Up at the crack of danxia.

Hi folks!

Herewith, I continue may tales from the Chinese side…

As per the template, this won’t be a simple photographic mini-series with explanations of the pics, but also a how-to guide for folks who might want to visit the place one day themselves, which, as is often the case, I heartily recommend.

Today I start with the Danxia landforms. Now, Danxia in Chinese means ‘red hills’; that is, any hills that happen to be red or reddish-colored. And in China there are dozens of different sets of red hills all over the southeast, southwest and northwest of the country. However, there is a specific Danxia Shan – Mount Danxia (confused?!). I wonder what came first – the egg or the chicken Danxia – the mount, or Danxia – the general term for red rock formations in China? The internet returns contradicting results. And locals don’t seem to know themselves. In short: one of China’s many mysteries.

Btw, Danxia is pronounced ‘Dansya’. Danxia isn’t an English term; it’s Chinese in the Latin alphabet – pinyin. There!

So, where do I begin my narrative? There are so many options – so much to show. Ok, let’s keep it simple and logical – let’s start with the break of dawn…

The best and thus most popular place to take in these sensational sunrises is at Zhang Lao Feng mountain – 长老峰 – meaning ‘elder’s peak’, a kind of Chinese Areopagus. On the maps in English it’s named ‘Elder Peak’. In Chinese it’s pronounced Tsanlaofeng.

Getting up the mountain couldn’t be easier – by cable car. It must open reaaally early, as already at 5am it’s full-steam-ahead dropping tourists off up at the top.

Are you thinking: ‘Where are all the tourists? This is China, after all – the world’s most populated country!’ Right. Well, normally there would be hellish crowds here thronging about, but we timed it specially: perfectly. See, we got here right after one of China’s main national holidays – actually two holidays in one – National Day of the People’s Republic of China and Golden Week – when practically the whole country takes the week off to travel around the country in tourist mode. The week after – no one about whatsoever; like I say: perfect :).

So here we are – up at the peak of Zhang Lao Feng, on a special viewing platform for taking in the crack-of-dawn panoramas.

Oops: Red sky in the morning – shepherd’s warning.

Some similarly astute tourists did eventually appear, but not so many, and there’s plenty of space here. Last week – Golden Week – some 200,000 folks turned up: 25,000 per day!

06:20 – sunrise time!

You could keeping clickety-clacking away forever. I have to say this was one of the most amazing dawns I’ve ever seen – and I’ve seen a few. Maybe it’s even the best.