Sichuan and Chongqing The smell of human fireworks

Chongqing and Chengdu have once again chosen these two cities. I chose Chongqing because I really like this city, and I chose Chengdu because it is a very suitable city as a starting point.

On the afternoon of January 10, 2019, I boarded the train bound for Chongqing. Because of "Passing Through Your World", I set foot on this land for the first time at the end of January 2017, and fell in love with it as soon as I landed. Yes, I like Chongqing so much. That time I went to many so-called must-see places, including Wulong, Wanzhou and Yunyang Longgang. So, this time I didn’t go to places where too many people would check in, but chose a lot of out-of-the-way spots.

On our first day in Chongqing, we went to the top of Nanshan Mountain - Sankuishi. This is a place that even many locals don't know. On the way up the mountain, we passed through the cemetery and trudged up the rotten dirt until we finally reached the high point. The saying "You can see far when you stand high" is aptly applied to this place. If we hadn't stood on the three rocks, we would never have seen the sunshine that was obscured by clouds and fog in the city. Because the road down the mountain was a bit steep, we went down the mountain without waiting for sunset. "There is no turning back" so we chose another route to go down the mountain, traveling through the jungle along the way. If I had not come here, I would not have known that there was such a place in Chongqing.

On the second day in Chongqing, the Third Trail of Mountain City, Jiaotong Tea House, Sichuan Beauty, and Hongya Cave were all places I had never been to except Hongya Cave. In my opinion, the Mountain City Trail is a place worth visiting. Along the way, you will see a lot of old Chongqing that has not yet been destroyed, and you will feel a lot of urban life under the bustling city. The traffic teahouse is not much different from what I imagined. Although there are many more tourists in this teahouse and the prices have risen, there are still many locals, especially the elderly, who come here to play poker or chess all afternoon. It's leisurely. Because the smell of smoke was too strong, I didn't stay for long before leaving. The Sichuan beauty in Huangjueping didn't leave too much impression on me, maybe it was because I went to the wrong place. I still remember that when I came to Hongyadong for the first time, I sighed, "The night view in Chongqing is much more beautiful than that in Shanghai." The second time I came here, I still had the same feeling.

Inside and outside the mountain city trail

In the traffic teahouse

Hongyadong

On the third day in Chongqing, we visited the Yangtze River Cableway, Liziba Subway Station, and Junge Bookstore. Of these three places, Junge Bookstore must be the most attractive to me. Junge Bookstore is located next to an abandoned track in Huangjueping. When you come here, you will have a feeling of being separated from the city. It is very comfortable and quiet but still full of the atmosphere of the city. Brother Jun is an authentic Chongqing native. He likes to collect many books about Chongqing and old house numbers. Brother Jun also likes to tinker with his own gadgets. Even his WeChat QR code can be carved on wood. Such a life, Wouldn't it be a joy? At Junge Bookstore, I bought a lot of postcards, bookmarks and puzzles related to Chongqing. Outside Jun Ge's bookstore, I saw three young men playing a landlord fight outside the house. I felt that it was the right moment, so I went up to inquire and started a round of shooting.

Railway Four Villages

Junge Bookstore

Outside Junge's bookstore

Then he moved to Chengdu.

The main reason for coming to Chengdu is that Chengdu is the starting point for heading to western Sichuan. So I only stayed in Chengdu for a day and a half. In the first half day in Chengdu, we rushed to Yuanyang Tower. To put it bluntly, these are two buildings in a residential area, and the architectural style is slightly Hong Kong-style.

When I was about to leave here, I met a girl who came alone, so I took some photos for her. While taking photos, she asked, "Where are you from?" I said, "From Shanghai." "What a coincidence! Me too! " After taking the photos, the young lady asked, "Which school are you from?" ?” “Shang Zheng” The young lady was surprised, and then I added, “You are too, right?” Yes, it’s such a coincidence.

On the second day in Chengdu, we chose to leave the city and came to the back mountains of Qingcheng. The back mountain of Qingcheng is quieter and more physically demanding than the front mountain, but we are not afraid. In the mountains behind Qingcheng, we encountered sleet and snow. As the altitude rose, the sleet turned into light snow, and then into moderate snow. On the way down the mountain, I also met the sun.

After returning from western Sichuan last year, I began to feel that the scenery outside the city was too beautiful, so my interest in the city faded a bit. I always felt that I could not feel what I longed for in the city.

Until last June, I packed my bags and went to Wuhan alone. Before I had the guts to gain weight, I seemed to only dare to travel to the city alone. It was my first time to fly alone. When I arrived at the youth hostel, it was already early in the morning, but I didn’t expect that there were many people waiting for me in the youth hostel. The ladies in the same room were also surprised when they saw me coming in. They all greeted me in a friendly way, and some wanted to go with me. The biggest feeling I had from that experience was the atmosphere in the youth hostel. There doesn’t seem to be much that attracts me to the city of Wuhan, but because there is such a place in this city, I can stay up late watching football together, eat hot pot together, and eat rice dumplings together in the early hours of the morning. The unfamiliar environment seems to have become friendly. Quite a few. That time I understood that what I could experience in the city was not just what I imagined.

The second time was in July last year, when I went to Xiamen with my friends. That time I always followed my own ideas and didn't compromise too much. Ride a bicycle to the pier to chase the sunset, get up early and go to the beach to wait for the sunrise, play in the water on five or six beaches and sit in a daze, sit on the bus and observe the passers-by, ride Xiao Huang alone on the aerial bicycle path, and stay in a B&B On the small basketball court nearby, I quietly watched others play with the children. This is my second time going to Xiamen, but this time it seems more like an in-depth city experience. It was also this time that I realized a truth: If you can’t find the sceneries you want in the city, then just experience the city with your heart.

So, during this trip to Sichuan and Chongqing, I slowed down. Our trip was not very rushed. We had enough time to kill almost everywhere, on the trails, at Junge Bookstore, and at Yuanyang Tower. Here, we can all spend a lot of time feeling and shooting. It seems that most places in the itinerary reveal the atmosphere of a mountain city and the atmosphere of the city. When I was in Chongqing, someone said to me, "The Chongqing I went to and the Chongqing you went to seem to be two Chongqings." The Chongqing this time and the first time I came there are also two Chongqings. Because, if I travel to a city, now I prefer to call this trip a city experience, to feel the life of the city, not just to check in.

I don’t know if I will go to Chengdu again next time, or if it will be a starting point. But I believe I will come back to Chongqing and spend more time next time to experience the life of this city.