Chapter 424 - 11: Part 2

Chapter 424: Chapter 11: Part 2

They took a taxi to the city center and found a hotel to check into. After a short rest, they eagerly began their tour of Chongqing.

They first went to the Liberation Monument. The Liberation Monument is one of Chongqing’s iconic landmarks, surrounded by a bustling commercial district.

"This Liberation Monument is so magnificent!" Huang Pengfei said in awe, looking up at it.

Li Xiao said, "The Liberation Monument has witnessed the historical changes of Chongqing. It’s the spiritual symbol of this city."

They wandered around the Liberation Monument, soaking in Chongqing’s urban atmosphere. Then, they went to Hongya Cave. Hongya Cave is a stilt house complex with the traditional architectural characteristics of the Ba Yu region. At night, Hongya Cave was brilliantly lit and stunningly beautiful.

"This Hongya Cave is just too beautiful!" Huang Pengfei was stunned by the sight before him.

"Yeah, Hongya Cave is like a three-dimensional scroll painting. It makes you feel like you’re in a fairy-tale world," Li Xiao replied.

They sampled some of Chongqing’s specialty dishes near Hongya Cave, like Chongqing noodles, hot and sour glass noodle soup, and maoxuewang. Every dish left them with a lingering, delicious aftertaste.

"The food in Chongqing is just so delicious!" Huang Pengfei said with satisfaction.

After eating, they went to the Yangtze River Cableway. Riding the cableway, they could overlook the beautiful scenery of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers.

"This Yangtze River Cableway is so thrilling!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

"From up here, you can see Chongqing’s landscape of mountains and rivers. It’s spectacular," Li Xiao said.

After their trip on the Yangtze River Cableway, they were hungry again. So, they went to a hotpot restaurant. Chongqing hotpot is famous for its numbing spiciness and is one of the signature dishes of the city.

"Old Li, we have to really dig into this Chongqing hotpot today," Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

They found a hotpot restaurant, sat down, and ordered a numbing and spicy hotpot. A few moments later, the pot was brought to their table. Bright red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns tumbled in the boiling broth, its fragrant aroma filling the air.

"This hotpot looks so spicy!" Huang Pengfei said, staring at the chilies in the pot.

They started to eat the hotpot, sweating profusely from the spice, but they kept exclaiming how satisfying it was.

"Mmm, delicious! This Chongqing hotpot really lives up to its reputation." Huang Pengfei gave a thumbs-up as he ate.

After finishing the hotpot, they went to a Chongqing theater to watch a Sichuan opera performance. Sichuan opera is a traditional art form from Sichuan, with unique performance styles and artistic charm. The actors’ brilliant performance earned round after round of applause from the audience.

"The face-changing in this Sichuan opera is incredible!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao was also captivated by the performance. He said, "Sichuan opera is a cultural treasure of Chongqing. We should do our best to preserve and promote it."

After the show, they went to a local specialty shop. The shop was filled with all sorts of local products, like hotpot base, Fuling pickled mustard greens, and Jiangjin puffed rice candy.

"Old Li, what do you think we should buy to take back with us?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao said, "We should definitely take some hotpot base back so our families can taste the flavors of Chongqing. The Fuling pickled mustard greens and Jiangjin puffed rice candy are good too. We can bring some of those back for our families to try."

They picked out some local specialties and returned, their bags full.

The next day, they visited other attractions in Chongqing, such as Ciqikou and the Wulong Tianxing Three Bridges. These sights gave them an even deeper appreciation for Chongqing’s charm.

"Goodbye, Chongqing! We’ll never forget your fiery passion." Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei waved farewell to the Mountain City as they prepared to head to their next destination.

After bidding farewell to fiery Chongqing, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set off on their journey to Xiamen. Along the way, both were filled with anticipation for the beautiful coastal city.

"Old Li, Xiamen must be gorgeous. It has the sea, and Gulangyu Island!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao smiled and replied, "Yeah, Xiamen is a place full of romance and artistic flair. We can really soak it all in this time."

After a bit of travel, they finally arrived in Xiamen. The moment they stepped out of the airport, they were greeted by a warm sea breeze and fresh air.

"Wow, this air feels so nice!" Huang Pengfei spread his arms, feeling the sea breeze wash over him.

They went to the seaside, where a boundless ocean stretched out before them. Waves lapped against the shore, making a pleasant, rhythmic sound. In the distance, a few sailboats glided slowly across the water, and seagulls soared through the sky.

"The ocean is so beautiful!" Huang Pengfei ran excitedly to the water’s edge, took off his shoes, and felt the cool water on his feet.

Li Xiao walked over as well. Looking out at the ocean, he felt exceptionally relaxed. "Come on, let’s go check out Gulangyu Island."

They took a ferry to Gulangyu Island. Gulangyu is a small island steeped in history and culture, dotted with numerous European-style buildings and beautiful gardens.

"This Gulangyu Island has so much character!" Huang Pengfei said as he walked, admiring the surrounding architecture.

"Yeah, this place is full of artistic flair," Li Xiao replied.

They strolled around Gulangyu Island, visiting famous attractions like Sunlight Rock and Shuzhuang Garden. They found it hard to leave each spot.

"The view from Sunlight Rock is amazing. You can overlook all of Gulangyu Island and Xiamen," Huang Pengfei exclaimed in admiration, standing atop the rock.

"Shuzhuang Garden is beautiful too. The landscape design inside is very exquisite," Li Xiao said.

After touring Gulangyu Island, they went to one of Xiamen’s food streets to sample the local cuisine. Xiamen has many delicacies, such as Shacha Noodles, sea worm jelly, and savory rice dumplings.

"Old Li, what should we eat first?" Huang Pengfei asked, looking at the food stalls lining the street.

Li Xiao thought for a moment and said, "Let’s start with a bowl of Shacha Noodles. I hear it’s a Xiamen specialty."

They found a small eatery, sat down, and ordered two bowls of Shacha Noodles. A few moments later, the noodles were served. The noodles were firm and chewy, the broth was rich, and the flavor was delicious.

"Mmm, delicious! These Shacha Noodles really live up to their reputation." Huang Pengfei gave a thumbs-up as he ate.

After finishing the Shacha Noodles, they also tried the sea worm jelly and savory rice dumplings. The sea worm jelly was smooth and refreshing, while the savory rice dumplings were rich in aroma.

"The food in Xiamen is really great," Huang Pengfei said with satisfaction.

Full and satisfied, they went to a theater in Xiamen and watched a spectacular Min Nan song and dance performance. The performers, dressed in vibrant costumes, sang and danced, showcasing the unique culture of the Min Nan Region.

"That performance was amazing!" Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao was also captivated by the performance. He said, "These folk performances are a cultural treasure of Xiamen. We should appreciate and preserve them."

After the show, they went to a local specialty shop. The shop was filled with all sorts of local products, like Gulangyu Island pastries, Nanputuo Vegetarian Cakes, and Lacquer Thread Carvings.

"Old Li, what do you think we should buy to take back with us?" Huang Pengfei asked.

Li Xiao said, "The Gulangyu Island pastries and Nanputuo Vegetarian Cakes are both very famous. We can take some back for our families to try. The Lacquer Thread Carvings are also exquisite, so we could buy one as a souvenir."

They picked out some local specialties and returned, their bags full.

The next day, they visited other attractions in Xiamen, such as Nanputuo Temple and Hulishan Fortress. These sights gave them an even deeper sense of Xiamen’s history and culture.

"Goodbye, Xiamen! We’ll never forget your beauty and charm." Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei waved farewell to the coastal city as they prepared to head to their next destination.

After bidding farewell to beautiful Xiamen, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set off on their journey to Luoyang. Along the way, both were filled with anticipation for the thousand-year-old imperial capital they were about to reach.

"Old Li, Luoyang is a famous historical city! There must be tons of places worth seeing," Huang Pengfei said excitedly.

Li Xiao nodded and replied, "That’s right. Luoyang has a long history and a brilliant culture. This is our chance to really experience the charm of an ancient capital."

After some time on the road, they finally arrived in Luoyang. The moment they stepped out of the station, they were enveloped by the city’s ancient, simple atmosphere.

"Wow, you can really feel the weight of history here," Huang Pengfei said.

They first went to the Longmen Grottoes. The Longmen Grottoes are the world’s largest treasure trove of stone carving art, with the greatest number of statues. The exquisite Buddha statues were breathtaking.