(Written by Hu Ao in Beijing)

          As summer vacations come only once a year, every child treasures those free days.  In years past, beautiful sights from the things we did on vacation were eternally engraved on my mind, but I remember in particular my first train trip to Nanjing, a glorious and historic city near Beijing.  I toured the ancient city then, and though I’ve forgotten the names of everything I saw, the aura of those inexhaustible, ancient times still lends an excitement.

          The strongest reason for my love of that city, however, is the love of the food that is served there.  I am really passionate about their steamed buns with meat stuffing.  They are made in a very small steamed cage, and very appropriately, are called just that – small-caged buns.  Though they look like quartz, when you bite into them, delicious juice suddenly wells up in your mouth.

          Another food from Nanjing that is lodged in memory is their very strong-smelling bean curd.  If you can just get past that problem and take a bite, your taste buds will enjoy a unique fragrance not associated with any other kind of food.

          The thought of Nanjing’s food makes me hungry once again.