First Trip After the Pandemic - A Cultural Tour of Shanxi and Hebei During the National Day Holiday

Day 1: Tianjin - Taiyuan (540 km)

In 2020, due to the pandemic, I didn't go anywhere—it was really suffocating. Finally, the outbreak was under control, and an 8-day holiday arrived. It would be such a waste of holiday and life not to go out. The company required approval for leaving Tianjin. Well, after going through layers of approval procedures and preparing the itinerary, I set off. It had been a while since I'd driven long distances, so I chose a place not too far. I didn't want to take public transport, so I drove. For a spontaneous trip within 500 km, Shanxi was the top choice; at least it wouldn't be congested during holidays. Tianjin to Taiyuan is over 500 km, perfect for a road trip. I've taken this route many times. Once past Hebei, traffic in Shanxi rarely gets jammed. The holiday was precious, and I didn't want to waste a single day. On the first day of the holiday, I set off at 6 am. Taiyuan, here I come again (I've been here many times before). The plan was: if no traffic, visit Donghu Vinegar Garden in the afternoon and buy some vinegar; if congested, just wander near the Fen River around the hotel, grab some food, and rest early. As it turned out, Hebei was really jammed, but at least we could crawl along. After passing Shijiazhuang and entering Yangquan, the traffic cleared. I arrived in Taiyuan at 4 pm. The hotel booking was a failure—it was very hard to find. I thought I'd just settle for one night in Taiyuan, so I randomly booked a highly-rated hotel near the Fen River on Ctrip. But it was extremely hard to locate—hidden in a residential compound with no sign, and not cheap either. It was worse than a budget chain like Home Inn or Hanting. How did it get such high ratings? You can imagine. The breakfast was so meager I wanted to go out to find a bowl of knife-cut noodles. I never mention hotel names in my travel notes unless I can't stand them. Everyone knows that during the holiday, a scenic area in Taiyuan had a fire, killing many tourists—that still gives me chills. The hotel corridor was so narrow that in a fire, nobody could escape. It was essentially a daily rental apartment, but the price was that of a big hotel. Yet when I checked in, I saw the price had dropped online, even during the holiday—it wasn't fully booked. The hotel name is: Taiyuan Boman Hotel! On the second day of the holiday, a 120 yuan hotel in Yuxian, Yangquan, was far better than this. This was the biggest rip-off I've ever experienced in all my years traveling! After settling in, it was already late. I found some food nearby and strolled along the Fen River near Changfeng Bridge, enjoying the night view along the river. But it couldn't compare to the Haihe River night view in Tianjin. Plus, Shanxi is cold—the sun sets and it's freezing. So I quickly returned to the hotel, washed up, and slept!

Day 2: Shanxi Geological Museum, Donghu Vinegar Garden (Stay in Yuxian, 105 km)

Day 2 began with sightseeing. I planned the Geological Museum and Donghu Vinegar Garden—two small spots that wouldn't take too long. Then I drove to Yuxian to stay, preparing for the next day's trip to Zangshan. The Geological Museum offers a full view of Shanxi's landforms and various exotic stones, including the museum's treasure—the Shanxi crocodile. I always enjoy visiting museums to soak up the local culture. I had already visited the Shanxi Museum last year, but there was no time to see everything then—I saved it for now. Then I went to Donghu to buy vinegar and learn about the vinegar-making process—it was great!

Day 3: Zangshan Scenic Area (20 km, stay in Shijiazhuang 160 km)

This is probably the most famous scenic area in Yangquan. It's famous because it's the hiding place of the Orphan of Zhao (Zhao's Orphan). The scenic area is beautifully built, and the hike isn't too tiring. There's also a glass walkway and a glass slide. Though crowded during the National Day holiday, it wasn't as packed as famous mountains where you can't move. I started around 10:30 am and played until nearly 4 pm.

Day 4: Hebei Museum

The hotel was right next to the Hebei Museum, convenient for the next day's visit. The location was excellent—you could see people feeding pigeons in the square, and it was easy to join them. Ha!

Day 5: Zhengding Ancient City Wall, Longxing Temple (15 km)

A one-day trip to Zhengding, only about 15 km from downtown Shijiazhuang. This was the best weather day—the ancient city wall and temples looked exceptionally beautiful under a blue sky with white clouds. Zhengding is a place where President Xi Jinping once worked—it's an ancient town. The scenic area is exceptionally well-maintained, and I spent a full day there. At night, there were even more people than during the day, all coming for the night views. After a day out, I headed back. The night view can wait for another visit; after all, it's not far from Tianjin.

Day 6: Mancheng Han Tomb (155 km, stay in Baoding 20 km)

Another lesser-known scenic spot along the return route—no crowds. History lovers will enjoy it. Although the treasures are mainly in the Hebei Museum, you can still hike up to the highest point for a panoramic view of the county, and see the tomb carved into the mountain over 2,000 years ago. The wisdom of the ancients is not to be underestimated.

Day 7: Shengfang Ancient Town (130 km, go home 70 km)

An even more obscure spot—no signs or promotion, far less impressive than Zhengding Ancient City. But it still has some historical charm and is very close to Tianjin. It was a good choice to stop by before heading home.

This National Day holiday was a lot of fun. Despite occasional minor traffic jams, it was okay. When driving on the highway, it's important to obey traffic rules and not drive recklessly. The main cause of traffic jams is accidents—one accident causes everyone to stop. So don't force your way or get angry when driving; let others cut in when they want. That way, no one gets into trouble. Yielding doesn't mean you're a bad driver—it's for the safety of yourself and your family, and to avoid causing trouble for others, isn't it?