Jiuzhaigou to Maoxian

Traveling Between Jiuzhaigou and Maoxian

September 2, 2016--CTourus, Day 4

We have accomplished our mission to visit the beautiful Jiuzhaigou National Park and it is time for us to go back to Chengdu for the rest of our itinerary. This was going to be a long ride on the bus again from the mountain area back to the city. Fortunately, we were greeted with gorgeous views along the way which made the dreaded trip a little bearable.

Getting ready to leave from the parking lot of Holiday Inn.

Holiday Inn Jiuzhaigou

Origin of the Min River (岷江源)
After a short ride, we reached a 'wilderness' part of this area with nothing much around. We were told that this is the origin of the Min River or the very beginning of the Min River.

It's just a little stream.

With yaks roaming around.

Here it is, the start of everything.

After we paid $10 yuan each, we were able to get this close to the water.

It's hard to believe that this small pond of water would become the very long Min River (457 miles) that kept us company along the highway. I think the Min (or Minjiang River) split into Yangtze River and Jinsha River when it reaches Yibin.

'Sacred Land -- Origin of the Rivers'

The 'very primitive' public restrooms which we did not dare to visit. Brave CeC did check the place out though and she thought it was just fine.

And the little store on the grounds.

Mandatory Shopping Stops

Like all budget tours, we knew ahead of time that we would be spending hours at some mandatory shopping stops. This was our first stop--Tibetan Beads from Heaven 天珠. Which was said to have sacred protective power that kept some famous people alive. Like saving Jet Li and his family from the big tsunami in SE Asia. Very expensive, of course.

Inside the jewelry store. We were kept in there for longer than we wanted.

The compound where the jewelry store, the tea store and the restaurant where we had lunch at.

Now, it's time for tea shopping!

A map of the ancient "Ancient Road of Tea-Horse" --the trade route between Chinese and the Tibetans.

We were served several kinds of tea here.

Expensive tea, indeed.

Even more expensive.

After the busy morning, we took a quick lunch at the compound. Food was quite good.

Just passing through this ancient gate at Songzhou again.

I only took these pictures from the bus.

Traffic jam on the mountain road.

Oh, that was where we stopped on the way up to Jiuzhaigou--Munigou Scenic Area.

Here's the Min River.

A watchtower.

Back to Dixihaizi 叠西海子

We stopped at a different rest area this time and it was the worst of all stops. Not only that the restrooms were terrible, all the tour buses got their free car wash here making the whole place wet and slippery. It also causes potential hazard as people walk around those moving hoses. Oh, and the guy collecting money for the restrooms would not take coins for payment. He only wanted paper money. 

Can't imagine that this river came from that little stream that we saw in the morning.

Dinner at a restaurant by the roadside.

Even chicken soup!

I think this was the same restaurant where we stopped a couple of days ago.

Passing the town of Dujiangyan one more time.

And a policeman got a free ride to his post.

Back to the city for the night.

I don't know why I did not have pictures of the hotel we stayed at and I totally do not have any memories of where we stayed. It could very well be the same hotel where we stayed on the first night in Chengdu.