Trip to Xuzhou

I had arranged with a friend to visit Xuzhou, the top city in northern Jiangsu, this week. On Friday afternoon, we entered Suzhou city and headed straight to Jia Qing BBQ. It was quite crowded, and the BBQ tasted pretty good. After eating our fill, we went to the landmark Suning Plaza in Xuzhou, strolled around the nearby commercial street, and it felt very lively with lots of people and various internet-famous snacks. We returned to the hotel in the evening, and I highly recommend this hotel because I drove there myself. The hotel is Jinjiang Metropolo Hotel (Xuzhou High-speed Railway Station Jinlong Lake Subway Station Branch). The service was really top-notch, and the environment was great. Early the next morning, we visited Baolian Temple and were amazed by the giant Buddha inside. The only downside was the lack of parking spaces around the scenic area, and the management was quite chaotic. After the visit, we were stuck in the parking lot for more than half an hour. At noon, we headed straight to Laojia Diguo (Citizen Square Branch). It was really crowded, with a lot of people at the entrance. I heard you can make reservations online, haha, my bad for not noticing in advance. So we went to Laopengcheng Diguo Chicken (Zifang Meijing Branch). The taste was also very good, the chicken was very spicy, and the fried stinky tofu was addictive . After eating our fill, we went to Yunlong Lake Tourist Area in the afternoon. There were many cars and people, and Xuzhou drivers are very aggressive, often cutting in and changing lanes over solid lines, haha (especially small new energy vehicles). Maybe they saw my car was from out of town. Parking spaces around the scenic area were really hard to find, so I suggest doing some planning in advance. After parking, we ate at Yunlong Lake A Zhe Rice Noodles (Yunlong Lake Branch) recommended by b. The meat was really delicious, haha. There weren't many people in line for the boat rides, so we queued while eating. The cheapest four-person boat was 100 yuan per hour. After eating our fill, we drifted on Yunlong Lake, the lake and mountains accompanied by the sunset were so beautiful it was mesmerizing. Although I wanted time to stop at that moment, life must go on. We left Yunlong Lake and went to Laopengcheng Pedestrian Street. Compared to 18 Old Street, there were fewer people here, and it was cooler that day. It made me feel a bit nostalgic. On the third day, we had breakfast at the hotel's buffet and then headed to Xuzhou Museum. Luckily, we went early and found a parking spot. There were many people early in the morning (you must make a reservation in advance). After queuing to get in, we were amazed by the Han culture and the Lion Mountain Tombs. After leaving the museum, we planned to visit the Qianlong Palace, but it was closed that day. Then we went straight to Yumei Zhouji Bazi Pork. We arrived at 11 am, and there was already a queue at the door. We ordered a small portion, and the taste was excellent, although a bit pricey. After eating, we went to the Huanghe New Village Farmers Market and bought Xiao Hu Roast Duck. Their duck is really delicious, only 48 yuan for a whole one. There were also crispy small roast chickens nearby, which tasted great too. After buying things, our three-day, two-night trip to Xuzhou came to an end. Overall, the prices in Xuzhou are reasonable, the cultural atmosphere is rich, and the food and drinks are very distinctive. The only small regret is that parking at scenic spots is difficult, haha. Of course, for someone like me who drives, both pros and cons need to be considered. In short, Xuzhou is worth a visit!!!