In the summer, I went to Changsha. Here’s how my 3-day Changsha journey unfolded:
Touching down at Changsha Railway Station, I could already smell the delicious scent of chili oil in the air. The metro to the hotel took more than an hour, and by the time I stepped into the hotel room, I was already tired like it was the end of the day.
My first stop was Pozi Street, Changsha’s food center. The narrow street was packed with stalls selling everything from crispy, stinky tofu to milk tea to sugar-oil cakes. I stopped at a popular Hunanese restaurant, Feidachu, and had stir-fried yellow beef and a big cup of lemonade.
Day two, I started the morning with a slow walk around Orange Isle, a long, tree-lined island in the middle of the Xiangjiang River. The air was misty and cool; I made my way to the iconic Mao Zedong Youth Art sculpture. Standing there, looking out over the river and the city skyline in the distance, felt like stepping into a piece of history.
My last day in Changsha was slow and sweet. I wandered back to Pozi Street for one final bowl of stinky tofu and a cup of my favorite milk tea, then stopped at a local market to pick up jars of chili sauce and snacks to take home to my friends.
As I boarded the train back to Suzhou, I found myself already missing the city—the smell of chili oil in the air, the sound of locals laughing loudly, and the way every meal is an adventure. Changsha isn’t just a city; it’s a feeling: bold, warm, and endlessly flavorful.
I left with a bag full of snacks, a phone full of photos, and a promise to come back soon.