Dream Trip 2008: July

Great Travel Moment

Walking through Old Town in Lijiang, we spied this man, wearing a type of dress we had not seen among the Naxi people during our visit; we wondered if perhaps he was Mongolian. Not wanting to be obvious in my fascination, I took this photograph, literally from the hip. I was so pleased with the result. While the world passed behind him, his face and traditions were frozen in time. The Naxi is a matriarchal society in the incredible city of Lijiang, China, in the Yunnan province. This was a rare trip to one of the most magical places on Earth; the simplicity of life and beauty of the culture in Lijiang are treasures that should always be preserved. Arts, crafts, music, food, and tradition flourished. The experience made me realize the importance of going back to basics and savoring life both simply and fully.