About this journey
“Hello everyone, I’m Xiao Li, from Eryuan, Dali. I love the mountains and rivers of my hometown. Sometimes I go exploring in a kayak or on a paddleboard, taking travelers to paddleboard on West Lake. Sometimes I ride an off-road motorcycle up the mountains, and I also like to explore the outside world. I used to be a surfing instructor for a while. Every Tuesday, I take guests to Fengyu for the traditional market. During plum blossom season, I go hiking in the plum forest. When the green plums are ripe, I take guests to make green plum wine. I hope to have the opportunity to share these everyday experiences with everyone.”
One day in the middle of the month, I received a WeChat message from Brother Mao: “Around next weekend, the plum blossoms will be in full bloom.”
The plum blossoms are blooming, and the New Year is coming soon. Time flies.
Every year, we admire plum blossoms in winter and make green plum wine in summer. The large tracts of plum blossoms are very beautiful, though they only last for a little over twenty days. If you go, you can also drink the green plum wine made in summer, watching the petals slowly fall. The taste memories of green plum wine and plum blossom honey suddenly bring me back to the plum forest after a summer rain. The red soil on the road mixes with a green scent. The mules and horses in the village are busy transporting green plums, and the whole mountain is filled with the aroma of plums.
Plum blossom season has arrived.
It’s about an hour and a half drive from Dali. Along the national road, you pass villages and fields. Although it’s winter, the broad beans, stem lettuce, and rapeseed flowers along the road are all green, giving the illusion that it’s not winter at all.
Driving along the mountain road into the village, large expanses of white appear.
Mount Luoping and the plum blossoms echo each other, slowly coming into view.
At the village entrance, some families sell various sour and sweet plum products, like dried plums, at the market.
Heading towards the large plum forest, you can see Fengyu Town in the distance. We go to the market every Tuesday.
Making copper pot rice in the plum garden.
Arriving at Brother Mao’s plum garden, under the plum trees, there are unique earth beehives built by Brother Mao’s father over 40 years ago using red soil from the mountain. They look like little villas. When the plum blossoms are in full bloom, it is also the busiest time for bees. The whole plum forest buzzes, and it is the best time to taste plum blossom honey.
(If it happens to be the Spring Festival [from the first to the seventh day of the lunar new year], there will be performances on the village stage. It would be great if you can catch them and experience the village’s New Year atmosphere.)
Rough itinerary:
10:00 Depart from Pushihongbei (a bakery)
11:35 Arrive at Songhe Village to view wintersweet. Rest in the plum garden, guide prepares copper pot rice.
After preparation, depart for a mountain hike (about 2 hours round trip, 3 km, not difficult, ordinary physical strength is sufficient). Finish and return to the plum garden to eat copper pot rice.
16:00 Depart for return trip.
18:00 Arrive in Dali.
Brother Mao’s father’s honey harvesting process:
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On the way back, you can dine at a local restaurant in the cattle and horse market in Dengchuan Town (about 30-40 yuan per person, treat guests to a meal), or you can eat at a farmhouse restaurant in Songhe Village.
When June and July come, the season for green plums to ripen, we go pick plums and make green plum wine.
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Photos and videos
