We flew 2 hours west from Shanghai to Zhangjiajie, then transferred to Wulingyuan, where we stayed for our two-day visit to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, located in the northern Hunan province. The UNESCO World Heritage Site’s quartz-sandstone pillars rise dramatically, with sheer cliffs above 3,000 feet high. The 400 million-year-old formations were shaped by physical erosion. It was difficult to capture the enormity and dramatic cliffs in photos, so we recommend a visit! On our first day, we took a very crowded cable car to the top of the Tianzi scenic area, then hiked down 3 hours to the base of the park. While hiking trails are peaceful and scenic, the shuttle buses from the entrance of the park to the main scenic points are chaotic and crowded. People ran from what can best be described as a holding pen to grab a seat on the bus. In the park, food consisted of various pieces of organ meat on sticks, chicken feet, and other unfamiliar snacks. We had lunch at the McDonald’s, and met four medical students from Yale University at our table. The next day, we walked along Golden Whip Stream, then up towards Yuanjiajie, where we saw incredible views of the pillars. The cliff-side trails were great exercise and a calming break from the city. We returned home via the glass Bailong Elevator (“Hundred Dragons Elevator”), the world’s tallest outdoor lift at 1,070 feet. Our next stop was Fenghuang (“phoenix”), an ancient town about 5 hours south of Zhangjiajie. On the bus ride, the attendant spoke for 45 minutes straight, apparently an infomercial, as other riders then bought large quantities of vacuum-sealed, preservative-laden meat products. Fenghuang was founded in 681 AD during the Tang Dynasty, then rebuilt in 1554 during the Ming Dynasty, and expanded through the Qing Dynasty. The ancient streets, undulating roofs, and leaning stilts of the houses are beautifully set along a bright blue river. Fenghuang was an important ancient center of the Hunan region. We left at the end of the day for Tongren, where we caught a 12-hour night train to Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province. Between the crowded bunks, loud passengers, and constant smoking, the ride was not the best sleep of our trip, but it was certainly an adventure.
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September 2018
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