Last day in Shangri-la

Here we are, our last day of our trip in Yunnan. We were driven over harrowing roads that dropped thousands of feet down the mountain side (while the driver is wildly passing other cars on blind curves!) to a village that produces black pottery. We were taken to this particular home, where the potter is very famous. 90% of the villagers are potters, and as we came into the village, at the top of the hillside, there were stores selling the black pottery. This particular artists work, so we were told!, only goes out to stores and commissions.This is a typical home with the inner courtyard where the animals are kept, grass/hay is dried on the ground level.
I had to use the facilities after our long ride, and this is it! A nice stone hole in the floor. I have to say that is was much cleaner and devoid of stench, unlike most other depositories!
The second floor is the living/working space. The wood carving on the home was beautiful.
We entered into the main room where the potter and his son-in-law (on the right) were busy at work. We watched them for quite a while. They were incredible adept and moved the clay with such incredible facility. The clay is all from the surrounding mountains, which is why the village is famous. It sure didn't appear as though they received many tourists, though. Maybe that is yet to come.
It was the middle of the afternoon and they worked just by the light from this window that faced west. There were no lights on in the room. Not even sure if they had electricity in the room. The pots were spun by their feet. We were very curious about his process and the pots and asked lots of questions. That endeared us to him and he offered to tour us around the house.
The potter's brother is a monk, which is a source of great pride. He happened to be visiting from his monastery while we were there. We kept catching glimpses of him as he would peak his head out of his room. The potter took us into a large, beautiful room - their shrine to Buddha where his brother prays (and the whole family must also) while he is there. The whole room was immaculately kept, large and light. Nicer than any other room in the house. Kept just for prayer. We finally made our way to the attic where there were pots that he was "willing" to sell us! Imagine that! Of course we found some that we couldn't live without!
This is the village and we went walking a bit down the road and villages were walking about, too.

Beautiful, beautiful people.
Looking back down at the village as we were leaving.
After having dinner in the old part of Shangri-la, we passed a frequent site: dancing in the town square. We have seen this everywhere we go. At night people of all ages come out and dance together. It is really wonderful to see, and we have even entered in and participated a couple of times. They always gladly welcome us in to their group. Nothing is private or exclusive in China - at least for the common man. Those things are changing for the new elite.
As we were waiting for our plane to leave for Kunming and then on to Shanghai, these young people were in the airport waiting to greet the next plane load of tourists. They were all dressed in traditional costume and went to the plane playing music and singing. It was lovely. Better late than never for us!

Back in Shanghai at the Hongqiao airport. Storey and France getting a little rest from the long day of flying! We are home!