escape 2: shows and add-on in tours

shows and add-ons in tours to china are inseparable. i wonder if it happens in tours to other countries? i have never joined any so i really have no idea.

the guides will get commission of course for every ticket you pay and most of the time, they do manage to persuade tourists to buy them.

so it is not an exception with my tour to yunnan in march. however, we only let the local tour leader in da li get this commission. the ones in kunming and li jiang failed to get the money out of us because we were simply not interested to watch anymore performance by the local tribe or listen to a singing performance by a local chinese singer whom we do not know.

i paid for an over-priced boat ride on lake er hai in dali. it was totally not worth it. we did not even go far in the lake but we were on the water for almost 1 hour.

well, at least i got to test the capability of my camera in taking this kind of shot. was happy that i managed to shoot those ripples and drops of water falling from the paddle.

one of the 'attractions' promoted was seeing the birds on this boat dive into the lake to catch fish and then delivering the fish to the boatman. it was not awesome at all because i had seen them from nearer distance in my trip to guilin and i even took a photo with the birds. definitely a waste of my time and money.

everyone in the boat complained too but of course we tried to make the best of the time bought.

the fleet of boats waiting to be filled by tourists.

you were entertained by singing and music as you entered the compound of the dock. bet they were singing about how stupid we were to be paying for the boat ride. ok i really hated that ride.

can you see a string tied on the neck of the bird? it is the thing that is stopping the bird from swallowing the fish caught. but smaller fishes can be taken in by the bird.

here are the 2 shows we watched.

surprisingly they were quite good and i really enjoyed the one we watched in li jiang near the foot of jade dragon snow-capped mountain. it is helmed by some acclaimed directors in china and one of them is zhang yi-mou. i was really impressed as everything was neat and our eyes were glued to the synchronised formations from all the performers dressed in their traditional tribal costumes.

again, i tested my camera and see how far it could zoom to take a clear picture. this performer was standing on the top level of the multi-tiered stage.

this is the stage. i love love love the backdrop so so much. i could not stop being awed by the snow-capped mountains and how majestic everything was. it was simply breathtaking.

i wouldn't mind watching this show again and going to enjoy the beautiful view.

another showed we watched was in dali, performed by another tribe in the area. i have forgotten which tribe. it is about the local marriage customs and how the groom had to snatch the bride away from her family and villagers.

the bride has to wear sunglasses and a mirror but i have forgotten their significance. sorry.

we were given 3 glasses of different teas to sample while watching the show.

the courtyard of a typical house of the tribe.

the main entrance to the house.

the decoration outside the house signifying a wedding is taking place.

the future wife is snatched off the stage. love my camera focus. din think it would come out this way.

phew, no more shows.

here are some miscellanous photos of the local guides in their costumes.