A total of 1986 photos are counted (only photos containing exif data are counted)

Among them, 425 photos (about 21.40%) are from iPhone, and the rest are taken by Sony A7C2 camera.

in conclusion

24mm-35mm photos account for the highest proportion, accounting for about 52.57%.

My Lenses

1. Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071
2. Samyang AF 35mm F1.8
3. Samyang AF 75mm F1.8
4. Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8

Data analysis

Although these data are a bit like asking questions based on the answers (because most of the photos are from the Tamron 28-200 lens), it is precisely because of this zoom lens that some of my shooting preferences can be calculated.

CoPilot summary:

The focal length distribution shows very obvious “two poles”:

• Extremely high at wide-angle end (24–35mm)
• Extremely high telephoto end (200mm)
• Low usage at intermediate focal lengths (50–120mm)

“People who enter the world”

——Wide-angle personality (24–35mm ultra-high body ratio)

24mm, 28mm, 35mm add up to over 52%.

This means you are:

• Likes to be close to the subject
• Likes to get into the environment
• Like real, natural and unpretentious pictures
• Likes to record life, cities, travel, and streets
  You are not the kind of person who “takes photos from afar”; you are the kind of person who walks into the crowd and into the story.

Photography personality summary

• ✔ People entering the world (wide angle)
• ✔ Distant observer (telephoto)
• ✔ Don’t like the average focal length (medium focal length)
• ✔ Not pursuing traditional blurred portraits (85mm)
• ✔ Like reality, story, sense of space, sense of compression

Samples

Super wide angle

Wide angle

Medium focus

Telephoto

Super telephoto

West Lake

Start walking from the broken bridge on Beishan Street with remaining snow.

Entering the water silently.

On the mountain is Baochu Pagoda.

Two mandarin ducks were on the branches, moving with the waves. This was the first time I saw mandarin ducks.

Zhongshan Park

Although the maple leaves have fallen, it is still beautiful. The calm water is like a bright mirror, without any ripples.

There is also a maple tree that has not yet shed its leaves.

Xiling Seal Society

Quyuan Fenghe

There are no lotus flowers now, and the simple water surface is also very elegant.

Prince Bay Park

The super cute puppy is playing with the gardener and looks very happy!

Climb Jiuyaoshan ing.

After climbing for about half an hour, we reach Jiuyao Pavilion and overlook the West Lake.

There is still a bit of haze in the distance.

Overlooking Leifeng Pagoda.

Looking into the distance…I don’t know where it is.

Going down the mountain, there is a deep cave on the roadside.

Looking up at Leifeng Pagoda, I didn’t go in.

Taurus out of water-sunset

The sunset is so beautiful!

The waves are as smooth as silk.

Renfeng Pavilion-Sunrise

I got up at around 5 a.m. and took a taxi to Renfeng Pavilion at 6 a.m. to wait for the sunrise.

Blues hour before sunrise.

Start to turn warm.

The temperature was very low, and I was almost freezing when I was holding the camera with both hands, but I couldn’t stop the sunrise from being so beautiful!

The hazy Leifeng Pagoda.

Su Di

I got up too early and felt sleepy. I sunbathed on a chair by the West Lake and closed my eyes to relax.

Three Pools Reflecting the Moon

Take another look and go back to Shanghai.

Originally, we planned to go to Hokkaido this year, but since I’m sensitive to the cold, I figured I wouldn’t be able to handle more than ten days there. On top of that, with this year’s reports of “bear incidents,” I felt a bit uneasy. In the end, we decided to return to the Kansai region instead.

Route

• Osaka: 2 days
• Kyoto: 6 days
• Uji: 0.5 day
• Nara: 1 day
• Kobe: 1 day
• Wakayama: 1 day
• Rinku Town: 0.5 day

Before Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 · Departure · Osaka

To make the most of this holiday, we booked the earliest flight of the day to Kansai International Airport.

We arranged a ride-hailing car the day before, and watched the sunrise inside the departure hall. Sunrises and sunsets seem to have a kind of magic—I always find myself stopping to admire them without realizing it.

The flight took off a little after 8 a.m. and landed at 11:20 a.m. local time, just in time for lunch.

The plane was probably full. After landing, the two of us walked quickly toward the front of the line, passed immigration smoothly, and took the shuttle bus to T1 to grab lunch first.

We walked around T1 for a bit but didn’t find anything we particularly wanted to eat, so we went to Sukiya and ordered a rice bowl. After not being here for a year, I had completely forgotten the ordering process. When it was my turn, I went straight to the cashier, and the staff told me I needed to place my order at the machine first and then pay. A quiet sumimasen later, I managed to place the order. I had one rice bowl plus an ice cream, then got ready to head to the hotel we’d be staying at tonight (or at least drop off our luggage). At the Nankai Railway counter in T1, I exchanged for a Nankai 2-day pass (I’ll write a separate post to explain these passes in detail).

We stayed in Sakai City tonight—to save money, since it was Saturday, and paying several times the usual price for an average hotel didn’t feel worth it. I have a very good impression of this small city. It feels simple and uncrowded, yet it meets my needs perfectly. We arrived at the hotel before 3 p.m., and the front desk let us check in right away—huge thumbs up. After entering the room, we tidied up and rested for a while. The hotel was newly opened, so the facilities were quite new. It was close to the station, and most importantly, the seaside view was excellent.

From Sakai City, it takes about 30 minutes to get to Namba by Nankai Railway.

Osaka Castle Park

Today we headed to Osaka Castle, which my friend had been looking forward to for a long time, just to take a photo in the same spot as Black Chicken. I guess this counts as a kind of pilgrimage 😊. Since we planned two full days in Osaka, we bought a 26-hour Osaka Metro pass for today.

We took the Nankai Railway and then transferred to the subway to get to Osaka Castle. As soon as we exited the station, we were greeted by ginkgo trees along the road, full of autumn colors. Bathed in sunlight, they looked absolutely beautiful.

Coming back to Osaka Castle Park after a year, I felt a strong sense of familiarity along the paths I walked.

The ducks in the moat of Osaka Castle were lively and cheerful.

There was a cat hiding in the bushes, and another one outside. An elderly Japanese man noticed me taking photos of the cats and smiled at me warmly. I smiled back. The kindness from a stranger eased my worries a little.

When we reached the base of Osaka Castle Tenshukaku, we bought tickets (about 55 RMB) and went inside. There were many exhibits in the tower, along with plenty of explanations about its history. I wasn’t particularly interested in these, mainly because I don’t really have a clear understanding of Japan’s dynastic history.

At sunset, standing on the observation walkway at the top of the Tenshukaku and looking out over Osaka Castle and its surroundings was actually a very nice experience.

As night fell, we prepared to head to the area near Shinsaibashi to find something to eat.

Tonight we had a yakiniku buffet, and it was delicious. The meat was rich in fat, tender, and flavorful—absolutely satisfying.

After dinner, we took a ride back to the hotel to rest.

Day 2 · Osaka

The weather today is really beautiful!

Nanzō-ji Temple

In the morning, we headed to Nanzō-ji Temple. I had seen on Xiaohongshu that someone shared a photo of a large ginkgo tree here, which was at its peak viewing season.

Upon arrival, it was indeed beautiful. The sky was blue with white clouds, the sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze brushed my face. Nanzō-ji is quite small, and you can sit quietly in the corridor in front of the main hall to feel the Zen atmosphere.

After leaving, we weren’t sure where to go next, so we thought of Expo ’70 Commemorative Park and navigated our way there. Yes, we hadn’t had lunch today 😅, only some small snacks.

Expo ’70 Commemorative Park

As we arrived at the station across from the park, we could already see the huge “Ya-Ha-Ha” sculpture inside. Check the map here 👉https://stroly.com/viewer/1740129557?lang=en

We bought tickets (260 JPY, about 12 RMB) to enter the park. We first went to the right side of the park, which featured displays and shops related to railways and trains (Sheldon’s Happy Zone).

Neither of us was particularly interested in the train-related exhibits, so we headed to the Japanese Garden exhibition area instead.

We arrived at the Japanese Garden area.

The Japanese Garden exhibition area is divided into four sections. We decided to start from the far side to appreciate the garden styles from ancient times to the present.

Walking to the left, we came across a large bamboo grove. Although it wasn’t as tall as the one in Arashiyama, it was still beautiful under the blue sky.

After passing through the bamboo grove, we began to see landscaped areas with ponds, complemented by red autumn leaves, creating a very delicate scene. We arrived a bit later this year, so some of the leaves had already turned brown and fallen, but overall, it was still quite beautiful.

Mountain Spring. The maple leaves in this area were still at their peak, looking absolutely stunning.

We continued walking and reached the karesansui (dry landscape) garden. The landscaping here was much simpler; personally, I felt it wasn’t as impressive as the karesansui at places like Myōkō-an. We then continued back along the path.

Outside, there was a plum grove. Although it’s still autumn, I was surprised to see one plum tree starting to bloom.

In the small stream, ducks were playing in the water and foraging.

We hadn’t finished exploring Expo ’70 Commemorative Park yet, but we decided to leave since we needed to head to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan before our 26-hour metro pass expired.

Tempozan Ferris Wheel & Osaka Aquarium

We first went on the Tempozan Ferris Wheel next to the aquarium (using the metro pass gave us a discounted price). We arrived just a little late, and as we ascended, the sun was setting. The transition from the golden hour to the blue hour was stunning.

After the Ferris wheel, we went to the nearby mall to have dinner. Tonight, I had a pork cutlet with rice in broth. I would rate it as average because the cutlet lost its crispiness after being soaked, which I didn’t really like.

After dinner, we headed to today’s final destination—the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Inside, some of the animals had already “clocked out” and were sleeping, while others were still “working overtime” to entertain us. I really hope all the animals are happy in there too.

The lively and adorable little penguins.

The graceful jellyfish.

After leaving the aquarium, we returned to the hotel to rest.

Day 3 · Kyoto

We slept in a bit last night and only set off around check-out time. Upon arriving in Kyoto, we first went to the hotel to drop off our luggage. The hotel didn’t allow early check-in, but the front desk said they would deliver our luggage to the room once it was ready.

Once outside, it was lunchtime, so I decided to take my friend to Ichiran Ramen, which was very close to the hotel and we had passed by it earlier.

I found the standard flavor too rich, but the mild flavor was just right. The double-spicy option wasn’t too hot and was tolerable. After finishing lunch, we took the bus to Ginkaku-ji.

Ginkaku-ji

Ginkaku-ji has many evergreen trees, and the moss grows very well. With the clear weather, the garden exudes a serene beauty.

After leaving Ginkaku-ji, we walked along the Philosopher’s Path toward Eikando.

Along the way, we spotted a beautiful butterfly.

Eikando

Eikando is famous for its maple leaves. Although we arrived a bit later in the season, we were still able to see many beautiful maples within the temple grounds.

Nanzen-ji

After leaving Eikando, we headed to Nanzen-ji.

I have visited this area of Nanzen-ji for three consecutive years. Even within the free-access areas, the scenery is quite beautiful and definitely worth seeing.

After leaving Nanzen-ji, we walked to the Shijo area and found a sukiyaki buffet (run by Chinese owners). It was quite tasty. After eating our fill, we returned to the hotel.

Day 4 · Kyoto

We slept in again last night. After getting up, washing, and having breakfast, we took the bus to Arashiyama. Most of the autumn leaves had already fallen, so our first stop was Jōjakkō-ji Temple.

We took the bus to the entrance of Tenryu-ji and then walked through the bamboo grove.

So cute—a Maneki-neko (beckoning cat).

Jōjakkō-ji Temple

We happened to arrive just in time for the bell-ringing ceremony.

Every time I visit Jōjakkō-ji, I find it incredibly beautiful. On the way out, we passed by a small shop we had visited before, selling various handicrafts.

We walked through a narrow alley.

Gio-ji Temple

After leaving Gio-ji, we headed to Tōkō-ji.

Tōkō-ji Temple

We sat quietly here for a while; it was very peaceful.

Camellias in full bloom, with a delicate fragrance.

Adashino Nenbutsu-ji

The maple leaves were beautiful, but I probably won’t come back next time, as there is a large cemetery inside.

Atago Nenbutsu-ji

Katsura River

We took a bus from Atago Nenbutsu-ji to Togetsukyo Bridge.

Kiyomizu-dera

We took a bus to Kiyomizu-dera to enjoy the autumn leaves at night.

Looking up at the Kiyomizu Stage from below.

On our way to dinner, we passed by the Kamo River.

For dinner, we went to Wako Tonkatsu. I ordered the mixed fried set, which was delicious.

Day 5 · Kyoto

We decided to visit Nishi Hongan-ji, which my friend had discovered on Xiaohongshu.

We bought an ice pop at a FamilyMart and started eating it inside, thinking we could throw the wrapper in the store’s trash can afterward. Then I noticed a sign asking customers not to eat inside, and I felt a bit embarrassed, so we quickly went outside to finish it.

After leaving FamilyMart, I mentioned that Nijo Castle was just across the street, so we decided to take a look. The entrance fee for Nijo Castle was 800 JPY, which is relatively expensive.

Nijo Castle

A fire truck was heading out on duty.

Nishi Hongan-ji

After leaving Nijo Castle, we took a bus to Nishi Hongan-ji. As soon as we got off, we saw the ginkgo trees at the temple. There is no entrance fee for Nishi Hongan-ji.

A full and radiant ginkgo tree.

Free to visit.

Jonan-gu

The reason we visited Jonan-gu was mainly because we were running late, and we could still see the last of the autumn leaves there. Jonan-gu is also very close to our next planned destination, Fushimi Inari Taisha.

I hadn’t noticed before, but there are persimmon trees in several spots.

I’ve seen this type of nut back in my hometown as well.

After leaving Jonan-gu, we walked and took a bus to Fushimi Inari Taisha. It looked like it might rain soon.

Passing through an underground passage.

Crossing the railway tracks.

Passing by a small bridge.

Arrived!

Fushimi Inari Taisha

It was my friend’s first time in Japan, and I thought that for anyone visiting Kansai for the first time, Fushimi Inari Taisha is almost a must.

We walked part of the Senbon Torii and then headed back down. Once it gets dark, the mountain feels a bit scary, especially with crows cawing all around. The sun was just about to set, so we stopped for a while to take it all in.

That evening, he found a small family-run restaurant owned by people from Sichuan. The food was really good, and I could tell his mood lifted quite a bit after the meal.

After dinner, we took a bus back to Kyoto Station, and then transferred to another bus to return to the hotel.

Day 6 · Kyoto

We didn’t really know where to go today. Most of the autumn leaves had already fallen, and my friend was starting to feel a bit of temple fatigue. I suggested we just wander around casually. Neither of us is into anime culture, and aside from temples, we honestly didn’t know what else to see within Kyoto city.

It was still snowing up in the mountains.

In the morning, we headed to Shinnyodo. Admission to Shinnyodo is free. Many people include Shinnyodo as part of the route between Ginkaku-ji and Eikando, but when we arrived in the area a few days ago, it was already afternoon and we didn’t have enough time.

There weren’t many visitors at Shinnyodo, and the grounds aren’t very large.

Shoren-in Monzeki (Shinnyodo)

Eisetsu-in

Kurodani Temple (Konkai Komyo-ji)

We passed by but didn’t go in.

Next to it is the Lotus Pond.

Kurodani Temple Three-Story Pagoda — Monju Pagoda

We went to have lunch. This wild plant looked a bit like Canada goldenrod.

First, we found a nearby restaurant for lunch. We went to Ikkyutei. The food was okay—not amazing, but not bad either. What I remember most was the tatami table: there wasn’t enough space to bend or stretch my legs properly, and after sitting for a while, my legs went completely numb (literally).

After lunch, we headed to Kyoto Zoo. Perhaps because of the cold weather, we didn’t see many animals. What was surprising is that the zoo doesn’t have any tigers or lions. If you live locally, an annual pass is a great deal—it costs only as much as two or three single-day tickets.

Kyoto Zoo

You look like you have something on your mind.

Big Cat.

Adorable little red panda.

Giraffe

Zebra

Flamingos (very noisy).

We left and took a bus to Kyoto Tower.

Kyoto Tower

Dinner was Ippudo ramen.

We took a bus back to the hotel.

Day 7 Ōtsu

Yesterday, my friend and I discussed avoiding rainy areas since it would be inconvenient to travel and the scenery might lose its charm.

After checking the weather forecast, we decided to head to the side of Lake Biwa opposite Mount Hiei.

Since the upcoming itinerary involves several JR trips, we purchased a 5-day Kansai Wide Area Pass + 2-day Amanohashidate-Ine Pass.

Today’s main destination is Omihachiman. First, we stopped by Otsu to stroll along the shores of Lake Biwa. The weather was great today, with blue skies and white clouds. It’s about a 10-minute walk from Otsu Station to the lakeside.

Otsu

The lake reflected the sky, showing both blue and green hues. From here, we could see the “snow-capped mountains” on the opposite side.

The wind by the lake was so strong it gave me a headache, so we headed back to the station to continue our trip to Ōmihachiman.

Along the way, I noticed the clouds on the mountains across the lake getting thicker.

Ōmihachiman

By the time we arrived in Ōmihachiman, it was almost lunchtime. We decided to have a meal first. After having yakiniku and sukiyaki in the past few days, today we went for Ōmi beef shabu-shabu. Delicious 😋.

After finishing our meal, we walked to the Hachiman-yama Ropeway station.

We took the ropeway at Hachiman-yama Ropeway Station to go up the mountain. The round-trip fare was 900 yen, which was quite reasonable.

From the top of Hachiman-yama, we could take in the surrounding scenery with a very pleasant view. Looking down at Ōmihachiman, there were no tall buildings, giving it the feel of a peaceful small town.

From the viewing platform on the other side, we could overlook Lake Biwa and even see snow falling on the mountains across the lake. I couldn’t help but think how perfect this place was to visit.

We came across a cat. It was very gentle, and I petted it (don’t follow my example).

We came across another cat, but I didn’t pet it.

Nichiren Sect Head Temple – Zuiryu-ji

There is a temple at the top of the mountain. You can draw a fortune slip for 100 yen, and I got a good one—so happy 🥳.

There was a black cat with sharp eyes, and I petted it. Its head had some incense ash on it, as if it had slept in the incense burner. It looked a bit old, with its chest fur turning white.

It seems that this place used to be a castle.

Torii gate.

A big tree.

Heading down the mountain.

An empty street.

Countryside.

Kitano-no-sho

We walked to Kitano-no-sho. As soon as we arrived, we saw these fairy-tale-like houses with grass roofs. The sun was about to set, and the last rays of the day were shining on the rooftops.

It looked like a tea plantation.

Inside the grass-roofed house, they were selling local Omi-Hachiman snacks and even “ginseng” 😏.

A window. It looks like a painting.

When we left, the sun had set, the clouds in the sky were dyed golden, and birds were circling above.

Took a bus back to Kyoto.

At Kyoto Station, I reserved round-trip reserved seats for tomorrow’s journey to Amanohashidate.

For dinner, we ate at Sukiya near Kyoto Station.

Day 8 Amanohashidate & Ine

Tonight we would be changing hotels. In the morning, I checked the time and realized we still had enough, so I first dropped off our luggage at the hotel where we would stay tonight, planning to check in directly in the evening.

We took a bus to Kyoto Station, then boarded a JR train for a 2-hour ride to Amanohashidate.

At Amanohashidate Station, I exchanged for the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day PASS and picked up a travel guide. The guide was available in Japanese and English, and I chose the English version.

This 2-Day PASS is really worth it, covering transportation, sightseeing cruises, the Kasamatsu Park cable car, and buses to Nariaiji Temple. According to our plan, we first took a bus to the Ine Sunrise stop to board a sightseeing boat.

The roads are mostly built along the coast, and through the bus window, I could see the blue sea and golden beaches.

Arriving at Ine Sunrise stop, there was no need to buy a separate sightseeing boat ticket—just showing the PASS was enough. Without the PASS, a sightseeing boat ticket costs 1,200 yen. Just this one boat ride already makes the PASS worth it.

The sightseeing boat goes near the Ine Funaya (boat houses). Before boarding, you can buy some fries to feed the seagulls on the boat.

The waves were quite strong today. When we got off the boat, we saw a notice at the dock saying that no boats would depart today. We were really lucky—if we had arrived a bit later, we wouldn’t have been able to experience the sightseeing boat. From the boat, we could also see patches of snow still on the mountains.

There were snacks for sale at the dock, so I bought a croquette and a milk pudding. They were delicious.

We took a bus to Ine. After getting off, we continued strolling along the road.

Ine also felt very open and peaceful (probably because we had been in the city before). There were few tourists now. We walked up to Ine Park and spent some time enjoying the view.

We walked back to wait for the bus to go to Amanohashidate Park.

We arrived at Amanohashidate Park. To get up the hill, there are two options: the large cable car or the chair lift. I decided to take the cable car up and the chair lift down for a better scenic experience. At the top, there is an observation platform where we could overlook the iconic sandbar of Amanohashidate.

It was still early, and we noticed the bus to Nariai-ji Temple parked nearby. After checking the schedule and the travel time to the top, we decided to go up. Showing the PASS was enough to board the bus, and it took about 5 minutes to reach Nariai-ji.

As soon as we arrived, I was glad we came up; otherwise, we would have missed the beautiful snowy scenery. The snow hadn’t melted yet, and the five-story pagoda stood gracefully amidst the snow, giving off a classical charm.

There was also an observation platform at the top of the mountain.

Took the last bus down to the Amanomatsu Park observation platform, and we were the only passengers on the bus. Looks like many people missed the snowy scenery here.

Then we headed back to Kyoto.

Day 9 Uji & Nara

Starting the familiar final stretch: first to Uji for matcha and sweets, then to Nara to see the deer.

We took the JR to Kyoto and transferred to another JR train to Uji. We stored our luggage in a locker at the JR Uji Station exit for 400 yen.

Walked down to the Uji River and strolled along the riverside. The weather was great again today, so chill.

Almost 10 a.m., we headed to Nakamura Tokichi (Byodoin branch) for some matcha desserts. Even before it opened, there was already a long queue. The window seats filled up quickly, so we had to sit inside. At this moment, suddenly a lot of low-hanging clouds appeared in the sky.

We enjoyed our desserts and had a chat. Around 11 a.m., we left and walked to the bridge by the Uji River, then headed back to visit Ujigami Shrine.

A wild bird was catching fish—so thrilling to watch! (A bit of a shame my photo came out blurry.)

Uji Kamisha Shrine

After leaving Ujigami Shrine, it was almost mealtime, so I suggested we go eat matcha ramen.

After finishing the ramen, I bought another matcha ice cream and ate it while walking (don’t follow my lead—this is probably considered a bit impolite here).

We then took the JR train to Nara. The hotel for tonight is located right next to the Nara JR station, which is super convenient. The facilities are quite new, and they provide POLA toiletries, which are pretty nice to use. The only downside is that the bathroom is located on the balcony (which means the room itself doesn’t have a traditional window sill).

After dropping off our luggage, we took a bus to Nara Park.

We walked to Mount Wakakusa, where the entrance fee was 150 yen.

After entering, we took the path on the far left up to the first peak (Ichigome) of Mount Wakakusa, where the view became much more open and expansive.

We headed down to the large lawn at the base about 20 minutes before sunset.

After the sun set, we grabbed some dinner and headed back to the hotel.

We ate at Matsunoya for dinner tonight.

Then we returned to the hotel to get some rest.

Day 10 Nara & Kobe

The night before, I told my friend that I wanted to get up early to capture the morning light (Links’ photos were so incredible that I wanted to give it a shot myself). I packed my luggage in advance so my friend could sleep in a bit and then help me bring it down during check-out.

I got up on my own and took a bus to Nara Park.

The morning light—I captured it. As for the “flavor” of the shots, they’re still missing that tiny bit of something, but I’m already quite satisfied.

Not a single soul in sight.

The little deer are just like children.

A quick sniff, and the verdict is: 100% a good person.

I took a walk around the outer perimeter of Todai-ji Temple.

Food for the little deer.

Yoshikien Garden

I walked over to Yoshikien Garden—it was fantastic! Admission is free, and the landscaping is absolutely beautiful.

Stopped by Starbucks for a coffee break. By noon, my friend had finished touring Kasuga-taisha and Todai-ji. I suggested we meet up at Starbucks and highly recommended Yoshikien Garden, which I had just visited.

We met up and grabbed lunch. After taking the bus back to Nara JR Station, we went to Matsuya. For some reason, this branch didn’t serve Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets). After eating, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage and caught the JR train to Kobe.

Kobe

Arriving in Kobe, we rolled our suitcases toward today’s hotel. This place looks like a classic, established grand hotel. The room has a great view, and the window glass is incredibly clean. There’s even a FamilyMart convenience store at the far end of the lobby. The downstairs exit leads directly to Meriken Park.

There are sightseeing cruise ships at the Meriken Park harbor.

A sparrow.

After a stroll around the area, we had Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) for dinner. The taste was just mediocre.

The shopping streets near Sannomiya were quite empty. So far, the liveliest shopping district I’ve seen is Shinsaibashi in Osaka; I haven’t visited the Kanto region yet.

Day 11 Kobe & Wakayama

Waking up in the morning, embracing the sun, and filling my body with brilliant sunshine 😊.

Checked out, took the JR train to Sannomiya Station, and stored our luggage in the station lockers before heading to Maiko Park via JR.

Maiko Park

Arrived at Maiko and saw the ocean! As I walked under the bridge, I suddenly felt a strong gust of wind, so I quickly bundled up with my scarf and hat.

Once I stepped out of that specific area, the wind didn’t feel strong anymore. It probably has something to do with the bridge structure or some kind of physical phenomenon.

I spotted a starfish on the beach. Not knowing if it was dead or alive, and too scared to touch it with my bare hands, I used a stone to gently push it back into the water. Hope it makes it!

After walking along the seaside for a while, we headed back and took a quick tour inside the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall (Maikovilla).

Once we came out, we went to the Maiko Park ticket office, bought our tickets, and headed up onto the bridge.

The wind up here was incredibly strong—I was honestly worried it might blow my baseball cap right off.

There was even a glass-floor section where you could look directly down at the seawater below. Since I’m afraid of heights, I didn’t dare step onto it.

There were snacks for sale up there. I ordered some Akashiyaki (which tastes like boiled Takoyaki) and an ice cream. Eating something hot and cold together made my teeth feel a bit “off”—not the best sensation!

It was so cozy sitting there; with the glass and solid ground, my acrophobia wasn’t an issue anymore. Though I think a refreshing drink would have been a better choice for that spot.

After lunch, we took the JR train to Wakayama.

Now, here’s the interesting part: we were sitting in the second carriage. In this specific train, cars 1–4 head to Kansai Airport, while cars 5–8 go to Wakayama. My friend told me we had to switch carriages before reaching Hineno Station. Having just woken up, I was quite confused until I saw the reminder on the overhead screen—thanks for having my back, my friend!

Actually, it wouldn’t have been a huge deal if we had ended up in the wrong place since we were using the JR PASS; it just would have meant a bit of backtracking and a later arrival in Wakayama.

Sidenote: Why didn’t we take the Limited Express Kuroshio? Because the timing wasn’t right. If we had waited for the Kuroshio after arriving in Osaka, it would have added another hour to our

Wakayama City

We booked the Candeo Hotels Wakayama, located right above Wakayamashi Station. After arriving at Wakayama Station, we had to take another short JR ride to get to Wakayamashi Station. Originally, I had booked a hotel near Wakayama Station, but I switched to this one near Wakayamashi Station because we needed to take the Nankai Line to Kansai Airport the next day (and I still had one day left on my Nankai 2-Day PASS).

The lobby of the hotel offers a fantastic view. After dropping my luggage in the room, I specifically came back down to the lobby just to watch the sunset.

Me: “Clouds fly with the lone wild duck; the autumn water is the same color as the vast sky. What a poem, what a masterpiece!”
Friend: Scrolling through Douyin (TikTok) in the room.

In the evening, I suggested we try Yakitori, so we headed to a local shop. Well, “expect the unexpected”—neither of us could handle these charred, burnt skewers. The blackened bits were incredibly bitter, which totally ruined the flavor. Luckily, we only ordered about 200 RMB worth of food.

My friend mentioned he didn’t have any cash, but I told him not to worry. When it was time to pay, I asked if they accepted WeChat Pay or Alipay (since WeChat can actually scan PayPay QR codes now), but the owner said they only took cash or credit cards. I opted for the credit card, but as he pulled out the terminal, I noticed something: “Oh, it has Alipay—maybe we can try 😉.” We gave it a shot, and it worked perfectly. The owner was impressed: “Sugoi!” (Amazing!) 👍

After leaving, we went to a convenience store to buy some snacks. That dinner didn’t count—let’s call it a “re-do” 🥺.

After resting at the hotel for a bit, I went up to the rooftop onsen. It had just been maintained today (maybe a fresh water change), and after showering, I found the pool to be exceptionally clean. Plus, there was no one else there—hehe, a total “private moment.” The public bath felt like a private spa experience! There were both indoor and outdoor pools; stepping into the outdoor one felt a bit like streaking on a rooftop.

The view from the outdoor pool was great, though the night lights in Wakayama are much scanter compared to the big cities. After the soak, I headed back to the room. We both agreed to sleep in tomorrow and check out directly.

Day 12 Rinku Town

Slept in, got up, freshened up, had breakfast, and packed our bags to check out. Our destination: Rinku Town.

We dropped our luggage at the JLS store run by a Chinese lady near Exit 4 of Rinku Town Station. At 300 yen per piece, the price was quite reasonable.

After storing our bags, we took a stroll through Rinku Park.

Rinku Park

Rinku Premium Outlets

Then we headed to the Outlets. First, we visited the beach right outside the mall; the water here was incredibly clear and transparent.

Feeling the sea breeze—it was so comfortable.

Returned to the Outlets, walked around for a bit, and ended up spending exactly 0 yen.

Had Ramen for lunch.

Headed to the airport and arrived right as check-in opened. We were at the front of the line, so there was hardly any waiting—perfect.

After passing through security, I picked up a bunch of Royce’ Nama Chocolate.

Heading back to Shanghai! This trip was a complete success.

Expenses

Total spent: Approximately 9,268 RMB per person.

Hotels

• Agora Regency Osaka Sakai: Opened in 2025. Very new, located near Nankai Sakai Station with beautiful harbor views.
• Hotel Vista Premio Kyoto (Kawaramachi St.): Opened in 2011. Located in a bustling area; there’s a Little Sheep Hot Pot downstairs that offers discounts for hotel guests. Rooms feature traditional Japanese-style windows.
• Cross Hotel Kyoto: Opened in 2018. Located in a prime downtown area with a Uniqlo right across the street. The toiletries are lavender-scented—so strong they made me feel a bit dizzy! Laundry service is pricey (charged per item, e.g., ~50 RMB for a T-shirt); I suggest using the nearby CoCoNe Internet Cafe for laundry instead.
• Hotel M’s Plus Shijo Omiya: Opened in 2017. Close to the JR station.
• Piazza Hotel Nara: Very new and right next to the JR station. Convenient transportation. They provide POLA toiletries, which are excellent.
• Hotel Okura Kobe: Located next to Meriken Park and near the harbor. Great window views and free laundry service. They also use POLA toiletries—highly recommended.
• Candeo Hotels Wakayama: Opened in 2020. Located next to Nankai Wakayamashi Station. Features a rooftop open-air onsen with a fantastic view.

Q&A

What camera did you use?

I’m skipping this one. If you are viewing this page on the web, just click on the images to see the detailed EXIF/shooting parameters.

Did you edit the photos?

No. But to be honest, they still look a bit different from what the naked eye sees. My photography skills aren’t quite there yet.

HDR Photos

These are HDR JPGs exported using Adobe Camera RAW. The effect isn’t perfect; the highlights around the sun look a bit funky.

Why go to Japan when relations are tense?

The itinerary was planned back in August, long before things escalated.

Were you worried about anything?

Yes. I even joked with my friend that we should speak English instead of Mandarin while in Japan. However, from the moment we arrived until the end of the trip, everything felt fine. I didn’t experience anything unusual.

Why do you keep going to Japan?

A few key reasons:

• Japan actively promotes tourism, and their infrastructure is very friendly to foreign travelers.
• The cost is well within an acceptable range.
• The locals are traditional and follow the rules.
• Most public places are non-smoking.
• The scenery is very delicate and refined.

Any new experiences?

Yes. This time, I tried out various railway and bus/subway PASSES in the Kansai region.

Across the entire trip, the various transportation passes saved me about 300 RMB. Specifically, the Amanohashidate-Ine 2-Day PASS saved about 200 RMB on its own.

The prerequisite for buying a PASS is knowing exactly where you want to go. If your itinerary is relaxed or flexible, you likely won’t break even. In that case, just sticking to a regular transit card is better.

Closing Remarks

I was 29 when I went on this trip, but as I write this travelogue, I have already turned 30. At 30, it feels as though I’m living the life others had in their 20s—happy and fulfilled.

I’d like to recommend the website https://kyoto.travel/en/. This is the official information site provided by the Kyoto City Tourism Association. It’s available in multiple languages and is incredibly detailed, rich, and practical.

This is my longest travelogue to date. Although it’s written in a “journal-style” (day-to-day) format, it still took quite a bit of time to organize. Thank you so much for reading this far.

2025 has come to a wonderful close. Here’s to staying happy next year too!

Itinerary

Day 1 Exploring Lanzhou

The day before, I booked a ride-share for 4 a.m. to Pudong Airport T2 and chose the exclusive option. Turned out the driver also picked up 2 + 1 + 1 passengers from other platforms — three additional orders in total. It took over half an hour, and the buffer time I had set aside was completely used up. I had originally planned to choose my seat at the check-in counter, but there was no time left, so I ended up paying 50 RMB to select a seat and check in on my phone instead. As soon as I arrived at the airport, I rushed straight to the security line.

Lesson learned: next time, I should confirm with the driver in advance how many passengers they are picking up to avoid this kind of situation. Anyway, I arrived at the airport safely and boarded the plane smoothly. No need to complain about trivial things — the beautiful journey was only just beginning.

By the time boarding was completed, it was right at sunrise.

After taking a short nap, I woke up to see the distant peaks outside the window — a soft bluish haze, with layers of mountains stacked one after another like an ink wash painting.

I finally saw the Yellow River.

Getting ready to land.

The in-flight announcement said: the weather today was excellent, and we would arrive 40 minutes ahead of schedule. The entire flight felt smooth, with no noticeable turbulence at all. When we landed and stepped outside, the ground temperature was -3°C. I was wearing warm clothes, and it felt perfectly fine — not cold at all.

The airport was very new and clean, with a strong sense of design and aesthetic appeal.

The next train to the city was at 11:39. Since there was still plenty of time and I was getting hungry, I went to find something to eat.

The hall above the railway station was also very modern, with artistic and flowing architectural lines.

There were students visiting on a tour.

There is a noodle shop on the second floor of the railway station. I ordered a bowl of beef noodles with double toppings (meat + egg) for 20 RMB — really delicious. After finishing the noodles, I went across the street to Kudi to grab a drink. There was no price markup, which was great. I paid 8.8 RMB for a cup of Zhici Qinglü — refreshing and tasty.

Boarding the train, even though I had a window seat, the “window” turned out to be a wall 😅. It was cold outside, but inside the carriage it felt stuffy and overheated 🥵.

Arriving at Lanzhou West Railway Station, I headed straight to the hotel to check in, dropped off my clothes, and lightened my backpack. After a 30-minute nap, I set off in the afternoon for the Gansu Provincial Museum.

Passed by a pedestrian overpass.

Gansu Provincial Museum

The Gansu Provincial Museum isn’t very large — I spent a little over an hour exploring it.

By the Yellow River

After leaving, I took a taxi to the riverside and walked along the river path from the Yellow River Mother Sculpture towards Zhongshan Bridge.

I spotted a stone in the river engraved with Tibetan script. I asked ChatGPT to take a look, and it said it was the Six-Syllable Mantra, a prayer for blessings.

It looked like an old grandpa’s cat.

So chill。

The old man’s kite flew so high.

In summer, the riverside of the Yellow River must be a great place to cool off.

Such a new-looking dog.

Along the riverside, there were many people taking walks. The simplicity of everyday life felt really nice. I had originally planned to take the cable car across the river, but it wasn’t operating today.

Many willow trees were planted along the river, and now their leaves were a brilliant yellow — absolutely beautiful. The sunlight filtering through made it feel so dreamy. I had never seen willow trees with yellow autumn leaves before.

Although the air looked hazy from high above, it felt okay at ground level. There was a large flock of pigeons — watch out for “falling objects from above.” Walking to Zhongshan Bridge, I saw it decorated with red lanterns. From the bridge, I could also spot tourists riding on sheepskin rafts in the Yellow River.

The Yellow River’s current is quite strong — I didn’t dare to ride it.

Baita Mountain Park

On the opposite side of the bridge is Baita Mountain Park. I planned to climb up and wait for the sunset, to see the city lights of Lanzhou turning on.

The climb wasn’t difficult, and from the top I could see tall buildings across the river. There was a thick layer of clouds on the horizon, so I didn’t get to see the sunset — the sun dipped behind the clouds.

As night fell, the White Pagoda began to light up.

By then, the temperature had dropped quite a bit.

It had been a long time since I had looked down at a city’s night view from a mountain. Coming down from Baita Mountain, there is a platform where you can enjoy an unobstructed view of Zhongshan Bridge at night.

I walked to Zhangye Road Pedestrian Street to explore and find dinner. After walking a while, I reached Dazhong Alley. The alley was lively and full of bustling energy, with delicious aromas drifting along the way. At Fangha, I had a cup of sweet fermented milk tea — really tasty. Then I went to Chuntai next door and had a portion of hand-pulled lamb — delicious, though too much for one person. The fat between the ribs was rich and could get overwhelming if eaten too much, but the lean meat was tender and very flavorful.

After being full, I took the subway back to the hotel to rest. I opened Ctrip and booked a one-day tour for tomorrow. The itinerary is Ink Danxia -> Huangtao Confluence Viewing Platform -> Liujiaxia Bridge -> Bingling Temple. Except for Ink Danxia, the other sites are actually outside Lanzhou city, part of the surrounding area.

Day 2 Exploring Danxia

Liujiaxia

At 7:10 a.m., the driver picked us up. Our one-day tour group had six tourists today. After about an hour and a half drive, we arrived at the Liujiaxia Bridge Viewing Platform.

This morning the fog was thick, and visibility was low. From the platform, looking down at the Liujiaxia Reservoir, which was formed by damming the Yellow River, the water appeared turquoise green. You couldn’t see the edges, making it look like an endless sea. After 20 minutes of sightseeing, we got back on the bus and continued on to Bingling Temple.

Our route required taking a boat from Liujiaxia Reservoir to the Bingling Temple dock. The round-trip fare was 80 RMB, payable before boarding the return trip. The boat was quite stable. Along the river, we could admire the stratified rock walls — marks left by the passage of time. During the ride, we also saw many swans, both black and white.

The mist gave the mountains a soft, hazy appearance.

The village also looked mysterious.

This is the boat we would be taking today.

That overwhelming pressure from the mountains.

So beautiful!

Bingling Temple

After disembarking at the Bingling Temple dock, I bought a ticket at the entrance for 50 RMB. The scenic area is well maintained, with clean and flat walking paths and tidy restrooms. There were very few tourists today — I’d guess no more than 30. The valley felt peaceful and quiet, with only the occasional bird call breaking the silence.

It was shivering from the cold — such a poor little dog. Someone in our group mentioned seeing a doghouse nearby, so it was probably just tied there temporarily.

Inside, there is a large Buddha statue — very majestic. The walkway beside the Buddha was under maintenance, so we couldn’t view it up close. Walking along the path and returning to Laojun Cave, we could overlook the bend of the Yellow River below.

Huangtao Confluence Viewing Platform

After visiting the scenic area, we returned by boat along the same route and then continued to the Huangtao Confluence Viewing Platform. Upon arrival, we took the sightseeing bus up to the platform. The outer area of the viewing platform has a glass floor, so shoe covers are required. From here, you can see the yellow Tao River and the relatively clear Yellow River. A guide shared some historical stories about the two rivers. The climb and viewing took about half an hour.

Ink Danxia Scenic Area

After returning to the parking lot, we headed to today’s final stop: the Ink Danxia Scenic Area.

Feeling a bit sleepy, I took a short nap on the bus. Upon arriving at the scenic area, we started the loop trail (not a strict loop) and admired the Danxia landforms from various angles.

The land had already turned alkaline and whitish, with patterns resembling reptile scales.

Back at the Nine-Color Danxia viewpoint, we were supposed to walk 1.3 kilometers back to the shuttle for the sightseeing bus, but we rented a small electric cart for 28 RMB, taking it from the Nine-Color Danxia to the shuttle station at the top of the mountain.

At the mountain top, I saw scenery that matched the name of the park — like an ink wash painting. The distant mountains rose in layers, shrouded in mist, as beautiful as a scroll painting.

On the mountain, I also saw a wild mountain goat grazing. The wind at the top was strong, so be sure to stay warm and protect against the wind. After admiring the view for a while, we took the sightseeing bus down the mountain.

Bathed in sunlight, it looked very vivid.

The driver dropped us off at our respective destinations. Today’s trip was truly wonderful 😊 — the weather was great, the scenery was stunning, far beyond my expectations.

In the evening, traffic was heavy as we drove into the city.

For dinner, I went to Zhongtianjian Square and had hand-pulled lamb even better than what I had yesterday. The restaurant is called Wenji Chuntai Hand-Pulled BBQ Restaurant, and buying a single-person meal on Meituan is very cost-effective.

Day 3 Return

Last night at 23:46, I received an email from Spring Airlines saying that tonight’s 18:45 flight back to Shanghai had been rescheduled to 20:45. Seeing this, I realized I would get home very late, and I had work the next day, so I changed my ticket to this morning’s 8:00 flight back to Shanghai. (Luckily I did, otherwise the original flight would have actually arrived at Pudong Airport close to 1 a.m.) The intercity train was also switched to the first one at 5:30 a.m.

I got up early, washed up, and took a taxi to Lanzhou West Railway Station (within walking distance, but at this hour, better not to waste energy).

Arriving at the airport.

First, I went to have a bowl of noodles. From Exit 8 on the 2nd floor of the airport, you can reach the hall above the railway station through a connecting corridor and eat beef noodles.

The chef pulled a bowl of noodles from a single piece of dough, moving with fluid, effortless skill.

After finishing the noodles, I went through security. Over the past couple of days, I had been drinking sweet fermented milk tea from Fangha, but today I tried something different — apricot peel tea — before heading to the boarding area.

De-icing in progress — my first time seeing this.

Yangpu Bridge.

Spotted Lujiazui.

Changxing Island.

I took a ride-share home, ordered lunch delivery, and after eating, I slept straight until 5 p.m.

Expenses

Impressions

A City Full of Aroma

The streets were filled with the smell of beef soup.

Affordable Prices

The people here seemed relaxed, enjoying tea and leisurely walks.

Close Encounter with the Yellow River

It really is yellow, with a lot of silt.

Beautiful Danxia

The Danxia landscape is stunning, but it also gives off a sense of desolation.

Modern Infrastructure

The airport, train station, and scenic area facilities are all very new, providing a great experience. Since it’s off-season, there were few people, making the visit even better! The only downside is that the airport is quite far from the city, and the intercity trains from the airport to downtown aren’t very frequent.

Fulfilling Experience

Although the planned three-day trip turned into two days, the first two days allowed me to enjoy beautiful scenery and delicious food. It was a very fulfilling and happy experience.

This trip took me to Korla, lasting 4 days and 3 nights.
Most of the time was spent on the road, but amid the fatigue, I was rewarded with breathtaking golden autumn scenery unlike anything I had ever seen before.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Departure

I booked a rideshare to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 1 at 4 a.m.
It took less than half an hour to get there, so I had plenty of time and spent about an hour playing The Legend of Zelda in the departure hall.

The flight to Urumqi took about five hours.
Everywhere we passed seemed to be sunny or partly cloudy, with excellent visibility — the landscapes below were incredibly clear.

I saw so many magnificent mountains — absolutely stunning!
Before even landing, I had already taken several gigabytes of photos and videos.

Bogda Peak.

I saw a solar thermal power plant in Gansu along the way.

There’s also a surface that looks like an alien planet.

Just before landing, I caught sight of Urumqi — truly living up to its name as an industrial city, with tall chimneys billowing smoke.

I took a taxi from the airport to Wanda Plaza in the Economic Development Zone, grabbed some lunch, bought a cup of milk tea, and then walked to the Urumqi High-Speed Railway Station.

Winter had already arrived in Urumqi — there was still snow by the roadside that hadn’t melted from a couple of days ago.
I had been to Urumqi Station just last month, so it felt oddly familiar to be back.

I had bought a second-class seat this time. The day before departure, there were still plenty of tickets left, so I assumed the train wouldn’t be full. But once onboard, I realized it was quite packed — even the aisles were full of passengers.
I quickly rescheduled my return ticket to a first-class seat (an extra 70 RMB) — hopefully that’ll be more comfortable.

Along the way, I could see vast stretches of Gobi Desert. Many areas looked completely uninhabited, with no signal at all.

Arrived in Korla at last. Checked into the hotel, ordered takeout, and called it a night.

Day 2 Yuli-Lop Nur Village

I joined a small one-day tour group — six people in total including the driver.
We departed around 9:30 a.m., and along the way I saw many poplar trees that had already turned yellow, giving off a strong sense of autumn.

As we continued driving, we passed large cotton fields.
The driver kindly stopped by the roadside so we could get out and take a look.
This grove of poplar trees had already begun to turn golden.

After a brief stroll around, we continued on our way to the scenic area.

The sightseeing bus had no glass on either side — it was completely open, letting the cool breeze brush against my face.
Looking out to both sides, the vast landscape gave off a feeling reminiscent of the African savannah.

Today happened to be the Poplar Festival, and I arrived just in time for the opening ceremony with songs and dances.

There were some small houses displaying handcrafted items and daily utensils made by the Luobu people.

We walked down to the banks of the Tarim River.

The water of the Tarim River was full of silt.

The fisherman was actually an actor — haha.

We continued on the shuttle to Goddess Lake, enjoying the vast desert scenery along the way.

A boardwalk surrounds the lake.

Stepping into the desert.

An endless ocean of sand.

The wind stirred waves across the sea of sand.

The sand sparkled like bling-bling.

Some visitors were feeding the fish with snacks they brought.

We took the shuttle back.

I couldn’t help but marvel — people can live to 100 even in such harsh environments.

Dinner — there was way too much food to finish.
Just that bowl of noodles was enough, and it was delicious.

Day 3 — Luntai to Tarim Park

I joined another small one-day tour — five people in total including the driver.
We set off at 8 a.m. for a three-hour drive to Tarim Park in Luntai County.

Along the way, both sides of the road were lined with severely alkaline soil, its surface looking as if it were covered with a layer of snow.

Inside the park, we took the shuttle bus to the terminal stop — Qia Yang River Station.
This is also where the boat rides and the miniature train start.
The park’s route is designed to start from the terminal and gradually loop back to the main entrance.

The miniature train doesn’t depart until 2:30 p.m., so we first went on the boat ride, which lasts about 30–40 minutes.

Elsewhere in the park, I also saw even more robust poplar trees, which I imagine must be very old.

Took a ride on the little train.

I bought a half-route miniature train ticket, riding to Qian Niao Lake and back.
A one-way trip takes about 30 minutes, and the train moves at a leisurely pace, allowing passengers to enjoy the scenery on both sides.

Along the way to Qian Niao Lake, I spotted some white swans, but ironically, when I reached the lakeside, I couldn’t see any.

Staff members were helping visitors retrieve a drone.

A majestic swan.

A tree with a striking, tree-like shape.

The background looks so fake!

Returned to Korla, had dinner, and rested.

Day 4 — Return

I had a wonderful sleep, then got up to wash, have breakfast, and pack my luggage.
I took a taxi to the train station just in time for ticket inspection.

Once on the train, I played The Legend of Zelda during the roughly four-hour ride back to Urumqi.

Had a large plate of chicken with stir-fried rice noodles at Wanda — only 25 RMB, huge portion, and very tasty.

Skyscrapers towered at the entrance of Wanda Plaza.

Haha, I checked my blog on a Huawei tablet at the Huawei Experience Store.

Around 10 p.m., the flight attendant announced that we would arrive in Shanghai 35 minutes early — so nice!

Took a taxi home, washed up, and went to bed.
Back to work the next day — a perfect end to this trip.

Impressions

Xinjiang is Huge

I felt it last time, and haha, no matter how many times I visit, it always feels enormous.

Southern Xinjiang is Arid

The Gobi Desert and vast sandlands dominate most of the region.
Luckily, the meltwater from the Tianshan Mountains forms the Tarim River, nourishing this land.

Poplar Trees are Stunning

Their shapes vary greatly, and in the golden autumn, the leaves begin to turn yellow.
When a gentle breeze blows, the leaves flutter like wind chimes.

Expenses

Finally

Having visited both Northern and Southern Xinjiang, this year’s trip was incredibly satisfying!
In the future, I’d like to explore Altay and Kanas in the north and Kashgar in the south.

With iOS 26, Safari finally supports displaying HDR images. You can tap the HDR icon in the upper-right corner to enable HDR content.

Most of the photos in this post were taken straight out of the Sony A7C2 camera, with a few captured on iPhone. If you’d like to check the shooting details, you can click on each photo — the parameter information will appear in a single line within the preview mode.

Itinerary

Day 1 Depart from Shanghai

After a five-hour flight, I caught a distant view of the Tianshan Mountains about half an hour before landing.

After landing, there was a bit of haze in the air.

I first took the subway to have dinner near the high-speed railway station. The Urumqi Metro looks quite modern.
If you’re in a hurry, you can take a taxi or a bus to downtown Urumqi.
Since I wasn’t in a rush, I decided to experience the local metro. You can even use the Shanghai public transport card here.

I took train D011 to Wanda. At first, I thought it was an unlicensed car 😅.
The ticket cost 5 RMB, paid via WeChat QR code.

After arriving at Wanda, there was a security check at the mall entrance. The entire third floor of Wanda was filled with restaurants.

I bought a spicy roasted meat flatbread from A-Gan — it smelled amazing, super crispy, and really delicious.
For dinner, I had a bowl of stone pot bibimbap. It was filling, so I took a short rest afterward. The beef was just average, though.

Then I walked about 10 minutes to Urumqi Station.

Inside the station, the main hall had charging outlets — very convenient 👍.
I freshened up in the restroom and waited for my train.

The train departed at 22:29, and boarding started at 22:06.

My ticket was for a lower berth. An auntie asked if I could switch bunks with her — I agreed, since I wasn’t planning to get up during the night anyway.
It was my first time taking a green train and also my first time sleeping in a sleeper berth.

To be honest, the sleeping experience wasn’t great. Someone was smoking in the restroom, and the smell kept drifting in through the first half of the night — really hard to bear.
Around 1 a.m., there was a heavy downpour (possibly hail), and the train stopped and started several times.
Even though I kept my eyes closed, I didn’t actually fall asleep until around 3 a.m.

Day 2 Sayram Lake

A little after 6 a.m., the conductor announced that Bole Station was approaching.
I packed my luggage and got off the train at 6:40 a.m.

The temperature here was much lower than in Urumqi, so I had prepared warm clothing.
I re-entered the station (since I had a train ticket for tonight), changed and freshened up in the Bole Station waiting hall restroom, and then went out again.

Right outside, I was approached by a driver offering a ride. At first, I was a little worried it might be unsafe, but when I reached the pick-up point, I saw it was the designated spot for the fast shuttle to and from Sayram Lake in Bole — I felt relieved.

The driver was quite nice and asked if I wanted breakfast. To avoid being overcharged, I said I didn’t. He reassured me it was just a regular shop, and indeed, the prices were reasonable.
I had a bowl of noodles to replenish carbs and energy for the upcoming hike to Songshutou.

I arrived at the visitor center before 10 a.m. The driver asked if anyone wanted a private shuttle around the lake. The price wasn’t expensive — 150 RMB per person, compared to the scenic area’s shuttle bus (ticket plus bus) at 129 RMB per person.

I told him I planned to hike and didn’t want to slow down the small group, so I got off to buy a ticket and explore the lake on my own.

The ticket included a list of shuttle bus stops around the lake, but in reality, the bus stops at more locations than listed.
The full shuttle route takes about 2.5 hours. If you plan to return to Bole City the same day, it’s best to get back to the East Gate Visitor Center (the bus terminus) before 6 p.m., or arrange a private ride in advance. I took the dedicated shuttle from the visitor center back to Bole City.

The moment I saw Sayram Lake, I was completely amazed.

Songshutou

For the lake shuttle, I chose to get off at the first stop, Songshutou.
There are roughly two sightseeing spots at Songshutou: mid-mountain and the summit. Of course, I chose to go to the summit.

From the summit, one side offers a panoramic view of Sayram Lake and the snowy meadows by the lake, while the other side provides a distant view of the Guozigou Bridge.
It takes about 45 minutes to hike from the Songshutou area to mid-mountain, and another roughly 1.5 hours to reach the summit.

Because it had snowed (or hailed) yesterday, the boardwalk was still covered with frost and small hailstones, making it very slippery.

Arriving at mid-mountain:

The distance wasn’t actually very long, but the stair boardwalk was quite steep.
Since there may have been hail on the mountain yesterday, the frost on the boardwalk made it very slippery.

During the ascent, I saw descending hikers cheering for those going up — I really liked that atmosphere.
When I came down, I also encouraged the hikers climbing up 😊.
The scenery was beautiful, and the kindness from strangers made it even more so.

Once I reached the summit, the view immediately opened up — the perfect moment for my telephoto lens.
The side of the summit overlooking Guozigou Bridge was fenced off, likely due to safety concerns near the cliff.

I spent a while enjoying the stunning scenery at the top before heading back down, which took about 30 minutes.

Heading down the mountain, I saw a visitor riding a horse up the trail, followed by a little dog.

It was as beautiful as a painting.

After descending, I bought a sugary drink to replenish my energy.
At the Songshutou service station, I didn’t find anything I felt like eating (just the usual tourist snacks like grilled sausages and corn), so I took out the bread I had originally planned for breakfast.

After finishing it, I sat by the lake for a while before taking the shuttle bus to the next sightseeing spot.

Jinhuazihui

Although the flower season had passed, the yellow meadows paired with the blue lake were still stunning.

Keleyongzhu

At Keleyongzhu, where online posts mentioned many swans, I didn’t see any swans.
Instead, there were plenty of seagulls, making it feel as if I were suddenly by the sea.
The seagulls soared freely in the sky.

Dianjiangtai

Arriving here, I saw the lake surface sparkling and glistening in the sunlight.

I climbed up to Dianjiangtai.

I forgot which spot it was.

The lake water was incredibly clear.

Yueliangwan

On the way back to Bole City, the police checked IDs.

My train ticket was for the same overnight sleeper back to Urumqi as last night. Since I arrived in Bole City quite early, around 18:30, I booked an hourly room to take a shower and have dinner (ordered takeout).
I reserved a Haiyou Hotel (Bole branch) via the Huazhu App — 60 RMB for 2 hours. There were washing and drying machines on the first floor. I used points to get a 10 RMB discount, which was very cost-effective.

The room far exceeded my expectations. After the shower, all my fatigue washed away and I felt completely refreshed.
After checking out, I sat in the lobby to catch a taxi, and the front desk even gave me a bottle of mineral water. Wow, this 50 RMB hourly room was amazing 🥹.

Day 3 Tianshan tianchi

At the Urumqi High-Speed Rail Bus Station, the restrooms were quite old. There was a place called Bazhen Chicken Soup Noodles where I could have breakfast at a reasonable price. If you need to charge your devices, you can ask the staff. After breakfast, you can wait for your bus in the shop, and they even serve free tea — very nice.

Last night, I purchased a 9:10 a.m. bus ticket through the 天山行新疆公路客运 WeChat official account. I went directly to the check-in and waiting area from the breakfast shop by 8:50 a.m. A guide accompanied the bus, explaining transportation and sightseeing tips for Tianchi. Buying a package ticket through the guide offered discounts: 10 RMB off the cable car ticket or 25 RMB off the cable car plus boat ticket. Since I planned to hike Mayashan, I bought the ticket with the cable car included.

PS. The cable car is honestly quite expensive.

At 9 a.m., Urumqi was heavily congested. The bus didn’t leave the city until 10 a.m., and we arrived at the Tianchi Scenic Area entrance at 11 a.m. The guide bought the tickets and advised us to take the shuttle bus up the mountain, reminding us of the return time. My return bus was scheduled for 18:00.

After taking the shuttle bus up the mountain, I walked about 800 meters from the drop-off point to reach the lakeside around 12:30. I went to KFC for a quick lunch and then bought a bottle of sweet water.

After finishing lunch, I walked to the cable car shuttle bus stop and took the bus to the Mayashan cable car station.

I took the cable car up to Mayashan. The ride was short, about 5 minutes.
After getting off, I walked a bit further to reach the first viewing platform, where I could overlook Tianchi.

Continuing from the first viewing platform, I could reach the second, third, and fourth platforms.
The round trip from the first to the fourth platform is about 6.5 kilometers. I took around 1.5 hours to hike up, and slowed my pace on the way down to protect my knees, taking about 0.5 hours.

The higher I climbed, the more spectacular the scenery became.

I arrived at the fourth viewing platform.

Heading back down the mountain, I was accompanied along the way by a mother and her child. Their optimistic spirit while climbing was truly inspiring to others.

The Tianchi photo at the top of the article — looking down from the plane — must be roughly the spot where I am now 😊.

By the time I took the bus back from Mayashan to Tianchi, it was already 4 p.m.
There was still one place I wanted to visit — the waterfall.
According to the guide, it required a downhill walk, and visiting the waterfall would take about an hour.

The birch leaves had turned yellow, full of autumn vibes.

I queued to go down the mountain at 5 p.m., right during the peak descent time.
I got on the bus at 5:15 p.m. and arrived back at the visitor center at 18:11.

Sitting on the cliffside during the downhill bus ride was quite nerve-wracking, but fortunately, the driver was very skilled.

I missed the 18:00 bus, but luckily this route has multiple departures, so I could take the next one.
I caught the 18:30 bus back to Urumqi Station, then took a taxi to the hotel, ordered takeout, did some laundry, took a shower, and rested.

On the way back to Urumqi, I could see Bogda Peak along the route.

Day 4 Urumqi

I slept incredibly well last night. It was the first night in a few days I’d slept on a soft bed. It was incredibly quiet, and I didn’t have to endure cigarette smoke, snoring, or my phone blaring. I slept until 9 a.m., then got up, washed, and had breakfast. I packed (it wasn’t much), checking my bag against my travel list to make sure everything fit. I used some disposable items, so my bag was a little emptier on the way back.

I checked out and took a taxi to the Xinjiang Museum. Upon arrival, I discovered that reservations were required to enter. I scanned the QR code at the entrance to access the museum’s official account and discovered that only afternoon slots were available. After making my reservation, I asked at the counter if my afternoon-booked number could enter in the morning. The staff said yes. It was a good thing I asked so I didn’t make a wasted trip. 😄

I went through security and used a locker, but it was unusable (a note said it was broken and I could leave it in a locker, but I only had a backpack, so I didn’t). The museum has four floors, with exhibition halls on the 123rd floor and offices and a reading room on the 4th floor (which I didn’t go up to). I toured each hall and marveled at the history of human development, the wisdom and civilization of the ancients.

After wandering around the museum, I headed for lunch. Speaking of Xinjiang, my body clock is a bit messed up. While China uses GMT+8, Xinjiang’s location spans several time zones. Dawn and dusk now appear around 8:30 AM. We took a taxi to Hotan Second Street for a much-recommended mutton pilaf.

The lamb pilaf cost 28 RMB per serving. The portion of rice was quite large, and you could ask for more if needed.
It was delicious — the lamb was tender and flavorful, and the rice at the bottom had a slight oily richness.

Hetian Second Street is a pedestrian street. After dinner, I strolled around casually. Feeling thirsty, I walked to Youhao Mall, bought a Luckin coffee, and sat for a while.
The mall also had a supermarket, so I picked up a few fruits to take back to Shanghai (not sure why — many of the fruits in Shanghai’s supermarkets probably come from Xinjiang anyway, maybe just “while I’m here” vibes 😂).

After leaving the mall, I opened DiDi and booked a ride to the airport. Taking public transportation would take over an hour — I had already experienced that on my first day in Urumqi, so I skipped it this time. It was still early, so I opted for a shared ride, which cost 29 RMB, about half the price of a regular ride — not bad.

I had originally planned to visit the Grand Bazaar, but after thinking it over, I decided against it. It’s similar to the Russian-style street in Dalian and feels a bit touristy, designed to overcharge visitors.

A half-hour ride brought me to the airport for check-in and security. The weather had started to turn cloudy.

My boarding gate was at B257, but I first walked to A237 to try a dish of spicy numbing chicken recommended by an online friend.
The spicy numbing chicken cost 68 RMB + 3 RMB for rice. Unexpectedly, this turned out to be the most expensive meal of my Xinjiang trip.
The chicken was delicious, but the rice was way too hard, so I barely ate a few bites.

After finishing my meal, I went to buy a milk tea. Bawang Chaji was located directly across from gate B257.
The prices were the same as outside (any food or drink shop at a transport hub that keeps the same prices as regular stores gets a thumbs up from me 👍).
I couldn’t finish it all at once, so I poured the rest into my thermos.

Under the sofa seats at Bawang Chaji, there were power outlets. I charged my phone fully, since you can’t use a power bank on spring/autumn flights.

Time to head back.

Finally arrived

Suggestions

Sun Protection

The UV rays were very strong, so it’s recommended to take full sun protection measures.

What to Wear

Make sure to wear lightweight shoes — avoid heavy ones (shoutout to yellow work boots and Air Force 1s) for hiking, as they aren’t slip-resistant and tire your feet.

Dress according to the temperature. It’s best to wear a shell jacket, and bring an inner layer to wear depending on how you feel.

As for pants, I wore jeans and didn’t feel cold.

Sayram Lake Circular Route

Many Xiaohongshu bloggers recommend exploring Sayram Lake counterclockwise, as the lake can be backlit when going clockwise.
However, at this time of year, the sun rises in the east, so counterclockwise would actually be backlit in the morning.

I recommend taking the shuttle clockwise. You can get off at any sightseeing spot that catches your interest. The buses run frequently, about every 15 minutes, which is very convenient.

Detailed maps can be viewed at:https://map.baidu.com/@9038479.074053688,5531500.465509393,12.19z

The shuttle bus starts from the East Gate and goes back to the East Gate in a clockwise circle.

Image credits: https://www.chinatravel.tw/lvyoujingdian/sayram-lake.html

Some Thoughts

Long-haul Flights

The five-hour flight was the longest I’ve ever taken. However, Spring Airlines doesn’t mind my poverty, and I don’t mind the cramped seats. I hope Spring Airlines takes me to explore more places.

Make Some Plans

Originally, I was planning to visit Lijiang, Yunnan, but the weather forecast didn’t indicate sunny days were coming up soon. So, I suddenly changed my mind and headed to Xinjiang. I planned my trip based on the forecast to ensure sunny days for both Sailimu Lake and Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains.

Sailimu Lake on a sunny day is truly beautiful. On a cloudy day, well, the scenery might still be beautiful, but you’d probably be blown silly and frozen.

For Safety

There are security checks in crowded places, and I didn’t encounter any bad people. But you can’t be careless when you go out, and pay attention to safety.

iOS 26，buggy

If you’re planning to use your iPhone to record your travels soon, I recommend against upgrading to iOS 26. Why?

• Photos and videos taken with the built-in camera may be lost. That means you might take photos but the corresponding photos and videos are no longer in your camera roll.
• Images imported from the Finder are corrupted and unreadable.
• Blackmagic Cam is broken. It’s experiencing frame drops or unexpected recording stops in brightly lit environments. Upgrading to the latest version and resetting settings hasn’t resolved the issue.
• The Sony camera app has a white screen and is unusable. Even after upgrading to the latest version, the screen remains blank.
• Overheating and lag. Computational photography consumes too many resources, causing your phone to heat up quickly and lag.

The above are all major bugs related to photo and video recording. Professional tools (cameras) should be left to professional tools for professional matters.

So beautiful

Upon arriving at Sayram Lake, I was stunned. It’s the bluest lake I’ve ever seen (of course, this couldn’t be further from the beautiful weather).

Sayram Lake is so stunning that it pales in comparison to Tianchi Lake in the Tianshan Mountains. The Tianchi brochure only features photos of the lake covered in snow in winter. Apparently, even the authorities don’t think the bare mountains are beautiful enough.

Commando-style Travel

My 20s are almost over, so I’m ready to do whatever I want. My friends think it’s crazy, but I think it’s something I won’t have the chance to do again if I don’t do it in my youth.

As a working professional who doesn’t get enough exercise, climbing these small peaks was a great experience.

Compared to most people’s pace when traveling in Xinjiang, my trip wasn’t particularly unique. After all, I didn’t spend much daytime traveling.

Xinjiang is Huge

Almost everyone’s travel history reveals that transportation is the most time-consuming aspect of Xinjiang travel. Take the journey from Urumqi to Sayram Lake, for example. Driving takes a full day, taking a sleeper train takes an overnight journey (8 hours), and taking a high-speed train takes 4 hours. Both the train and high-speed train journeys account for the time required to reach Bole City, leaving Sayram Lake an additional 1.5 hours by car.

First experience with green train/sleeper

When I was very young, my father often took me to the train station to count the number of train carriages. That was the most tender memory I have of my father. China’s railway network, especially the high-speed rail network, is now extremely developed, connecting virtually every county in southern China. Therefore, I never had the opportunity to ride a green-skinned train.

Let me just jump to the conclusion:

• I didn’t sleep well. I’m a light sleeper (not very good sleep quality), and I’m easily disturbed by the environment, making it difficult to fall asleep. On two overnight train rides, I didn’t fall asleep until around 2 or 3 a.m. on the first night, and 1 a.m. on the second.
• Someone was smoking in the restroom. Even though the train security officer said it wasn’t allowed, they still did, and the smoke wafted into the carriage. I was completely breathing in secondhand smoke while sleeping.
• There was no place to charge my phone on the upper bunk. I didn’t see any outlets on the lower bunk either, but there were a few outlets in the hallway. I think some newer trains have USB ports/outlets in the carriages, but the Urumqi to Bole train didn’t have any.

Urumqi

Urumqi is the capital city of Xinjiang. On my first visit, I found it both exceeded my expectations and fell a little short in some areas.

It exceeded expectations as a deeply inland city — it’s more developed than I imagined:

• It has a metro system.
• It has an international airport.
• High-speed rail lines are well-developed.

Areas that fell short of expectations:

• Traffic jams.
• Many places still feel like they’re from the last century, such as the Urumqi High-Speed Rail Bus Station.
• A bit of haze.
• Only one metro line.

Prices

• The fast shuttle between Sayram Lake and Bole at 40 RMB is quite reasonable.
• Entrance tickets for Tianshan Tianchi Scenic Area and the Mayashan cable car are relatively expensive, and the cable car ride only lasts 5 minutes.
• Prices inside the scenic areas are acceptable. Near Tianchi Lake and at the Sayram Lake Visitor Center, there are popular food and beverage chains for young people, such as KFC, Bawang Chaji, and Hushang Ayi. Local snacks like baked buns and naan are also reasonably priced.

Tourists

Tourists I liked 👍:

• Friendly
• Follow the rules

Tourists I didn’t like 👎:

• Cutting in line
• Smoking in no-smoking areas
• Being loud or noisy
• Blocking pathways

Expenses

Final Thoughts

Traveling outside peak holiday periods was truly an amazing experience. Northern Xinjiang is incredibly beautiful.
In less than four days, I was able to enjoy breathtaking scenery, leaving me very satisfied. Next time, I plan to explore Southern Xinjiang.

Most of the photos in this article were taken straight out of a Sony A7C2 with FL2 filters, while a few were shot on an iPhone, so you can notice the difference in color styles between the two.

Itinerary

Day 1 the Sunset

Departed at 5:00 AM and arrived at the airport by 5:30 AM, entering through Gate 21. I checked in via the mini-program and used the electronic boarding pass at Domestic Departure Security 2. Took the airport metro to H162, and after a while the airline changed the gate to H176. Luckily, I had plenty of time, so I walked leisurely.

The flight took off at 8:00 AM. The visibility in Shanghai was quite good today, and Dishui Lake was clearly visible from the air. I always prefer a window seat to enjoy the aerial view. There was a bit of turbulence along the way.

I also spotted the Links same-style island, which will appear again later in the trip. According to the map, it seems to be called Ertuozi Island.

Landed at 10:00 AM, then took the metro to the hotel. Since I wasn’t familiar with the map, I grabbed a meal at KFC first. After eating, I went to the hotel to store my luggage, then took the metro to Heishijiao Park.

The weather wasn’t very good—thick clouds made it look gloomy, so the sea didn’t appear very blue. But up close, the water was quite clear (clear, but with lots of small seaweeds).

Walked along the coastal trail all the way to Xinghai Park. Judging from the photo angles, the red sunrise by Guo Cheng’an was probably taken here. Took a break on a bench by the shore. Encountered several cats along the way.

Such cute cats.

The people of Dalian are so relaxed and elegant—truly graceful!

The RV campsite at Xinghai Park.

Continued walking to Luckin Coffee. It’s the afternoon—time for some tea!

Took a taxi to the lobby entrance of Yifang Castle. Once inside, took the low-floor elevator (1–5) up to the Sky Garden.

The garden is beautiful, and the views are amazing. The sky gradually cleared up, and the blue peeking through the clouds gave a sense of crisp autumn air.

Spent a while daydreaming here, quietly enjoying Dalian from above.

The hotel interior is very luxurious.

After leaving Yifang Castle Hotel, I took a taxi to Haida Cable Car – Lotus Hill Station. The road was a bit congested, and the driver mentioned that locals also like to visit Lotus Hill and the zoo.

The pointed building at the top of the hill is the observation deck.

The cable car costs 60 RMB one-way, 120 RMB round-trip, with no discounts. I only bought the uphill ticket, planning to walk down afterward, as it’s said you can see sika deer along the way.

Descending from the cable car, the roadside was lined with wish plaques.

At the top of Lotus Hill, I purchased a ticket and a drink combo to enter the observation hall. It has air conditioning and panoramic windows with fantastic views. Took a short break and charged my iPhone.

Originally planned to wait for the sunset at FuJiaZhuang Beach, but looking at the stunning sea view from the window, I decided to stay at the observation deck until dark. When the sunset appeared, it was breathtaking! Took tons of photos.

It felt a bit surreal.

Took a bus partway down the hill for 30 RMB, covering roughly half the descent. Decided to walk the remaining half back (about 3 kilometers to Xinghai Square). It took me an hour, and along the way I could enjoy the night view of Xinghai Bay Bridge.

Arrived at Xinghai Square just in time to see a notice that there would be a light show at 7:30 PM, so I followed the crowd down to the seaside.

The lights turned on—so cool!

The 10-minute light show ended. There was another one at 8:30 PM, but the 7:30 PM show was enough for me. Time to find somewhere for dinner. Xinghai Square is huge, and I couldn’t find any affordable restaurants nearby— even KFC had a tourist-area menu.

Returned to the hotel to check in, freshen up, and wash away the day’s fatigue. Checked the weather forecast: tomorrow will be a perfect sunny day. Planning to wake up early for the sunrise. Tonight’s sunset was so beautiful; even reminiscing about it is moving.

Day 2 the Sunrise

Woke up at 4:10 AM, got ready, and left for a taxi at 4:35 AM.

After a half-hour taxi ride, I arrived at the North Gate parking lot of Hai Zhiyun Park. The sky was already brightening, and many people were waiting for the sunrise along the seawall corridor. Even the driver who brought me down had stepped out to watch the sunrise.

The sunlight danced on the water like gold.

The sunrise was breathtaking—I didn’t want to leave. This was the clearest sunrise I’ve ever seen. The sun rose from the horizon with not a single cloud in sight. Took a few more moments to savor it before heading to a nearby Lawson for breakfast.

There were Meituan e-bikes available. I rode one to Lawson, and after breakfast, rode back to the North Gate of Hai Zhiyun Park to go up the hill.

Planned to visit Huangbai Mouth Beach and Chenxi Beach. Today, I found that the road to Huangbai Mouth Beach was blocked due to construction, so I continued on to Chenxi Beach.

The uphill climb was physically demanding and a real test for my shoes. I was wearing a new pair of NB 2002R sneakers, which felt much easier compared to the Nike AF1s I usually wore on previous trips. The most noticeable difference was the weight—after wearing AF1s, other shoes feel almost weightless.

Reached a turn where there was a MOS Burger, the highest point of my Hai Zhiyun Park route. From there, it’s about a 15-minute downhill walk to Sunrise Square. The views at Sunrise Square are amazing, making it a great spot to watch the sunrise. However, Hai Zhiyun Park currently doesn’t allow external vehicles, so you have to hike up in advance.

Who’s capturing amazing shots again? Oh, it’s me.

Next to the entrance of Sunrise Square, there’s a small path leading down to the cliff-side Chenxi Beach. Although called a beach, it’s actually a small pebble shore.

The downhill trail is quite steep, so be careful. On the opposite side, there’s also a staircase down, which I guess comes from the path near MOS Burger (according to Gaode walking navigation).

There was an elderly man with a “Black Ship” boat (I think it’s a Black Ship), but I didn’t ask about the price.

After finishing the visit and hiking back up to the entrance of Sunrise Square, I was completely out of breath. Woke up too early this morning and feeling sleepy—time to head back to the hotel for a nap.

The tram station at the metro entrance.

After resting, planned to visit the nearest Qixianling Forest Park from the hotel in the evening.

People combing the shore.

Day 3 Leisurely Wandering

Slept in, had breakfast, played on my phone, packed my bag, checked out, and headed to explore the area around Zhongshan Square.

First, headed to Dalian Shopping Mall.

As soon as I walked in, it was all food shops.

Yikou Xiang—let’s see how fragrant it really is. Bought a seaweed scallop bun for 4.5 RMB; it was quite large and delicious.

Inside, it’s a proper shopping mall.

Heading to Zhongshan Square, passed through an underground passage that looked a bit aged.

Shanghai Road—it really does resemble the streets of Shanghai.

The grand Bank of China building.

Suddenly found myself at Oriental Water City. Actually, I just wanted to feel the sea breeze before leaving. It’s the off-season and daytime, so it’s completely empty.

Elegant—truly elegant!

A square by the seaside in Donggang.

A guy is flying a drone.

Returning home on a sunset flight—perfect.

Thoughts

Like a crystal ball.

Dalian feels a bit like a disco ball—once dazzling, now somewhat quiet and subdued.

A City of Mountains and Sea

With both mountains and sea, it truly is a beautiful city.

So Many Seagulls

I’ve rarely seen seagulls at other beaches I’ve visited, but Dalian’s coastline has plenty of them.

Hard to Get a Taxi

After coming down from Lotus Hill, it was hard to get a taxi back to the city (only a few kilometers away). No drivers accepted the ride, and those who did often canceled. Fortunately, my legs are still strong, so walking wasn’t a big problem.

Sunrise and Sunset

The sun always rises in the east and sets in the west, but every time I watch a sunrise or sunset, the feeling is different. If there’s a view you want to see, go see it; if there’s something you want to do, just do it. Who knows how long you’d have to “wait”?

Airport Coffee

Zhou Shui Zi Airport is close to the city. The Starbucks inside security accepts coupons or CMB reward points—great!

One Camera, One Lens

For this trip, I only brought a Tamron 28-200 mounted on my camera. I used the same setup last year in Kagoshima, but back then I used Sony’s original strap, which almost choked my neck (slight exaggeration). Recently, I bought a wide, soft strap from Pugongying; it’s easy to adjust and very comfortable. Hanging the camera on my body is effortless, making it convenient to shoot—highly recommended!

Film-Style Filter

All photos taken with the Sony A7C2 on this trip were straight out with the FL2 filter. I really like the color style—it looks very soft and elegant.

Will Come Again

Maybe in winter.

Conclusion

This was the northernmost place I’ve visited—a beautiful coastal city with perfect weather, making it a truly relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Reference

Let me share something that happened recently: the day after our project went live, the big boss sent over a screenshot. In the screenshot, the label on a search box said: “Search Applicaiton”. So of course, I quickly tracked down where it was, fixed it, and submitted the patch.

Why do we need to fix typos?

• They shouldn’t exist in the first place
• To avoid misleading users
• To prevent unexpected bugs

After submitting this typo fix, I started thinking: can we use a tool to catch these stragglers? I asked ChatGPT, and it recommended CSpell.

What is CSpell

CSpell was originally a VS Code extension. Back when we first started using VS Code, it didn’t have a spell checker. As someone with spelling difficulties, I found this to be a major obstacle, so this extension was created. Later, based on user suggestions, CSpell was separated out from the extension and turned into its own library and CLI tool.
https://cspell.org/

Installing CSpell

• Install via npm/yarn/pnpm:

  npm install --save-dev cspell
  

  I personally chose to install it globally so I can use it from any directory:

  npm install -g cspell
  

• Create a configuration file (cspell.config.json or cspell.config.yaml)

  In the official documentation Create a configuration file., you can see the supported formats and locations for config files.

Basic Usage

• Command line usage examples

  cspell .
  

• Specifying multiple file types

  cspell "src/**/*.{js,ts,vue,jsx}"
  

• Check all .md files in the source directory

  cspell 'source/**/*.md'
  

Run results:

cspell 'source/_posts_i18n/en/*.md'
18/30 source/_posts_i18n/en/hexo-lazyload-element.md 3.92ms X
source/_posts_i18n/en/hexo-lazyload-element.md:26:20 - Unknown word (embeded) fix: (embedded)
source/_posts_i18n/en/hexo-lazyload-element.md:82:14 - Unknown word (htttps)
19/30 source/_posts_i18n/en/how-do-i-learn-to-be-a-better-developer.md 5.28ms X
source/_posts_i18n/en/how-do-i-learn-to-be-a-better-developer.md:38:47 - Unknown word (Haha)
25/30 source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md 5.58ms X
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:110:182 - Unknown word (swith) fix: (switch)
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:124:418 - Unknown word (noticable) fix: (noticeable)
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:141:34 - Unknown word (comsumes) fix: (consumes)
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:163:3 - Unknown word (Cavas)
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:198:6 - Unknown word (hilighted) fix: (highlighted)
source/_posts_i18n/en/progressive-image-loading.md:221:5 - Unknown word (canvs)
29/30 source/_posts_i18n/en/thoughts.md 2.57ms X
source/_posts_i18n/en/thoughts.md:113:11 - Unknown word (IELTS)
30/30 source/_posts_i18n/en/ways-of-image-compression-for-web-developers.md 2.07ms X
source/_posts_i18n/en/ways-of-image-compression-for-web-developers.md:29:32 - Unknown word (Chome)
CSpell: Files checked: 30, Issues found: 11 in 5 files.

Configurations

Read: https://cspell.org/docs/Configuration

The configuration I used:

module.exports = {
  language: ["en", "en-GB"],
  ignorePaths: [
    "**/node_modules/**",
  ],
  words: [
    "lynan",
    "webp"
  ],
};

Integrate into workflow

We can integrate cspell at different stages.

For example, prebuild has the advantage that if the cspell check fails, the build process will be terminated until the error is fixed.

{
  "prebuild": "cspell . && tsc -b && vite build"
}

Also try: VS Code extension, which checks spelling errors as you type.

CSpell Bundled Dictionaries - Code Spell Checker

Check Multiple Repos

As mentioned at the beginning, I want to check multiple projects for any remaining typos. To do this, I need to:

1. Place all the repositories that need to be checked into a single parent folder;
2. Configure cspell.config.js in this parent folder;
3. Run CSpell from this parent folder.

.
└── Directiory/
    ├── cspell.config.js
    ├── repoA
    ├── repoB
    └── repoC

All photos in this post were shot with the Sony FL film filter straight out of camera, with some images slightly corrected or color-graded.

Itinerary

Before coming, I roughly planned a few places I wanted to visit. Since it was my first time in Hangzhou, I couldn’t miss West Lake. It’s a vast scenic area — just the Ten Scenes of West Lake alone could take quite a while to explore.

I took the high-speed train from Shanghai Hongqiao Station to Hangzhou East Station, then transferred to Metro Line 1 and got off at Fengqi Road Station.

Day 1: West Lake

After exiting Fengqi Road Station, I walked toward West Lake and passed by the Former Residence of Sha Menghai. I went in to take a look.

After leaving, I continued walking toward the lake, and before long, I caught my first glimpse of West Lake. The weather wasn’t great that day — hot, humid, and cloudy, with limited visibility.

I checked online and found that the tower on the mountain across the lake was the Liuhe Pagoda (Six Harmonies Pagoda).

I kept walking along the northern shore of the lake and soon arrived at one of the Ten Scenes of West Lake — “Broken Bridge in Snow” (Duanqiao Canxue). There was a patch of lotus flowers growing by the lake.

Although the weather was sweltering, the bridge was still crowded with people. Since the sun was blazing and there was no shade, I decided not to squeeze into the open areas.

Baoshi Hill (Gemstone Hill)

I kept walking and eventually arrived at the foot of Baoshi Hill. The bamboo groves along the way were beautiful.

From the hillside, I could overlook West Lake.

I climbed all the way to the top of Toad Peak, where the stones shimmered with a gemstone-like luster.

A cute little dog. From its expression alone, you could tell just how hot it was today.

It was almost lunchtime, so I descended quickly on the other side of the hill to find some food.

On the way down, the mosquitoes were insanely dense — swarming around me 360 degrees. It was terrifying.

For lunch, I ate at Zhiweiguan, where I had a great appetite and ordered:

1. A bowl of shrimp Pian’er Chuan noodles – ¥28, delicious
2. A portion of Dongpo braised pork – ¥20, very good
3. A serving of poached chicken – ¥21, not good
4. A bowl of red bean soup – ¥7, not too sweet, refreshing; would’ve been perfect if served cold

After lunch, I went back to the hotel for a nap and didn’t head out again until evening.

I scanned a HelloBike and started cycling. It felt so pleasant that I didn’t want to stop — I ended up riding a full loop around the lake.

When I pulled out my camera, the lens fogged up completely.

Intime in77, a bustling commercial district, was packed with people.

Day 2: Hupao (Tiger Spring)

After cycling around the lake last evening and heading back to the hotel, I had a great night’s sleep. I woke up at 8 a.m., had breakfast, and then took Bus No. 318 to the entrance of Hupao Park. When I heard the bus announcement pronounce “páo,” I got curious and looked it up — turns out the spring got its name from a legend where two tigers dug (刨) the spring from the ground. So the “跑” here is actually a phonetic play on the character “刨.”

I arrived at the park entrance around 9:30 a.m. — right off the bus, I could see the forest by the roadside.

The ticket cost ¥15 and could be purchased by QR code. If you enter before 7 a.m., it’s free. The park wasn’t crowded at all.

Light and shadow.

Ice-cold mountain spring water.

This spot had air conditioning.

This window — absolutely stunning.

A kind man told me I could go into the Guanyin Hall to enjoy the air conditioning — much appreciated 👍👍👍.

Each window framed a painting-like scene.

Water trickled continuously from the rock wall.

After strolling around for a while, I began heading back. If you’re feeling hot, Hupao Park has several halls with air conditioning (👍👍👍) where you can rest and read a bit of historical background at the same time.

All the water in Hupao Park was flowing — no stagnant pools. I didn’t see any mosquitoes. But I did spot a skink 🦎, which gave me a bit of a fright.

The moist air nourished the greenery growing on rooftops.

After leaving the park, I had originally planned to visit Prince Bay Park, but by then it was almost noon and the heat was building up, so I decided to take the bus back to the hotel to rest.

I didn’t buy my return ticket until noon and discovered that all the seats were already sold out. I joined the waitlist for 10 different trains, and within 30 minutes, I managed to get a seat on the fastest one — only 45 minutes from Hangzhou East to Shanghai Hongqiao.

I checked out of the hotel at 3 p.m., and just as I was about to leave, a sudden downpour started. Luckily, it stopped right in time for me to head to the train station.

Heading home. The sun came out again.

Thoughts

• Why no HDR this time?

  I had RAW files too and could’ve exported HDR photos, but for this trip, I wanted to try Sony’s FL film filter. Judging by the photo style, I really liked the results. Some highlights looked slightly blown out, but still within an acceptable range for me. The main goal was to maintain a consistent visual experience throughout the post — I didn’t want the reader to see an abrupt switch between SDR and HDR image styles.

• West Lake is huge

  I’m envious of Hangzhou locals — what a lovely, walkable public park to have right in the city.

• So many people

  The metro was crowded, and the streets were packed too. Also, people weren’t really following the “let people off before boarding” rule on the subway. My high-speed train from Hangzhou East to Shanghai departed at 16:03, and passengers didn’t finish disembarking until 16:02 — talk about a close call. The onboard police were urging us to board quickly. One passenger complained, “Why aren’t they rushing them to get off? We can’t get on unless they move!” Honestly, I think that’s the inner voice of every person stuck at the train door. Applause for saying it out loud.

• It was scorching

  The kind of heat that makes you melt. I ended up hiding in the hotel during the day. This kind of weather really isn’t suitable for outdoor activities. I thought I’d learned my lesson after nearly overheating in Suzhou, but clearly not. At least this time I knew to seek shade.

• The greenery around West Lake is impressive

  What I enjoyed most about this trip were the lakeside bike ride at sunset and the morning stroll through Hupao Park. Hangzhou gets snow in winter, so I imagine West Lake must be beautiful in all four seasons.

• Cycling and buses were great ways to explore

  Roads were lined with forests, creeks, and lakes — the breeze felt refreshing and calming. Taking the bus was also wonderful: strong air conditioning, and the views through the window were incredibly satisfying.

  

• So many scalpers

  They were everywhere — made me a bit wary of getting scammed.

Final Note

I’ll come back again when it’s cooler — maybe for fall foliage, or snow in winter.

• Node.js
• FFmpeg

Using FFmpeg alone

ffmpeg -i "input.mp4" \
  -vf "colorspace=iall=bt709:all=bt709:fast=1" \
  -c:v libsvtav1 -crf 30 -preset 8 -c:a copy "output.mkv"

Batch Conversion Using Node.js

node toAV1.js /dir-to-your-videos/

The converted AV1-encoded video file will be saved in the dist folder under the original video directory after the process completes.

const fs = require("fs");
const path = require("path");
const { spawn } = require("child_process");
const trash = require("trash");

const inputDir = process.argv[2];

if (!inputDir || !fs.existsSync(inputDir)) {
  console.error("❌ Please provide a valid directory path.");
  process.exit(1);
}

// Supported video extensions
const VIDEO_EXTS = [".mp4", ".mov", ".mkv", ".avi", ".webm", ".m4v"];

// Output directory
const distDir = path.join(inputDir, "dist");
if (!fs.existsSync(distDir)) {
  fs.mkdirSync(distDir);
}

async function encodeVideo(filePath, indexStr) {
  const fileName = path.basename(filePath);
  const baseName = path.parse(fileName).name;
  const outputPath = path.join(distDir, `${baseName}.mkv`);

  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
    console.log(
      `🎬 Encoding ${indexStr} : ${fileName} → ${path.relative(inputDir, outputPath)}`
    );

    const ffmpeg = spawn(
      "ffmpeg",
      [
        "-i",
        filePath,
        "-vf",
        "colorspace=iall=bt709:all=bt709:fast=1",
        "-c:v",
        "libsvtav1",
        "-crf",
        "30",
        "-preset",
        "8",
        "-c:a",
        "copy",
        outputPath,
      ],
      { stdio: "inherit" }
    );

    ffmpeg.on("close", async (code) => {
      if (code === 0) {
        console.log(`✅ ${indexStr} Encoding completed: ${fileName}`);
        try {
          await trash([filePath]);
          console.log(`🗑️ The original file has been moved to the trash: ${fileName}`);
        } catch (err) {
          console.error(`⚠️ Failed to move to trash: ${err.message}`);
        }
        resolve();
      } else {
        console.error(`❌ Encoding failed: ${fileName}`);
        reject(new Error(`FFmpeg Exit Code: ${code}`));
      }
    });
  });
}

(async () => {
  const files = fs
    .readdirSync(inputDir)
    .filter((file) => VIDEO_EXTS.includes(path.extname(file).toLowerCase()))
    .map((file) => path.join(inputDir, file));

  if (files.length === 0) {
    console.log("📭 Video File Not Found");
    return;
  }

  for (const [index, file] of files.entries()) {
    try {
      const indexStr = `${index}/${files.length}`
      await encodeVideo(file, indexStr);
    } catch (err) {
      console.error(`❌ Failed: ${err.message}`);
    }
  }

  console.log("🏁 All Done!");
})();