I would like to say that day 2 in Zhangjiajie was a really successful day and I’ll get to it in just a bit! The weather gods have slowly come to our side but I pray that tomorrow will also be a good day.

So we started the morning off with an agenda already hat my mom made. She had her mind set on going back to the first restaurant we went to and getting steamed dumplings and noodle soup. She noticed that this restaurant was more populated with older people, the food was more simple and more cheap. Not as modern. She says this is the simple food for simple people for simple life.

So we’re back here again! I am glad this place is always open so early. Family owned by a dad and mom and they have two kids. We think they live in an attachment to the restaurant.

We had two orders of dumplings. The second one was below. It was pretty good and served really fresh and hot. I wish there were more meat inside though. There was very little. The skin was also a bit thick in comparison to ratio. This was 7 yen each so that makes it about $1 each order.

We went back to zhu nao ke per my request to get tea drinks. The one on the left was a milk covered roasted oolong tea for 10 yen and the right was my mom’s coconut milk tea again for 7 yen. Mine was a little pricier for about $1.50 but super cheap compared to American prices.

Then we went to the big glass bridge a canyon that is one of the world records. It had big plates of glass. Walking through the first 5 was a bit scary for me but after that, you get secure and feel comfortable. My mom was super scared at first and wouldn’t walk on it. After a while I made her put one foot on the glass while walking. Then she held my hand. Then she had two feet. Then she was on her own! Like a child learning how to walk haha!

Then we went back into the national park to go check out Avatar Mountain by going up the Bailong Elevator, which I think is my mom’s favorite attraction so far. It takes you up hundreds of feet in seconds so you can see the mountains like you’re flying up towards the sky. Halfway up, we were covered in fog.

But a miracle happened! After our treacherous walk through snowy walks higher and higher to see higher peaks in glimpses of fog, the sun cleared up as soon as we reached to the end of our circle route when we were in the last platform where the view IS the backdrop for the movie Avatar. It was breathtakingly beautiful. I almost cried because the sun couldn’t come out at a more perfect time. Seeing the snowy peaks with glimpses of fog and the sun shining and clearing the sky at the same time gave the most breathtaking view possible because you get all 3 elements of nature working together.

I tried to take a lot of pictures to capture the whole essence. It’s impossible. Nothing beats the reality of being in it. No pictures can recapture what I was experiencing in that moment while being overwhelmed by the vastness of it.

On our way back down, we tried some, what I would call it dry bread with pork and leek. It was really goood! I want another one tomorrow haha! The carbs tasted like fry bread but this is savory, not sweet!

Then we went back to our second hotel destination called Zhangjiajie Mini Inn so that the next morning we are closer to the Tianmen Mountains and the airport.

We tried to find a restaurant to eat at before shower and sleep but not many were open even though it was just 8pm so we just picked the one with the most people eating in it for safety.

Hot tea with the tea pot in a metal bowl and pre-wrapped tea cups and bowls. The tea was 2 yen.

White rice was 4 yen, so like 75 cents. They have a lot too. My mom and I did not finish it.

Stir fried vegetables for 17 yen, which was like $2.50. These were actually really really good. A lot of garlic and oil but it was soooo good. Loved it!

Mabo tofu for 20 yen. This wasn’t that good in my opinion. There was a lot of sauce but it was more watery in nature. I’m used to the gooey sauce! And there was something stinky about this dish even though it’s not stinky tofu. The beef was very little in amount too. I like the vegetables more!

But not coming back to this restaurant tomorrow morning. My mom and I will explore because we have a late start tomorrow and there are MANY shops in this area. They’re just all closed right now lol.

Good night!