Yunnan Minority Village

Yunnan has a very high level of ethnic diversity. Among the country's fifty-six recognized ethnic groups, twenty-five are found in Yunnan. Some 38% of the province's population are members of minorities, including the Yi, Bai, Hani, Tai, Dai, Miao, Lisu, Hui, Lahu, Va, Nakhi, Yao, Tibetan, Jingpo, Blang, Pumi, Nu, Achang, Jinuo, Mongolian, Derung, Manchu, Shui, and Buyei. (wikipedia)

Today we visited the Yunnan Minorty Village, sort of like a living history museum, for the different ethnic minorities in China. Each ethnic minority was showcased in a different area of the park with its own unique housing/building structure. At each village, you could walk through the buildings and learn about their lifestyle. There were people who were dressed in traditional clothing who provided explanation and also put on performances, singing and dancing. One could spend quite a bit of time at each area, and there were 26 in total. I believe we saw about 11 different ones, and walked only 1/3rd of the park. Hard to believe 3 hours passed.



Our guide let us know he is Bai, and talked a little bit about his home city. They're known for 30-layer wood carvings, and ornate embroidery. He said every year his dad would paint the ceilings white and repaint the pictures that we saw on the ceilings. I asked him why they redid it every year, and he said it was their way of learning their culture.

Mason had fun most of the tour. He has recently become proud of his zodiac year, the Rooster. The other day, he asked us if he could get a Rooster sculpture from the hotel gift shop, and we got it for him. Today at the Minority Village, he practiced chasing chickens around the villages, telling me that he was going to have a chicken farm, and asking me about how many eggs they lay, and was surprised they lay one every day! At bed time he asked me the difference between the eggs we eat and the eggs that hatch baby chicks. Hey! I really liked our farm fresh eggs as a teenager - I hope he invites me for some omelettes some day.



Mason's favorite part of the park had to be this Butterfly Museum that we went into as a lark. Turns out there was only 2 butterflies flying around in there, but he was really digging the 100's of mounted and framed butterflies. And of course the monstrous beetles & bugs. (There sure are some big ones out there in the jungle)



We then went to a private Minority Museum. I thought it would be just be relics to look at, but apparently they were all for sale. It was hard to say no this person, eventually we had to leave. Some very interesting pieces, though.

For lunch we wandered quite a few blocks until we found the Jade Garden Palace Restaurant. At first we weren't sure they were open for a 2 pm meal, which is becoming our regular lunchtime. They looked at us like we were quite a surprise. When it was clear we couldn't communicate our needs, they started calling out for the name of what I assume was the best English speaker. After hunting the grounds, he finally came out and without even really talking to us, brought us through the front area, over a bridge, through a mini-forest, and to the back area where some people were eating. We then agonized over the menu while he watched. Thank goodness Chinese menus always have pictures - but it's still impossible to really tell what is inside a dish. Hard to tell what meat is floating beneath the gravy sauce.



We settled on a shrimp-like dish for Mason. A sweet & sour looking dish, but with beeef, for Heather. Both of which the waiter said wasn't spicy (we're good with charades). I ordered the spiciest looking dish I could find. It was ALL excellent. Very fun meal. Mason is really getting good with chopsticks, too. Weston ate quite a bit of the peppered beef from Heather's dish and had a couple of bites of pineapple. Was pretty funny watching Heather trying to feed Weston small portions of food with chopsticks. She eventually broke down and started tearing apart small pieces of meat with her fingers. Good thing they gave us a new box of napkins (really kleenex) for our hands.

We then walked to the nearby Green Lake Park, hoping to get another ride in a paddleboat. However, clouds were rolling in and we heard thunder. After seeing that there was no one out on the water, we decided to high-tail it back to the hotel.

A bit about Weston - He is a very mellow and content child unless there is something he wants that he can't have, then he'll get upset and cry. His smile and laugh are adorable and he is starting to open up a bit more each day. He is a bit of a picky eater. Our first day he ate a whole slice of watermelon, but hasn't wanated a bite since then. The next day he devoured a whole container of yogurt, but has since pushed it away. Thank goodness the buffet has many choices. :) Gerber puffs have been the only constant hit! He is very talkative and will point and talk about things that catch his eye when we are walking the halls of the hotel or out on a tour. He has been grieving quite a bit, mostly at night or when we are just playing in our hotel room. He loves to take the water bottles in and out of the hotel refrigerator and put them back and then rearrange them. He also enjoys taking things apart and then putting them back together. He still hunts for his shoes and puts them on when he wants to leave the room. And sometimes when he's in a good mood, he goes around and picks up after Mason. Unfortunately, that sometimes means putting Mason's toys in the garbage.