Hotpot

Day 36: Xi'an (CN) – Chongqing (CN). “Are you hot enough now?”, Karen enquired. Unable to speak, I simply nodded; beads of perspiration dripping from my brow, my eyes watering from the heat. But the source of my discomfort wasn't due to any meteorological phenomenon, it was down to our choice of lunch – Chongqing Hotpot; quite simply the spiciest dish I had every tasted!

Travelling through the night on the sleeper train from Xi'an, we awoke thoroughly refreshed after an excellent nights sleep thanks to the marvellous service provided on the Chinese trains; punctual, clean, inexpensive and efficient. Pulling the curtains back from the window, the sun streamed into our compartment and we gazed out on a very different China from the one that we had left in Xi'an. This was the China of high mountains, terraced rice fields, palm trees and small villages. Stunningly beautiful.

Arriving in Chongqing, we met up with a guy named 'John'', recommended to us by the hostel in Xi'an. He had managed to secure us a passage on a Chinese passenger ship, going as far as Yichang - 400 miles downstream on the mighty Yangzi River. From there we should be able to get a bus to Wuhan taking us in to the heart of the Hubei province.

So with the boat not sailing until much later that evening we had the whole day to acquaint ourselves with Chongqing, and in particular it's famous fiery dish that had caused me so much discomfort. Born on the banks of the Yangzi, Chongqing Hotpot was originally eaten by poor boatmen and is similar to a fondue only the cooking broth is heavily laced with fresh whole chillies and Sichuan spices. Such is the heat of this dish that we as 'soft westerners' were advised to dip our food in an infusion of sesame oils and garlic to take some of the heat out. Even with our 'wimps' cop out, the flavour of this food was mouth numbingly, eye wateringly, tongue blisteringly hot and so I shudder to think what the heat would be like if you opted for eating it the 'hard' Sichuan way!