Chongqing is Beautiful

Chongqing, a city in southwestern China, was the last stop on my trip. I really liked the city. Unlike some Chinese cities, it has character -- it is hilly, borders two great rivers, with plenty of greenery, well organized, not terribly crowded and it's got the best hotpot!

View of downtown Chongqing -- too bad it was very foggy (though thank goodness it was fog and not pollution for once) but this is the point where the mighty Yangtze River and the Jialing River, a tributary of the Yangtze, meet.

Just to the right is where the two rivers meet...

Here is a picture of Chongqing on a clear day I found on the web -- the Yangtze is muddy and the Jialing River is clear, so the point where they merge is kind of like Ying meets Yang.

Temple perched on top of a hill -- it's actually really really high up the hill, I had to use the max zoom on my camera.

This is a cool hang out place. It overlooks the Jialing River. Chongqingers come here to make merry -- eat hot pot, shop for snacks, drink tea, play cards ...

Snack shops along "Main Street"

Getting ready for my hot pot --- hmmm....

It was unbelievably delicious -- the lamb and beef were as tender as can be, the shrimp and fish were fresh from the tanks, the seafood and meatballs were the best I've ever had and the veggies fresh and crisp! Very satisfying meal.

The modern side of Chongqing... A big thumbs up for Chongqing's urban planners -- they've done a good job developing the city but at the same time preserving its unique character.


Floating seafood restaurant on the Jialing River... I thought I'd sneak this one in, it was a beautiful night.