Daybreaks and our first stop for the day was Ping Yao Old City (平遥古城). The city center of ancient times. It still remains a bustling place because people live and work in the old city. We visited a Governor’s place, the earliest bank in the world and the city wall. Stopped along the pedestrian street and many people bought big red dates there.

After lunch, we went to our last stop of the tour. Qiao Family House (乔家大院). This was the place that Zhang Yimou filmed the famous movie – Hang the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂) starring Gong Li.

The heat was back. It was bloody hot! Over the course of the tour, we had really experienced all kinds of weather – sand storm, blazing sun, cold wind, slit, snow and the cold. Everything!

On way to the airport, we stopped at a Specialty shop where a lot of us bought local goods such as vinegar, red dates and even wine.

Tai Yuan Airport 太原机场

Currently do not have the group photo. Only have this slightly blurred picture of all the Hwa Chongians!!!

Finally, back in Shanghai at 2100 hours. I was a little sad at having to end the trip. (Guess a lot of people felt the same way) However, as the tour guide said, if you did not feel a little regret when the tour ended then it means you have nothing left in Inner Mongolia or Shanxi that you would like to visit. I truly wish to go back to Inner Mongolia (grasslands) again in the future. See when fate and time will lead me back.

Shanghai, the city of Noise … work begins the next day … no rest … everyone is the same (well almost everyone.)

Here, the account of the trip ends, and hope that you had enjoyed reading my account as much as I have enjoyed the trip.

Edwin Ting
那顺 :: My Mongolian name, which I got the tour guide to give me one. (She initially wanted to give everyone a name, but ended up only giving a handful of the people names. Well, not to be “cheated” of it, I asked her for one. Actually, I felt that it would be really interesting to have one.)

Some of the other names she gave was 吧特尔 (Hero), 阿尔斯勒 (Lion), 嗒那 (Pearl), 哒涞 (Ocean), 齐齐咯儿 (Flower), 嘠咳 (pig). I think some of the Chinese words are not correct, since never ask the tour guide to write for us.

Rest of the pictures are at Inner Mongolia / Shanxi Pictures