Riding along the Tea & Horse Caravan in Yunnan
Trip 1: Dali Caicun - Shaxi (center of Yunnan) 大理洱海西才村 - 沙溪，云南中部
Shaxi was one of the important stops along the ancient tea road, aka Tea and Horse Caravan Road/chamagudao of Southwest China.
沙溪，茶马古道上的驿站，古市集。
By Depth of Field Guesthouse Dali 恬野文化摄影家庭客栈
沙溪古镇｜千年茶马古道上最后的记忆
Visiting Shaxi
位置 Location
沙溪位于中国云南剑川西南部，地处金沙江、澜沧江、怒江三江并流自然保护区域东南部，位于大理风景名胜区与丽江古城之间，远近闻名的石宝山就在这里。
沙溪古镇一个真正的古镇，古色古香，今仍然保持着最原始的建筑特色。古寺庙，古戏台，古商铺，马店，古老的红砂石板街道，百年古树，古巷道，古寨门。
交通 Transportation
大理 - 沙溪
1.公共交通 在大理下关客运北站坐到剑川县的汽车，票价约为30块。每天6:30-18:50都有车，平均每15分钟一班，路程约两个小时。到了剑川县后，出门在客运站对面就是剑川到沙溪的农村客运站，小面包车，每天6:30-19:00发车，坐满就发，票价为13块，路程大约四十五分钟左右。
2.直达班车 在大理古城兰林阁酒店有直达沙溪古镇的车，每天早上9：00和下午3：00发车，行程约两个半小时，车费60元。
丽江 - 沙溪
1.公共交通 同样是在丽江客运站做到剑川县的车，票价约为23块，路程约为一个半小时。每天只有七班车，具体车次表请网上查看。到了剑川县后，出门在客运站对面就是剑川到沙溪的农村客运站，小面包车，每天6:30-19:00发车，坐满就发，票价为13块，路程大约四十五分钟左右。
2.包车 全程99公里，耗时约一个半小时，车费约150-200之间。
游览沙溪
欧阳大院 门票：10块
兴教寺 门票：20块
古戏台
古街道
黑惠江
沙溪周边 Around Shaxi
石宝山
石宝山位于云南省剑川县城西南25公里处沙溪古镇12公里处，因山上的红砂石成龟背状裂纹，如狮似象像钟，得石宝之名。石宝山为丹霞地貌，球状风化石形成的奇峰异石如钟、如箭、如狮、如象，高者成崖，错落有致，别具一格。景区内胜景迭出，有石钟山石窟、道观宝相寺、金顶寺、海云居寺观、石钟水库等。这里林木茂盛、石趣无限，庙宇别致景色独特，尤以石窟和摩崖造像而声名久远。其景区包括海云居、宝相寺和石钟山石窟等3部分。
喜欢徒步的朋友可以选择从后山的沙澄箐徒步上山，大约走一个半小时到两个小时就可以到达石钟寺。后山的风景非常的漂亮！非常值得一去！路还算比较好走，但仍然需要一定体力。
石钟寺的门票为60元，学生票老年票30元。里面均为关于白族密宗佛教的石窟画像，还是非常值得一看的。从石钟寺出来，可以花20块买景区游览车票到宝相寺去。宝相寺最大的亮点是悬空古刹，现场看到，觉得非常的厉害。从宝相寺出来，可以选择继续上山去到灵安寺，或者坐游览车返回大门。
白龙潭
沙溪8公里远可以到达白龙潭，白龙潭的泉水出口，虽然不大，但被古树环绕，非常幽静，春暖花开时，当地人喜欢结伴来这里野餐。
马坪关
沙溪周边古时候有4处哨卡，主要用作收盐税及保护马帮旅行。喜欢人文的旅行者，可以去探访西卡马坪关。
沙溪盐马古道经马坪关到达沙溪古镇，再由沙溪古镇进入茶马古道，向北进入西藏。南来北往的客商才有了古戏台和茶马古道上的古集市。
沙溪往东过玉津桥，约3小时徒步可以到达华丛山，那里是高原草甸，有两个彝族村落，村里的生活条件比较艰苦，但也有客栈。
来源—FL散集
Motobike trip to Shaxi - by Keiko
transportation: Yamaha 110cc gas motorbike 雅马哈轻摩/换挡半自动燃油摩托车
must bring: things to protect you from sunburnt, sunglasses, sun cream, long sleeves, scarf, thin gloves could be useful if riding motorbike 必带:防晒用品
Day 1, Dali to Eryuan 大理才村到洱源茈碧湖
leave from Dali Depth of Field Guesthouse by middle west side of Erhai lake, can ride on Dali Road 大丽路 or Erhai West ring roade 环海西路, fields and mountain views all along.
we left Dali at 6:30 p.m., good way to avoid the heat, the sky was light till 8:30, so the last hour we were riding in the dark, across mountain roads with graveyards, to a village Liyuancun 梨园村 on the north tip of Zibi Lake 茈碧湖，just in time to find a roof before the rain came.
The lake is not as big or pretty as Erhai lake, but better place for swimming or fishing. If I passed here again, I'd remember to take a photo of the graveyard outgrown with cactus.
Day 2 Eryuan to Shaxi, over mountains 从洱源到沙溪，走山路，从牛街上山直接翻到山的另一边，农夫说是捷径，很快的他说，三四小时，三四小时说的不是步行，说的就是我们的车子
Rode along the countryside road next to the highway, turned up to a mountain from Niujie/Xipo 牛街/西坡, it was under construction at the entrance, a worker told me that’s the right way, a short cut, he said, about 3-4 hours you can get there. I thought he meant by walk, Shaxi is just on the other side of the mountain, then I realized, he did mean 3-4 hours by motorbike…
note: get water supply before you leave the village of Niujie/Xipo, as you won’t get to see any houses or anyone pretty much the whole time in the mountain…
straight uphill for two hours, then we started seeing the path going down
then more signs of civilization, cows, fields, houses
The Shepherd 孤独的牧羊人
Lady in the market, it's spring festival (Chinese New Year), everyone was in a high spirit.
Man walking his cow by the market.
Spring on the bridge 村外的小桥，夏天的时候长满青草;
Bathing the horse 白马在村外河里洗澡；
Outside every village, often by a mountain, you often will see a shrine 村子外面一般有个神社，通常是依山而立，祈求风调雨顺.
Cows and horses in their winter homeland 枯草原上的奶牛；
Lady coming back from the filed 田里归来的妇女;
Drying sheets of milk skin 晒乳扇;
In every village, by the field, there often is a relatively taller white house, still don't know what it's for 村口总会有一座稍高的白房子，用处不明;
The respected men 巩固两基成果;
Local restaurant 镇上的白族餐厅;
China Mobile advertising 中国移动;
Birth control propaganda 计划生育;
Along the tea road 茶马古道;
Doors to the past 古建筑;
Light tower and the homeland 灯塔，田园，家园.
