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Blondie In China's trip through Guizhou takes her from Tongren to Fanjingshan and an unexpected look at matcha production. She begins with local breakfast, including Bing Jiang, Dan Dan Fen and a potato pancake, then climbs in rain and changing weather. The trail includes a cable car, monkeys and views that clear near the summit. After the hike, she finds a matcha guesthouse with displays and a preparation class, and visits a large factory whose products are exported to Japan. The video also includes local rice tofu and discusses Guizhou's potatoes, pickling traditions and mountainous terrain.
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Breakfast and the Fanjingshan climb
Blondie In China begins in Tongren, a gateway to Fanjingshan, and tries local breakfast before the hike. The dishes include Bing Jiang, pureed fruit with sticky rice; Dan Dan Fen, rolled noodles; and a potato pancake. She describes Guizhou potatoes as slightly glutinous and especially good, including a snack called danbal yangyu: mashed potato wrapped in egg, with a crunchy, spicy finish. The region's mountainous terrain and lack of natural salt deposits have shaped preservation methods such as pickling and vinegar.
The climb brings rain and steep sections, and Blondie says her raincoat is not waterproof. She rides a cable car and sees wild monkeys along the way. Clouds and rain initially obscure the summit views, but the weather clears later. She also talks with hikers from Mexico during the ascent. Chairlifting services are available for steep parts, though the price can be high, and she describes negotiating before using one.
Matcha in Guizhou and local food
The unexpected discovery is a matcha industry in the region. Blondie visits a guesthouse with matcha displays and takes part in a preparation class. She learns about local growing conditions and the history of matcha production, then visits a large factory and hears that products are exported to Japan. The trip ends with a taste of rice tofu, which she enjoys. She also reflects on how the province's mountain geography, with many peaks and no plains, suits tea cultivation. Her route combines the strenuous mountain outing with food stops and a closer look at an industry she had not expected to find.
At the start of the day, Blondie samples several Guizhou breakfast dishes before the climb: Bing Jiang, made with pureed fruit and sticky rice, Dan Dan Fen rolled noodles, and a potato pancake. She describes how local cooking uses sour and spicy flavors, with pickling and vinegar playing a role because the province lacks natural salt deposits. The hike includes a cable car, steep sections and encounters with wild monkeys. Rain and cloud cover limit the view at first; later the weather clears enough for views from the summit. She chats with hikers from Mexico along the way. The changing conditions and the difficulty of the ascent make the climb a central part of the trip rather than a simple viewpoint stop.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the most surprising thing you found on the trip?
- A: Blondie was surprised by the scale of the matcha industry in the region and learned that local products are exported to Japan.
- Q: What was the hardest part of the Fanjingshan hike?
- A: The weather was difficult: rain fell during much of the climb, and Blondie says her raincoat was not waterproof. She found the views improved when the weather cleared.
- Q: How would you describe Guizhou food?
- A: Blondie tries a range of dishes, including local breakfast foods, potatoes and rice tofu. She describes sour and spicy flavors and especially likes the potatoes.
