Huanglong Scenic Area

After our flight landed, we spent two hours being tossed from side to side on a bus before finally reaching Huanglong Scenic Area.

Our timing was unfortunate. The water level at Huanglong was still very low. People generally come here for the mountains and water, but the colorful pools before us held precious little of the latter. Huanglong is best known for its tiered travertine pools. When there is plenty of water, it flows through one terrace and shallow pool after another, creating a beautiful scene. During our visit, however, many of the pools along the way were almost completely dry. What appears below was about as much water as we saw that day.

And then came what felt like the comparison shots. It almost seemed as though the park knew that visitors might be disappointed when there was so little water, so it had put up photographs showing what the scenery should look like when the pools were full.

The difference was, shall we say, not exactly subtle. Since the water in those photographs was nowhere to be found in reality, we had to supply it with our imagination.

And then we left disappointed. No twist. No sequel.