Recently, Alex Robinson, a well-known British writer and geographer, wrapped up his ten-day trip in Hunan. Speaking about his journey through Hunan at his final stop in Liuyang, he praised, "I have seen so many wonderful things in Hunan. It's hard to say that one is better than the other. The mountains in Zhangjiajie would probably be the most spectacular thing. But the beautiful temples I've seen as well, the fabulous food I've eaten, I mean so much has been good. The whole of the province has been wonderful."

Alex spoke highly of Hunan cuisine. When talking about signature dishes like mandarin fish and Chairman Mao's braised pork, his eyes sparkled with excitement. "These delicacies are absolutely exquisite—I've completely fallen in love with Hunan flavors," he said. Addressing the iconic spiciness of Hunan dishes, he chuckled lightly: "Out of ten, I would say four to five. I don't think the food here is very spicy." Alex showed great adaptability in tasting spicy Hunan cuisine, using chopsticks with ease and savoring each bite composedly. "Hunan cuisine is very tasty," he sincerely exclaimed.

While in Liuyang, Alex visited Chen Jiwu's Chrysanthemum Stone Gallery. The unique geological formations have been transformed into an array of exquisite chrysanthemum stone artworks through Chen's masterful carving skills. Alex marveled at the craftsmanship. "There are two artists in this gallery—one is Chen Jiwu, who carves the chrysanthemum stones, and the other is nature, which created them." When night fell, he attended the 3rd Hunan-Jiangxi Artistic Fireworks Invitational Competition. When the sky lit up with dazzling pyrotechnics, he was deeply moved by the spectacle. "I can't say which of these fireworks displays is better because they are all breathtaking."

"The most memorable part during my trip to Hunan has definitely been the people. The people have been wonderful," said Alex, adding that "I have been so well received and so well treated. It's been a really good experience being here."

Upon returning to the UK, Alex plans to create travel articles tailored to international tourists' preferences, drawing on tourism resources from Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Yueyang, as well as his photographic works, to promote Hunan to the world.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: Voice of Hunan