Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1570 24.
Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei, two good friends, have always had a common dream - to travel all over China. They are eager to experience the customs and practices of different regions, taste the local specialties, and experience the profoundness of Chinese culture. On a sunny morning, they packed their bags and set off for Guilin.

After several hours of flight, the plane slowly landed at Guilin Liangjiang International Airport. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei walked out of the airport with excitement and were immediately surrounded by the unique landscape of Guilin.

"Wow, Pengfei, we are finally in Guilin! The air here feels especially fresh." Li Xiao said excitedly.

"Yes, I've heard that Guilin's scenery is the best in the world. This time I must see it for myself." Huang Pengfei was also full of anticipation.

They took the airport bus to the city, and the hotel they booked in advance was right by the Li River. After putting down their luggage, the two couldn't wait to go to the Li River Scenic Area. Standing on the bank of the Li River, the scenery in front of them amazed them. The clear river water was like a green ribbon, winding through the mountains. The peaks were of different shapes, some like camels, some like elephants, and some like bamboo shoots, reflected in the river, like a natural ink painting.

"It's so beautiful, it's like a fairyland!" Li Xiao couldn't help but sigh.

"Haha, let's take some pictures as a souvenir." Huang Pengfei said as he took out his camera and started taking pictures from various angles.

They strolled along the Li River, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. Along the way, they met many tourists who were also traveling. Everyone was attracted by the beautiful scenery and exclaimed in admiration from time to time.

"Hey, where are you from?" an enthusiastic aunt asked them with a smile.

"We are from the north and have always wanted to visit Guilin." Li Xiao replied politely.

“Guilin is really beautiful. You must go on a cruise. It’s even more enjoyable to see the scenery from the water.” Auntie recommended enthusiastically.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei thanked the aunt for her advice and decided to go on a cruise. They bought tickets and boarded the cruise. The cruise slowly sailed on the Li River, and the breeze brought a cool breeze. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei stood at the bow and enjoyed the scenery on both sides of the river.

"Look at the mountains over there. Under the sunlight, the colors become even brighter." Li Xiao said to Huang Pengfei, pointing to the mountains in the distance.

"It's true. Guilin's landscape is so beautiful that you never get tired of looking at it." Huang Pengfei responded.

On the cruise ship, they also listened to the tour guide's explanation of the history and legends of the Li River, and got a deeper understanding of this beautiful landscape. After the cruise ship sailed for a while, it docked at a pier. After getting off the boat, they came to a small fishing village. The villagers here still maintain their traditional lifestyle. Fishing boats are docked by the river and fishing nets are drying on the shore.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei strolled around the fishing village, feeling the tranquility and simplicity here. As they walked, they saw many beautiful handicrafts hanging in front of a small shop.

"Wow, these handicrafts are so exquisite." Li Xiao walked into the store and picked up a small basket woven with bamboo and looked at it carefully.

"Boss, how much is this?" Huang Pengfei asked.

"This small basket costs 30 yuan, and it's all handmade by us." The boss replied enthusiastically.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei thought the price was reasonable, so they bought a few small baskets as souvenirs. After visiting the fishing village, it was already noon and their stomachs began to growl. The two decided to try Guilin's specialties.

They came to a local restaurant and ordered some famous dishes of Guilin, such as Guilin rice noodles, beer fish, and stuffed snails. Soon, the dishes were served. The aroma of Guilin rice noodles filled the air. The white rice noodles were paired with tender braised meat, crispy peanuts, golden soybeans, and emerald green onions, which made people's appetite increase.

"Well, this Guilin rice noodle is so delicious, smooth and chewy with a rich flavor." Li Xiao praised it while eating.

"The beer fish is also good, the fish meat is tender and has the fresh aroma of beer." Huang Pengfei also praised the beer fish.

After dinner, they took a short break and went to Yangshuo to watch the folk performance. The folk performance venue was very lively, and the audience was looking forward to the wonderful performance. After the performance began, the actors dressed in bright ethnic costumes, danced happily and sang beautiful folk songs. They also performed some traditional acrobatics and magic, which won applause from the audience.

"These folk performances are really unique and allow us to feel the cultural heritage of Guilin," Li Xiao said to Huang Pengfei.

"Yes, this trip is really worth it." Huang Pengfei nodded in agreement.

After watching the folk performance, the sky gradually darkened. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei returned to the hotel, recalling the wonderful experience of the day. They were full of expectations for the next journey, wondering what kind of surprises the next city would bring them?

The next day, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei got up early, packed their luggage, and prepared to go to the next attraction. They bid farewell to the beautiful Guilin and embarked on a new journey...

After leaving Guilin, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei boarded the train to Zhangjiajie. Along the way, the two excitedly discussed their expectations for Zhangjiajie and imagined the magnificent scenery of the strange peaks and rocks there.

After several hours of driving, they finally arrived at Zhangjiajie. As soon as they got out of the train station, they were shocked by the unique landform of Zhangjiajie. Surrounded by mountains, the peaks towered into the clouds, and the clouds and mists lingered in between, as if they were in a fairyland.

"Wow, Pengfei, this place is so spectacular!" Li Xiao couldn't help but exclaimed loudly.

"Yes, it feels like it has a completely different style from Guilin." Huang Pengfei also looked around excitedly.

They took a bus to a hotel near Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. After checking in, they could not wait to go to the scenic spot. After entering the scenic spot, the first thing that caught their eyes was the Golden Whip Stream. The water was clear and the fish were swimming happily in the water. The trees beside the stream were lush and green, and the sunlight shone through the gaps between the leaves onto the ground, forming patches of light.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei strolled along the Golden Whip Creek, breathing the fresh air and feeling the beauty of nature.

"Look, does that mountain over there look like a golden hoop?" Li Xiao said to Huang Pengfei, pointing to a mountain in the distance.

"It's really similar, haha, the mountains in Zhangjiajie are really strange and bizarre." Huang Pengfei responded with a smile.

They enjoyed the scenery along the way and took photos. They also encountered some wild monkeys by the Golden Whip Stream. These monkeys were not afraid of people at all, running among the tourists, and some even stretched out their hands to ask for food from tourists.

"Wow, these monkeys are so cute." Li Xiao took out some snacks and handed them to the monkeys.

"Be careful, don't get scratched by the monkey." Huang Pengfei reminded.

After playing with the monkeys for a while, they continued on their way. As they walked, they came to a fork in the road, one leading to Yuanjiajie and the other to Huangshizhai. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei discussed and decided to go to Yuanjiajie first. They took the scenic area's eco-friendly car to Yuanjiajie. The scenery in Yuanjiajie is even more spectacular, with the famous Qiankun Pillar, which is the prototype of the floating mountain in the movie "Avatar". The Qiankun Pillar towers into the clouds, surrounded by clouds and mist, giving people a mysterious and shocking feeling.

"It's incredible! It's simply a masterpiece of nature." Li Xiao looked at the Qiankun Pillar and was amazed.

"Yes, it really seems to be suspended in the air." Huang Pengfei was also impressed by the scenery before him.

After they had been to Yuanjiajie for a while, they went to the No. 1 Bridge in the World. The No. 1 Bridge in the World is a naturally formed stone bridge that spans between two peaks. The bridge deck is wide, and there is a deep abyss under the bridge. Standing on the bridge, one can't help but marvel at the wonders of nature.

"Wow, this bridge is so magical." Li Xiao walked to the bridge carefully and looked down.

"It feels so exciting, but also a little scary," Huang Pengfei said with a smile.

After coming down from the No. 1 Bridge in the World, it was already afternoon. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei were so hungry that they decided to try the special food of Zhangjiajie. They came to a restaurant in the scenic area and ordered special dishes such as three-pot, Tujia bacon, and rock ear stewed chicken.

Three-in-one pot is one of the specialties of Zhangjiajie. It is a pot where bacon, tofu, radish and other ingredients are cooked together. It tastes spicy and delicious. Tujia bacon is golden in color, rich in fragrance, and tastes fat but not greasy. Rock ear chicken stew is a nutritious soup. Rock ear is a wild mushroom unique to Zhangjiajie. It tastes delicious when stewed with chicken.

"Well, these dishes are so delicious. Zhangjiajie's food is really as famous as it is said to be." Li Xiao said while eating.

"Yes, I feel very satisfied after eating." Huang Pengfei also smiled with satisfaction.

After eating, they rested for a while and then went to the folk performance venue in the scenic area to watch the folk performance. The folk performance showed the traditional culture of the Tujia people in Zhangjiajie, such as the waving dance and the Maogus dance. The actors were dressed in traditional Tujia costumes, singing and dancing, and the scene was very lively.

"These dances are very distinctive and seem full of vitality," Li Xiao said to Huang Pengfei.

"Well, the Tujia culture is really unique." Huang Pengfei nodded in agreement.

After watching the folk performance, the sky gradually darkened. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei returned to the hotel, washed up, and lay on the bed recalling the wonderful experience of the day.

"I am so happy today. The scenery in Zhangjiajie is so beautiful." said Li Xiao.

"Yes, let's go to Huangshizhai tomorrow. I heard that the scenery there is also very good." Huang Pengfei said.

"Okay, I'm looking forward to it." Li Xiao said with a smile.

The next day, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei got up early, packed their luggage, and headed to Huangshizhai. They took the cable car to the top of Huangshizhai Mountain. Standing on the top of the mountain, overlooking the surrounding scenery, they saw rolling mountains and clouds floating in the mountains, like a beautiful landscape painting.

They spent some time in Huangshi Village, admiring the various strange peaks and rocks. Then they started to go down the mountain. On the way down the mountain, they saw some local specialty shops, which sold Zhangjiajie specialties such as kudzu root powder, eucommia tea, and berry tea.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei walked into a specialty store, and the owner enthusiastically introduced the efficacy and characteristics of various specialties to them. After listening to the introduction, they bought some kudzu root powder and berry tea as gifts for relatives and friends.

After buying local specialties, they left Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and headed to their next destination...

After bidding farewell to the strange peaks and rocks of Zhangjiajie, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set off on a journey to Chengdu. Chengdu is a charming city with a long history, culture and rich food. They are full of expectations for this trip to Chengdu.

After a long flight, they finally arrived at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. As soon as they got off the plane, they felt the hospitality of Chengdu. The air was filled with the aroma of hot pot, which made people salivate.

"Wow, we're finally in Chengdu. I can already smell the hot pot." Li Xiao said excitedly.

“Haha, yes, Chengdu is the capital of food, we are in for a treat this time.” Huang Pengfei also responded with a smile.

They took the airport bus to the city and checked into the hotel they had booked in advance. After dropping off their luggage, the two couldn't wait to go out and explore the city. They first came to Jinli Ancient Street, which is quaint and full of Chengdu's traditional cultural atmosphere. There are various specialty shops on both sides of the street, selling handicrafts, snacks, and traditional costumes.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei strolled in Jinli Ancient Street, admiring the ancient buildings and traditional cultural performances around them. They saw some folk artists performing face-changing, and they were amazed by the magical face-changing skills.

"Wow, this face changing is amazing, how does it happen?" Li Xiao asked the audience next to him curiously.

"This is a unique skill of Sichuan Opera, it's a very secret one." The audience replied with a smile.

They tasted various snacks in Jinli Ancient Street, such as Long Chao Shou, Zhong Dumplings, Sugar-coated Fruits, etc. These snacks were so delicious that they couldn't stop eating.

"Well, this long wonton is so delicious. The skin is thin, the filling is big, and the soup is fresh and tasty." Li Xiao praised it while eating.

"Zhong dumplings are also good, with a sweet and spicy flavor, very unique." Huang Pengfei also praised Zhong dumplings.

After eating snacks, they came to Wuhou Temple, which is a temple dedicated to Zhuge Liang and the only temple in China that worships both the emperor and his ministers. The architecture here is magnificent and solemn, showing the charm of the Three Kingdoms culture.

Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei visited the Wuhou Temple and learned about Zhuge Liang's life and the history of the Three Kingdoms period. They deeply admired Zhuge Liang's wisdom and loyalty.

"Zhuge Liang is such a remarkable figure. His wisdom and strategy have had a profound impact on later generations," Li Xiao said with emotion.

"Yes, the history of the Three Kingdoms period is also very exciting, and the cultural heritage here is really profound." Huang Pengfei nodded in agreement.

After leaving Wuhou Temple, it was already evening. They decided to try Chengdu hotpot. Chengdu hotpot is famous for its spicy and fresh flavor, and is one of the representative delicacies of Chengdu. They came to a hotpot restaurant, which was very popular and full of people.