On the walls of a former factory building in the shadow of the medieval walls of the Chinese city of Pingyao, a fading slogan extols the proletarian virtues of hard work, efficiency and safety first.
Most people might have only heard of the city of Linfen in Shanxi province because of one particular buzzword — pollution. But if we care about the revival of one of the birthplaces of Chinese culture and civilization, there may be no better solution to this problem than to look through fresh eyes and discover what Shanxi has to offer as far as its growing tourism industry.
I was delighted to be chosen by China Daily to return to Shanxi Province as a participant in the "Shanxi in the eyes of foreigners" program. It was a real eye-opener to say the least.
I am nostalgic when I think of the moments we shared in Shanxi. Each place we visited had a unique theme and feel. The trip was like a delicious meal made with handpicked ingredients that kept our appetites satisfied with joy.
We started off from Pingyao, a well-maintained city that is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Everything was as I expected, with ancient architecture and modern photography exhibited on the walls of very old structures.
Overall, it was an impressive and educational trip that taught me a lot about Chinese history. This made me feel that China is a land where anyone can indulge their inner Marco Polo. I hope to join another such trip in the future.
