Meeting the Li family in Lijiang

CAROLPUCCI / THE SEATTLE TIMES A pagoda in Dragon Black Pool Park in Lijiang.

LIJIANG — Monday, October 24 — It happens at least once on every trip. I know I'll be arriving in a new city late at night so I book a room on a guidebook recommendation. The hotel turns out to be less than expected, and I spend a few hours the next day searching for another.

This is how I found the Moon Inn here in Lijiang, probably one of the nicest guest houses in this gentle city set in a valley not far from Tibet in the China's Yunnan province.

The Moon is owned by the friendly Li family. They opened it just a month ago in a 100-year-old house surrounding an open-air courtyard. The hotel includes 14 newly renovated rooms with polished bamboo floors, wicker furniture, modern bathrooms and big double beds. Ours is a corner room, with views of the Jade Dragon Snow mountain range, the start of the Himalayas.

Less than two decades ago, Lijiang was a sleepy village with one bean jelly shop, one pork shop, a library and two hotels licensed to accept foreigners. All of that changed after a 1996 earthquake destroyed much of the modern city, but left many of the old houses standing although in need of repair. Millions were poured into restoration and the town earned designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lijiang facts

Location: Yunnan province near border of Tibet.

Population: About one million.

What's it's known for: High elevation, one mile above sea level; Naxi minority group with matriarchal traditions, historic old town designated a UNESCO World Heritage site after reconstruction following a 1996 earthquake.

Local specialty: Baba, thick, fried wheat cakes with fillings of meat, onions, jam, melted sugar etc.

Some might call the result China Light. The cobbled alleys, wooden buildings, stone bridges and canals of the pedestrianized old town draw throngs of Chinese tourists. Many of the wooden homes once occupied by the Naxi, an ethnic minority group descended from Tibetan tribes, have been turned into cafes, restaurants, shops and inns like the Moon.

We're finding Lijiang ideal for unwinding after almost two weeks of travel in China and an excellent base for beginning our exploration of Yunnan where the population is one-third ethnic minorities known for their colorful costumes, culture and traditions.

Mornings are best when older Naxi women gather in the main square, dressed in blue Mao caps, blue and black aprons and capes worn to cushion the baskets they carry on their backs. Cooking fires light up the back alleys as the breakfast restaurants open for business. The local specialty is "baba", a thick wheat cake cooked on a griddle and filled with honey or pork.

What it costs

Here's what some things cost in Lijiang

• Baba (a wheat cake): 25 cents
• Ticket to Naxi orchestra concert; $12.50
• Double room at the Moon Inn; $50
• Hand-woven linen scarves: $5-$8
• Private guide and driver for day to tour minority villages: $50
• Internet: Free at most cafes
• Breakfast for two at the Prague Cafe: $6
• Dinner for two with beer at outdoor food stalls: $4-$6

As Americans traveling on our own in China, we sometimes feel like circus attractions. Just today, a mother shopping with her young son, pointed at us as if she were giving him a geography lesson, and the other night in the square, a group of Chinese tourists surrounded us and started snapping pictures with their digital cameras. But we don't really mind. Everywhere we go, the Chinese help us out,and seem genuinely appreciative that we're visiting their country. Lijiang is no exception.

Copyright © 2005 The Seattle Times Company

CAROLPUCCI / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Restored wooden houses line canals in Lijiang's old town.

CAROLPUCCI / THE SEATTLE TIMES

The Moon Inn, a new guesthouse owned by the Li family in Lijiang's old town.

CAROLPUCCI / THE SEATTLE TIMES

A Naxi woman in Lijiang wearing a traditional cape and apron.