I’ve been making some updates to the look of the site, now its time for me to tell you more about my trip. One thing I forgot in Part 1… While riding and passing the mountains, factories, mines, etc., there were many small villages. And guess what I see on the roofs of these small houses made mostly of mud bricks in the middle of rural/nowhere China? Satellite dishes… They need their TV too I guess.
In Taiyuan…
Taiyuan is the capital of Shanxi Province. A town maybe between the size of Baltimore and Philadelphia, the city is located directly between two mountains. Looking down the main street of the city you will see a mountain range in the near distance. Standing in that same spot, of you look directly behind you, you will spot another mountain range at the other border of the city.
Taiyuan, Shanxi Province was a 23 hour train ride northwest from Shanghai. Liu Yang told me while riding the train to notice the difference in homes in “southern” China (Shanghai is considered southern China) and homes in the north. Homes in the north of China are made of brick while those here and further south are made of concrete.
Taiyuan was not a very exciting town, other than New Year’s night. But I got a chance to taste this area’s different foods. Our first night, after meeting Liu Yang’s parents and dropping off our bags, we left to get the famous Taiyuan Lamb Soup. Hao chi!!! Another night, we went to another place that served soup, and here I had some type of bread that had meat inside… also hao chi!!!
Also while I was there, I had donkey meat… tastes like beef.
Taiyuan ren (people) also eat a lot of noodles. I was even taught the art of making homemade noodles, by Liu Yang’s father, using the Taiyuan noodle machine. He even bought one for me to have. The hardest part of the process is to mix the flour and water correctly, which I have not mastered yet.
Equally hard was making homemade dumplings. See video journal.
While in Shanxi Province, I was also able to make it to:
