Part two of Chongqing: a cable car over the Yangtze, the famous train that runs through a building, a 1,000-year-old town and a skybridge floating above the city. This is the episode where the channel started to take off.
First of all, thank you. This series has brought in more new subscribers and views than anything I've done before. And some good news if you're thinking of going: China has extended its visa-free entry through 2026 for many EU countries, and added new ones. There has never been a better moment.
Also, the mystery of the girl on the train is solved, thanks to your comments. We had all just showered and put on perfume. In a closed carriage, our cologne was probably just too much for her.
Yangtze River Cableway
We started with a must-see: the Yangtze River Cableway, used as an aerial bus over the river. It gives a bird's-eye view of Chongqing's layered skyline. (Somebody was actually swimming in the river below. Is that even legal?) At the bottom we met a photographer who wanted pictures with us, and we shared a cigarette.
Liziba: the train through a building
Next stop was Liziba station, where the monorail runs straight through a residential building. It's fascinating, but honestly the city has much more to offer than this. We ate at a mall famous for its indoor garden and waterfall. On the way out we saw the new Xiaomi SU7, which is stunning, and I wish it were already on sale in Italy. Paola and I finished the evening with a 90-minute massage and both fell asleep.
Ciqikou Ancient Town
The next morning we drove to Ciqikou, a 1,000-year-old port town still defined by its Ming and Qing dynasty architecture. You walk narrow stone streets lined with teahouses, there are Sichuan opera performances, and the street food is endless. The pigeons fell in love with the girls. For the second time on this trip I felt a wave of positive energy. I'm not religious, but it was an inner peace I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Capybaras and Raffles City
The kids wanted to pet a real capybara, so we stopped at a capybara café, where we also met some Greek friends. Our last stop was Raffles City: eight towers linked at the top by a horizontal glass skybridge. My wife and the kids went up. I suffer from vertigo, so I stayed below with Martina and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets of the trip. We ended the day in the hotel's heated pool, looking out over the city.