As a garden city in Xiamen, Gulangyu Island is naturally a garden in the garden. Here, the trees are shaded, the flowers are in full bloom, the waves are rough, bright bougainvillea, warm phoenix flowers, birds and flowers can be seen everywhere, the winding alleys, the petals of magnolia flowers that can't be washed clean in the alleys, the faint osmanthus fragrance inhaled by the wind, the lazy cats under the papaya trees on the low fence are dozing off, the old banyan trees with long beards are everywhere, and the old houses are full of harmonious piano sounds, and trees are scattered everywhere. Stepping on this small island, wandering in those quiet and lively alleys, I feel inexplicably quiet and comfortable. The essence of this island is the alleys and the old houses that accompany them. There are both European and American-style buildings with pure style and typical red brick Minnan dwellings with strong regional characteristics. Most villas or ordinary houses reflect the perfect and ingenious combination of western architectural art and China architectural art, for example, the simple and elegant Taurik-style Greek columns, with China-style kirin, Taiji and other stigma, and the elegant Mei Zhu Lan residence stone carvings embedded in western-style windows. , are so exciting. Many old houses here are as intimate as this island and have no sense of rejection. There are no motor vehicles and bicycles on the island. When the rain is thin enough to go to the island without an umbrella, there is a beautiful artistic conception. Sometimes, I haven't seen anyone else for a long time, and the whole island is like walking with you alone, making you swing.
There is a must-see snack "Ye's Masi" at the fork of Longtou Road on the island, which has a history of one hundred years. In the eyes of most people, the development of a hundred years still stays in a stall, which seems incredible, but small businesses have been operating like this, and middle-aged male stall owners are the third generation. Pull out the drawer under the booth, take out the glutinous rice cake, wrap it with stuffing made of peanuts, black and white sesame seeds and sugar powder, knead it into a ball, and roll it with a layer of black sesame powder, and a "crisp" will be ready. Sweet but not greasy, waxy but not sticky, one yuan will make tourists on the island have a sweet memory.
Take a boat back to the ferry from Gulangyu Island, which is also the location of the old city of Xiamen. Kaiyuan Road, the first municipal construction road in Xiamen (1completed in August, 924) is located here. Most of the old buildings here are arched. Arcade is a kind of architectural form that combines European architecture and Southeast Asian regional characteristics. After the Opium War, it was introduced to Gulangyu and Xiamen, and then to Kinmen. This architectural form is very suitable for the weather in the south, which can shelter from the wind and rain and the scorching sun. Most of the first floor is shops, and there are various types of businesses and people living on the second floor. Although it is close to the bustling commercial street, it is not disturbed by tourists at all. The streets here, the people here, the extremely rich seafood market here and the catchy Minnan dialect from time to time, their mixed taste is like an original ecological life painting style, which can't help but make you forget that you are still in the city and only experience the strong life atmosphere. There are many small kung fu tea tables in front of the shop downstairs, and occasionally I can see the old woman dozing off against the door panel ... The shelter in space will shut out the capricious nature. At this time, it was discovered that the arcade is such a humanized architectural style-quiet, publicity and contentment, but it is just an ordinary little life, but it is full of charm.
It's not far from Zhongshan Road, a bustling commercial street. The whole street is basically arcade style. The famous Huang Ze and Peanut Soup Shop are located under the horse riding building of Zhongshan Road, not far from the ferry. Peanut soup, a home-cooked snack here, is as white as milk and sweet but not greasy. "Peanuts are all slices, floating on the noodle soup, soft as cotton, rotten but not broken, instant in the mouth, mellow and refreshing", which is very unique. The raw material is ordinary peanuts, but the cooking method is quite elegant. Peanuts should be peeled first, soaked in boiling water, peeled, cooked in a casserole with water, and sugar can only be added when the peanuts are cooked, then boiled in a large pot and sold while rolling. In addition to sweet and mellow peanut soup, the glutinous rice cakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse and the rice cakes filled with red dates and nuts sold here are also worth a try.
Huandao Road is a fascinating scenic spot in this city in recent years. Before going on the road, you can taste the "Wutang Satay Noodle", which is known as one of the two stars of Xiamen Satay Noodle, at the entrance of the sea bridge near the ferry. The method of satay's noodles looks very simple. Boil the noodles in a boiling pot under a colander, take them out and put them in a bowl, and add accessories such as pork liver, pork loin, duck tendon, rice blood, fresh squid, dried bean curd and so on. According to your own taste, finally pour the soup that has been boiled in the big pot, and a bowl of noodles can be served in one minute. Whether noodles are delicious or not depends on the sand tea soup. Sand tea, called sand tea by Xiamen people, originated in Nanyang Islands and is a favorite seasoning food of Malaysians, and was later introduced to Fujian and Guangdong provinces in China. Select the first-class shrimp head, marinate it with salt for more than two months, grind it into fine powder, add shrimp sauce and garlic sauce in turn, cook it thoroughly, and then add spiced powder, curry powder, Chili powder and sesame seeds after cooling. "Brown sugar satay noodles" has a history of more than 20 years. Brown sugar is the boss's nickname. Peanut butter, one of the main ingredients, is made by the boss himself. All the accessories of Satay noodles are fresh and not frozen. All kinds of materials are sold out every day. No matter how many guests there are, they can't catch up with the next day. It's best not to hope after noon. Sit down at the table in front of the door, savor the steaming satay noodles, have a panoramic view of the island road and Gulangyu Island in front of you, and leave the word "satisfaction" in your mind.
Enjoy the beautiful scenery after eating. From here, you can go up the Island Ring Road, pass the bridge closest to the sea in the world, from Yanwu Road to Baicheng, the S-shaped sea-crossing bridge with the same height as the shore, Xiamen University with mountains and seas, the beating staff "Wave of Gulangyu" written on the green belt in the middle of the road, and the Hu Lishan Fort, which was built in the 22nd year of Guangxu and is also the largest existing ancient gun in China. Turn the corner and you can get off at any time and get close to the sea and beach. Here, you can enjoy walking or running on the beach, rent a bicycle for two or more people to ride, overlook Xiaojinmen and Dadan Erdan Island on the other side, fly kites, fish with poles, and go to the strawberry field across the sea to pick strawberries by yourself. You can also do nothing, just sit by the sea in a daze and let the warm sunshine caress you. When the stomach begins to protest, it's a good choice to eat seafood that is indispensable in coastal cities, and go through Jiulongchi, Liyumen and Chang 'anmen restaurants on Huandao Road in turn.
You You Lu Dao, Leisure Food (6)
Seafood is the characteristic of Xiamen, but the most distinctive is two kinds of seafood that are not seafood: frozen bamboo shoots and fried oysters. Oysters are made of top-grade oyster "Zhu Hao" as the main raw material, with eggs, potato powder and garlic seedlings. They are fried until both sides are crisp and yellow, with Xiamen's unique sweet and spicy sauce and coriander as the seasoning, which is crisp and delicate and delicious. You can often see "oyster omelet" in articles introducing Taiwan Province Province, which is actually oyster omelet, and it is only in Minnan dialect. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait share the same roots, and the food culture can be seen. The frozen bamboo shoots are made of a kind of sand worm "Tu Qiu" that grows on the beach. This kind of sea worm is rich in gum, which will turn into a frozen state after boiling and cooling, like jelly. The best place to eat frozen bamboo shoots on the island is undoubtedly the "Ximen frozen bamboo shoots" near the west gate of Zhongshan Park. This is a small shop with a history of more than 70 years. The predecessor of this shop is the frozen bamboo shoots picked by the owner's father when he walks around the streets. When I was old, I left some near the west gate of the park because my legs and feet were inconvenient. Many old Xiamen people remember him. In addition to raw materials and technology, seasoning is very important for frozen bamboo shoots. The frozen bamboo shoots here look crystal clear, sprinkled with peanut butter, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Xiamen sweet and spicy sauce, mustard and other seasonings, sprinkled with coriander and pickled sweet and sour white radish slices, delicious and smooth, and the taste is pronounced Q in Minnan dialect. The storefront is small and there are tables in the room, but everyone seems to like to sit at the small short table facing the street at the door, taste the food and relive the customs of old Xiamen. ...
If you are still not satisfied after the delicious food, enjoy a pot of kung fu tea. Minnan people are addicted to kung fu tea, and making tea has become a living habit, which can often be seen in streets and alleys. When asked about the meaning of being a man in his later years, Mr. Lin Yutang replied with a smile: "Just eating and drinking." I wonder if Mr. Lin, whose ancestral home is in southern Fujian, refers to this kind of kungfu tea after eating and drinking. Kung fu tea is very particular about tea leaves, tea sets and brewing methods. Tea is semi-fermented oolong tea, and the teapot cups are very small, mostly teapot made in Dehua, china white or Yixing. Brewing process is complicated, time-consuming and laborious. Everyone thinks that this is the origin of the name of Kung Fu tea.
In fact, kungfu tea is not brewed, but tasted. Only when you can taste the taste and essence of tea can you see the real kung fu. In Qing Dynasty, Yuan Mei wrote a vivid description of drinking oolong tea in Suiyuan Food List: "... the cup is as small as a walnut, and the pot is as small as a fragrant rafter. Every time I pour one or two, I can't bear to swallow it. Smell its fragrance first, then taste it, chew slowly and be considerate. Sure enough, it's fragrant and sweet. Pleasant, after one drink, try two more, which makes people feel dry and flat. At first, I felt that Longjing (tea) was clear and fine, while Yangxian (tea) was good but poor in rhyme, which was very different from jade and crystal. Therefore, Wuyi is famous for its cooking. It's really not awkward, it can be cooked three times, and the taste is not over yet. " Tasting kungfu tea is a kind of realm. With this realm, life will be peaceful and leisurely, just like the character of Xiamen people and the character of this city.
In this comfortable city, there are often places suitable for being in a daze, and the seaside is one of them. Sitting quietly on the coffee table by the sea, sipping kungfu tea, the waves beat tirelessly on the coast, and the sea breeze gently stroked my cheek and closed my eyes. I want to be a Xiamen person. ...