Met a few couchsurfers while in Chongqing. Didn’t couch with any at the moment, more for making friends while in the new city. Get to chill and understand more of their western Chinese culture.

Have asked why in Sichuan territory everything is so spicy? Apparently there are a few categories of spices. There is slow spices that slowly comes out after you savor the other flavours. There is instant spices that hides all other flavors, especially useful for food that’s about to go bad. Then there is the numbing spices, which gives a burning sensation along the tongue and the lips. No amount of water will help cool it off.

As it turns out, the love for spicy food is base on one of those inner hot and cold Chinese theories. By eating spicy food, it helps the body sweat, which expel the inner cold from within. Suppose to be healthy. But I think it’s too acidic for my stomach…

As for the day, joined a CS friend for “drifting” . A spontaneous idea, as they decide during lunch. I was shocked to find out drifting is popular here. Drifting is more of a Japanese culture phenomenon, cars going sideways while in control. I haven’t drift since the beginning of the trip, and surely itching for it, it’s been awhile.

I tried to ask what type of vehicles are being offered. As I am very surprised drifting is popular in this part of Western China.

The conversation goes like this:

Well, it turns out drifting means a raft drifting downstream on a river… LoL

In Chinese both terms are very similar, hence a huge confusion until we were well along the way. 漂移 for drifting, both starts with the same character.

After the drifting, was taking to try Chongqing style yin and yan Hotpot. It is really popular here, portion spicy and portion isnt, eaten throughtout the year. A good unusual night with sampling pig brain, drink with a kid ( w/his dad approval) and actually enjoyed spicy food.