Mama Naxi's Guesthouse – what a difference from the place I stayed when I was first in Lijiang – that place was eerily quiet, yet beautiful. Problem was I felt like I was intruding in the hosts life rather than a welcome guest. Mama Naxi’s – wow, what a wild place. Mama Naxi is a Naxi (Minority People tribe) and runs a crazy, loud, full operation. Naxi women are the ones who run a Matriarchial society, can have affairs outside of marriage and basically rule their universe……kind of like men in most cultures…..she is super loud, speaks Chinglish and cares about every single guest at her house. There was never a better fit for a Guesthouse owner than Mama Naxi. Upon walking in the door she forces a cup of tea into your hands and a banana 'for now or later’. One cannot pass through the common area without having a cup of tea and a banana, even if you come back and forth twenty times a day. Many young backpackers stay here and she bosses them around and tells them off when need be. I woke up the other morning to hear her yelling at some Israeli kid – ( and God knows that if any group of backpackers need yelling at, it is Israeli’s). She was saying, "You – you very stupid – last night you stupid – you drink and you smoke and you think you so smart but you really stupid…..you too loud and Mama Naxi not happy. Good thing for you is that you young and you can get better when older – now you just stupid. Tonight – no stupid!!!"  Each kid who steps out of line gets the rath of Mama. On the other hand, she is hugging them and force feeding them. If kids come in a want to see the room before agreeing to stay, she yells at them –“you, what you? You some kind of fussy? You no stay with Mama, Mama not like fussy…”  The people around just laugh because they too had the lecture on arrival and make signals that it is a great place even without seeing the room.

Mama and Papa serve family style meals – for 15 yuan ( $2.25) you get buffet style plate after plate coming out and Mama checking to ensure you have eaten your fill. I was with two Israeli girls – both Vegetarians, nice girls who had stayed here before. Mama remembered and made about 6 different vegetarian dishes for them. So nice. She yells and screams at Papa and at first it all seems abusive but then they laugh and laugh and Papa heads out to cycle the 10 km to the train station to get everybody’s train ticket order and Mama checks on each person (her two places hold probably 100 guests) to make sure they know where they are going and how they are going to get there. Very special place. When leaving, she gives each guest a lucky necklace, a big hug and two kisses, a banaha for the road and wishes them safely on their way. If you come to Lijiang and you don’t want peace and tranquility but you do want to meet an incredible woman with a huge kind heart– come to Mama Naxi’s.