Explore the hidden gems of Jianshui! An underrated paradise

Honestly, I didn't expect Jianshui to be so amazing! 🌟 I took my child for a leisure trip, originally planned to go to Fuxian Lake or Mile, but unfortunately it rained that day, so we drove to Jianshui and ended up staying for two days. First of all, the ancient city is really big, with Chaoyang Tower at the center (Chaoyang Tower is full of historical traces, pictures five to nine), it doesn't feel like it's specifically for tourists, but more like a pedestrian street for the people of Jianshui. There is a light show at Chaoyang Tower at 8:30 in the evening, with lights shining on the red city walls for about 15 minutes. There are several paid attractions in the ancient city, like the Confucius Temple, Zhu Family Garden, etc. We didn't have time to go this time, but will definitely visit again if we have the chance. Secondly, the meter-gauge train was a pleasant surprise! We booked tickets online in advance, but I heard that more tickets are sold on site, so if you can't buy them online, you can try your luck on site, sometimes there are refunds. The meter-gauge train journey takes four hours, with one trip in the morning and one in the afternoon, and there are three stops for sightseeing along the way. The first stop is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, I heard there are only two in China, very beautiful! The bridge holes and lake water reflect each other, with blue sky and white clouds, very unique. The second stop is a former transit station called Xianghuiqiao Station, which retains some French-style buildings, with restaurants and cafes inside, suitable for ordering a coffee and spending the afternoon, feeling romantic. The third stop is the terminal station Tuanshan, I heard there is a Hani and Yi ethnic Tuanshan residence, which requires a 35 yuan ticket and a 3-minute transfer. I didn't go with my child, but unexpectedly found a large strawberry field near the terminal station, where you can go in and pick your own, 15 yuan per jin, much more fragrant than the 40 yuan per jin self-pick strawberries in Chongqing! The terminal station stays for about an hour and then returns to Jianshui Ancient City. If you feel that there are too many people in the train carriage and it's not good for taking pictures, you can wait for people to get off and play at the station and then take pictures, enjoying the whole carriage. If you're unlucky and can't get a train ticket, you can actually drive to the above three places yourself, avoiding the crowds of the train and taking better photos. And the train departure station Lian'an Station is a theme station, you can also check in and take photos. Jianshui also has a Wulong Lake City Park, the center of the park has a Buddha Reflecting Lotus Island which is also very photogenic, it's the style of pictures one to four, a bit like the colorful Danxia, the island is surrounded by sand, which is a favorite of children. There is also a purple pottery museum in the park, and nearby is the Ant Workshop (I heard it's also very photogenic). In short, Jianshui is a great place for a leisurely vacation, 3-4 days is just right, slowly appreciate the beauty of Jianshui. Jianshui's barbecue skewers and coated tofu, especially the skewers, are sweet if you don't dip them in sauce, super delicious, the sour soup beef is also super good, the beef is very fresh. The people of Jianshui are really happy, really enviable! 😍✨