Kunming and Changes in China’s Cities

What the heck happened in three years?
It’s been that long since I’ve been to Kunming.
The first time was part of a three week journey across Sichuan and Northern Yunnan during my first spring festival in China - as a stopover between Dali and Lijiang, Kunming was great.
At the time downtown Kunming, rather the Green Lake area (翠湖公园), was still mostly rough around the edges. The famous Wenlin road (文林街) just had a handful of foreign restaurants.
Now the place has gone all yuppy - Wenlin road has expanded and there is one street nearby lined with posh foreign restaurants. As for the rest of Kunming (you know, the real Kunming), there are now shopping centers and new high rise apartments jutting out from every corner of the city. The bigger thoroughfares have been repaved and are about as nice as Shenzhen’s.
This sentiment could be used for any major city in China - if you’ve been here and seen the changes you know exactly what I mean - but I didn’t quite expect it here, the staging point for backpackers through Yunnan province.
Somehow, it seemed more likely to change less, to keep its rugged edge.
Do you feel the same about Kunming or any other cities in China? If so, please leave your thoughts below.

I love china

Absolutely Breathtaking Destinations - China boasts some of the most beautiful travel destinations in the world. Don’t think so? Check out the video above.
Chance to Learn Many New Things - Once you get out of the big coastal cities, you discover that China is a very diverse country. In addition to the 55 officially recognized ‘dialects’ (read: different languages), there are many cultures & traditions that remain to be discovered for the outside traveler. For the true scholar of history, languages, or culture, China presents dozens of lifetimes worth of learning opportunities… even if much of what was is no longer.
Streetsmart People in the Cities - A smart Chinese person is probably harder to cheat or con than anyone in the world. And thanks to living in China, I know no one will ever be able to con me.
Low Cost of Traveling - What could be better than not having to spend much money (as long as you don’t stay in expensive hotels and eat only the best of food) to see the sights of China, learn from China, and meet the people of China? Not everyone can afford long trips in Europe - but many can in China. Life-changing, perspective-shattering (perspective on your life, values, and own country as much as on your former perceptions of China), adventure-filled trips.
My Girlfriend (+ most of her family) & Friends - Okay, this one is a little more personal - but it’s the people that make any place. And it’s the people I’ve fallen in love with, befriended, and come to know well that have made my time in China worthwhile.

A forever friend

A friend walk in when the rest of the world walks out.
Sometimes in life,
You find a special friend;
Someone who changes your life just by being part of it.
Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop;
Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world.
Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it.
This is Forever Friendship.
when you're down,
and the world seems dark and empty,
Your forever friend lifts you up in spirits and makes that dark and empty world
suddenly seem bright and full.
Your forever friend gets you through the hard times, the sad times, and the confused times.
If you turn and walk away,
Your forever friend follows,
If you lose you way,
Your forever friend guides you and cheers you on.
Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay.
And if you find such a friend,
You feel happy and complete,
Because you need not worry,
Your have a forever friend for life.

Words of wisdom

●Many people will walk in and out of your life...
　　●But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.
　　●To handle yourself, use your head;
　　●To handle others, use your heart.
　　●Anger is only one letter short of danger.
　　●If someone betrays once, it is his fault;
　　●If he betrays you twice, it is your fault.
　　●Great minds discuss ideas;
　　●Average minds discuss events;
　　●Small minds discuss people.
　　●He who loses money, loses much；
　　●He who loses a friend, loses much more;
　　●He who loses faith, loses all.
　　●Beautiful young people are accidents of nature,
　　●But beautiful old people are works of art.
　　●Learn from the mistakes of others
　　●You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.

The Joy of Living

Joy in living comes from having fine emotions, trusting them, giving them the freedom of a bird in the open. Joy in living can never be assumed as a pose, or put on from the outside as a mask. People who have this joy do not need to talk about it; they radiate it. They just live out their joy and let it splash its sunlight and glow into other lives as naturally as bird sings.
　　We can never get it by working for it directly. It comes, like happiness, to those who are aiming at something higher. It is a byproduct of great, simple living. The joy of living comes from what we put into living, not from what we seek to get from it.