Dali, one of Yunnan's most popular tourist destinations, could never fall short of my expectations. The most exotic trip my colleagues and I experienced was in this fascinating city, which is located between Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain.

Stretching from north to south, Cangshan Mountain is 3,500 meters above sea level and its main peak reaches 4,122 meters high. Snow covers the mountain top all year round and the melted water forms streams that flow down the valley into Erhai Lake.

The weather in Dali is always pleasant. Once you lift your head, you will find the sky is azure blue and the clouds are within your hands' reach.

Before arriving in the ancient town of Dali, we had heard that the town is famous for its mix of traditional architecture and westernized bars and restaurants. It attracts travelers from all over, mostly from China and other parts of Asia, but also many from Europe and America.

When we arrived, we found that the small town really lives up to its reputation. Traditional Ming and Qing dynasty architecture lines the five east-west streets and eight north-south lanes make up the old town. Shops selling local food, clothes and crafts line both sides of the streets, and shop owners bargain with any visitors who stop by.

To our excitement, there were many bars on the streets, ablaze with lights until midnight. Amid groups of foreigners who were hurrying to attend a party, we met an old English guy with a gentle smile on his face. It seemed that he wanted to speak to us. As my colleagues couldn't speak English, they asked me to translate for them. So I asked the old guy what was up:

"There will be a music festival in a bar near here. If you go, do wear a jacket because it will be very cold at night," he answered.

"All right. Thanks. So are you selling us the jackets?" I asked.

"Oh, no, no. I'm just reminding you."

Quite embarrassed for my misunderstanding, I thanked him again for his suggestion and my colleagues laughed when I told them what he'd said.

That night we stayed at Bird Bar, a quite lively hangout in the evenings that has grown popular over the years with both travelers and locals, Chinese and foreign alike. Since opening in April 2000, the bar has grown to include a guesthouse and one of the nicest villas in Dali. The brandy-infused hot chocolate and free internet don't hurt either.

The owner of the bar was a middle-aged Shandong woman. Thin, tall and sexy, she smiled gently and invited us to drink some of her homemade osmanthus wine, a local specialty. Sipping this fragrant wine, and hearing soft, gentle jazz music in the background created a romantic ambiance that couldn't be beat. This atmosphere was one we had never experienced before and it is one so rarely seen in big cities like Beijing.

Since our trip was to promote the 7th Flower Expo to be held in Qingzhou, Shandong Province, we took a survey of the locals, asking their thoughts about happiness and whether they themselves felt happy. The answers showed that people in Dali are quite satisfied with their lives, which are simple but comfortable. The pace of life is much slower than in big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, or commercial cities such as Wenzhou and Shenzhen.

It was a pity that we would head to another city soon and only stayed in the ancient town for one night. Dali left with us a splendid impression and we do hope the natural beauty of the city will not be commercialized in the future.