Shenyang, winter in Shengjing
A long journey to meet someone I've missed.
I have an older sister in Shenyang, someone closer than a blood sister. Although we haven't seen each other in recent years due to our own busy lives, we still think of each other very much. So, I embarked on a spontaneous trip.
📍Yonglihui Bath Center: A full bath, scrub, essential oil massage, head treatment, and foot massage – the whole experience was incredibly relaxing. It's said to be a Hermes-level old bath center, unlike trendy tourist spots, its strength lies in its excellent service. Members don't have to wait in line; Shenyang people really know how to enjoy life. My first experience with a 360-degree scrub was absolutely therapeutic! The amazing scrub ladies at Sheniu Bath Center are masters at curing any embarrassment or affectation.
📍Shenyang Imperial Palace, the Shengjing Palace: every brick, every tile, every red wall, two dynasties, three reigns, six hundred years.
Walking through the palace, looking at the red walls, green tiles, and yellow bricks, listening to the explanations, and seeing many princesses and princes taking photos passing by, it felt like stepping back hundreds of years to the Qing Dynasty.
📍Xiaonantian Church, a Gothic building. Having seen the Honglou Church in Jinan, this church's exterior wasn't particularly impressive. The interior was closed, so we couldn't go inside.
📍Fulong Fast Food (a must-try in Northeast China – the all-you-can-eat buffet! – I strongly insisted). My sister, a local, had never tried it before. She was shocked when she entered; the restaurant was packed, and the food stretched as far as the eye could see. Purely an experience.
📍We strolled along Zhongjie Street, ate candied hawthorns, and rang the blessing bell.
📍We went to Nanfeng Club to listen to Errenzhuan (a traditional Chinese folk art form), having a great time all evening. The Errenzhuan performers were all incredibly talented.
📍Northeast-style barbecue: Shenyang beer, grilled eel, grilled chicken heads, grilled cartilage, grilled conch, and grilled tendons – all kinds of skewers I'd never tried in Jinan.
📍Fengtian Factory Cultural and Creative Park and Hongmei Garden: a harmonious coexistence of industrial age and trendy culture, recording the history and present of a city.
📍Stroll along Bajing Road Coffee Street, find a small shop to sit in, and always maintain a love for life;
📍Immerse yourself in Xita Style Street, a lively street, eat authentic Korean barbecue, and buy kimchi, rice sausage, and rice wine to take home.
📍Visit the Xiaoheyan Morning Market to experience the vibrant local life. In Northeast China, winter morning markets don't need refrigerators; instead, many are like greenhouses, bustling and lively.
📍Visit the Liaoning Provincial Museum to explore history and seek out its treasures.
Although it was only a short four days, I didn't get to visit the Northeast Tiger Park or the ice rink, but I managed to do almost everything I wanted to eat and see. I ate, drank, and played, and my inseparable bond with Shenyang continues.