Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Bidding farewell to the Naxi customs of Lijiang, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set their sights on Xishuangbanna. As soon as they got off the plane, the unique tropical hot and humid air, wrapped in the fragrance of flowers, warmly embraced them. On both sides of the street, coconut trees towered into the sky, and their fat leaves rustled in the breeze, as if playing a cheerful welcome song.

"Old Huang, look at all the green and the warm wind. Xishuangbanna is really a passionate place!" Li Xiao stretched out his arms excitedly, wanting to embrace this unique atmosphere. Huang Pengfei also took a deep breath and said intoxicatedly, "Yes, I feel like all the cells in my body have been awakened. I can't wait to go shopping."

They first came to the Wild Elephant Valley. Entering the park, the lush tropical rainforest landscape is dazzling, with vines entwined wantonly, and the sun shining through the layers of branches and leaves, casting fine light and shadows. After a while, the roar of elephants came from a distance, which prompted them to speed up their pace. I saw several elephants bathing leisurely by the river, with their thick trunks splashing water, looking very cute. "Old Huang, look, the elephants are so cute. I have only seen this scene on TV before." Li Xiao held up the camera and kept pressing the shutter. Huang Pengfei smiled and said, "Looking at them up close, they seem more majestic and interesting. Nature is really magical." They were also lucky enough to catch the elephant show. Seeing the elephants flexibly roll the basketball with their trunks to shoot, the audience burst into cheers.

As noon approached, their stomachs began to growl, so they found a Dai-style restaurant. When the lemongrass grilled fish was served, it was tightly wrapped in lemongrass, exuding a unique fragrance. Li Xiao gently tore open the fish meat, and the tender fish meat melted in the mouth, mixed with the freshness of lemongrass and the richness of hot and sour sauce, which greatly increased people's appetite. "Old Huang, this Dai flavor is so unique, every bite is full of surprises." Li Xiao praised it highly. Huang Pengfei also has a special liking for pineapple purple rice. The soft and glutinous purple rice is embedded in the sweet and sour juicy pineapple, and it tastes both mellow and refreshing. "This combination is perfect, novel and delicious." He said while eating.

In the afternoon, they strolled in the Dai Garden. In the garden, there are Dai bamboo buildings scattered in an orderly manner. The bottom floor of the bamboo building is elevated, which is moisture-proof and ventilated. Dai girls in colorful tube skirts walked lightly, leaving behind a string of silver bell-like laughter. "Old Huang, look at this bamboo building, the architectural style is so unique, it must be very comfortable to live in it." Li Xiao was full of envy. They walked into a bamboo building to visit. The Dai brocade in the house was gorgeous and eye-catching, with exquisite patterns. From myths and legends to flowers, birds, fish and insects, all of them showed the wisdom and aesthetics of the Dai people.

In the evening, Gaozhuang Xishuangjing is very lively. The Shwedagon Pagoda shines brightly in the afterglow of the setting sun, and under the pagoda is a bustling night market. Various special snacks and handicrafts are dazzling. Li Xiao was attracted by a handmade Dai bamboo bag, with delicate bamboo strips interwoven into exquisite patterns. "Old Huang, this bag is so ethnic, it must be a good gift for friends to buy back." He said. Huang Pengfei was tasting freshly squeezed tropical juice on the side, and the rich fruity aroma spread on the tip of his tongue. "The juice here is so pure and so comfortable to drink."

At night, the surface of the Lancang River sparkled, and colorful lights were lit up on the cruise ships. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei boarded the cruise ship. As the cruise ship slowly moved forward, the night scene of lights on both sides of the river unfolded like a dreamlike picture scroll. There was also a wonderful Dai song and dance performance on the boat, with the dancers graceful and agile. "Old Huang, the night in Xishuangbanna is so charming, it feels like a festival every day." Li Xiao was immersed in this joyful atmosphere. Huang Pengfei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this trip is worth it, everything is fresh and fun." After watching the performance, with the Dai medicine, ethnic costumes and other specialties they bought, they returned to the hotel and enthusiastically planned the next unknown and exciting journey, full of longing and expectation for the new destination, as if there were countless treasures waiting to be opened in the distance.

The attractions are detailed, the dialogue is increased, and as much output as possible is given. After bidding farewell to the Naxi style of Lijiang, Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei set their sights on Xishuangbanna. The plane slowly landed at Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport. As soon as they stepped out of the cabin door, the unique humid and hot air of the tropics, wrapped in the rich fragrance of flowers, warmly embraced them. On both sides of the street, the coconut trees towered into the sky, and the fat leaves rustled in the breeze, as if warmly welcoming visitors from afar.

"Old Huang, look at the green all around and the warm wind. Xishuangbanna is indeed a passionate place!" Li Xiao stretched out his arms excitedly, wishing to embrace this unique atmosphere. Huang Pengfei also took a deep breath and said intoxicatedly: "Yes, it feels completely different from the places I went to before. All the cells in my body have been awakened. We have to take a good look around."

Their first stop was the Wild Elephant Valley. As soon as they entered the park gate, the lush tropical rainforest landscape came into view, with vines entwined wantonly, as if to show all the vitality in the world. The sun struggled to penetrate the layers of branches and leaves, casting fine light and shadows, adding a bit of mystery to the jungle.

"Old Huang, listen, is there a sound of elephants?" Li Xiao pricked up his ears and pulled Huang Pengfei to speed up. Not far away, they saw several elephants bathing leisurely by the river, their thick trunks raised high water splashes, and the water droplets reflected colorful light in the sun.

"Wow, the elephant is so cute. I've only seen this scene on TV before." Li Xiao held up the camera and kept changing the angle to take pictures. He also called out from time to time: "Old Huang, please stand over there. I want to take a picture of us and the elephant." Huang Pengfei walked over with a smile and joked: "You look like a professional photographer. You have to make me look good in the picture."

The two of them continued to walk deeper into the park and happened to catch an elephant performance. At the command of the elephant trainer, the elephant flexibly rolled up the basketball with its trunk, walked slowly to the basket, and flicked it gently. The basketball drew an arc in the air and accurately went into the net. The audience burst into cheers, and Li Xiao also cheered: "Old Huang, look at this elephant. It's so smart. It's better than me at playing basketball!" Huang Pengfei smiled from ear to ear: "Of course, it's a 'star' in the animal world."

As noon approached, their stomachs began to growl, and they followed the aroma to find a Dai-style restaurant. When the grilled fish with lemongrass was served, the fish was tightly wrapped in lemongrass, exuding a unique fragrance.

"Lao Huang, this Dai flavor is so unique, I can't stand it just by smelling it." Li Xiao couldn't wait to gently tear open the fish meat. The tender fish meat melted in his mouth, mixed with the freshness of lemongrass and the richness of the sour and spicy sauce, which instantly ignited his taste buds. "This taste is amazing, every bite is full of surprises, sour and spicy, appetizing, and the fish meat is so tender."

Huang Pengfei was also busy, and had a special liking for pineapple purple rice. He scooped up a spoonful, looked at the soft and glutinous purple rice embedded in the sweet and sour juicy pineapple, and praised it highly: "Try this, it's novel and delicious, the rice has a mellow taste, plus the freshness of pineapple, it's a perfect match." Li Xiao took a bite and his eyes lit up: "It's true, this combination is wonderful, the people of Banna are really good at eating."

In the afternoon, the sun was hot but not scorching, and they strolled in the Dai Garden. In the garden, Dai bamboo buildings were scattered in an orderly manner, with the bottom floor of the bamboo buildings suspended, moisture-proof and ventilated. Dai girls in colorful tube skirts walked lightly, and their silver accessories made crisp sounds, leaving behind a string of silver bell-like laughter.

"Old Huang, look at this bamboo building. The architectural style is so unique. It must be very comfortable to live in it." Li Xiao was full of envy, staring at the bamboo building. The two of them walked into a bamboo building to visit. The Dai brocade in the house was gorgeous and the patterns were exquisite. From myths and legends to flowers, birds, fish and insects, they all showed the wisdom and aesthetics of the Dai people. "This Dai brocade is so finely woven. It takes so much effort to make such a complicated pattern." Huang Pengfei sighed as he gently touched the Dai brocade. At this time, an old Dai grandmother came over and introduced the production process of Dai brocade in not very fluent Mandarin. Li Xiao listened attentively and asked from time to time: "Grandma, are these colors all dyed with natural dyes?" The old grandmother smiled and nodded: "Yes, they are all colors taken from plants. They are beautiful and environmentally friendly."

In the evening, Gaozhuang Xishuangjing is very lively. The Shwedagon Pagoda shines brightly in the afterglow of the setting sun, and under the pagoda is a bustling night market. A variety of special snacks and handicrafts are dazzling.

Li Xiao was attracted by a handmade Dai bamboo bag. The delicate bamboo strips interweave into exquisite patterns, and the straps are decorated with several colorful beads. "Old Huang, this bag is so ethnic, it must be a good gift for friends." He picked up the bag and looked at it over and over again. Huang Pengfei advised: "It is indeed beautiful and practical. Look at the solid workmanship."

Huang Pengfei was attracted by the freshly squeezed juice stand nearby, where various tropical fruits were piled up like a small mountain. He ordered a glass of mango juice, and as soon as he took a sip, the rich fruity aroma spread on his tongue. "The juice here is so pure and so comfortable to drink, full of fruit flavor, without any water."

At night, the surface of the Lancang River sparkles, and the cruise ships light up with colorful lights, like a dream palace floating on the river. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei boarded the cruise ship, and as the cruise ship slowly moved forward, the night scene of lights on both sides of the river unfolded like a dream scroll. There was also a wonderful Dai song and dance performance on the boat, the dancers were graceful and agile, and the gestures seemed to be telling ancient stories.

"Old Huang, the night in Xishuangbanna is so charming, it feels like a festival every day." Li Xiao was immersed in this joyful atmosphere, swaying his body gently to the music. Huang Pengfei also nodded in agreement: "Yes, this trip is worth it, there are new and interesting things everywhere, I don't want to leave."

After the performance, they strolled around the night market for a while, bought Dai medicine, ethnic costumes and other specialties, and then returned to the hotel contentedly. As soon as they entered the room, they couldn't wait to spread the specialties on the bed, and while organizing them, they enthusiastically planned the next unknown and exciting journey. You and I speculated about what kind of novel scenery and interesting things there would be in the next place, and our hearts were full of longing and expectation for the new destination, as if there were countless treasures waiting to be opened in the distance.

After a long discussion, they finally decided to go to Libo, Guizhou. Huang Pengfei flipped through the travel guide on his phone and said, "There is Xiaoqikong in Libo. I heard that the water there is as green as emerald, and the scenery is beautiful." Li Xiao also became excited: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and pack up. I can't wait to see that paradise on earth!" When they arrived in Libo, Guizhou, there was a drizzle in the sky, which cast a layer of poetry like a veil over the small city. Li Xiao and Huang Pengfei dragged their luggage out of the station, and the moist air wrapped in the fragrance of plants and trees hit them in the face.

"Old Huang, the rain is just right. It washes away all the fatigue along the way. It feels like Libo is welcoming us." Li Xiao stretched and said comfortably. Huang Pengfei shook the water droplets on the umbrella and responded with a smile: "Yes, look at this atmosphere. Libo must have a lot of beautiful scenery. Let's go to Xiaoqikong first."

When they arrived at the Xiaoqikong Scenic Area, the entrance was already crowded, but it did not affect their interest at all. As soon as they entered the scenic area, the first thing that caught their eyes was the Wolong Pond. The water in the pond was as deep as a huge piece of black jade under the rain, surrounded by green mountains, and the waterfall poured down from the cliff beside the pond, splashing water and making a sound like a bell.

"Old Huang, this Wolong Lake is so stunning. How can the water be so green and so deep? It feels like a mysterious abyss." Li Xiao's eyes widened and he went to the edge of the lake to find out what was going on. Huang Pengfei quickly grabbed him and said, "Be careful, the ground is slippery. The water is beautiful, but it will be troublesome if you fall in. I heard that the water in this lake is always bright green no matter what season it is."

Walking along the trail, we arrived at Yuanyang Lake. The lake was misty and two small boats were quietly moored on the shore. Li Xiao was interested: "Old Huang, let's go boating. It must be a special feeling to go on the lake." Huang Pengfei nodded in agreement. They put on life jackets and boarded the boat. Not long after rowing out, they found that there were many forks in the lake, surrounded by dense woods, and it was so quiet that only the sound of oars paddling in the water could be heard.

"Where should we paddle? It's like a maze." Li Xiao was a little confused, and even the oars in his hand slowed down. Huang Pengfei looked around and said confidently: "Just follow your feeling. At most, we can go around a few more times. Anyway, this lake view is enough for us to enjoy slowly." The two of them chatted while paddling, and occasionally they would see water birds flying up from the woods, causing ripples.

After crossing Yuanyang Lake, you will arrive at the famous Small Seven-Arch Ancient Bridge. This stone bridge built in the Qing Dynasty spans the Xiangshui River. The bridge is covered with vines and mosses, and the seven bridge holes are reflected in the green river water, like seven full moons.

"Old Huang, this bridge is so charming. After hundreds of years, it is still stable. The ancients' bridge-building skills are really amazing." Li Xiao stood on the bridge and gently touched the bridge railing with his hand. Huang Pengfei also felt deeply: "Yes, walking across this bridge feels like walking through history. I wonder how many people came and went here in the past." (End of this chapter)