2700 Kilometers from 'Mountain City' to 'Magic City' – With SAIC Volkswagen PHEV
In July, together with friends, I participated in the Volkswagen Thousand-Mile Self-Driving Tour, embarking on a journey that was both painful and joyful. The pain was the hot weather and the fatigue of driving a thousand miles. The joy was the double enjoyment of taste and sight from delicious food and beautiful scenery, and most importantly, the rich driving experience brought by a comfortable hybrid car.
First Stop: Chongqing
The mountain city is truly a psychedelic city. Its diverse mountainous terrain forces you to marvel at the wisdom and hard work of the laboring people while respecting nature. How many hands and feet, how much sweat it took to create a city of brilliant lights in such a complex and rugged environment! It was overcast and misty in Chongqing that day. We drove across the Qiansimen Bridge, and the buildings on the opposite bank appeared like a mirage. Their lower halves were already uneven due to the terrain, and with the mist, they flickered in and out of view. I instantly understood why Spirited Away chose Chongqing as a filming location.
The spicy Chongqing hotpot, the mouth-watering ice jelly—even though I later had a severe stomachache for several days, I couldn't help but endlessly savor the memory.
Heading north along the Yangtze River, passing through tunnels of varying lengths, we advanced toward Wushan.
Arriving in Wushan, the weather cleared up. Wasn't this scene exactly the illustration in our middle school textbooks? I quickly took a photo for the record. Suddenly I missed my school days a bit. Seeing this view, I wanted to recite a poem, but my literary talent is lacking, so I could only utter one line... (fill in the blanks yourself; if I wrote it, it might be censored).
This blue sky, these white clouds, this green mountain, this green... no, yellow water. Why is it yellow? Later I asked a local boatman and learned that Wushan had always had green mountains and clear water, but due to flooding from the past few months, the water level rose dramatically, giving us the "yellow water" we saw. Ah, the disaster-ridden 2020. I hope the affected areas recover soon. Taking a boat deeper into the Lesser Three Gorges, we finally saw Wushan's original appearance—green mountains and blue water.
Because of the tight schedule, we didn't get to eat Wushan grilled fish. Let me tantalize you with Wushan crisp apricots and fish hotpot. I asked the name of this fish three times but still couldn't remember it. Anyway, it has no scales and has a chewy texture.
To experience the feeling of "departing from Baidi in the morning," we drove to White Emperor City. The photo was taken the next morning when we set out from Baidi. The long corridor of White Emperor City was truly spectacular and full of beauty. Majestic! That's the word, but it doesn't fully express its somber beauty.
Why do I say somber beauty? I don't know if it's because of the weather or that White Emperor City has its own background music, but there is always an inexplicable sense of melancholy. In the hot weather, I felt a trace of chill around me, especially in this banyan forest. The banyan trees intertwined with thousands of strands, creating a cool shade. The hemp ropes wrapped around the trees had painted ethereal characters. The wind blew the fate plaques hanging on the trees, and the sound of concentric locks clashing sent a shiver down my spine. Actually, there was also an empty sedan chair among the trees, but our photographer, Little Timid, wouldn't let it in the frame. Yet these items together were harmonious, making you stop to appreciate. So I call it somber beauty.
The weather was so hot that this ice cream left a deep impression on me. It was a lifesaver; it definitely deserves a name. And my silly cute companions, hahaha.
Departing from Baidi in the morning, arriving at Zigui in the evening, we experienced the difficulty of the Shu roads (harder than reaching the sky) and witnessed the magnificent spectacle of the Three Gorges Dam discharging floodwaters.
Second Stop: Changsha
I never had much feeling for Changsha before until I met a friend from there. I often heard that Changsha has countless delicacies and a rich night market culture. Now I finally saw it with my own eyes. Changsha's thick atmosphere of life seemed to finally pull me out of the pandemic daze.
Changsha's unique Cha Yan Yue Se tea, the "stinky but happy" Changsha stinky tofu, the most authentic glutinous rice balls and lard-mixed rice noodles hidden in deep alleys that we found after walking several streets—these are the most down-to-earth, simplest tastes of happiness. Almost forgot the fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks in enamel jars. With a few good friends, there was a pleasure of drinking on the street and having a good time. (We all parked the car at the hotel before daring to drink some alcoholic beverages.) Here's a reminder: of all the roads, safety is the first; if you drive recklessly, your loved ones will weep.
When in Changsha, we have to mention Orange Isle. "I see hills surging in crimson all over, and woods in deep dye; the river green down to the bed, with a hundred barges in fight." Limited by season, there weren't crimson hills everywhere, but it was still magnificent enough.
Third Stop: Yueyang
Who doesn't know the Yueyang Tower? Overlooking the eight-hundred-li Dongting Lake, the entire beautiful river was laid out before my eyes. I am a mundane person, without the literary talent of the ancients, but I was still awed by the scenery. Let's enjoy the photos together.
I also took several nice shots of our car.
Fourth Stop: Wuhan
This city, which had been asleep for half a year—our hot dry noodles—is finally recovered. Seeing her again, she was truly full of vitality. Wuhan locals say, "Morning taste Hubu Alley, night eat Jiqing Street." The first time I came to Wuhan, I only visited Hubu Alley. This time, of course, I had to explore Jiqing Street.
It was so lively! Even Shanghai doesn't have such a strong atmosphere. The "illness" is completely cured. The streets were full of braised snacks, crispy fried pork, and "good buddies together forever" mung bean soup, cool and refreshing. Finally, a hearty snail barbecue dinner. Full and satisfied, back to sleep.
Passing by Yellow Crane Tower, I took a night view. The next day I took a panoramic shot because I had already climbed the tower before, so I didn't go up this time.
Fifth Stop: Nanchang
Before this trip, I knew nothing about Nanchang except from textbooks that it was where the armed revolution first started. I never had any curiosity to understand this city. Perhaps if not for this road trip being on the route, I would never have had the chance to set foot on this land. So, fortunately, I came and got to know it. Arriving in Nanchang in the evening, the first feeling upon entering the city was a sense of solemnity and order, but not a lifeless solemnity. It was a reverent dignity, as if someone had suddenly pulled the strings on your backbone, making you want to straighten up immediately, walking with a proud stride, or else you wouldn't be worthy of Nanchang's cityscape. Why did I feel this way? Let me talk about Nanchang's traffic first. We arrived during rush hour, and there were many cars but no congestion. Everything was orderly and well-organized. As for the buildings on both sides of the road, they were uniform, mostly with vertical striped textures. I don't know the architectural jargon, but the first image that came to my mind was the Great Hall of the People—simple, grand, with an imposing presence. Finally, the environment. It's an exaggeration to say it was spotless, but it felt clean and tidy. In short, two words: comfortable. When the lights came on, this uniform grandeur was even more vivid.
Sixth Stop: Nanjing
This is a city inscribed with the honor and disgrace of the nation. Nanjing! Nanjing! The voice echoes in my ears. The grand Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the gentle banks of the Qinhuai River, carry the city's heavy history.
Final Stop: Shanghai
The journey ended perfectly.
