Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

"You know, I've always wanted to go to Shandong to see Mount Tai and experience the grandeur of 'standing on the top of the mountain and overlooking all the other mountains.'" Li Xiao's eyes sparkled with excitement as he was the first to propose this idea.

"I want to go too! I heard that the beach in Qingdao is especially beautiful, and the buildings are full of European style. It's exciting just thinking about it." Zhang Yuedong responded immediately, his face filled with anticipation.

Lin Yifei smiled and nodded: "Then it's settled, let's go on a trip to Shandong at any time!"

So, the three of them began their nervous and exciting preparations. Li Xiao was responsible for planning the itinerary. He consulted a lot of information online and carefully selected several must-visit cities such as Jinan, Qingdao, and Tai'an, and listed in detail the characteristic attractions and tourist routes of each city; Zhang Yuedong took on the task of booking tickets and hotels. He repeatedly compared various modes of transportation and accommodation options, striving to find the most cost-effective solution; Lin Yifei took the initiative to prepare the luggage. He carefully studied the weather conditions in Shandong and prepared suitable clothes, shoes and various travel essentials according to everyone's needs.

The night before departure, the three of them got together again and checked their luggage.

"I brought sunscreen. I heard that the sun at the seaside is very strong. Don't let us get tanned into charcoal." Lin Yifei shook the sunscreen in his hand and said with a smile.

"I brought gastrointestinal medicine. When you're away from home, your diet is bound to be irregular, so I brought some medicine just in case." Li Xiao patted his backpack.

Zhang Yuedong took out a Shandong travel guide and said, "I also bought this. We can check it anytime. Maybe we can find some small and interesting places."

As the night deepened, the three of them were not sleepy. They sat together and imagined the journey that was about to begin. They imagined how shocking and touching it would be to greet the sunrise on the top of Mount Tai; how comfortable and relaxed it would be to walk along the beach in Qingdao, listening to the sound of the waves and feeling the gentle breeze; they imagined tasting all kinds of Shandong delicacies, from crispy pancakes with green onions to delicious seafood feasts, every bite would be the ultimate temptation for the taste buds.

Finally, with full of anticipation and excitement, they welcomed the day of departure. The morning sun shone on them, and with the vision of an unknown journey, the three of them boarded the train to Shandong, and a journey full of surprises and laughter began.

After several hours of driving, the train slowly pulled into Jinan Station. The three of them couldn't wait to walk out of the station, and a strong smell of the Spring City hit them. The sunlight sprinkled on the ancient city wall, as if telling the thousand-year story of this city.

"We are finally in Jinan, the city of springs. I can't wait to see Baotu Spring!" Li Xiao waved the map in his hand excitedly.

"Yes, I heard that the springs in Jinan are magical. I must experience them today." Zhang Yuedong was also full of anticipation.

Lin Yifei took a deep breath and said, "I can taste authentic Shandong cuisine. Just thinking about it makes me salivate."

They took the bus to Baotu Spring Park. As soon as they walked through the gate, a cool breeze blew in their faces, as if they were in a cool world. Walking along the winding path, they soon heard the sound of gurgling water, which was crisp and pleasant, like a beautiful piece of music played by nature.

"Wow, it's Baotu Spring!" Li Xiao was the first to see the three huge springs and shouted excitedly. Three clear springs gushed out from the ground, churning like boiling water, with white water splashing everywhere. Under the sunlight, it sparkled with crystal light, like a string of pearls falling on the earth. The surrounding pavilions and towers are antique, with flying eaves, carved beams and painted buildings, which set off the clear spring water like a beautiful ink painting. The weeping willows fluttered in the wind, and the tender green branches gently stroked the water surface, creating layers of ripples.

"This spring water is so magical, it seems like it will never stop flowing." Zhang Yuedong exclaimed, his eyes full of amazement.

Lin Yifei nodded in agreement: "The water is so clear that you can see the sand and rocks at the bottom of the pool and the small fish swimming around. It feels like a transparent world."

Looking at the beautiful scenery in front of him, Li Xiao couldn't help but recite the poem of Zhao Mengfu: "The source of Luoshui is unparalleled in the world, a white jade pot gushing out from the plain." He turned around and said to his friends with a smile: "At this moment, I really appreciate the beauty of this poem. Isn't Baotu Spring a white jade pot gushing out from the plain?"

They strolled along the spring, feeling the cool water vapor, as if all their fatigue disappeared at this moment. Occasionally, a few drops of spring water splashed on their faces, bringing a touch of coolness and making people feel comfortable. In the Guanlan Pavilion, they stopped for a long time, carefully appreciating the unique charm of this world's first spring, and recorded this beautiful moment with their cameras.

After leaving Baotu Spring, they headed to Daming Lake. Daming Lake is wide and the water is rippling. Under the sunlight, the water is sparkling like a huge mirror. The mountains in the distance are rolling and the lake is in harmony, forming a beautiful landscape painting.

“Lotus flowers on four sides and willows on three sides, half of the city is covered with mountains and half of the city is covered with lakes.” Lin Yifei stood by the lake, chanting this famous line from ancient times, his face full of intoxication.

"It's really beautiful. I didn't expect Daming Lake to be more beautiful than I imagined." Zhang Yuedong took out his mobile phone and kept taking pictures of the beautiful scenery around him.

Li Xiao smiled and said, "This is just the tip of the iceberg. Let's take a boat to the center of the lake. Maybe there will be more beautiful scenery."

They rented a boat and slowly sailed to the center of the lake. The breeze blew on their faces, bringing bursts of lotus fragrance, making people feel relaxed and happy. On the lake, lotus leaves were crowded together, like big green discs, and lotus flowers emerged between these big discs. Some petals were fully opened, revealing tender yellow lotus pods; some were still buds, looking so full that they seemed to be about to burst.

Along the way, they admired the ancient buildings on the lakeside, such as the Lixia Pavilion and Tiegong Temple. The Lixia Pavilion is simple and elegant, with red pillars, green tiles, flying eaves and brackets, showing the charm of history; the Tiegong Temple is solemn and dignified, expressing people's admiration for Tie Xuan.

"Do you know that there is a legend about Daming Lake, which is the story of Emperor Qianlong and Xia Yuhe." Li Xiao told his friends this romantic legend while rowing.

"Really? I didn't expect that Daming Lake has such a romantic story." Zhang Yuedong listened with great interest.

Lin Yifei smiled and said, "Perhaps Emperor Qianlong met Xia Yuhe at this Lixia Pavilion."

They talked about the history and legends of Daming Lake on the boat, and felt the rich culture carried by the lake. Occasionally, a few water birds flew over the lake, breaking the tranquility of the lake and creating beautiful ripples. The sun shone on them, as if time had stopped at this moment. They were immersed in the beautiful scenery of the lake and mountains, forgetting all their worries.

Before they knew it, it was already noon, and the three of them were hungry. They decided to try authentic Shandong cuisine and experience the food culture of Jinan. Walking into a distinctive Shandong restaurant, the restaurant was bustling with laughter and chatter from the diners, full of the atmosphere of fireworks. "Let's try the signature dish here, sweet and sour carp. I heard that this is one of the representatives of Shandong cuisine." Li Xiao looked at the menu and suggested to his friends.

"Okay, let's order some fried dough sticks. I've heard that Jinan's fried dough sticks are very famous," Zhang Yuedong added.

Lin Yifei nodded in agreement: "Order some cold lotus root slices. This is a specialty of Daming Lake. It must be very fresh."

Soon, the dishes were served. The sweet and sour carp was beautifully shaped, the fish body was fried golden and crispy, and it was drizzled with sweet and sour sauce, exuding an attractive aroma. Li Xiao picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the sweet and sour taste spread in his mouth, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

"This sweet and sour carp is so delicious, with just the right amount of sweet and sour, and a great taste." Li Xiao gave a thumbs up and praised it highly.

Zhang Yuedong also tasted it and nodded repeatedly: "It's really good, the taste is so authentic."

Lin Yifei picked up a fried dough twist and took a bite. The outside was crispy, the inside was tender, and the onion aroma was fragrant. "This fried dough twist is also great, fragrant and crispy, it is worthy of being a specialty snack in Jinan." He said with satisfaction.

While tasting the food, they exchanged their feelings about Jinan's food. The cold lotus root slices were crisp and refreshing, with a light fragrance, allowing them to taste the unique flavor of Daming Lake. In this Shandong cuisine restaurant full of fireworks, they felt the charm of Jinan's food culture, and each dish contained the history and memory of this city.

After lunch, they came to a folk performance venue to watch the Shandong Kuaishu performance. When they walked into the performance hall, it was already full of audiences, and everyone was looking forward to the performance.

With the sound of bamboo clappers, the actor walked onto the stage. He was dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and was in high spirits. The bamboo clappers in his hands flew up and down, making rhythmic sounds. He sang in Shandong dialect with a loud voice and a brisk rhythm, telling wonderful stories one after another.

"This Shandong quick talk sounds really exciting. The rhythm and the performance are so wonderful!" Zhang Yuedong clapped his hands excitedly.

Li Xiao was also deeply attracted by the actors' performances: "Yes, I've only heard of Shandong Kuaishu before, but I didn't expect it to be so shocking to see it live. The actors have really solid skills."

Lin Yifei said with a smile: "It feels like going back in time, feeling the purest folk art."

The performances of the actors were vivid and sometimes humorous, making the audience burst into laughter; sometimes exciting and tense, making the audience hold their breath. The three were completely immersed in this wonderful performance. They were impressed by the unique artistic charm of Shandong Kuaishu and applauded the actors' wonderful performances. In this small performance hall, they experienced the unique charm of Jinan folk culture and felt the strong vitality of folk art.

After watching the performance, they came to the specialty store to pick some specialties to take home and give to relatives and friends. The store was dazzling with its wide variety of specialties.

"Look, here are Pingyin rose products. I heard that Pingyin roses are very famous. Let's take some back." Lin Yifei said, pointing to the rose cakes and rose essential oils on the shelves.

Li Xiao picked up a box of rose flower cakes and smelled it: "The rose fragrance is so strong, and the crust of the flower cake looks crispy, it must be delicious."

Zhang Yuedong also picked out a few bottles of rose essential oil: "This rose essential oil can be given to my mother to help her maintain her skin."

They also bought other Jinan specialties, such as Jinan paper-cuts, Baotu Spring commemorative coins, etc. Each specialty carries the characteristics and culture of Jinan, and they hope to pass on the good memories of Jinan to their relatives and friends through these specialties.

With the enthusiastic introduction of the specialty store owner, they learned about the production process and cultural connotations of these specialties. While selecting, they exchanged their views on these specialties, as if they were relived the good times in Jinan.

As the sun sets, they leave the specialty store with a lot of harvest. The first day in Jinan made them feel the unique charm of this city. Whether it is the clear spring water, beautiful lakes and mountains, or the delicious Shandong cuisine and wonderful folk performances, they all left a deep impression on them. They look forward to the next journey and believe that there will be more surprises waiting for them in other cities in Shandong.

After spending a fulfilling and enjoyable day in Jinan, the three boarded the train to Qingdao early the next morning. Along the way, their mood was like the scenery passing by the window, full of expectations and excitement.

"I heard that Qingdao's seaside is particularly beautiful and there are many European-style buildings. I can't wait to go and see them." Zhang Yuedong said excitedly.

Li Xiao responded with a smile: "Yes, and Qingdao's seafood is also very famous. We must eat enough this time."

Lin Yifei looked out the window, looking forward to the upcoming seaside trip: "I don't know what interesting things I will encounter in Qingdao. It's really exciting."

As the train slowly pulled into Qingdao Station, the three officially started their journey in Qingdao. As soon as they left the station, the fresh sea breeze blew in their faces, bringing with it the unique scent of the sea, allowing them to instantly feel the unique charm of this coastal city.

They first came to Qingdao's iconic attraction - the trestle bridge. From a distance, the trestle bridge looks like a long dragon, winding from the land to the depths of the sea, as if it is about to merge with the sea. The Huilan Pavilion at the end of the trestle bridge sparkles in the sun, like a bright pearl inlaid in the embrace of the sea.

The three of them walked along the pier, and the wooden planks under their feet made a "creaking" sound, as if telling the century-old history of the pier. The waves beat rhythmically on the shore, splashing layers of white waves and making pleasant sounds, as if the sea was playing a beautiful piece of music. Seagulls soared freely in the sky, sometimes close to the sea surface, sometimes rushing high into the sky, and their cheerful calls added a bit of vitality and vigor to the seascape.

"Wow, this scenery is so beautiful!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed, "Standing on the pier, I feel so close to the sea, as if I can touch it with my hand." (End of this chapter)