The Joy of Independent Travel: Savoring the Endless Charm of the Land of Abundance

For me, a very important purpose of traveling is to relax. If you travel with a heavy heart but end up gaining a sense of complete relaxation, then that trip will be a meaningful one. Traveling with people around you makes it even more interesting. Life doesn't necessarily have to be a trip taken on a whim, but you must always be prepared to leave at any moment.

No. 1: The Leisurely Residence in Kuanzhai Alley

Most people who come to Chengdu are here to enjoy the food. The city's reputation as a food capital is renowned worldwide. Kuanzhai Alley, Jinli, Wuhou Shrine, Du Fu Thatched Cottage, etc., are all must-visit spots. The most famous is probably Kuanzhai Alley, known as the 'living room of Chengdu'.

A few crooked, narrow alleys, crisscrossing like a casual stroke, outline the essence of half of old Chengdu.

Snacks, the steam of stoves, loudly shouting vendors and merchants, bustling passersby and travelers. Walking along, the three main alleys and dozens of narrower side alleys are filled with the purest flavors of everyday life.

Walking in the ancient, picturesque Kuanzhai Alley, I strolled through the sea of people. The streets were lined with a dazzling variety of specialty snacks: sugar-oil fruit, stinky tofu, ice cream, and more. Unfortunately, my stomach wasn't big enough to hold all those snacks, so I had to save them for next time.

Suddenly, a tightly closed door in front of me made me stop. I looked up at the plaque above, and the two characters on it made me deeply realize the vastness and depth of Chinese culture, and that I still have a long way to go.

'Jiao Liao' – at first glance, I really didn't know how to pronounce these two characters. Seeing the introduction beside it, it seemed to be a hotel. Since I hadn't found a place to stay yet, I decided to go in and take a look.

When the door opened, the corridor in front deeply captured my attention.

'A winding path leads to a secluded spot, and the meditation room is deep among flowers and trees. The mountain light delights the birds, and the reflection in the pool empties the human heart.' Though not a meditation room, it surpasses one. Though there are no high mountains or pools, there are flowers, trees, water, and birds – truly evocative.

Upon entering and experiencing everything about Jiaoliao, I instantly decided to stay here. After settling in, it brought me even more surprises. It truly felt like a leisurely residence hidden in the bustling city.

This hotel is small, with only 10 rooms. But each room is nearly 100 square meters. The entire hotel offers excellent privacy, with attentive butler service that can arrange all sorts of things. The room also has a unique feature: a small window called the butler service window. When it's inconvenient, small items like takeout or room supplies can be placed inside, ensuring complete privacy. It's like being at home, without worrying about outside noise, allowing you to enjoy your own space in peace.

Service is one thing, but the hotel's hardware facilities are also excellent. The decoration and layout of the rooms give a very comfortable feeling. The overall style is traditional Chinese, a style I really like.

Later, the butler told me that the hotel is centered around Zhuangzi culture. Everywhere in the hotel, you can feel the atmosphere of Zhuangzi's philosophy, along with many antiques and old artifacts, creating a strong cultural ambiance.

Although I only stayed for a short day, I deeply felt the charm of Jiaoliao. The hotel is small but exquisite, leisurely and comfortable. Its environment, atmosphere, and service are all impressive. If I come to Chengdu again, I will surely return to experience the charm of Jiaoliao.

Since I was staying in Kuanzhai Alley, I naturally wanted to explore it thoroughly, even though I only stayed one day. Kuanzhai Alley is an ancient street that inherits Chengdu's historical culture, but nowadays it has become more commercialized, crowded with tourists from all over coming to check in.

Compared to other pedestrian streets, Kuanzhai Alley features neat and wide bluestone slabs along the way, exuding a leisurely atmosphere. Slowing down, the old Chengdu street life unfolds before you. The weather in late November was misty and cold, but there were still many tourists. The street was bustling with the sound of cheerful conversations from various places. The ancient walls and doorways, with green branches climbing over the walls, adorned with unknown flowers blooming wildly, faintly shimmering in the night, enticing passersby.

Kuan Alley has a Chengdu Life Experience Hall where you can experience local folk customs. Narrow Alley is a refined lifestyle area themed with Western-style dining, light meals, coffee, art and leisure, health living centers, and specialty culture shops. It caters to all kinds of people. The Starbucks here is also very distinctive, completely integrated into the alley, and it's my personal favorite Starbucks so far.

How could a fun place lack food? Speaking of food, I really don't know where to start – there's so much. Rabbit head? Rabbit meat? Chicken leg? Stinky tofu? Hot and sour noodles? Turtle jelly? So many, I ate until I could barely walk.

As a representative of Chengdu's slow life, Kuanzhai Alley exudes a carefree attitude of laughing at the world. It's a must-visit in Chengdu, allowing you to escape the city life full of fame and fortune. Spend a leisurely afternoon here with family and friends, feeling time stand still.

I had always wanted to find a place to ski, so I started looking into nearby ski resorts: Xiling Snow Mountain? Emeishan Ski Resort? Zhegu Mountain? Or Jiudingshan Taiziling Ski Resort? In the end, I chose Jiudingshan Taiziling Ski Resort because of its relatively complete services and ski facilities.

Address: Taiziling Ski Resort is located next to National Highway 213 from Wenchuan County to Mao County in Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It is at Qinglongping in the Jiudingshan Scenic Area (turn right at Tongzhong Tunnel and go up the mountain for 25 km), 180 km from Chengdu city. The ski resort is at an altitude of 2,750 meters, with 3,310 meters of ski runs.

We drove there, about 3 hours, directly to the ski resort.

After arriving at Jiudingshan, we stayed at Heming Zhuang Holiday Hotel. It is located on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the ski equipment hall at Taiziling Ski Resort, with 71 guest rooms. All rooms are decorated with wooden sauna panels, with heating. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the rooms provide a wide view, offering a panoramic view of the snowy scenery. The design is unique and novel, with a strong Qiang ethnic flavor.

Of course, the food is also carefully selected from natural, pollution-free, locally characteristic green ingredients, such as highland yak meat, lamb, wild vegetables, alpine wild mushrooms, etc.

The scenic restaurant offers convenient, hygienic and nutritious meals with unique Tibetan and Qiang flavors. At the same time, large floor-to-ceiling windows allow you to enjoy the sunny snowy views of Jiudingshan while dining.

Ski gear: Be sure to bring sunglasses and ski goggles (UV rays are strong at high altitudes), a hat, gloves (otherwise digging snow with your hands is quite painful), and socks (wearing an extra pair is very warm).

From beginner to intermediate, I had a great time skiing, but my butt hurt a bit. I might have annoyed the ski patrol (I fell many times and needed rescue). I fell so much I forgot things, laughed until my chest hurt. Driven by my obsession with skiing, I'll challenge Taiziling again next year.

We returned just in time for the evening, so we enjoyed the night view of Wenchuan. The car played gentle and touching songs. Looking out the window, the turbulent water hit the new bridge.

Passing through New Wenchuan, the night view along the way was very beautiful, with dazzling lights, bright yet quiet and gentle.

I hope the people here enjoy peace, joy, and happiness.

Here, winter is the perfect time, and skiing is the perfect activity.

I believe everyone has a fondness for ancient towns, each with a favorite one. I remember my last visit to Huanglongxi was a year ago, in summer. At that time, my companions were all wearing sandals, so I didn't join them in the water, which I regretted a bit.

Dropping a picture from summer.

Huanglongxi Ancient Town, I think it's the largest ancient town I've ever visited. But I feel there are fewer people in winter than in summer. The weather today is good, sunny, and I plan to go with my best friend to wander around. Huanglongxi Ancient Town is a classic blend of man-made and ancient relics. Entering the town, you see flagstone roads and small streams lined with antique-style buildings.

But it doesn't diminish the poetic imagery of small bridges, flowing water, and homes. The scene is picturesque and intoxicating. Entering the gate, you see a large tripod with a fountain spraying water, and the sunlight makes it sparkle with colors. Following the stream downstream, you come to an arch bridge that you can walk across.

Its main street is paved with flagstones, flanked by stilted buildings with upturned eaves. The shops sell food, clothing, handicrafts, and miscellaneous goods; you can just glance around. The second-floor buildings: those near the inner street are used as residences, while those near the river are for business. Walking through one street, you see another alley. The smooth bluestone road underfoot, the jet-black shiny door panels, and the antique signboards exude a strong ancient charm.

I was hungry, so I looked for food. Last time I didn't get to eat 'one noodle' (a type of noodle) because it was too crowded to get in. This time I came early and there weren't many people, so I went in for a bowl. The noodles were 20 yuan per bowl – a bit pricey. They came quickly. The noodles were quite thick, like pulled noodles. After mixing, each strand was well-coated, with some beef tripe and beef. The soup base was traditional Sichuan seasoning, spicy and numbing. After eating, I had a sip of the soup – perfect.

In between, I also ate a lot of snacks, mostly grilled items, and they tasted pretty good. The shop assistants didn't pull you in to buy; they would say 'you can just look even if you don't buy'. Some even offered free samples. We spent about an hour walking and eating.

Along the way, there were countless shops and ancient buildings. Starting from the dragon head fountain, walk to the end, then turn left. Seeing the dragon tail marks the end. The dragon tail is a magnificent river with a spectacular bridge in the distance. There were many boats on the river. In summer, there are even more exciting things.

In this ancient, charming town with small bridges and flowing water, there was no loud, pushy salesmanship, only happy people.

I heard you can see many beautiful girls and handsome guys here. Yes, that's exactly why we came. Taikoo Li, adjacent to Daci Temple, is not only a combination of fast play and slow life, but also a collision of tradition and fashion. Fast and slow, new and old, standing together in the city's most bustling center, reflecting the city's inclusive spirit.

Here, there are fashionably dressed beauties and handsome guys, all kinds of internet celebrities, as well as locals in casual wear walking their dogs. Everyone goes their own way, takes their own photos, as if two different worlds. Chengdu Taikoo Li is a local internet-famous spot and an important commercial center with a collection of international brands.

Taikoo Li has a superior location in the city center of Chengdu, with very wide pedestrian streets. Looking from afar, on top of one of the shopping malls, there is a giant panda climbing the wall.

The Taikoo Li shopping area has many brand stores gathered together. Most international luxury brands can be found here. The area is filled with big names, and well-known luxury stores are everywhere. Many world brands, even the only first-line domestic brands, take pride in opening flagship stores in Taikoo Li.

There are many young people here, so it feels more fashionable. In the center square, there are people doing performances, and there is also a specialty food street with very local food. If you go to Chengdu, Taikoo Li is a must-visit.

Bravely accepting the invitation of the world, I float, with no reason for myself. A path of growth for the young, many transformative travel experiences, just to find a journey of the soul. Even when alone, I especially cherish the scenery along the way.