Charming River Town -Huanglonxi, China
14 February 2019
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Huanglonxi is a small river town that I would say is less travelled, when compared to say The Great Wall of China, or The Terracotta Warriors or the Visiting the Three Gorges Dam, China but it provides a lasting memory. Huanglonxi is close to Chengdu, about 30 kilometres and it is free. It is a good example of Chinese heritage , culture and custom dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. It an old village of around 2000 inhabitants. The use of wood for building houses was very common. This was a very charming little village, full of character.
We were met at the entrance by some of the villagers selling flower head wreaths, which we couldn’t resist. You can buy different colours and shades for very little money. I chose a very colourful bouquet, naturally.
The river town is very popular place with the locals who travelled from miles around, some in coaches. It seemed they have come to let their heads down, forget their worries and simply let go. Everyone had fun in the water which was like a man made stream with stepping stones in some places and small bridges over it so that you can cross and walk on either side of the stream. People jumped into the water, splashed, laughed and just enjoyed themselves. It was good to see people having a great time – young and old – a great fun family day out. Perfect.
Our guide told us that the government paid for extensive renovations to be carried out to preserve their heritage.
Lots of statutes and carvings. I have no idea what they all mean. I am sure our guide explained it to us but there was so much to take in that I just enjoyed the atmosphere than having to work out the historical importance of these things.
Some of you will know that I am a foodie and that I have a stomach of an ox! So I couldn’t resist trying some of the snack delicacies on sale like roasted scorpion on a stick. I did not think I would be allowed to bring them back into the U.K. so I chose the spicy chilli paste instead. I had had some of these spices at various restaurants during the tour but these ones were special. I could not resist buying them for myself. I must say that they are delicious and they did not last long in my pantry. If you have the stomach for it, you should try these unusual (for us in the west) Chinese snacks on sale during your visit.
Now this is something I have never seen or knew about and I was most fascinated by it. This gentleman did not mind me taking his photo and decided to close his eyes or it could be that he was enjoying the treatment! He was having his earwax removed! A delicate operation I think and one that is based on complete trust. I dont think I would like someone else sticking anything inside my ears. No way jose! Apparently, the Chinese love this treatment like we enjoy a body massage in the west. Fascinating!
I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this charming little town. It was great to see the Chinese people at play, and relaxing. It was not a tourist attraction, though tourists are welcomed, but a place for domestic tourists to visit as a day out – to eat, play and generally have fun. I could sit there for hours people watching. And of course try some of the local delicacies!