PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST: SHARING ABOUT A MEMORABLE HOLIDAY
Name: Tran Thi Thanh Huyen
Department: Ecommerce
GOING TO A NEW LAND
For me, a vacation is a time to rest and relax after working hard. That's why I decided to treat myself to a trip to China to reward myself for my hard work.
My 3-day-2-night trip to China included visits to Kien Thuy, Di Lac, and Mong Tu. These areas are popular among tourists, as they are easy to access and close to Vietnam. China is a country with a rich and distinctive culture, and just crossing the border allows us to feel the differences.
The average temperature in China during this season is between 20-30 degrees Celsius, making the weather quite pleasant. The streets are clean and quiet, with no honking cars. Pedestrians are given priority when crossing the street, and cars, electric bikes, and bicycles will stop to give way to pedestrians.
Chinese cuisine is quite salty, oily, and spicy, different from our taste buds, but we can enjoy many specialties from all regions of China while here.
Day 1: Kien Thuy, April 29th
I started my journey from Hanoi to Lao Cai border gate to complete the exit procedures. Since I traveled during the holiday season, it was quite crowded. I entered China through Ha Khau in the afternoon of April 29th, then traveled to Kien Thuy. Kien Thuy is famous for its pottery street and night market. Here, we can immerse ourselves in the bustling life, with lights hanging all over the streets, mixing the ancient and modern, bringing a beauty that cannot be described in words. There are many food choices, especially fresh juice, fermented tofu, grilled dishes, and skewers marinated with spices.
Day 2: Kien Thuy - Di Lac, April 30th
(Stayed in Kien Thuy in the morning and visited Dong Phong Park in Di Lac in the afternoon)
Kien Thuy is a district of Yunnan province, China. Not only does it possess beautiful natural landscapes, but Kien Thuy is also a convergence of many different cultures. It is home to many ethnic groups such as Di Hong Ha, Cap Ne, etc.
What I particularly love about this place is the ancient and quiet feeling of the Kien Thuy old town. The Zhu's Family flower garden is a highlight of my trip. The entire garden covers an area of 20,000 square meters, with a construction area of over 5,000 square meters. There are a total of 214 houses and 42 large and small courtyards. Each ancient house follows the imperial style of China as seen in period films that I watched since childhood.
The Lao Dynasty Hall – also known as the Little Heaven's Gate of China. This place is like a larger version of Hue Imperial City in Vietnam, with all kinds of large and small paintings depicting the scenes of the dynasties, creating a very ancient space.
Dong Phong Park
I have never been to a place with so many flowers like this, full of colors. The harmonious combination of flower fields and red brick houses is also a highlight of this place. Although the area is quite large, there are electric cars to take you around, so you don't have to worry about getting tired, confidently taking the best photos. Day 3: Mung Tư - morning at Thai Binh Ho Park, noon having Bun Qua Cau in Mung Tư
Thai Binh Ho Park is a natural ecological area, often compared to a miniature Europe with its colorful temperate flowers, and gardens of cactus. The park is vast and offers diverse activities such as water slides, racing cars, and helicopter rides.
Mung Tư is one of the most beautiful cities in western China, bordering Van Son to the east, Ca Cuu to the west, adjacent to Khai Vien to the north and Binh Bien to the south, and is 1307 meters above sea level. It was the capital of the Di people in the past and now is home to 26 ethnic groups, including Han, Miao, Zhuang, Hui, etc. Someone once said that if Nguyen Chi Thanh is the most beautiful street in Vietnam, there are many such beautiful streets in Mung Tư.
When we stopped for lunch in Mung Tư, we had a satisfying meal at "Bun Qua Cau" - where you can experience eating noodle soup in a bowl as big as a basin.
Finally, we returned to Ha Khau to go shopping at the supermarket for food and souvenirs to bring back to Vietnam. Buying snacks, self-brewed milk tea, dumplings, wontons, earthworms, etc. was also a fun experience.
During this trip, I had wonderful experiences in a new country, with new people, and a unique ancient culture. I spent the last holiday days with my family. No matter where I go, home is always the most peaceful place. I told my mom some funny stories about the trip and watched a movie about a father and son family: Con Nhot Mot Chong with my younger brother, reflecting on the hard work we had done in the past few days. Truly, it was the happiest thing. I hope that in our lives, there will always be good things, and we can give our best to receive worthy achievements..
