Shangri-la is a platitude we all know as meaning a place of perfect happiness. Shangri-la’s place of origin is real enough. It is the mountainous regions of SW China in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces where most of China’s minorities live. It is a brutal and lovely land of high altitude mountains and raging rivers, where the people live in relative poverty but fortified by their rich culture.
Claire and I made our journey in search of Shangri-la on a tandem bicycle, the same mode of travel we have used for 40,000 miles of adventure and discovery. Shangri-la was not the cliche we expected, but much more complex. The best example we found was not necessarily where we expected to find it, nor as envisioned. No, Shangri-la is not a place nor a cliche, but a vision of bliss. We hope you will enjoy discovering Shangri-la as much as we enjoy sharing our journey of discovery with you.
Come along for the ride, from the mountains of Tibet to the delta of the Mekong. Click on the Photo.
Nymphs at Angkor Wat
