Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1689

In addition to food, they also developed a keen interest in Shu embroidery. Shu embroidery is one of the four famous embroidery styles in China, and is famous for its exquisite craftsmanship and unique style. The store has a wide variety of Shu embroidery works, including flowers, birds, fish, insects, landscapes, portraits, etc. Each piece is finely embroidered and lifelike.

"These Shu embroidery works are so beautiful, they are simply works of art!" Zhang Yuedong looked at a Shu embroidery work embroidered with a panda and exclaimed in admiration.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, the Shu embroidery technique is so exquisite, and every stitch contains the hard work and wisdom of the craftsmen."

Li Xiao selected a Shu embroidery handkerchief and prepared to give it to his mother. He said: "I think this handkerchief is very delicate and my mother will definitely like it. Shu embroidery is not only a work of art, but also a deep feeling."

Finally, they also bought some Sichuan tea and other special small gifts and returned home with a full load. When leaving the specialty store, the three people's faces were filled with satisfied smiles. They not only tasted Chengdu's delicacies, enjoyed the wonderful Sichuan opera performances, but also bought their favorite specialties, which was a great harvest.

On the first day in Chengdu, the three people felt the unique charm of this city. The food, culture and history here made them linger. They look forward to the next journey to discover more beauty in Chengdu.

After the trip in Chengdu, the three boarded the train to Guilin with great anticipation. Along the way, they excitedly discussed the Guilin landscape they were about to see, and their hearts were filled with yearning for nature.

"It is said that 'Guilin's landscape is the best in the world'. I can't wait to see it with my own eyes." Zhang Yuedong said excitedly.

Lin Yifei also smiled and nodded: "Yes, I heard that the scenery of the Li River is as beautiful as a painting. I must take more photos this time."

Li Xiao looked at the scenery passing by outside the window, his eyes full of anticipation: "Guilin's landscape is well-known, and we must experience its charm this time."

After the train arrived at Guilin Station, the three of them took a short rest and headed straight for the Li River. Standing by the Li River, they were stunned by the scenery in front of them. The clear river water sparkled under the sunlight, and the mountains on both sides were undulating in various shapes, like a natural ink painting.

"Wow, this is so beautiful! It's like walking into a fairyland." Zhang Yuedong couldn't help but exclaim.

Lin Yifei was also shocked by the beautiful scenery before him. He took a deep breath and said, "This is the magic of nature. It's so spectacular!"

Li Xiao smiled and said, "Let's get on the boat quickly and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Li River."

The three of them boarded a bamboo raft, which moved slowly forward. The river water gently hit the raft, making a pleasant sound. The breeze blew on their faces, bringing bursts of fresh air, making people feel relaxed and happy.

"Look, does that mountain look like a camel?" Zhang Yuedong shouted, pointing at the mountain in the distance.

Lin Yifei looked in the direction he pointed and said with a smile, "It really looks like it. Nature has a very rich imagination."

Li Xiao also nodded in agreement: "Guilin's mountains are like this, each one has its own unique shape, which makes people have to admire the magic of nature."

As the raft continued to move forward, the scenery on both sides of the river continued to unfold before their eyes like a flowing scroll, with strange peaks and jagged rocks, some like graceful girls, some like majestic generals, and some like eagles spreading their wings ready to fly.

"The river is like a blue silk belt, and the mountains are like jade hairpins." Li Xiao couldn't help but recite the poems of Han Yu, a poet of the Tang Dynasty.

Zhang Yuedong also recited: "This poem really describes the scenery of the Li River vividly. It's so beautiful!"

Lin Yifei picked up his camera and kept taking pictures of the beautiful scenery in front of him, wanting to record these wonderful moments.

During the rafting on the Li River, they also saw many interesting sights. From time to time, fish jumped out of the water, splashing a string of crystal water; from time to time, birds sang cheerfully in the bamboo forest on the shore; and some local fishermen paddled small boats to fish on the river, forming a harmonious pastoral landscape.

"The pace of life here is so slow, it makes people feel very relaxed," Zhang Yuedong said with emotion.

Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, after staying in the city for a long time, occasionally coming to a place like this can really make people forget all their worries."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "This is the meaning of travel, allowing us to experience different lives and feel the beauty of nature."

After landing on the Li River, the three of them headed for the Elephant Trunk Hill. From a distance, the mountain looked like a giant elephant stretching its trunk to drink water by the river, lifelike and lifelike.

"Wow, this is the Elephant Trunk Hill, so amazing!" Zhang Yuedong ran over excitedly.

Lin Yifei also exclaimed: "It really looks like an elephant. Nature is so amazing. How could there be such a strange mountain?"

Li Xiao looked at the Elephant Trunk Hill and said with a smile: "The Elephant Trunk Hill is a landmark attraction in Guilin, and it also has a moving legend."

The three of them walked into the Elephant Trunk Hill Scenic Area and admired this magical mountain from a close distance. A huge round hole was formed between the trunk and the body of the elephant, and the river water flowed through the hole, sparkling. Above the hole, there were green trees and lush flowers and plants, adding vitality to the Elephant Trunk Hill.

"Look, this cave is like a bright moon reflected in the water. This is the famous 'Elephant Hill Water Moon' landscape." Li Xiao said, pointing to the Water Moon Cave on Elephant Trunk Hill.

Zhang Yuedong and Lin Yifei took a closer look and, as expected, through the Water Moon Cave, they could see rippling waves on the river surface, as if a bright moon was rippling in the water, which was beautiful beyond words.

"It's so beautiful! It's simply a masterpiece of nature." Zhang Yuedong couldn't help but exclaim.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, such a beautiful scenery is really intoxicating."

There are many other scenic spots around the Elephant Trunk Hill, such as Puxian Pagoda, Elephant Eye Rock, etc. They visited these scenic spots one by one along the path in the mountains, and each one left a deep impression on them.

"This Puxian Pagoda looks so old. What's its history?" Zhang Yuedong asked, pointing at the Puxian Pagoda on the top of the mountain.

Li Xiao introduced: "Puxian Pagoda was built in the Ming Dynasty. It is a Lama-style solid brick pagoda. It has a unique shape, with a round top and a conical body. There are many exquisite patterns and characters engraved on it, which has high historical and artistic value."

After listening to this, Lin Yifei couldn't help but sigh: "The wisdom of the ancients is really admirable. In that era without modern construction technology, they were able to build such an exquisite tower." During the tour, they also met a local tour guide who enthusiastically told them the legend of Elephant Trunk Hill.

According to legend, a long time ago, Guilin was a poor and backward place, and people lived in poverty. One day, a divine elephant came here. It was attracted by the beautiful scenery of Guilin and decided to stay here to help people. The divine elephant used its trunk to reclaim the land, helped people grow crops, and gradually improved people's lives. However, the actions of the divine elephant aroused the dissatisfaction of the Emperor of Heaven, who believed that divine elephants should not help mortals. So he sent heavenly soldiers and generals to capture the divine elephant. In order to protect the people of Guilin, the divine elephant and the heavenly soldiers and generals launched a fierce battle. In the battle, the divine elephant was seriously injured, but it still firmly guarded Guilin. In the end, the divine elephant fell to the ground, its body turned into a mountain, and its trunk became Elephant Trunk Hill.

"It turns out that there is such a touching legend about Elephant Trunk Hill." Zhang Yuedong said with emotion after listening to it.

Lin Yifei also said: "This legend not only makes Elephant Trunk Hill more mysterious, but also makes us feel the kindness and bravery of the elephant."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Yes, these legends and stories are also part of Guilin culture. They make Guilin's landscape more charming."

After enjoying the beautiful scenery of Elephant Trunk Hill, the three people's stomachs began to growl. They decided to taste Guilin's special food and experience the unique flavor of this city.

They came to a famous local restaurant, and as soon as they entered the door, they smelled a strong aroma. The waiter greeted them warmly and recommended several Guilin signature dishes to them.

"When you come to Guilin, you must try Guilin rice noodles, which is Guilin's specialty food." said the waiter with a smile.

Zhang Yuedong nodded immediately after hearing this: "Okay, give me three bowls of Guilin rice noodles, and recommend some other dishes to us."

The waiter thought for a moment and said, "Then you can try the Lipu taro braised pork and beer fish, these two dishes are also very popular."

The three nodded in agreement. Soon, the steaming Guilin rice noodles were served on the table. The white rice noodles were covered with a layer of fragrant brine, and topped with some sour beans, sour bamboo shoots, chopped peanuts and other ingredients, making people salivate at the sight.

"Wow, this Guilin rice noodle looks very appetizing." Zhang Yuedong couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and take a bite.

"Well, this rice noodle has a smooth texture and the marinade has a rich flavor. It's so delicious!" Zhang Yuedong praised it while eating.

Lin Yifei also tasted it and nodded, saying, "It's really delicious. The taste of this rice noodle is different from what I've eaten before. It's very unique."

Li Xiao also smiled and said: "The essence of Guilin rice noodles lies in the brine, which is made from a variety of spices and has a very unique taste."

Then, Lipu taro braised pork and beer fish were served. Lipu taro braised pork was golden in color and fragrant, and the combination of taro and pork belly was fat but not greasy, fragrant and delicious. Beer fish was made with fresh live fish from the Lijiang River, added with beer and various seasonings. The fish meat was tender and delicious, with a light aroma of beer.

"This Lipu Taro Pork with Braised Pork is so delicious. The taro is soft and glutinous, and the pork belly is fat but not greasy. It's a perfect match." Lin Yifei took a bite of the Lipu Taro Pork with Braised Pork and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.

Zhang Yuedong also picked up a piece of beer fish, put it in his mouth, and said: "This beer fish is not bad, the fish meat is very tender, the taste is very delicious, and there is a smell of beer, which is very special."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Guilin's food is indeed well-deserved. Each dish has its own unique flavor, which makes people linger on the taste."

While tasting the food, they also learned about the stories and culture behind the food. The history of Guilin rice noodles can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty, and it is an indispensable part of Guilin people's daily life; Lipu taro braised pork is a famous dish in Guilin's traditional banquets, which uses high-quality taro from Lipu County, Guilin, and is cooked through multiple processes; beer fish is a specialty of Yangshuo, which originated from the creativity of a chef who combined beer and fish to create this delicious dish.

"I didn't expect there were so many stories behind these delicacies," Zhang Yuedong said with emotion.

Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, tasting food is not only to satisfy the taste buds, but also to understand the local culture and history."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "Yes, this is also one of the pleasures of traveling. By tasting the food, we can better feel the charm of the city."

As night fell and the lights came on, Guilin's night was particularly charming. The three of them came to the Li River to watch the large-scale landscape performance "Impression of Liu Sanjie".

The performance venue is set on the surface of the Li River, with the mountains and waters of the Li River as the backdrop. The lights, music, dance and natural scenery are perfectly integrated to create a dreamlike atmosphere.

"Wow, this performance venue is so stunning!" Zhang Yuedong couldn't help but exclaimed as he looked at the scene in front of him.

Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, using mountains and rivers as the stage is a really great idea."

Li Xiao smiled and said, "This show is directed by Zhang Yimou, and we will definitely not be disappointed."

The performance began. As the melodious music sounded, a group of actors dressed in ethnic costumes slowly walked over from the river. Their singing was clear and pleasant, as if bringing people into a poetic world.

"Sing folk songs, sing here and join in over there..." The actors performed the story of Liu Sanjie with their loud voices. Their singing echoed in the night sky, setting off against the mountains and rivers of the Lijiang River, forming a beautiful picture.

"The song is so beautiful, I feel like I'm in a paradise." Zhang Yuedong said intoxicatedly.

Lin Yifei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this performance is wonderful, the stage effects, lighting, and music are all perfectly coordinated."

Li Xiao said: "This performance not only shows the legend of Liu Sanjie, but also showcases Guilin's landscapes and folk culture, allowing people to feel the unique charm of Guilin."

During the performance, the actors also presented many wonderful dance and acrobatic performances. Their graceful and smooth movements and superb skills won warm applause from the audience.

"These actors are so amazing, and their performances are so wonderful!" Zhang Yuedong applauded excitedly.

Lin Yifei also said: "Yes, this performance is really a feast for both the eyes and the ears."

Li Xiao smiled and said: "The success of this performance is inseparable from the hard work of the actors and the efforts of the staff behind the scenes. They used their talents and sweat to present us with a wonderful performance."