If there was a place that could not only stay away from the hustle and quiet life, but also allow people to get close to nature, where would you think? After visiting so many places, the first thing that comes to mind is Dali.
Being in a daze by the Erhai Lake, sitting leisurely from dawn to sunset, driving over Fengji Mountain and overlooking the city, or wandering in ancient towns and villages and encountering the aroma of charcoal-baked cakes from people in the village, happiness seems to have become more simple in Dali. Countless people travel thousands of miles to chase that poem and distance, but are unconsciously attracted by this city.
In the winter of 2020, I drove GAC Toyota's 2021 Lei Ling Sports Edition on a self-driving journey through mountains and seas and enjoying the scenery and snow.

No matter how many times you come to Dali, it seems that you can't get around the Erhai Lake. The Erhai Lake at the Yanxi Ferry on Huanhai West Road is quiet and gentle, with a winding shoreline plank road. The lonely old tree standing, the light wind rippled, is so beautiful that people can't move their feet.
Before the sun rises, we came to the Erhai Lake and waited for the beginning of a new day. The Erhai Lake at dawn is not only quiet, but still quiet. Everything was still sleeping, and it was hazy, and the morning glow slowly reflected the outline of the mountains.

The wind of Erhai Lake in winter is soaked with the fragrance of seaweed. Slow down and walk slowly by the beach alone, waiting for the most gorgeous moment.
I accidentally looked up, and there was already light on the top of the mountain, and the recovery of everything became clearer. The water is vast and there is no cloud. Dali is always short of sunshine in winter. Today will be a good weather again!

Looking back at the 2021 Ralink next to me. The body is in a low posture and the sharp lines outline a dynamic posture. The low front nose shape and the rear Dark grey lower grille + aerodynamic kit combine to create a sharp look. The hawk-eye design LED headlights are standard in the entire series, giving a sense of sportiness. These all make it very outstanding in comparison with similar car configurations.

Perhaps the most pleasant thing about being by the Erhai Lake is sitting on the beach listening to songs and dogs, basking in the sun and blowing the sea breeze, buying a cup of coffee and leaning against the 2021 Lei Ling model, emptying, the sea is blue, the vegetation is fresh green, time stops at this moment, and both body and mind get the greatest stretch.

I believe that everyone who loves photography will not miss a chase that limits the sunset. And my ultimate goal this time is Dafengba.
Dafeng Dam is located on Zhemo Mountain south of Xiaguan. The wind power station that was once ignored has attracted many people because of its popularity on the Internet.

From Xiaguan to Dafeng Dam, there are many twists and steep slopes. In addition, it is also an important transportation route with a lot of traffic. You will encounter many overtaking and merging situations. At the same time, the mountain road ahead became more and more steep, climbing all the way, hairpin turns one after another.

At this time, thanks to the advantages brought by the TNGA architecture, for example, the rear suspension of the vehicle adopts a double wishbone independent suspension, so that the 2021 Rayling has a smooth feel and high speed when driving on corners and bumpy roads. It is also more stable when driving. It is worth mentioning that other cars of the same class mostly use torsion beam type non-independent rear suspensions, while Rayling has achieved a high mechanical level rarely seen in its class. With the support of this independent suspension, the degree of bumps in the rear row is also greatly reduced, greatly improving the riding experience.

When it comes to the riding experience, we have to mention Ralink's front seats. Due to frequent self-driving travel and long-distance driving, seat comfort has always been an important consideration when choosing a car.
The 2021 Rayling Sports Edition uses the latest advanced sports-style leather seats developed by intex Yingtai. The black interior is matched with red trim strips, making it dynamic yet exquisite. The seat also provides better support and wrapping for the head and shoulders, greatly reducing the fatigue of long-distance rides.

Even the rear air conditioner air outlet and USB interface, these user-friendly configurations that generally appear in high-end models of the same level, are standard in the entire series.

After enjoying the sunset in Dali, the sky quickly darkened. It makes the mountain road back more dangerous. In the dark, Rayling's eagle eye LED light source headlights illuminate the road ahead. I was delighted to find that this Rayling is also equipped with an automatic adjustment of high beam system to avoid constant driving at night. The embarrassment of switching headlights.

Tips:
Transportation: Fengfeng Mountain is a bit difficult to find. The location of Fengfeng Mountain for navigation is actually wrong. You can only get off the road. On the right hand side of the destination displayed by the navigation, there is a road up the mountain, which is the real way to Fengfeng Mountain. The forestry management guard at the entrance will charge a 10 yuan entrance fee.
Be sure to dress more, especially for the night view. Although Dali is warm during the day, the wind is always strong here, especially when the sun goes down.
If you use an aerial camera here, be sure to pay attention to the windmill leaves and utility poles all over the place.

tea-horse road

We came to Fengyangyi Village, half an hour's drive from the Yanxi Ferry. Since the Yuan Dynasty, this was the station of the ancient post road in Dali and part of the Dali section of the ancient Dian-Tibet tea-horse road. When you reach the entrance of the village, you feel like a lifetime away. The mottled white walls seem to lead people to the past.

There is a yard in the village near the edge of a mountain covered with catalpa trees, hence the name Sorpa Garden. Every brick after brick is made from local materials, simple and unpretentious, but also exquisite. The terrace on the second floor of the old courtyard can overlook the Erhai Lake.

Wooden railings and earthen stone walls are intertwined, and ancient handmade small objects are very pleasing. The owner's family is very Buddhist. The cafe hidden in the grass opens entirely based on his mood. Whether he or she can meet him is a chance. After several visits, he can't help but be "shut out". He is so casual that he is extremely envious.

Tips: Don't miss his Yangchun noodles.

Jizhao 'an

I never expected that one day even the nunnery would become an Internet celebrity. Fengyang Village is less than 3 kilometers away. Drive along Gantong Road to the cableway of Cangshan Scenic Area. After getting off the bus, you will continue to climb up the mountain for 20 minutes and you will arrive at this special nunnery.
The temple is full of meat, potted plants, soil cultivation, hanging plants, and even the cracks in the walls are full of vitality.

Jizhao Nunnery is named after "feeling and passing through, and silence shines through." The abbot of the temple integrates Zen meaning and aesthetics, practicing with heart, chanting Buddha with heart, taking care of the temple with heart, and also cooking vegetarian meals with heart.

Don't underestimate the vegetarian zhai here. Although the mountain road is rugged, it attracts countless people. Before 11 o'clock, there was already a long line in the pickup area. Although the door has not been opened, the aroma of the vegetables has already dissipated and overflowed. Pick up more than a dozen dishes according to your preferences and eat them until you are full. However, you need to pay attention to the fact that you must not leave leftovers. Each grain of rice will be punished by kneeling. When you come over, you must "do within your capabilities."

IPS:
Address: Follow Gantong Crossing and go up the mountain to the parking lot of Cangshan Geopark. You can walk to Gantong Temple, Jizhao Temple, Dayuntang, Boluo Temple; Wuwei Temple is located north of Santa Tunnel, so you can drive all the way to the parking lot.
Per capita: 20 yuan/person in Jizhao Nuan, some temples are happy.
Suggestion: A good place to play on weekends. You can not only climb the mountain and look far away, but also sit back and think quietly.

Coffee Time in Xizhou

How can you not go to Xizhou when you come to Dali? Compared with the prosperous ancient city of Dali, I love the simplicity and tranquility of Xizhou more. Although it is winter and rice is being harvested, the barren pastoral scenery is equally intoxicating. You can even imagine what a magnificent scene will be like when it is covered with rice fields in summer.

As a place where the Bai people lived as early as the coexistence of Liuzhao and Heman, the architecture of Xizhou Ancient Town is the most worth exploring. Walking around Xizhou Ancient Town, the streets in the ancient city and the old buildings on the corners are very illuminated. Especially the walls of this Xilin Garden, coupled with the buildings with Bai characteristics and the blue sky here, are also the most popular place for tourists to check in when they come to Xizhou.

If you want to find a coffee shop in Xizhou, then I will recommend Tian Coffee. The atmosphere of the entire store is completely consistent with the feeling of Xizhou. The two-story house, which is more than 100 years old, is equipped with tables, chairs, utensils and cups with retro texture. On the exposed gray and white walls, sunlight seeps in through the small window on the second floor, making the simple objects come alive and fragrant.

Frankly speaking, Yunnan coffee has never been my favorite thing. The balanced taste like oolong tea has always been my inherent impression. Several classic Yunnan Arabica coffees on the menu handwritten by the owner still caught my attention: "Qiupu," Heluan ". The beautiful words are full of local customs and customs in Yunnan.

The boss seems to have been trying a similar combination of coffee and tea. You can choose a quilt you like. The owner completes the entire extraction in front of you and pours the coffee into it through the coffee pot, achieving this mutual distance advancement.

Driving in the ancient town has to pass through alleys that can only accommodate one car. Also thanks to the TNGA architecture, the 2021 Rayling rearview mirror has been moved to the door panel to improve the vehicle's vision and allow you to drive calmly and confidently in the narrow streets of ancient towns.

The 9-inch central control display is equipped with an intelligent voice recognition system. Navigation is very convenient to use, just say the location and navigation instructions directly. In addition, it can also display traffic conditions in real time. To be honest, this greatly improves the experience of finding directions and visiting stores during travel.

Shaxi ancient town

Shaxi Ancient Town, where the paths intersect and chickens and dogs hear each other, is independent but has the warmth of the fireworks of the world. This is a paradise in Dali.

It takes about 2 hours to drive from Dali Ancient City to Shaxi Ancient Town. Passing through National Highway 214 and highways, long-term driving can easily cause fatigue and leave hidden dangers to driving safety. This 2021 Rayling is equipped with the latest generation of TSS intelligent safety systems that can achieve quasi-L2 autonomous driving performance, including the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control System (DRCC), Lane Tracking Assistance System (LTA), etc., which can keep the vehicle in the middle of the lane, adding peace of mind and calmness to long-distance journeys.
What's more worth mentioning is that Rayling even comes with 8 airbags as standard in the entire series. You know, even entry-level luxury models are rarely equipped with 8 airbags!

On the winter morning of Shaxi, the sun beside the Yujin Bridge shone on the originally depressed and dim river bank, and a Russian oil painting was painted with light. This is the magic of nature! Being in it, I temporarily put aside the annoyance and confusion in my heart, and also regained the long-lost peace!

The ancient tea-horse road has a long history, and traces of time can be seen everywhere. Some people say that this place is like Lijiang 20 years ago, with just the right commercialization and not too many tourists disturbing the tranquility.

The biggest advantage of coming here is that there are very few tourists even during holidays, and there are still various tempting delicacies and handicrafts made purely by hand at the doorsteps of every house, and the host family still warmly welcomes them. No one was pushed and crowded

Transportation: Self-driving is recommended. It takes about 2 hours to drive from Dali. Public transportation is troublesome. Take a minibus from Xiaguan to Jianchuan and then transfer. There seems to be direct access to the ancient city of Dali, but there are very few flights.
TIPS：
① There are no tickets in the ancient town
② You cannot drive in the ancient town. The parking lot charges 20 yuan for the night, which is a bit expensive and you can park it on the roadside.
③ Accommodation is very cheap. I strongly recommend staying for a few more days. The inn in the ancient town only lasts one to two hundred nights.
④ There are many interesting small shops here, cafes, Universe Bakery, Changshou Tea Room, Xiyu, all of which are very distinctive

This journey surrounds the sparkling Erhai Lake, shuttles along the stone road of the thousand-year-old town, and also climbs the steep winding mountain road to view the lakes and mountains.
The road conditions are complex and changeable. Fortunately, the 2021 Rayling is accompanied along the way. The simple and fashionable design brings a sense of sportiness. The low-center-gravity body brought by the TNGA architecture gives me stability and handling in corners. I was deeply impressed. The driving safety configuration is very high. For example, the configuration of eight SRS airbags is all covered by the entire system. In addition, the assembly threshold of the TSS intelligent safety system has been as low as 120,000 yuan, making it within reach. I have to say that this 2021 Rayling has really reached a high level beyond the level.

I think there will be a stage in my future life, when I settle down in Dali. At that time, there was no such thing as escape. There was only a peaceful and quiet life. Dali had always been a place to live a simple life. If one day you want to feel the essence of life and the growth of inner life, go to Dali.

(In addition, at the end of December, winter cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Dali. Pink cherry blossoms can be seen everywhere in the ancient city of Dali. Especially Dali University is densely populated with cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, because the university is not open to the epidemic, you can go to Boai Road in the ancient city. A row of cherry blossoms next to the city wall is in the Drum Tower. Against the backdrop, it is full of romantic and ancient charm.)