Holding Hands for Ten Years: Rediscovering Love in Lijiang's Spring

Ten years ago, I never imagined that the man with the big head and thick neck would become the most important person in my life. Ten years ago, I also never imagined that we would walk through more than three thousand days and nights together, and still be able to hold hands like high school sweethearts in Lijiang's spring, laughing without a care in the world.

My name is Aila, a self-proclaimed "woman who can't take care of herself." I throw little tantrums, act impulsively, have such low emotional intelligence that I often offend people without even realizing it. But I'm also lucky — the heavens sent me Dake'er, like the ultimate martial arts master meeting his perfect match. No matter how explosive my temper gets, he always stays calm and defuses everything. He's my encyclopedia, my shield, my trash can, and my ATM.

In 2017, we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. No grand parties, no expensive gifts. Instead, we chose to return to Lijiang — a place we'd only glimpsed briefly on our first visit — and use a trip to draw a gentle close to a decade together.

It All Started with an "Accident"

Hiccups Before Departure

Plans always change faster than you can keep up. Originally, our itinerary was four days in Dali and four days in Lijiang, with wedding dresses packed so we could take our own tenth-anniversary portraits. But in January, I came back from Phuket with a fever. IV drips and injections did nothing. Just as I finally recovered, Dake'er collapsed. Days of high fever, four straight days of hospital visits.

The doctor said the fever wasn't contagious. So what was going on? Was the universe testing us?

With our departure date looming, we had no choice but to swallow the cost and reschedule our flights. We canceled the Dali leg entirely and changed to a direct flight from Beijing to Lijiang. Thankfully, Dake'er started getting better two days before takeoff. He was still a bit weak, but at least we could go.

On February 10, 2017, our bumpy journey finally began.

Landing in Lijiang: Spring Arrived Just in Time

From Beijing to Lijiang, Crossing Two Seasons

Our flight was at 10:05 AM, so no need to wake up too early. It had been ages since I'd felt this kind of light travel — one suitcase holding everything for two people. No kids to carry, no itinerary to stress over. Just bring ourselves and go.

After a 3.5-hour flight, we landed at Lijiang Sanyi Airport at 1:30 PM. The moment the cabin door opened, a wave of spring air hit us. Beijing was still in the bitter cold of February, but Lijiang was already blooming. Some passengers stripped down to T-shirts as they stepped off. People in down jackets didn't feel hot, and those in short sleeves didn't feel cold — that's Lijiang's spring. A season of mismatched clothing, and also the most beautiful season.

Car Rental Tips: A Seasoned Driver's Money-Saving Tricks

We booked a Kia K2 through Tongye Rental in advance, but when we arrived, they upgraded us for free to a Sportage. The deposit went from 5,000 RMB to 8,000 RMB, but it all gets refunded in the end anyway. Five days of rental cost us 655 RMB total — about 131 RMB per day. Great value.

The pickup spot was near the airport, just a two-minute drive away. A staff member came to get us, and we went through the paperwork, vehicle inspection, and fuel gauge check without a hitch. From the airport to downtown Lijiang is about 28 kilometers, a 30-minute drive. Along the way, we passed the Sanyi toll gate and paid 10 RMB. The car was nearly empty on gas, so we filled up at a Sinopec station 4.5 kilometers from the city center — 29 liters for 200 RMB. That tank lasted us the full five days, and we returned it just in time.

Car Rental Tip: Rental companies usually recommend buying insurance for 40 RMB per day, so you don't have to pay for any scratches. I'm an experienced driver and never buy it, but if you're not confident, it's better to get it.

Living Inside the Stories of the Ancient Tea Horse Road

Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town: A Perfect Blend of Modern and Traditional

For this trip, we chose two hotels under the IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) umbrella — Hotel Indigo and the InterContinental. We stayed at Indigo first, then moved to the InterContinental. The two are right next to each other, sharing an underground parking lot, and it's only a ten-minute walk to Sifang Street.

Hotel Indigo Lijiang Ancient Town sits at the southern gate of the old town, once a strategic point on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. The hotel's design is full of caravan elements — horse bells, leather trunks, copperware. It has strong local character without sacrificing modern artistic flair.

The front desk in the lobby is made from stacked custom leather trunks. It looks casual but is actually carefully designed. The staff told us these trunks are all custom-made, and if we liked them, we could even buy one to take home.

We booked a deluxe king room. Since I'd registered as an IHG Rewards Club member in advance, we got the member-exclusive rate and a free room upgrade. On the day we checked in, a large plate of fresh fruit was already waiting in the room. The grapes were especially sweet, all locally grown. On the bedside table was a card listing several pillow options — buckwheat husk, lavender, duck down, and more. Just call and they'd bring whichever you wanted.

The best surprise? As a Platinum member, checkout could be extended to 2:00 PM. For someone who loves sleeping in, that was pure heaven.

Booking Tip: Register as an IHG Rewards Club member, then book through the official website using the "Member Exclusive Rate." It's cheaper than comparing prices on other booking sites. Plus, you accumulate points for free stays worldwide, and enjoy perks like room upgrades, late checkout, and welcome drinks.

InterContinental Lijiang Ancient Town Resort: A Miniature Version of Lijiang

We checked into the InterContinental on February 14 — Valentine's Day. The lobby surprised us with a bouquet of red roses. So thoughtful it almost made me cry.

The guest rooms here are arranged like two-story villas, each one separate from the next so there's no disturbance. The hotel's garden design is basically a miniature version of Lijiang's old town — little bridges over flowing water, lush flowers and trees. It's more comfortable than staying inside the scenic area itself. The hotel also has a free swimming pool, gym, and children's play area — great for families with kids.

The Taste of Lijiang: From Smoked Pork Rib Hotpot to Black Goat

First Meal: Eating at the Hotel Is the Safest Bet

On our first evening in Lijiang, I was starving. Every street and alley had signs for smoked pork rib hotpot (lapaigu huoguo), but after walking around, I noticed many shops had cured meat hanging everywhere, with flies buzzing around. The hygiene was questionable.

As someone prone to intestinal issues, I made an executive decision: eat at the hotel. Hotel Indigo's Chinese restaurant served smoked pork rib hotpot, and the environment was clean with good service. The waiter first brought out a pot of chicken soup, saying the chef had simmered it and we should drink the soup first before adding anything else to cook. The soup was genuinely delicious — you could tell it was made with real ingredients.

We ordered erkuai (a rice cake-like snack, a Yunnan specialty), shuixing yanghua ("water spinach flower," an aquatic plant from Lashi Lake that used to be pig feed until someone discovered it tasted good and it became a fancy vegetable), free-range chicken, and smoked pork ribs. The chicken paired beautifully with the soup, but the smoked ribs were a bit too salty for northern Chinese palates and tough to chew. Because we were so hungry, we ordered way too much and left more than half uneaten.

Food Recommendations: These Places Are Worth Trying

Old Stone Black Goat (Lijiang Ancient Town) ★★★★★

On the Black Goat Hotpot Street near Jinkai Square, both sides are lined with restaurants selling black goat hotpot. Some have Naxi dance performances out front, others have flashy signs. Only Old Stone's place is a tiny, unremarkable shop that looks neither trendy nor busy. I almost didn't go in. But I gave it a hesitant try, and fell in love at first bite.

The goat meat is pre-marinated. Drop it into the pot, let it cook, dip it in their house-made sauce — absolutely incredible. Their salmon sashimi is also good, and you can even use the fish bones for the hotpot.

Amayi Naxi Specialty Food ★★★

We were tired from walking around Sifang Street and randomly searched for this place. The horse caravan grilled fish and garlic stir-fried shuangjin (a local vegetable mix) were decent. The chicken bean jelly (jiliang fen) was just okay. The Yunnan ham and matsutake mushrooms had a strange smell — wouldn't recommend.

Lijiang Must-Eat List

• Black Goat Hotpot: My absolute favorite. Go to Old Stone's.
• Smoked Pork Rib Hotpot: A Lijiang classic, but northerners might find it too salty.
• Salmon Sashimi: Rainbow trout raised in Yulong Snow Mountain's glacial waters. Incredible texture. Three ways to eat it — raw fillets, head and bones for hotpot, and fried skin with salt and pepper.
• Lijiang Baba (Flatbread): Little pancakes sold everywhere. Decent.
• Rose Pastries: Sweet but not cloying. Worth trying.
• Rice Noodles (Mixian): Yunnan's rice noodles are famous nationwide. Can't miss them in Lijiang.
• Mushroom Hotpot: A seasonal delicacy only available from July to September. Frozen mushrooms sold other times aren't fresh.

Travel Photography Guide: Shooting Your Own Wedding Album

Gear List

All the photos from this trip were self-taken. To keep things light, we minimized our equipment:

• Cameras: Two — a 5D Mark II and a 5D Mark III, so we didn't have to swap lenses back and forth.
• Lenses: One body with a wide-angle 16-35mm f/2.8 for big scenes, the other with a prime 50mm f/1.4 or 35mm f/1.4 for portraits. Plus a telephoto prime for distant shots and blurred backgrounds.
• Accessories: Wireless shutter release and tripod (essential for group shots).
• Clothing: One short wedding dress for easy movement; one versatile white tulle skirt that, paired with a veil, also works as a wedding look.
• Shoes: Flat suede half-boots. Comfort first.

Post-Processing

Lightroom + Photoshop. Simple color correction is all it takes.

Lijiang Practical Tips

Best Time to Visit

April to October is ideal, with stunning scenery. From March to August, various flowers bloom in succession, creating endless seas of blossoms. Spring is windy and dry — bring sunscreen and moisturizer. Summer is the rainy season with the highest temperatures. Autumn is pleasant with crisp, cool air. Winter has sunny, warm days but can drop to -5°C (23°F) at night.

Sun Protection

The sun in Lijiang is fiercer than in Phuket. In Phuket, I just got tanned. In Lijiang, my nose peeled from sunburn. Especially when watching Impression Lijiang — the afternoon show is during the sun's peak hours. Apply sunscreen frequently.

What to Wear

February has huge temperature swings between day and night. You can wear a dress at noon without being cold, and a padded jacket at night without being hot. It's a season of mismatched clothing. Layering is the most practical approach.

Altitude

Lijiang's city center is at 2,418 meters (7,933 feet) above sea level. Most people won't experience significant altitude sickness. Some might feel a slight headache, but rest usually fixes it.

Going Up the Snow Mountain

Bring oxygen canisters from the base. Large ones cost 35 RMB, small ones 25 RMB. They're mostly useless, but it's better to have them and not need them.

Total Cost

Two people, five days: 21,400 RMB total (including 1,500 RMB for flight change fees). Not including shopping.

In the End: Ten Years Is Just the Beginning

Some people say finding a husband is like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse. When you're young and inexperienced, how can you really judge someone's character? It's pure luck based on first impressions.

All I can say is that this blind cat got very lucky and found a pretty good mouse.

Ten years have passed. We've gone from a young KFC assistant trainee and a chubby, good-natured manager to an old married couple. But walking on Lijiang's cobblestone streets, holding his hand, I can still feel that same sense of safety I felt when we first met — the kind that instantly made every other guy pale in comparison.

Lijiang's spring is beautiful. But what's even more beautiful is that the person beside me is still you.

Ten years is not the end. It's the beginning of another ten.