Somewhere in Diurnal China

I've been living a mere 1000 km from China for almost 9 years now, yet for one reason or another, and despite being a frequent traveller all around South East and East Asia, I never took the chance to explore any of the interesting places that the continental part of that country offer. That long delay came to an end, however, a month ago, when I told myself that it was about time to see first hand some of the landmarks of the Asian giant that had always been so close at hand, and during my Songkran holidays in Thailand (or Easter holidays for those back home in Spain), I finally boarded a plane due there. I would not be visiting any big city such as Beijing or Shanghai upon my first incursion in the country, however, for I'm much more interested in nature than metropolis, so the destination was set in one of China's most iconic and beloved National Parks: Tianmenshan Mountain.

Ocres in April, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Mist, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

A flower for the Queen, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Observatory, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Crevice, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Rocks and Fog, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Not Only Rocks, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Bir's Eye, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Her Majesty I, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Her Majesty II, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

But that was not the only National Park we visited  during our stay, for not far from it there is another hotspot for nature lovers, made internationally known by the movie Avatar: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The scenery was totally different from that of Tianmenshan despite being just an hour away, and the contrast between both was surprising and refreshing to us, granting us the chance to enjoy such diverse landscapes with just a short ride. Zhangjiajie Park can be explored in two areas, one of which will see you trekking along the trails build atop the rocks in the upper side, as if you were walking among the clouds on top of pointy and naked sticks of miraculously erect stone.

Needles I, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Needles II, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Needles III, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Needles IV, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Panorama of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The second area is, as one would expect, the lower side, walking along winding paths around the feet of those same rock formations, that present a totally different view from this perspective, atmosphere that was, besides, enhanced by the rainy and misty weather that accompanied us throughout our trek down there.

Misty morning, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Stream, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

At Home, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

We were not disappointed by the majestic views and the jaw-dropping scenery of the mountains we had seen during our 3 days, for they were wonderful beyond praise. The weather was also very enjoyable, so the whole experience was a blast. A couple of warnings for Western tourists, however, for I was shocked by 2 facts that, being European, I was not prepared to face while trekking in nature, one being the noisy behavior of the hordes of local tourists that populate every trail of the parks (screaming from one viewpoint on top of a mountain so that the tourists hundreds of meters away atop another peak can hear you and yell in return seems to be common trade) and the "taming" of nature for tourism-sake (something that in my home country, unfortunately, also happened decades past along the cost, but that, as of now, hasn't happened in mountainous areas as far as I'm aware, for we like maintaining nature as pristine and unspoiled as possible), so be ready to find concrete trails, bridges, elevators, toilets and even markets in the most remote and unexpected places to please the hordes of tourist that visit every park. Nature at the service of people, so to speak.

On the Fringes of the Yellow Dragon Cave, GX80 + Panasonic Leica 15mm

Fenghuang, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Selfie risks, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Pathway, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Winding Road, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

Being such an overpopulated country, it's hard to avoid human crowds wherever you go, and the same can be said for the pictures, chances are high that they will be dotted with human presence. There is no point in fighting it, so the best one can do is to incorporate the people and the buildings into the images (for they are, in the end, part of the landscape as much as the mountains and the trees) and try to blend in the country as best as one can. Each country has its idiosyncrasies, and a tourist, from my point of view, should never judge or much less blame what locals do while being abroad; it's hard to get rid of one's cultural and social prejudices, but we have to remember that we are visiting their own country, after all, and, if anything, we are the "intruders" there, so to speak, so it's wise always to keep a low profile and do as Romans do, as the saying goes. In conclusion, our first incursion in China was a very exciting and memorable experience, and all we could think about upon our return to Thailand was that most likely it won't take another 9 years to visit it again.

Young Mao, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

The Gang, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm

After the Rain, GX80 + Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm