When we left to tour the world a couple years ago, we hoped to find our own private paradise. You can read more about our quest here: http://www.livingif.com/. Little did we know that we would find Shangri La in southern China in the city of the same name. This little slice of heaven near the Tibetan Plateau offers century old culture, the best hamburger in China and some of the friendliest folks around.

Zhongdian was renamed Shangrila for marketing reasons. Local Khampa Tibetans claim that the name Shangri-la was most likely derived from their word for paradise "Shambala." However, this marketing push hasn't inundated the city with tourists, it's still possible to experience the area's Tibetan heritage and see gorgeous countryside in near isolation.

We spent the afternoon with monks at Songzanlin Monastery practicing English with them and then grabbed a yak burger (the other red meat?) at N's kitchen. After dinner we joined the locals in the town square for a short song and dance before turning in for the night. Miles away from the bustling cities that make the news, enjoy a slice of culture with a side of fries.