Travel-inspired Tales: Huanglong Valley

Huanglong or Yellow Dragon Valley, in the Songpan County of Sichuan Province is a world Heritage Site which is so beautiful that it is known as "Fairyland on Earth''. This valley resembles a yellow dragon winding its way out of the forest, when seen from an aerial view.

When we were in Huanglong it was mid Autumn, but it might as well have been mid winter! From the plane, we could see the snow-capped mountains piercing through the clouds.That was a spectacular sight, and many of the passengers had their cameras out. There was excitement in the air!

The beauty of the mountains, the brilliant colours of the ponds and the splendour of the luxuriant forests are the inspiration for the songwriters in this region, we are told. Most of the songs they write are not love songs, but are tributes to the scenic beauty.

This is Flying Waterfall on Lotus Platform.

It was a winter wonderland that greeted us as we climbed higher up. Huanglong Valley is 3,000 metres above sea level, you see. The mountains are 5,000 metres!

The wooden walkways were covered with frozen ice...

Despite the snow on the ground, the sky was blue, the sun was shining.

It was all in all, a lovely place to visit. We were riding on the back of the Yellow Dragon...how much better could it get?

A Fairyland

from the forests dark
Yellow dragon surges forth
creates the River Min
to stop the disastrous floods
for this gracious deed
Emperor is beholden
the valley is blessed
a fairyland that dazzles
ponds' shimmering hues
beckon and bewitch our minds
what sorcery is this
that led my wanderings here
what alchemy seeks
to overwhelm my senses
I gazed, succumbed to its spell

(a choka form of the waka)

Travel-inspired-Tales

tales of legends, myths
from places where I travel
I resolve to tell

the tales manifest
the secrets of ancient times
of beings mystic

smell the ambience
taste the local colour
sense the history

(haiku set)