Menglian | A hidden gem in Yunnan

| A hidden gem in Yunnan. I stumbled across Menglian by chance and was immediately drawn to it. Coffee and avocados are two of my favorite things, and Menglian has both! I even visited Jingmai Mountain just because I wanted to visit Menglian. Menglian is exactly what I imagined, but much smaller. I planned to spend three days and two nights here, but I soon realized that there wasn't much to do. I even walked to the Three Mountains and One River Park, which is rarely visited by tourists or locals. The riverbank is lined with two- or three-story buildings with golden Dai-style eaves and peacock patterns. Occasionally, a motorcycle would appear at the corner of the road, adding to the exotic atmosphere of this border town. The temples here are occasionally visited by tourists, but most of the time, they are empty. I didn't see any monks, either. A sign at the entrance asks visitors to take off their shoes before entering. Walking barefoot on the carpeted floor of the temple, I was struck by the absolute silence. Occasionally, the wind would blow, and the wind chimes would ring, transporting me back in time. It took me a while to come back to my senses. The temple faces the riverbank. Looking out from the temple, I saw golden columns, red walls, and green bamboo leaves. The most impressive thing about Menglian is the ancient trees. Standing under them, I felt so small. The rustling of the leaves in the wind is a little scary at night. Unfortunately, the trees are not well protected, and there are many leaves and garbage under them. I hope this will improve in the future. Avocado season is almost over, and I was lucky to have some. I had avocado milkshakes and coffee a few times, and they were delicious. I stayed at the Tailanna Hotel, where they serve ripe, soft, and sweet avocados for breakfast. I love eating them with soy sauce, but a local woman told me she prefers them with sugar. I guess there are sweet and savory avocado lovers.