When I arrived in Guiyang, it was drizzling lightly, and the temperature was below 10 degrees Celsius. Under the influence of the quasi-stationary front in Yunnan-Guizhou, Guiyang was indeed much colder than Kunming, with the damp, chilly air seeping into my skin, bringing a bone-deep cold.

After night fell and the rain stopped, I strolled past Zhucheng Square. Compared to the bustling atmosphere during my visit in summer, the square felt quite desolate in winter. The colorful lights on the bridge and the illuminated wall by the river were off, likely because few people were willing to go out in such weather.

I continued to Qingyun Pedestrian Street. My last visit was during the day, and this time I hoped to experience some lively atmosphere under the night sky. However, the persistent rain and low temperatures resulted in a sparse crowd, making the streets feel somewhat empty, and even the vendors lacked their usual vitality. I bought a Zunyi potato pancake, only to find it stuffed with a lot of fish mint roots, which was disappointing. I expected the flavors to be similar given how close Guiyang is to Zunyi, but it tasted somewhat off. I then ordered some tofu balls, but the dipping sauce also had the fish mint roots as a base, which was somewhat frustrating.

Nevertheless, the overall atmosphere of Qingyun Street was still pleasant. As a signature pedestrian street of the city, it attracted many celebrities for photo ops. However, compared to other commercial streets, it felt a bit restrained, lacking some of the street life’s vitality.