The North China Plain

Once again, after a night that was too short, we were treated to another delicious breakfast prepared by Gufu before setting off shortly after 8:30 a.m.

It was already hot enough to make me sweat before we even set off, but once I was on the bike and had the cooling airflow, I felt quite comfortable again today.

For the ride to Luohe, Amap—the Chinese equivalent of Google Maps—offered us three route options. This time, at Wenxin's suggestion, we chose the longest one, which was about three and a half kilometers longer than the shortest. The reason was that he wanted to pass through the hometown of his maternal grandfather's ancestors, from whom their family had inherited its surname.

We have now definitely reached the North China Plain. Over the remaining 900-plus kilometers of my journey, there will be no more mountains and therefore no more long climbs.

I'm now riding so relaxed that today I actually asked myself whether this still counts as exercise. Once again, it was that little voice in my head trying to convince me that I should push myself harder. I politely declined and simply enjoyed the ride. It really does feel like a leisurely outing by bike now, and that's exactly how it should be.

Even though we were riding at a very relaxed pace, temperatures of 35 to 36°C still felt rather hot. The Jiahu Ruins Museum therefore provided a welcome opportunity to cool down in its air-conditioned halls. There, we learned about one of Henan's earliest Neolithic settlements, which is regarded as an important cradle of Chinese civilization. The museum's most famous exhibits are the world's oldest playable musical instruments: 9,000-year-old flutes made from the leg bones of cranes. These remarkable instruments are considered among the origins of the Chinese "culture of rites and music," one of the fundamental pillars of Chinese civilization.

After the museum, it wasn't far to what was said to be "the best hotel in Luohe," where we arrived shortly after 2:00 p.m. My first impression of the city was extremely positive: it was very clean, beautifully laid out, had a wonderful riverside park with clear water, and our room on the twentieth floor offered an excellent view over the surrounding area.

My good friend Yanan, who now lives in Singapore, comes from Luohe. Since I had met her father during our trip together in Xinjiang, I asked her whether it would be appropriate to visit him while I was here. She not only arranged the meeting but also booked and paid for our hotel. When I was almost speechless and told her that this had never been my intention, she simply replied, "But my intention is for you to stay in the best hotel in my hometown." Thank you so very much!

After arriving, we first made up for lunch, eager to try the famous Re Gan Mian (hot dry noodles). Along the way we had already seen countless noodle shops advertising this specialty, and there were even more once we reached the city. The noodles certainly lived up to their reputation—they were delicious.

After resting for a while at the hotel, we met Yanan's father as well as her brother and his family for dinner. Thank you very much for the wonderful meal and for your warm company.