The Bearded Man's Joy
My coworkers all call me Beard Bro—probably because my beard has some flair! I'm going to toot my own horn a bit and post a selfie. Everyone, go ahead and judge!
Well, not bad, right? With the global pandemic this year, I was cooped up at home for over a month and finally went back to work. Man, I was going stir-crazy as an idle old guy. This week our office swapped shifts, my daughter's taking online classes, and my wife has to help her at home, so I rounded up a few old pals to get some fresh air. I never used to write travelogues, but Old Zhao and the others are all doing it, so I figured I'd give it a try. Who knows, I might even become an internet celebrity. If I mess up, please be lenient!
The old gang agreed to head out together on Friday afternoon. Old Wang drove, Old Zhao and I just soaked in the scenery along the way, and Popsicle rode shotgun. By the way, Popsicle's surname is Yelü—too hard to pronounce—plus he's skinny, so we just call him Popsicle!
Honestly, there wasn't much scenery on the road. We got off the highway at Fenglingdu to check out the Yellow River Fenglingdu ferry crossing and the old Tongguan gate tower, then kept heading toward our destination—Xi'an. Truth be told, I've been to Xi'an a few times, but that was back in the '90s. I have no idea what it's like nowadays!
Popsicle booked us a hotel right near the highway exit, easy parking, on Jiangong Road—it's a Jinjiang Inn. Honestly, I saw Hanting or Home Inn for only eighty or ninety yuan online and suggested we go cheap, but Old Zhao said you get what you pay for—too cheap and even the 84 disinfectant might be fake. Fair enough! It wasn't expensive anyway, just over 200 yuan. Better safe when you're away from home. At the hotel entrance they took our temperature and made us scan a health code. A bit of a hassle, but understandable in these special times—it's for everyone's safety. The room was pretty good, very clean. Old Zhao and I shared one, Popsicle and Old Wang took the other. After we checked in, us old buddies headed straight out to feast!
We asked at the front desk, and a young lady there was super friendly and very gracious. I think her name was Li Cong. Since she was a female comrade, I didn't have the heart to stare straight at her name tag—didn't want her to think I was a dirty old man. She suggested we try Old Zhao's Paomo Eatery next door to the hotel. So we set off, and it wasn't far—just a five-minute walk!
When we got there, it was bustling. We each got a bowl of paomo, though we didn't shred the bread ourselves. Only later did I learn that Xi'an locals always shred their own bread by hand when eating paomo. Oh well, at least we got to taste it! We ordered some grilled meat and a cold platter, and us old-timers dug in. To be honest, I think yangrou paomo (mutton bread soup) isn't as good as our Henan-style lamb stewed noodles. I'll try a beef paomo next time. But the grilled meat was excellent, so we had a few bottles of beer with it, really letting loose and feeling on top of the world. Since we had to head out again the next day, we turned in early.
The next day we got up fairly early and had the hotel's breakfast buffet. I've got to say, the breakfast here was really good—they even had freshly made rice noodles, though I think they were just glass noodles, along with handmade pancakes. Way better than the hotel where I stayed for training in Zhengzhou. Breakfast was perfect—big thumbs up to this hotel! In the lobby we ran into that same young lady from yesterday. Popsicle, being the youngest, went over to ask her where we could get some good photos. She recommended the South Gate City Wall and Xingqing Palace. After chatting, I found out she was the manager here—no wonder she was so approachable. Alright, enough chitchat. Rested and well-fed, we set off!
First we drove to the South Gate City Wall. I've gotta say, it was pretty impressive. Even though you have to scan a QR code everywhere these days, it's definitely a top spot for photos. I'm a total beginner, nowhere near as skilled as Old Wang and the others, so I just fiddled around with my cheap entry-level camera. As Old Wang put it, my skills aren't even at beginner level!
Fumbling around with them was tiring, especially at our age, but since I wasn't driving, I didn't want to spoil everyone's fun. Xingqing Palace is one of Xi'an's many imperial gardens. A plaque at the entrance describes the beautiful love story between Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Yang Guifei, which probably explains the garden's charm. They grow tons of plants there, with all kinds of flowers in full bloom. Even though my photography sucks, seeing such scenery still lifted my spirits. Worth it!
After a full day, we got back to the hotel in the evening. We rested a bit, then headed to Jia San Soup Dumpling Restaurant, which the front desk lady had suggested. Thank goodness we followed her advice and didn't drive—we would've spent an hour just looking for parking. We took bus No. 208 right in front of the hotel to the Bell Tower, which was pretty convenient. Jia San's was packed, and we waited forever to get seated. But once we tasted the soup dumplings, they were amazing. The dumplings sat limp in the steamer, but when you picked them up with chopsticks, they hung like little water bags, bursting with broth. You have to eat them slowly, or the broth splatters everywhere and you'll be doing laundry. The only downside is that alcohol isn't allowed on that street, so we couldn't really party. But since we'd be driving home the next day, it was probably for the best.
Afterwards, we slept like babies. Honestly, the beds in this hotel were super comfy—the mattresses felt thicker than in most places. I bought a few more cans of beer with Old Zhao, listened to him ramble about his army days, and then crashed.
Good times are always short. Time to head home—if we didn't, the wife brigade would blow a fuse, and none of us old dogs would get off easy! After breakfast and checkout, we hit the road home. All in all, it was a really relaxing and comfy weekend. Special shout-out to that hotel—safety and hygiene matter most when you're traveling. Plus the female manager's service was spot-on and thoughtful. I just wish I'd gotten her number; next time friends visit, I could book again!
On the way back, we listened to 'Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March' on Old Wang's car stereo, and just like that, the weekend was over. It's my first travelogue, and I'm not sure what to write—just treat it like a diary entry. Next chance I get, I'll definitely bring the family! Sincerely hope this pandemic ends soon. Keep fighting, everyone!
