Ten Thousand Mu Bamboo Sea—Shenling Village

All waterfalls in the world are made of water, only Shenling's are made of stone. The nearest 4A mountain-and-water scenic area to Luoyang, Shenling Village, was our destination this week. On a scorching morning, we set off. From getting on the expressway to getting off took only 50 minutes—really fast. Though it's called a "village," there are actually very few shops or houses here; instead, what you see is the "original ecology" as advertised, and water everywhere. Thin, lively water; surging, roaring water; water cascading down large stone slabs; and scattered pools and puddles of still water... All this water is extremely cool, and taking a sip leaves a slight sweetness on the tongue! Most of the pools in Shenling Village are naturally formed, and even in summer the water is icy cold. The water is so clear that no matter how deep, you can see straight to the bottom. Colorful little stones line the bottom, schools of small fish swim freely, and wild crabs leisurely blow tiny bubbles, making you want to jump in and play with them. Shenling Village is also covered with trees, forming forests where various birds build nests and raise their young. Under the scorching sun, we hid in the shade of the trees, listening to the gurgling water, the melodious birdsong, and admiring the colorful wildflowers by the stream—it was delightful. At first sight, the view was truly magnificent. Due to time constraints, I only climbed as far as the highlight scenic spot, the Great Stone Waterfall, and then turned back. There were many other wonderful places in Shenling Village that I didn't get to. I took a small loop route for the highlights; I don't think I could manage the big loop. If you're interested and physically up to it, consider the big loop. The small loop takes about four hours in total, while the big loop takes seven to eight hours. Along the way, the small loop doesn't require much climbing—the stairs are at most a dozen or so, so even the elderly and children can do it. It's suitable for a family outing. What impressed me the most were the many stone waterfalls of all sizes and over twenty suspension bridges, which made it fun for kids. Even we adults could rediscover the joy of childhood. Enough talk—here are some pictures of the scenic area. At noon, we tasted local Luoning cuisine at the Yiyin Pavilion in the scenic area. Let me say something about the food at Shenling Village: when I looked at the menu, the prices were very reasonable, basically the same as local Luoning prices. At Shenling Village, you can try Luoyang's specialty steamed pork with rice flour and Luoyang's sour beef—both delicious. Of course, you can also enjoy the local specialty all-bamboo banquet here. After finishing the day's itinerary, we checked into Shenling Village's characteristic folk accommodation—the Inn. I must say, this folk inn is very distinctive. Nestled among the mountains and waters, it is decorated with locally made bamboo products, with an antique charm that exudes a different kind of artistic atmosphere—perfect for taking photos and checking in.