Sunday, 10 am

To find N's Kitchen, look for the bright yellow stairs; each step extols a restaurant highlight, including "Home Made Bread" and "Nice Coffee". Upstairs, ferns, bike helmets hanging from the ceiling and a fake Christmas tree give the place a hippie vibe. Breakfast includes hash browns, smoothies and fat pancakes. Breakfast for two: 95 yuan.

Noon

Many tourists head to Mu's Residence because this former home of Lijiang's ruling family looks like a downsized Forbidden City. But after a quick look, follow the path that winds up the hill past a Taoist temple. Partway up, you'll enter Lion Hill Park, where you can wander among 800-year-old cypress trees, with an expansive view of rooftops below and mountains beyond. At the top of the hill by the five-story-high Wangu Tower, you'll find a large "Peace Bell". Ring it and break the silence far above the bustle below.

The New York Times

(China Daily 01/03/2013 page10)