Andrea Devenney
ENG 201
M-R 10 am – 11:50
My Favorite Place To Visit: Jiuzhaigou Valley Jiuzhaigou valley literally means “nine village valley”. The name is from the nine Tibetan villages along its length. Jiuzhaigou located at the southern end of the Minshan mountain range that is the northwestern of Sichuan province. The valley is known for its many multi-level waterfalls, colorful lakes, and snow-capped peaks. Its elevation ranges from 6,600 to 14,800 ft. I went there with my friends at the spring of 2009. First we took a flight to the capitol city airport at Sichuan. Then we took a bus drive us to the Jiuzhaigou valley. That is a really long drive takes like 4 or 5 hours; and most part of the driving is at the edge of the mountain. Because of the elevation keep increasing, most of our group have the altitude reaction such as headache, anoxia and nosebleed. However, after we arrive the valley, all the reaction just go away because the air is so fresh and the beautiful scenery. We have a rest at the hotel for one night; then we start our travel along the Jiuzhaigou valley. There are seven of the nine Tibetan villages are still populated today; and three of the seven are open to tourists. The three villages are Rize Valley, Zechawa Valley, and Shuzheng Valley. Rize Valley is 11 miles long and contains the largest variety of sites. Going down from its highest point, one passes the following sites: the Primeval Forest, Swan Lake, Grass Lake, Arrow Bamboo Lake, Panda Lake, Five Flower Lake, and Mirror Lake. The forest is a preserved ancient woodland. It is fronted by spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and cliffs, including the 500 m high blade-shaped Sword Rock. Swan Lake is a 2250 m long, 125 m wide picturesque lake named for its visiting swans and ducks. Grass Lake is a shallow lake covered in intricate vegetation patterns. Arrow Bamboo Lake is a shallow lake with a depth of 6 m. It lies at an elevation of 2,618 m, and was a main