A question of taste

The Rough Guide to China describes Huanglong Xi as "a charming riverside village [of] understated Qing dynasty streets - all narrow, flagstoned and sided in rickety wooden shops". Some 40 kilometres south of Chengdu, the original village dates back to the Seventeenth Century but, to be honest, I'm more ancient than most things in the Huanglong Xi of today.

There's conservation, there's renovation and there's reconstruction. This charming village is very much in the latter camp. It also has its own logo which can't be a good sign. Through the 'traditional' gateway which was nearer four months old than four centuries, you are channeled along the main drag, a traditionally flagstoned tourist superhighway lined either side by souvenir shops brimming with the latest traditional tat.

Immaculately decorated rickshaws with immaculately dressed runners charging very untraditional prices parked themselves at the top of the street. We passed them to find more streets from yesteryear. Oliver, our guide for the day, excitedly pointed out the Qing Dynasty bank and the Qing Dynasty gambling den with their papier mache props and bicycle lock padlocks to stop you getting too close.

Elements of the village are actually genuine; every gnarled twist of the nine hundred year old banyan tree which is propped up by huge carved dragons ('Huanglong' means 'Yellow Dragon', by the way) was thoroughly real. The Chinese Opera stage had a sign claiming it to be 'remarkably preserved' though I wouldn't bet my life on it; the buildings in the temple kind of looked old but they just didn't feel right. It felt like a film set - which is actually was for, among many other movies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

To the water next. To be honest it's a pretty pointless trip up the grey green river passed a couple of fishermen, a boarded up temple and some holiday homes but it's a relaxing way to while away an hour before lunch.

Oh yeah, lunch. Deep breath now: crispy deep fried prawns, rice topped with sugar and strips of pork, bowls of tofu, stewed eggplant in spicy sauce with garlic, a kind of egg and tomato omelette, a haunch of boiled pork with crispy crackling, spicy bream in a hot sauce, chicken with red and green peppers and peanuts, salty shredded potato, 'Twice-Cooked Pork" (everyone's favourite, this one: pork that's been roasted and then fried mixed with a rich sauce and a variety of fried vegetables), stewed seaweed soup and garlic cabbage. All washed down with a crisp cool beer and finished off with an inexhaustable supply of cleansing, refreshing green tea.

Tasty.