Visiting a Home in Zharu Valley

This past fall we visited a family in Zharu Valley which is quite near Jiuzhaigou National Park in Sichuan province. Deep in the mountains, this Valley is closed to the public and has 23 families living in it. Only 15 people per day are allowed to visit this valley. In 1975 these families lived on a cliff high above the valley with no water or electricity. With government help they moved down to the valley floor and since then now live in modern Tibetan style houses complete with electricity, t.v. and the internet. The woman pictured above has never been out of the valley in her lifetime. Her daughter went to the University in Chengdu but also chooses to stay in the valley most of the year only going out in the winter time to visit friends in Chengdu. Mom after seeing t.v. and the internet says, "It looks too busy out there"! and chooses to stay in the valley but enjoys her electric cooking after cooking over a wood fire for so many years. She cooked some boiled potatoes for me over a wood fire in her old home near by and poured some tea and their local wine as hospitality is always wonderful visiting a local family. When you go to China you will want to experience the culture as much as the sites. Tours to China is my business; but Chinese culture is my passion.