Beijing

Number of days：3 days
Time: July
Average cost: 800 yuan
With whom: couple
The author went to these places: Lama Temple Beijing Summer Palace Forbidden City Great Wall Ming Tombs Old Summer Palace Yingxian Wooden Pagoda Wang Family Courtyard Wang Family Courtyard

They all share a dream—the children of the Lama Temple Youth Hostel

Traveling ultimately means keeping things simple. Beijing's Lama Temple Youth Hostel is, by far, my favorite youth hostel, bar none. The fun part is the diverse mix of people: those seeking financing, jobs, and travel—all with their own agendas. IT programmers, pharmaceutical sales representatives, HR recruiters, directors—every profession imaginable, as well as people born in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s—generations living parallel lives. Every night, everyone sits cross-legged in the main hall, watching TV, playing pool, eating, and chatting. It's like a small theater, with a series of exciting dramas unfolding one after another. One day, the Empress Dowager said to me, "Do you want to learn English? You can spend more time with that Israeli guy that night." I thought to myself, "I love handsome guys. I must have a long conversation with the tallest, most handsome guy." Of course, I also love the atmosphere of Beijing, the endless stories of its people, the endless array of delicious restaurants, and the wandering singers singing their original songs on the streets. In the month following my return from Xinjiang, I traveled to Beijing three times, taking hard seats back and forth. Of course, it wasn't all for the handsome young men at the Lama Temple Youth Hostel. The first time, I rushed back to Shanghai for work, the second time, I was so exhausted I decided to abandon the tour altogether, and the third time was to welcome Peter. I've forgotten how many times I've been to Beijing that I've encountered Chen Chong. I think we each visited the Summer Palace and had a meal at Shundonglai together. That was, in fact, our fourth encounter on the road.

The majestic Forbidden City

Maybe it’s because it’s summer vacation, the Great Wall is packed with people

The Divine Road, after passing this section you can reach the Ming Tombs

The buildings of the Old Summer Palace burned down by the Eight-Nation Alliance

The cutest age difference - Peter Lancarster Hisadaka

Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

Hanging Temple

The road in front of the earth forest

A river divides the earth forest into two sides

Interior view of Yamen Youth Hostel

My favorite tatami window in the youth hostel

The breakfast provided in the youth hostel is my favorite

Looking back years later, I still remember fondly the section of Pingyao City Wall we spent together. The setting sun bathed the walls in a crimson glow. There were no other tourists around except us. You and your father gazed at the bronze statues and chatted about Chinese culture, while I looked for light to take photos. Then, we descended the wall and dined at a nearby restaurant. We had bowls of porridge, Pingyao beef, oat noodle soup, herb meat, and long yam... The portions were small but the flavors were exceptional. We even smuggled in baijiu from a different winery. After enjoying a variety of Pingyao dishes, we found a bar for drinks. You said your father liked to drink, so you'd accompany him. Then you told me you could order a drink of your choice. Alcohol is truly amazing. My English isn't great, but after getting tipsy, I could actually understand everything you said. You drank a lot of baijiu, fearing your father would get drunk. As we left the bar, your father, claiming he wanted more drinks, hurried off alone. Although I worried he'd gotten lost, he was nowhere to be found. Back at the inn, you continued reading the manga "Naruto" in the lobby, while I huddled next to you, charging my phone. We chatted leisurely about the Chinese zodiac, birth dates, palmistry, and other very Chinese cultural topics. You also told me about your family—your Japanese mother and American father, your beautiful sister and handsome brother—and these conversations finally unraveled the mystery of your non-standard European and American face. When you looked at me again with those beautiful eyes, the unfamiliarity was gone. Your kiss was so sudden, my face instantly burning hot, and I froze, saying, "Hmm, are you tired? I'm going back to my room. Good night." It turns out some people are just naturally deficient in expressing themselves in crucial moments, like me. Although I know Yang Yang told me that the first time you saw me, you secretly told him that the girl across the street was very sexy. Looking back on the first time I saw you, it was more than just a surprise. Perhaps, on the road, the most beautiful scenery is simply love at first sight. To like you means that I think you are the most beautiful person in the world.

Sunset over the City Wall

Night View of Pingyao Ancient City

Pingyao Winery

Ancient City Escort Agency

Ancient City Compound

The last day in Pingyao seemed to arrive a little early. You asked me where we were going after Pingyao. I said we were going to Jiexiu to visit the Wang Family Courtyard, then to Linfen to see Hukou Waterfall. Would you like to come with us? You said you needed to discuss it with your father. In the end, you and I went to Jiexiu and Linfen, but I didn't go with you to Shaolin Temple. I've found that I always fall short at crucial moments. To this day, I still can't understand why, with all the time I had to wander, I didn't make more time for each other. Was it simply because your passport said you were born in 1992? Before we left for the Jiexiu train station, a light drizzle began to fall. It was the first rain in 75 days of wandering. Peter's father kindly pulled a large shopping bag from his bag and covered my suitcase. He even cut a hole in the plastic bag to allow the handle to extend and retract. After all this, your father smiled broadly at me, and I was deeply moved by this kind of American fatherly love. Jiexiu is a small town rarely visited by foreigners, so the restaurant owner was particularly welcoming. He gave us a generous helping of side dishes even though we ordered three bowls of noodle soup. Back then, I described Wang's Villa to Peter like this: "A man surnamed Wang, his villa, haha." The night we left Wang's Villa and arrived in Linfen, we went to a restaurant for drinks. You and I sat side by side, your father across from you, telling all sorts of funny jokes. You held my hand the whole time, and even after we left the restaurant, you didn't seem to let go. Your father walked beside us in a cheerful mood, his smile so generous. This was truly a different kind of American culture. Late at night, walking down the streets of Linfen, where no one recognized me, I suddenly felt a surge of pride: a Chinese aunt triumphing over an American youth. A Chinese aunt triumphing over an American youth... okay, okay, it was just a simple feeling of happiness. Whenever I quietly looked at you, I was struck by your beautiful features. I couldn't help but touch them for a long time, feeling that they resembled the plaster figures I drew when I was studying art.