It's not surprising that the Kunming Fair is just as unorganized as ever.
Having visited on previous years, there is little initiative to visit again.
I might point out that the reason for the absence of a ticket booth is due, in my opinion, to anybody who is anybody in Kunming being given neck tokens (tickets) by friends of friends (if you know what I mean?). My previous experience indicates that the booth staff recycle their passes many times back through the fence.
Only in Kunming!

yes, weizhou island is sooooo pretty. I miss the sea food there sooo much.

Thanks, correction has been made.

the Peak View Pavilion (望峰停) should be the Peak View Pavilion (望峰亭)

Hi Lifen, congratulations! I had a great time at 943Studio! You did a good job!

I'll have to introduce you to my smoking dentist who's also a wiz at teeth whitening!

"The national ban should go down comparatively well in major cities like Beijing..."

Ha! Not a chance. I used to live in Beijing. I have many fond memories of sitting in restaurants with my pregnant wife that were full of "no-smoking" signs and all of the workers were puffing away. This is never gonna fly. People don't give a rip about the signs. And who is going to enforce it? This is a joke!

I teach a kid who's father is a surgeon. Oddly enough he recommended me Hong Ta Shan and not Camels.

Nice article, Dan.
As someone with a relationship with the medical profession in Kunming and knowing of the unfortunately high level of smoking by MDs, could I suggest replacing the cigarette butt photo with a photo of a cigarette-smoking doctor - It shouldn't be too dificult - perhaps even a collage of photos. ;-)

Kunming people and their foreign counterparts are law abiding citizens. The ban will be adhered to in the same way as similar bans already in force, for example: the ban on car horns and the ban on acting like a jerk when driving a car including the speed restriction imposed when driving down a pavement........

Hi Lifen!
Nice photo and nice intervjue of you and it seems that they are counting on you.....You are really on the road now, Congratulations!
Greetings from Sweden!
Love, Eva

ANOTHER CORRECTION: yes, Daniel S., it was the South Side. I get all directionally challenged around Kunming for some reason. The South and west side seem to be where the base is located.

Yikes, Stork; sorry to hear about that.

Are you sure it's on the north side. I'm familiar with the one on the south side (the side that faces downtown Kunming), but I've poked around quite a bit on the ridge line to the north and never run across any military facilities.

On another note, they appear to be in the process of paving section of the road to the top, maybe even the whole thing eventually. The days of Changchong being a peaceful getaway may be numbered.

Sorry for the double posting. CORRECTION: the military installation may also be on the west side of the mountain, not the east side.

WARNING: The north side (and possibly also the east side) of the otherwise lovely rocky butte of Chang Chong Mountain abuts an unmarked military base. I found this out the hard way while descending that side on a narrow trail and then canal (seeking to do a loop back to Long Quan Road/bus #84) and spent ten hours in uncomfortable custody. My advice is to stick to the road from the cigarette factory, bring your passport, and make sure you are properly registered at your local PSB before you head up.