Travelling and at various locales that require registration, I am sometimes recorded on paper. They take my passport info and occasionally ask to see my Kunming residence permit. That's because I don't use WeChat, so can't scan the code at the entrance.

Every two weeks I get a new green code at yunnan.inspurhealth.com:7089/index.html.

Generally speaking, this once-every-two-week green code gets me passed through, including at Kunming subway. If not, I get registered on paper.

On a recent trip to Lijiang, I readily gained access to Jade Water Village (passport and green code) which is just north of Baisha. A short distance down the road is the Dongba Musuem. Strangely, they wouldn't let me enter, but then they have a blanket denial of all foreigners at this time.

My phone with a US number no longer works--surpassed its tech lifespan. So, time to get a new US number. But how while living long-term in China? And without opportunity to visit USA.

I had thought about buying a U.S. sim card online, inserting it into phone I purchase here in China. But I don't know the tech ins and outs and gotchas on that.

Advice please.

And I learned a new word today, 日食. Literally means "sun meal" as in the moon eats away the sun.

I had special eclipse viewing glasses from the 2017 total eclipse of the sun. It was fun going around the neighborhood, inviting people to view today's partial eclipse phenomenon safely. Quite a few oohs and ahs. A few people had no interest at all. I always made sure to tell folks, "Don't look at the sun directly, use these special glasses."

That 2017 total eclipse was really special. I stood on a high hill and actually saw the dark shadow of the moon racing toward us, and then racing away. Once in a lifetime!

1 q: don't know
2 q: Halfway G.H. yes, Sean's G.H. yes, but call ahead

www.gokunming.com/en/forums/thread/16889/haba-mountain

3 q: I read recently about Meili Snow Mt Park closure due to slides. Can't locate the article just now. If the park is closed I would expect Yubeng also.