Ruili, Yunnan: A small border town separated from Myanmar by a wall.

In April, I drove from Dali to Ruili, a journey of more than 400 km that took nearly 6 hours. I arrived in the evening, and after dropping off my luggage, I went to the Jiegao Port. There are clear road signs indicating the way to the border, and there are checkpoints near the port to inspect every vehicle entering and leaving. I took a quick look around the port. It was already evening, so there were not many people around. There was only a SWAT vehicle parked at the entrance, and several SWAT officers patrolling the entrance and exit. There are many jade shops and places to gamble on stones near the port. The water is deep, so unless you are an expert, I suggest you think twice before buying anything. The next day, I went to One Village, Two Countries, a must-see attraction in Ruili. There is a well in the village, and the groundwater flows through it. The well is shared by the Chinese Yinjiang Village and the Myanmar Mangxiu Village, and it has nurtured people from both countries. There is a hollow fence in the village, and Myanmar is on the other side. Children from Myanmar will run to the fence and ask for food and fruit. The entire fence is monitored, so try not to have any physical contact with children or adults outside the fence. If you take something handed to you from outside the fence, law enforcement officers will come to question you. The village is full of exotic buildings, and if you take photos, you might be mistaken for being in Southeast Asia. Some places are still under construction, but they are expected to be completed next year. Image 8 is the Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda in Mangshi, the largest hollow pagoda in Asia. You can visit the inside of the pagoda, but there is an entrance fee, and you must take off your shoes to enter. Images 9 and 10 are the Menghuan Silver Pagoda, which is more photogenic than the Golden Pagoda, but not as significant in terms of religious beliefs. Image 11 is the natural hot spring in Tengchong. If you are interested in hot springs, you can go and have fun. There are dozens of different pools to choose from.