外国人眼里不可错过的昆明 | The“Musts”for Foreigners in Kunming

Whether it is the Guandu Ancient Town with its impressive history or the fashionable and romantic Park 1903; whether it is the Dianchi Dam and the harmony between people and seagulls or the Kunming Old Street with a special taste of Yunnan... In the eyes of foreigners living in Kunming, these places all embody the cool and unique style of this ancient but modern city. In this issue of Kunming Images, six foreigners are invited to talk about the Kunming in their eyes.

I think the City of Flowers is the coolest place in Kunming. It’s a very beautiful place, and there are many incredible artworks made of flowers. Among them, what amazed me the most was a peacock. According to the staff, it is the largest flower-made peacock in Asia, and it is regularly maintained by the staff. The most amazing thing about the peacock is its eyes, they are black when the light is dim, but turn an emerald green in strong sunlight.

我觉得花之城是昆明最酷的地方，那里非常漂亮，有许多用花做成的景观，其中，最令我感到震撼的是一只用花卉做成的孔雀，听工作人员介绍，这是亚洲最大的花卉孔雀，平时会有工作人员定期进行养护。花卉孔雀最神奇的地方是它的眼睛，当光线昏暗时，它是黑色的，但在强烈的阳光下会变成翡翠绿。

I think the coolest place in Kunming is the Dianchi Lake and the first time I visited it was in winter. I could see hundreds of seagulls flying up and down on the boundless water surface. It was really terrific, and I really amazed by it. We also climbed up the Dragon Gate to overlook the beautiful scenery of the lake as a whole. It was relaxing and comforting, especially in slight breeze. I have also been to the Dianchi Lake in summer. It was a clear day, and the blue sky and white clouds were reflected on the water, which was a really pleasant experience.

我觉得昆明最酷的地方是滇池，第一次来到滇池正是冬季，水面上成百上千只海鸥上下飞舞，我被震惊了，真的太美了。为了俯瞰整个滇池的风景，我们登上龙门，微风迎面吹来，让人心旷神怡。我也曾在夏天去过滇池边，天气晴朗，湖水倒映着蓝天白云，真是太惬意了。

When I was studying in Kunming, my favorite place was the Park 1903. It looks like a small European town, full of artistry and design. I find it very beautiful. The imitative European architecture, sculptures and fountains impressed me a lot. What is the most interesting is the pure white Gothic church, where you can experience the romance of a French wedding. As night falls, the Park 1903 is lit up, giving it a new and different feeling.

我在昆明读书的时候最喜欢去的地方是公园1903，我觉得那里很美，整体环境像一个欧洲风情小镇，极具艺术性与设计感。那里的仿欧式建筑、雕塑和喷泉都让我眼前一亮，其中，最有意思的是一个纯白色哥特式教堂，在那里还可以体验法式婚礼的浪漫。每当夜幕降临，公园1903就会变得灯火璀璨。

I am an international student from Pakistan and have been in Kunming for more than two years. I think the coolest place in Kunming is Yunnan Provincial Museum, which shows the evolution of life from its brith in the ocean to modern times. It also links the natural evolution and the changes of dynasties of Yunnan Province. It is very interesting to experience the evolution of Yunnan from the Ancient Dian Kingdom to the Nanzhao Kingdom, and then to the Kingdom of Dali. It’s like a mysterious girl revealing her veil. Every time I go there, I learn new knowledge and more about the culture of Yunnan.

我是一名来自巴基斯坦的留学生，来到昆明已经两年多了，我认为昆明最酷的地方是云南省博物馆，它展示了生命从海洋中诞生到近现代的历程，串起了整个云南的自然演变和历史更迭。在云南省博物馆里纵览云南从古滇国到南诏国，再到大理国的变迁，会感觉像神秘的姑娘褪去面纱一样有意思，每次去到那里，我都会学习到新的知识。

The first time I went to Guandu Ancient Town was together with my students. As I study Buddhism and heard that there were many ancient buildings in there, I decided to go and have a look. There were so many people and a lot of shouting, which I found very interesting. The diverse cultural customs and rich intangible cultural heritage were also unforgettable. Guandu Ancient Town is not only a museum, but also a park. It really is a place of treasury.

第一次去官渡古镇是我的学生带我去的，听说古镇中有许多古建筑，我就决定去看一看。走在古镇中，一路上川流不息的人流伴随着各种吆喝声，十分有意思，多样的人文风情和丰富的非物质文化遗产令人流连忘返。在我看来，官渡古镇既是一个博物馆，也是一个公园，真的是一个宝藏地。

Although I’m a foreigner, I am interested in the old streets of Kunming. The first time I came to Kunming Old Street, I instantly fell in love with it. Walking along the alleys, you can feel the history of the times. As the warm sun shines on the old flag paving and the various ancient buildings get embedded in the thick shade, it is almost like they are telling the story of the past. Most importantly, many of my favorite dishes can be found there, which is what has left me such great memories of Kunming Old Street.

虽然我是一个外国人，但我对昆明的老街充满了兴趣。第一次来到昆明老街，我就喜欢上了这里，沿着小巷子进去，历史的岁月感触手可及，温暖的阳光打在苍老的石板路上，各种古建筑嵌在浓密的树荫间，仿佛在述说着过往岁月的故事。最重要的是，老街有我喜欢的家乡菜，这些已经成为我心中最美好的回忆。