocarro entre Dao Cheng e Litang
Bus trio from Dao Cheng to Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Pequeno e discreto tempo que exibe orgulhosamente um retrato do Dalai Lama, imagem proibida na China
Small Buddhist temple where a photos of Dalai Lama is proudly shown, an image forbiden in China

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Litang
Litang

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Mosteiro de Litang
Litang Monastery

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Mosteiro de Litang
Litang Monastery

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Mosteiro de Litang
Litang Monastery

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Population: 51.300

Elevation: 4014 m

Dao Cheng… looks like Tibet?!?

(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)

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According to travel guides, Dao Cheng isn’t much more than a stop on the Tibetian Highway that links the Sichuan Province to Lhasa, capital of Autonomous Region of Tibet. But this proximity to the Tibetan plateau offers a breathtaking scenery in a wild aridity, where little vegetation nestles, in the valleys that also shelter for small villages.

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Although the location and the fact that the majority of the inhabitants are of Tibetans, in Dao Cheng (also written as Daocheng) little can be found of this culture, with almost all the old urban mesh of the city being replaced by new avenues, wide sidewalks and modern buildings imitating the style of local architecture. Crossroads where almost any traffic circulates on the rhythm of traffic lights, and where the surviving traditional buildings resist in the backside streets, many still without pavement.

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Along the streets of brown monotony stands the presence of groups of men and women, whose physical characteristics of tall and sturdy bodies, dark skin and faces with strong features. Women wearing colorful thin-striped aprons that stood out from the dark tones of their long dresses and men in heavy coats over their shoulders, or wrapped in their long sleeves around their waists, and broad-brimmed hats shading their faces, stand out from the discreet Chinese presence that nevertheless dominates the city’s commerce, where it is an arduous task to find a place to serve traditional Tibetan gastronomy.

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Observed the calm atmosphere of the city, with the traffic lights change from green to red without a vehicle passing, where dogs sleep sluggishly along the walks wrapped in dust that evenly covers the city. An atmosphere of stagnation hangs out only broken by nightfall which carries with it the music emitted by the speakers placed in the central square of the Dao Cheng were daily and the local population gathers performing traditional Tibetan dances.

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… and the sky, with its intense blue tone and scattered white clouds, where light strikes the eyes and invites the skin to the protection of the shadows, where the air is hot and dry and where, at the slightest physical effort, the altitude leaves the heart beating hard in the chest.

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Dao Cheng
Dao Cheng

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Info

Bus from Zhongdian (Shangri-lá) to Dao Cheng:

Departure: 7.30 AM, every day (only one bus a day, so it’s better to buy the ticket one day in advance)

Cost: 109 yuan

Duration: around 11 hours (including stop for lunch).

From Shangri-lá Old Town to Zhongdian Bus Terminal you just need to take the bus number 1 to the bus terminal, for 2 yuan. Note that the buses start around 6.30 in the morning, so if you need to stay in the Bus Terminal early you may need to catch a taxi, which is around 10 yuan.

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População: 30.000 habitantes

Altitude: 3753 m

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