Hello again, World Tour fans.
My time in Asia is coming to a close. As I reflect on my experiences here, I think, dammit, won't this bus driver stop honking?
That's actually one of the interesting but somewhat aggravating things about China. Everyone honks incessantly, and yesterday's bus driver was far and away the worst. He blew long blasts at every other vehicle we passed, whether or not they were remotely near us.
In other news, you'll be glad to know my tour here ended last night with a big karaoke session. They know how to do karaoke right here -- we got a big room where all 13 of us could sit, get confused by the Chinese on the buttons, and belt out some tunes. I did the Rick Astley dance, for those who know it.
It's been a great time in China. I believe I left off after telling you about the time in Tiger Leaping Gorge, which was pretty impressive. After that we had a little time to hang out in Zhongdian and ate at a Nepali/Tibetan/Indian restaurant. There, our leader Mill found out that the owner of the restaurant is from the same part of Nepal as her husband. This was apparently very exciting. The rest of us could do little but marvel at Mill's ability to switch freely among Nepali, Chinese, and English (and she also knows French, Spanish, and Korean).
The next day we went to take a hike around Emerald Lake, a high alpine lake located at about 12,000 feet. It was a beautiful, idyllic scene with a few horses roaming around a meadow. Unfortunately, the trail didn't go very far, so we wandered further down the road, looking at the mist-shrouded mountains and valleys. From there we went to a natural hot spring pool which was rather warm but also disturbingly green. The bottom was fuzzy, as we found. It wasn't perhaps the finest of hot spring experiences, but hey.
Our next stop was Dali, a town further south next to enormous Er'hai Lake. The group split up, with some people taking a bus tour around the area and the rest of us commencing yet another hike. After fending off the world's most persistent taxi drivers, we climbed a rather steep slope following the line of a chair lift to a temple at the top of a ridge. From there, we realized that there was a broad, paved ridge walk through the mountains.
It was yet another example of the extraodinary construction projects China is apt to do. This was a smooth, paved path that often clung to sheer cliffs. How they even built it is beyond me, but it made for a spectacular walk in and out of canyons and around the front of peaks.
At one point we hiked up to a series of waterfalls called the Seven Dragon Maidens Ponds. Here, water coursed out smooth, rounded rock features and collected in clear pools. We hiked to the top pool and admired it when Anders, my Danish roommate, started the insanity.
He stripped down to his shorts and plunged into a pool that we all knew was frigid, backing up into the waterfall. After some consideration, almost all of the rest of us stripped to our skivvies and jumped in. The water was so cold it was actually hard to breathe and painful on my legs. But we stayed in long enough to amuse nearby Chinese tourists and get some pictures...you'll have to see these.
After more walking and an aborted attempt to hike down (kind of lost the path), we took the cable car to the bottom and returned to town. After dinner that night (and buying more knock-off outdoor stuff, including a Mountain Hard Wear soft shell and Chinese-made Acme sleeping bag) some of us played the old around-the-world ping-pong at the hotel, then left to make our rounds of Dali's bars.
It was a long night out. Let me advise you not to listen when someone says, "Let's all order a drink you've never heard of," because a Green Hat is disgusting. I think we got back to our rooms around 3:30pm.
Anyway, that brings us back to the present. My next trip is off to Bulgaria. Why Bulgaria? I don't really know. But I will be off to join an ecovolunteer project trying to help save rare breeds of Karachan dogs, sheep, and horses in the remote Pirin mountains. Where do you come up with this stuff? Good question.
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2 comments:
1. It's about time you graced us with another commentary. I miss your daily feeds.
2. The link to your eco-volunteer-tour - well, it stinks, quite frankly. Where was that supposed to get me?
3. I'm very, very jealous. Not just at the trip, but at the inexpensive outdoor gear you're picking up. Anthony and I just went to HTO the other day to pick up some UA shirts for his trip to Ghana and we ended up spending $400! Grr....
Oooh, I figured it out! For your readers' benefit, I will post the contents of the page describing Eric's eco-tour below:
Karakachan people are livestock breeders - a remarkable group of Balkan nomads, one of the oldest ethnic groups in Europe. Their valuable, ancient local breeds of livestock (Karakachan sheep, Karakachan horse and Karakachan dog) are primitive, pure domesticated forms of sheep, mountain horses and livestock guardian dogs: tough and adapted to severe mountain conditions.
In the 1950’s they were forced to settle and to give up their traditional way of living. Their flocks disappeared. Now only small groups and individuals of the three breeds survive in remote settlements. Their numbers decrease annually and nowadays they barely survive.
In 1991, we started our first activities to study the status of the Karakachan dog and to undertake urgent measures to save the breed.
We started Investigations about the sheep and the horse in 1997 and in 2000 we set up this project to save the three breeds. We now own a flock of Karakachan sheep protected by Karakachan dogs, two groups of Karakachan horses and a breeding station for Karakachan livestock guardian dogs. We breed them in a traditional way.
You can join our activities for saving these traditional breeds as a part of the natural and the cultural heritage of Bulgaria.
Where do I go to?
The project is located at Pirin mountain in South-west Bulgaria. Pirin a part of the Rilo-Rhodopean massif and it is one of the two highest mountains in the country (peak Vihren, 2914 m).
Pirin is a mountain with high biodiversity and an impressive landscape. A big part of the mountain is the Pirin National Park and it is a site of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage Convention (UNESCO). Two strict nature reserves are within its territory.
Species
The Karakachan breeds belong to the oldest forms of European domestic animals. They have developed showing high vitality and adaptability to harsh living conditions: hardly ever getting ill and totally unpretentious to the food base, strong bodies with good proportions, a vital temperament and proverbial toughness. Their rich genetic base will probably be important in future for use in the low-productive mountainous areas. The three Karakachan breeds are an integral part of the Bulgarian culture and customs and of the World Natural Heritage.
Karakachan sheep are well-adapted for long trips on high mountain trails. Their wool is used in local handicrafts for traditional products. In summer the flock is brought up to the alpine meadows and in winter it is kept at the foot of the mountain.
Karakachan horses are irreplaceable in the mountains to carry wood down to the settlements without damaging the natural forests. These horses have a good temperament and are perfect for recreational riding in mountains. They are economical to keep, because they graze all year round and do not need to be fed and kept in enclosures in winter.
Karakachan dogs have always been the only effective and best traditional protection against predators. It is a key factor in solving the ‘predator – human’ conflict and consequently saving large carnivores. These dogs still prove their irrefutable working abilities and they are devoted and selfless to their owner.
Additional, Kalofer long-haired goats at the same location in the Pirin Mountains is another very rare, endangered, and very beautiful local breed of goats.
Habitat
The Pirin mountain has unique alpine character: severe with high peaks, steep slopes and numerous beautiful glacial lakes. The climate varies from mild Mediterranean in the foothills, to cold and mountainous.
The Pirin biodiversity is one of the highest in Bulgaria. Many rare and endemic plants live here, ranging from Mediterranean species in the lower lands to oak, beach and pine forests covering the slopes and large alpine pastures in the high mountain.
Also Pirin boasts a rich fauna with many Mediterranean amphibians and reptiles in the foothills. Larger mammals are chamois, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, wolf and brown bear. Also there are many birds of prey: eagles, buzzards, vultures, etc.
How do I get there?
You will travel by yourself to Bulgaria. You will be met at Sofia airport. A project member will drive you to the project area, which is some 150 km south of the capital. This is the town of Kresna at the Pirin foothills (the western slopes). From this town you will go up in the mountain, where the animals are, together with project members.
Where do I stay?
You will stay in the project house in the village of Vlahi at the west slopes of Pirin. In the periods when the animals are brought up to the highest pastures you will stay in a mountain hut or occasionally in a tent.
You will eat together with the project team. Food preparation and all household activities are shared activities.
What can I do there?
You may help in the marking, measuring and photographing of sheep, horses and dogs as well as in taking care of them - especially when there are lambs, foals and puppies.
Additionally your help is appreciated in preparing food for the winter, cutting hay, the traditional preparing of oak branches, etc.
In summer sheep are brought up to the alpine pastures, by stopping for some weeks in intermediate camps. The horses carry all the needed products and materials for the camping. Joining these movements, you will have the unique possibility of riding a horse in wonderful nature.
When the horses do not work they roam free on mountain pastures. It may require long walks in the mountaints to find them when they are needed for work. In each of the two groups there is a horse with a radio-collar. Daily radio-tracking of the horses is needed to monitor their movements through the mountains. The horses are suitable for riding and we also use them for horse-tourism. You can help during the trips with tourists. Mainly in winter some of the horses are kept in an enclosure. In spring foals are born. You may help in caring for the horses and their foals: feeding, cleaning and socializing foals with humans.
The sheep graze on the mountain. While assisting the shepherd you can also learn and help preparing traditional milk-products.
The dogs protect the sheep and we give their puppies to shepherds. These puppies are visited regularly and their development is monitored. In the breeding station 20 Karakachan dogs are bred. You may help in caring for these dogs: preparation of food, walks in the mountain, raising puppies, etc.
The goat herd grazes all year around the village. In early spring young are born. You can help caring of the young, accompany the goat keeper while the flock is grazing and learn how to milk goats.
In connection with our work, we often travel in some of the most beauriful mountain regions of Bulgaria. You can join us during these expeditions and get to know the country.
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