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Blondie In China returns to Lanzhou in Gansu Province, seven years after an earlier visit, and finds the city offers more than its famous beef noodles. She watches noodles being prepared with fresh ingredients and a broth that takes hours, then visits the Yellow River and its first bridge, completed in 1909. By the river she drinks traditional Suo Tao tea and eats peaches and apricots before taking a sheepskin raft ride. At night she explores the market and tries a sheep’s head, tasting the tongue, brain and eyeball. Her day combines familiar food, river history and a meal that takes her beyond her comfort zone.
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Return to Lanzhou and its beef noodles
Blondie In China arrives by train in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province. It is her return to the region after a visit about seven years earlier, and she recalls previous martial arts training as part of what brought her to this area. She is excited to be back and starts with the city's famous beef noodles. At the shop, she watches the preparation and talks with people about the chili oil. The broth takes hours to prepare, while fresh ingredients bring the bowl together. She describes the noodles as chewy and springy, with coriander and spring onions alongside the rich broth. As she eats, she talks about the flavor and how adding chili oil changes the taste. The noodle stop gives her a familiar local specialty at the start of a return visit, before she heads out to see more of the city.
The Yellow River and the night market
Blondie goes to the Yellow River and points out its yellow-brown color, caused by sediment carried from the Tibetan Plateau. She visits Lanzhou’s first bridge over the river, completed in 1909, and spends time beside the water. The bridge and the river are a change of pace from the noodle shop and give her a chance to look at the city from the riverfront. During this quieter stop, she drinks traditional Suo Tao tea and eats local fruit, including peaches and apricots. She then takes a sheepskin raft onto the river. The ride is relaxing and scenic, and she notes that she is experiencing a traditional way of crossing the water.
In the evening, Blondie explores a night market and tries a sheep’s head. She tastes several parts, including the tongue, brain and eyeball, and describes the different textures and flavors as she goes. This meal is a challenge because it is unfamiliar, but she says she is proud of herself for trying it. The night-market food is a different experience from the beef noodles that began the day, and she reflects on stepping beyond what she usually eats.
Conversations with local people add to Blondie’s account of the food, from ordering noodles to discussing chili oil. The train arrival, river, bridge, raft and market create a route through Lanzhou that combines local dishes and scenery. Her return lets her compare this trip with the one she made years earlier, and she looks forward to exploring more of Lanzhou and Gansu.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How are Lanzhou beef noodles prepared?
- A: Blondie describes fresh ingredients, chewy noodles and a broth that takes hours to prepare. Her bowl includes coriander, spring onions and chili oil, and she discusses the flavor with people at the shop.
- Q: What is distinctive about the Yellow River in Lanzhou?
- A: Blondie notes its yellow-brown color, which comes from sediment carried from the Tibetan Plateau. She also visits the city’s first bridge over the river, completed in 1909.
- Q: What is Suo Tao tea?
- A: It is a traditional tea Blondie drinks by the Yellow River. She enjoys it with local fruit, including peaches and apricots, during a quieter stop between sightseeing and the night market.
- Q: What did Blondie try at the night market?
- A: She tries a sheep’s head and samples the tongue, brain and eyeball. She describes the textures and tastes and says she feels proud for trying food beyond her comfort zone.
