Besides Beijing, I think the most worthwhile domestic cities to bring your baby to are Xi'an and Ningxia.
The two-year-old baby is so small that he can't say a few words. What's so fun about going to Xi'an? But we took Ellie to this ancient capital of thirteen dynasties to feel the traditional culture: shadow puppetry, painting, Xi'an City Wall, Gao Family Courtyard, Qujiang Book City... This is an ancient city full of fireworks. Frankly speaking, three days is really not enough.
And Ningxia, like a quiet summer, gives people endless reverie. Frankly speaking, our family has traveled so many places. Even the two and a half year old Ellie has been to Thailand four times. It is indeed the first time for the three of us to come to Ningxia. It is a beautiful wild luxury trip.
The trip to Xi'an + Ningxia took about a week, so let's start with Xi'an~
Xi'an Ancient City Wall
The Xi'an City Wall is the first stop at noon after we landed on the plane. As the largest and best-preserved ancient city wall in China, it has a total length of 13.7 kilometers! It is also a representative landscape of Xi'an City.
The ancient city was built in the seven to eleven years of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty, and it can still be preserved to this day in the course of historical changes. Its value is really irreplaceable. The top floor above is 15 meters wide. There is no problem with horse-drawn chariot battles in ancient times. Modern people can also go sightseeing around by bicycle~
Entering the ancient city of Xi'an, you can pass through these four city gates: East Changle Gate, South Yongning Gate, Xi'an Ding Gate and Bei'an Yuan Gate. "Chang'an Yongding" is named after the word "Chang'an Yongding", which is very interesting for ancient people. In addition, there are some small side doors. It is recommended to enter from the east gate and south gate. It has the majestic momentum of the thousand-year-old city and is very spectacular.
To be honest, when I climbed the ancient city wall to see the standing turrets, I was really shocked by such a simple and dignified momentum. It is said that once it snows, the ancient city wall full of snow is the most beautiful time, and it will be full of colorful lights at night. , There is a lantern show during the Chinese New Year, and the lights and snow are very beautiful.
I found that the photos under the turret are very beautiful. The red pillars and the big lanterns are beautiful.
On the west viewing platform, you can see the Yongning International Art Museum, and the exquisite and complicated buildings are full of attention for a long time.
It shows the academies of literati and inkmen. I learned that Yongning International Art Museum has a strong artistic atmosphere. There is an antique art hall that is open for free. Interested partners can visit it.
It's very beautiful as a background, and the photo spots here must not be missed.
Ellie Mommy tips: You can walk around the ancient city wall of Xi'an slowly, or you can take a tour bus, which is charged in sections. The bicycle costs 20 yuan for half an hour. It is recommended to start entering the city at 4 o'clock. The evening is particularly beautiful, and it will not be very hot in summer. When it gets dark, you can watch the night view directly from the bell tower and eat Muslim street food.
clock tower night view
After dark, we went directly to the Bell Tower to see the night view. The Bell Tower at night in Xi'an and the Drum Tower on the opposite side are famous for their beauty, and the flow of people is very strong. Looking at the lights and streamers from a distance, the glorious scene is very shocking, making people feel like traveling back to the city that never sleeps in the Tang Dynasty, which is particularly prosperous.
I saw many people climbing up the bell tower to see the night view. The four corners of the bell tower witnessed the changes in this ancient city, and you can see the prosperous and prosperous scene of Xi'an from above.
What makes us feel very dazzling is this plaque - the sound is heard in the sky. This wooden plaque is located on the north side of the Drum Tower in Xi'an. It is said that it was written by Li Yunkuan, a scholar of Xianning during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.
Food Temptation in Muslim Street
In the evening, it is natural to fill the stomach. After visiting the night view of the Bell Tower, you can stop by Huimin Street. For foreigners, it is most convenient to come here to find the delicacies of Xi'an. There are a variety of flavors and snacks, so that you can taste all kinds of delicacies in Xi'an. And Huimin Street is not far from the Bell Tower, you can just walk there. But I didn't expect this flow of people to be too fierce~~~
There are many archways and crowds, just looking at this situation, we almost dare not move forward~
Walking into Huimin Street, the streets are full of Laosun's family, Qin's family, meat sandwiches, sweet-scented osmanthus cakes, yogurt, Babao mirror cakes, fried squid, beef and mutton steamed buns, red willow roast lamb, pomegranate juice, sour plum soup, spicy soup, Big strings of red willow branches, smoking ice cream... Ellie is even more dumbfounded~
The sweet-scented osmanthus cake, which is very healing just by looking at it, has a large portion and a very high price.
All kinds of grilled skewers, squid skewers, with spicy sesame oil, fragrant, people who can't help it will have to gain weight and go back home.
Xi’an’s Roujiamo and Bozai Cake are also must-try, and Ai Li is the happiest eating the freshly baked incense!
Huimin Street is really lively, as if there are many people everywhere. As for the food, just put your stomach to try whichever you like. We can’t finish this street with a 365G stomach. After enjoying the late-night food in Huimin Street, you can go back to have a good sleep, and start the wonderful itinerary the next day.
Gao Family Courtyard, a century-old house on Huimin Street
Unlike the noisy scene last night, we planned to have a refreshing feeling the next morning. The Gao Family Courtyard, in fact, is just beside the street of Huimin Street. It is very close, so it is very suitable for bringing children here during the day.
If you want to know what the houses in the Ming and Qing Dynasties looked like? Then you must come to the Gao Family Courtyard, which is the best-preserved ancient residence of a person with the surname Gao in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Xi'an. Tickets are only 15 yuan.
Going deep into the garden, you will encounter emerald green branches and many high-hanging red lanterns. It is also very beautiful to take pictures.
You can see some decorative elements of ancient buildings in Ming and Qing Dynasties, such as stone lions, plum blossom brick carvings, cornices, eaves and wooden structures of houses. It is a very, very precious and complete ancient building.
The Gao Family Courtyard can be said to be a very classic ancient folk house. The layout of the courtyard is spacious and contains many halls. From the main entrance, you can see the Yingzi Hall. "Zi" means auspicious.
Going straight is another Ningrui Hall.
The Gao Family Courtyard is a quadrangle courtyard. On the left, there are banquet halls, performing arts tea halls, kitchens, boxes and other facade halls that can receive guests. other courtyard.
There is also a deep boudoir courtyard, walking in the rain alley is very impressive! This is an ancient house, but the complete furnishings make people feel like walking into a living dwelling, and it still feels very home. The Gao Family Courtyard is not just a place to visit ancient houses, it is still very interesting inside.
This place is very suitable for taking pictures. As for what kind of style you can take, it depends on your own mastery. We occasionally encountered a cute black goose, visiting in the alley. Ellie has been staring at it for a long time, haha~ We are here to see the compound, and Ellie is here to tease the geese.
Strolling around the private school, I saw the cultural experience hall, where you can take your children to experience rubbing. It says that it is the only ancient printing experience in the country, so I brought my curious baby Ellie in to experience the private school of the following people.
The ancient private school refers to the place where the children of the family study and practice calligraphy, and this private school was once used by a second-best member of the Gao family. It is worth visiting.
Here you can experience drawing, which is so simple that even a two-year-old baby can try it, and it is very well done. The specific operation process is to use the real object as a copy, and use the method of extension to make the same pattern. For example, use the rooster, bamboo, and crane patterns below as samples, and use the rice paper to draw the shape on it with pigments. Ellie can concentrate on playing. And seriously.
Under the guidance of the teacher and us, Ellie chose the rooster of the Chinese zodiac as a model because she was born in the year of the rooster. Then choose the paint bag to expand the painting, and print it with the left hand and the right hand. Children can easily accept this kind of play. I smiled and said that this can be used as an early education class. After all, Ellie's usual early education class also has such a painting course of painting and drawing, but Tuohua can also feel our great Chinese culture, what a great experience!
You can take your own paintings home, and let the teacher stamp them and frame them for decoration. The teacher also invited Ellie’s father to leave a pen and take a group photo with us, which is very warm. This is also my favorite part of the day. Now that we have returned from Xi'an, this extension painting is placed in our dining room. Ellie often points to it and says: Ellie drew it, chick.
Qujiang Book City, a place where small people bring their children
In Xi'an, it is relatively small and suitable for bringing children. Qujiang Bookstore is the only one. It just so happened that the weather in Xi'an was not particularly good for a few days. When it was drizzling outside, we quickly hid in Qujiang Book City. It is on the edge of Datang Furong Garden, with a total of four floors. There are many interesting things hidden in it, not only literature and art, but also fun~
Every place here has been carefully arranged, especially the ancient characters on it have the taste of the ancient capital of Xi'an, and the details are designed to be open and grand.
Qujiang Book City bears the title of the largest book city in Xi’an, and it has collected a total of 120,000 types of books. It is really a good place for deep bookworms. The first floor is for shallow reading of tourism and aesthetics, the second floor is for in-depth reading of literature, and the third floor It is the parent-child experience activity area.
We should be the most favorite couples in travel photography on the Internet. Unexpectedly, the stairway with tough lines is also the best place in the bookstore.
Taking pictures here really captures the feeling of standing on the bridge with neon lights.
There is a clay figurine experience suitable for children in the children's area on the fourth floor. This is a creative folk shop with many cute clay figurine models. A sharp-eyed mother like me immediately discovered it and immediately arranged for Ellie to play.
Sure enough, it is a good place to free parents' hands. One-to-one service, Ellie has played with the teacher here for a long time, not only can exercise children's fine movements. And train her concentration. Ellie, who was not in a hurry, was arranged to take another "early education class", although the finished product is not very delicate and cute. But the aim is to experience the process, isn't it?
Goose Garden watching shadow puppetry
Watching shadow puppetry in the Wild Goose Garden is the highlight of our day. There are many people who have been to Xi'an, but I don't think there are many people who come to Xi'an to settle down and watch shadow puppetry.
The wild goose garden is located at the north gate of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. The environment is green bricks, ancient tiles, and green trees. You can experience traditional culture and intangible cultural heritage in the wild goose garden at the corner. It is getting darker and colder outside. , or indoor activities.
There are many places to watch shadow puppetry in Xi'an, but we chose the Wild Goose Garden in the Small Wild Goose Pagoda. After visiting the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, you can enter the park to watch a small shadow puppet theater. Online tickets only cost 32 yuan/person, which is quite worth it of.
Speaking of shadow puppetry, this is one of the most popular puppet shows in China. Under candles and light sources, artists manipulate silhouettes of characters to perform wonderful theater after scene. It is a traditional and interesting way of performance in China. There were quite a lot of people there that day, but fortunately we brought Ellie into the arena early and sat in a good position on the second row of small benches.
The master of the shadow puppet show performed in dialect, which is very emotional. We watched a "Monkey King Three Fights the Bone Demon", and the master's manipulation will make the shadow puppet characters come alive. It is very interesting to be on the scene. The one who has gained the most is little Ellie! ! I really envy this two-year-old baby. It’s the first time Master Jian and I have watched a shadow puppet show~
After watching the shadow puppet show, there is also an authentic puppet show. Heyang's marionettes are among the best in the country, and they are also an intangible cultural heritage of Shaanxi Province, so they are very precious. Especially when listening on the spot, the actor's singing has a strong local tone, mild and strong, very distinctive.
I didn't stay in Xi'an for a long time, because this is our transit point. We didn't go to the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses, the Tang Paradise, let alone the Xi'an Forest of Steles Museum and the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang. We chose a place suitable for young babies to play, and deeply feel the traditional Chinese culture.
Don’t be afraid to come back to this good place. After all, it’s Xi’an, so I don’t think it’s too much after coming here~
Ningxia
What is it like to live by the Yellow River? It's so mysterious and kind. As a Chinese, the mother river that has appeared many times on TV since I was a child is actually right in front of me, right beside me...
Ningxia Province, gives us the feeling of being very far away. It takes two or three hours to fly from Guangzhou to Xi'an, and then take a small plane from Xi'an to Zhongwei City, Ningxia Province. The ancient temples and gardens, deserts and lakes, Gobi and oases of "Fortress on the south of the Yangtze River" have the artistic conception of the desert and the solitary smoke, as well as the green grass of summer. Let us who have been living in the south fall in love with this place instantly. It is highly recommended that you come from September to October, the climate is pleasant, whether you are an adult or a child, you are very comfortable~
Ningxia is so big that you can't finish playing here for two weeks. But the time we travel here is not enough to add up to five days, so we simply make a "willful" choice. If you don't rush the scenic spots or the time, you can go wherever you want to play. Unexpectedly, you will gain a lot.
Stylish homestay, watching the Yellow River, climbing the ancient city, riding a camel in the desert, driving an off-road vehicle, having a barbecue picnic... It is very interesting and the scenery is beautiful enough. I call this family trip a domestic niche and wild luxury experience.
We all know that we stayed in Xi'an for several days when we were in transit, and we thought the arrangement was very good.
After arriving at Zhongwei Shapotou Airport, the trip to Ningxia officially started.
The urban area of Zhongwei is very small, and most of the interesting things are in the suburbs. After getting off the plane, seeing that there was only half a day left, I left my luggage at the hotel and arranged to check in. Then go for a walk with the baby in a nearby park~ Occasionally, I meet a snack old man who sells cotton candy and candied haws, and buys a big cotton candy for Ellie. This is also the taste of our childhood as parents~ I didn’t expect Ellie to eat or not, such a big marshmallow was almost pinched off by her!
Gaomiao, Shuttle through the historical city to visit the Temple of the Three Religions
Gaomiao is our first stop in Zhongwei City. The ancient temples in Ningxia are the most outstanding of Gaomiao. This exquisite temple is also a temple of three religions, including Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. It is a rare temple in China that integrates different religions. There are 500 Arhat halls in it, each of which is lifelike, and because of the exquisite temple architecture, it is attractive. Some tourists who come here for fame.
The high temple is built along the terrain. It stands on a high ground and rises every step of the way. When we look at the temple, we have to look up. It happens to be sunny, and the photos are very beautiful.
The upper part is the Gaomiao Temple, and the lower part is the Bao'an Temple. The gorgeous and solemn presentation is reflected in front of your eyes.
The corners of the eaves are lifted up, like a phoenix spreading its wings, and there are wind chimes and bells hanging on it. The sound of wind chimes has the meaning of purifying people's hearts and benefiting all beings, so most temples have them.
The walls of Gaomiao and Bao'an Temple are all made of brick carvings, and the three-dimensional wall paintings are carefully crafted, which is quite in the style of local ancient architecture.
We also captured a cute little golden dragon on the temple, with bells hanging on its outstretched paws, this design is so cute~
For me, who must dig out the landmarks for photos every time I go to a place, the park in front of the Gaomiao is so deep in my heart, I specially changed into an improved cheongsam, and the photo is really beautiful for the occasion.
Yangliu Yiyi, Baiqiao and flowing water, have the charm of Hangzhou gardens. You can choose Hanfu or improved cheongsam to look good.
Just when there is sunshine, it is really great. The environment with natural light made it easy to take pictures. Little Ellie, who loves to take pictures, couldn't help taking pictures with her camera. Isn't it cute to see her standing in a decent posture?
The nearby Xiangyang Pedestrian Street is also worth a walk. The street is very wide and there are restaurants on both sides. We chose a Quanyangyan restaurant where we can eat Zhongwei's special dishes. Goji berry sprouts, sauerkraut fried shredded lamb tripe, and Zhongwei's unique chili, have a special flavor.
Yellow River Suji, the filming location of "Dear Inn 3"
Where is the filming location of "Dear Inn 3", which has just finished broadcasting recently? The most accurate address is Dawan Village, Shapotou District, Zhongwei, Ningxia. Let me show you the on-site environment of the shooting location. A B&B with a very desert style is located next to the Yellow River. The location is very good!
Created by big names in the homestay industry, such as Xipo, Feiniaoji, Nan'an, Dalezhiye, etc., are the famous Yellow River accommodation.
Build the homestay along the banks of the Yellow River, near the end of the desert. After staying here for a few days, I found that everything is far more convenient than imagined. And the photography is super good.
This is a photo we took at another homestay in the Yellow River. The small courtyard is patchwork, set off by pear blossoms and jujube trees, and the decorations come from all over the world, such as carpets from Morocco, cow bells from Chiang Mai, Thailand, and door panels from Pakistan, etc. The design of the room is also very good, the polishing stone is so clean that you can walk barefoot, and there is a favorite tatami.
An open swimming pool stands in the courtyard, adding a touch of bright color to the earth world, and the artificial deck chairs and gazebos next to it are even more beautiful and practical.
The design of the house with a single door and a single courtyard is good in privacy and never gets tired of looking at it. You can enjoy the loose freedom of the Northwest every day.
Such a desert-colored homestay is not to mention easy to take pictures, just look at our film and you will know, 360-degree shooting without dead ends.
There are also many things to play, such as picnic and afternoon tea directly on the open terrace of the dormitory. Or ride a camel in the nearby area, watch the Yellow River, and climb the ancient Great Wall. No matter how you look at this kind of scenery, you will never get tired of it.
If you want to see a more open scenery, it is really recommended to climb up the Great Wall of Ming Dynasty. On the other side is the Shapotou scenic spot in the Tengger Desert. Looking at the extreme scenery of Xiaosu, there are reeds by the Yellow River, and a few more are the train tracks and hills. The skyline of the city is different from the concrete and steel bars of the city, everything is magnificent.
Shabotou, share interesting stories about the desert
If you come to Zhongwei, you must go to the Tengger Desert. Starting from the Yellow River Suji, it takes 100 yuan to take a taxi, and it takes about 1.5 hours to reach the Tengger Desert. Tickets are 80 yuan, 10 yuan for a tour bus to the scenic spot, and the bus entering the desert area is free, and it takes about 15 minutes to arrive.
Shapotou is a scenic spot in the Tengger Desert, and Shapotou is divided into the Yellow River area and the desert area. The most recommended is to go to the desert area to see the desert scenery, ride camels, play off-road vehicles, surf in the desert, sand board, There are ziplines, etc., as well as a variety of delicious food, and you can stay and camp at night. The desert area closes at 6:30, so it's best to get there early.
The scenery in the desert area is the most attractive, all kinds of weathered sandstone shapes, high and low sand dunes, as long as you bring a spoon and a small bucket, it is enough for children to play for a long time.
Riding a camel and listening to the bells echoing, watching the endless scenery in the desert, the dead wood covered by the sand, the ever-changing height of the sand dunes, everything is long and gentle.
Longing for the vast territory, walking on the desolate and mysterious edge of the Tengger Desert, counting the sand together, and experiencing the game in the desert.
The most exciting game is the off-road vehicle in the desert. All kinds of models, no matter whether you can drive or not, you have to experience the feeling of flying in the desert. Someone can drive a wild car safely.
Punch South Bank B&B
On the last day of the Yellow River Suji, we went to check in at Nanan B&B, which is also very suitable. Nan'an B&B has its own unique personality. Although it is the same designer as Xipo, Nan'an uses more gray and black, tough and straightforward style. I really like it.
I have stayed in many five-star hotels and many very unique homestays. But being in such an environment still feels quite special.
Because there are not so many tourists traveling to Ningxia now, it gives people a more peaceful and slow life feeling.
The outdoor furnishings of the B&B are also very beautiful, with comfortable seats and reed decorations, and there is a pile of firewood next to it. It is really great to have a bonfire and enjoy food together at night.
The most pleasing thing is that there are various handmade seesaws and wooden horses beside the door. Very popular among children. There are not all kinds of electric toys here, nature and simple handicrafts are children's amusement park.
The dormitories with earthen walls have the tenderness of the Northwest, and you can enjoy the quiet parent-child time comfortably. Even though the trip has long been over, I still miss it very much.
Basically, the scenery travel notes of Xi’an + Ningxia Zhongwei are like this. Who said that the scenery of the Northwest is not suitable for family travel?
