Shangri-La is getting better

Have never really been a fan of Shangri-la. The first time I went there it was called Zhongdian and was a grey, dreary town. I spent almost a week there desperately trying to organize the visa to Tibet and was glad to leave.
Since then, the town has come on in leaps and bounds. Although the old town is pretty much a new creation, it's a friendly, lively place to hang out and learn Tibetan dancing.
However, for me, there was always one thing missing from Shangri-la in its new guise, and that was something to buy.
I've brought trekking tours up from Hong Kong and these people were definitely in the market to buy stuff, but they never did. Why? Well, to be honest, most of the stuff around the main square is tat.
Who buys that stuff, I have no idea....?
The dead dog skins and other fury creatures made to look like leopards.... who buys that stuff?

Anyway... the good news is that now, if you know where to look there's some really cool things to buy.
The new stuff that is starting to appear reminds me of some of the things you can purchase in Kathmandu or Lhasa. Stuff with quality, handmade with care and with the ability to capture the memory of your trip and make a treasured memento.

So, where to buy nice stuff? Well, a good place to start is at the back of town, past the Arro Khampa Restaurant, which serves the best steak in Yunnan by the way, so those craving some protein take heed.... this is a real steak.... yes, I know, you thought they didn't make um in China, well they do, at Arro Khampa, so check it out!

Anyway, back to the shopping.... the best place to look for nice things are places like the Handicraft Center, run by the Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation. Admittedly, the stuff in here is a little expensive, but is all clearly priced and directly helps local people. Better to buy one quality present from here than a handful of tat from elsewhere.

Around the corner from the Handicraft Center is a thangkha painting school. It's so refreshing and exciting to see real thangkha being painted in Yunnan. The monk-teacher at the school is very committed to thangkha and is passing on some amazing skills to local, poor kids. If you're in the market to wax a few grand, this is where to go. As all the thangkhas are painted with traditional materials so you will be getting something that will last a life time and beyond. Well worth every penny.

There are a few other places popping up all over Shangri-la that are offering real quality stuff, and this shows that the tourism there is beginning to mature. My eyes are certainly opening again to the hidden treasures that can be found there, if you get away from the main drag.