How would you like your stairs?
26 Feb 2014 | Huashan, Shaanxi, China
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Mount Hua or Huashan (华山), that was an old dream of mine! So I hitchhike my way and there I am.
Huashan is one of five sacred moutains in Taoism, it has thousands years long of histories and legends. It is full of little -and less little- temples and monasteries, and carries load of pilgrims. But nowadays it has also been turned in a big touristy spot, with fences and entrance gates (I get away with my VHF radio certificate that become a student ID for the day), buses, tours, cable cars, shops, expensive hotels... All those things that in my opinion spoil any natural wonder.
And as having been constantely visited and inhabited, the moutain is full of different pathways, fighting with the harshness of its cliffs and the hardness of the rock. Thousands and thousands of stairs have been carved, and more are being as the security is being improved to increase the amount of visitors coming to the site.
I of course choose the several kilometers long pathway that leads to the top, enjoying its relative emptyness and quietness before I merge with the crowd of tourist at the top. But being off season that is still manageable and I can gladly enjoy all the wonders these moutains have to offer.
I enjoy the sunrise on the East peak which was a bit spoiled by the clouds, but these very clouds have given me a great surprise during the night: unspoiled snow-white moutain to explore!
After two days of going around there, I finally take the stairs back on the other side, totally exhausted of the hard walk and my legs being off-service for several days. But it was worth :-)