Enjoying a coffee under a pagoda in the sun is a typical Kunming pastime.

Kunming's city center is always worth a visit. In addition to the bustling Nanping Street, the many small shops that have sprung up or been renovated have added a splash of color to the streets and alleys. Take Dongsi Street, for example. I wrote an article about this street last year. From Xisi Tower to Yudai River, from Huancai to Xiaochidao Special Blend to Xinlu Coffee, this street is full of history and culinary delights. Dongsi Street is as beautiful as ever. Cars still roar by. The vegetable and fruit vendors still line the walls along the Yudai River, with their green vegetables and red persimmons piled high, filling the street with the abundance of autumn and winter. Xinlu is still Xinlu, but the store has doubled in size. When you want a coffee, the easiest choice is a large iced Americano. The coffee is not the best, but it is more cost-effective than Luckin or Cotti, and is a great choice for a working person. The most eye-catching change on this street is the addition of a 24-hour city library. Another is the Binado Coffee under Xisi Tower. When I walked to Xisi Tower Square that day, the sanitation workers were painting the trees with white lime, and the elderly were playing cards in the shade of the bamboo trees. The sun was still shining on the ground. Everything was as it was. Then I looked up and saw the coffee shop in the red building. The design of the coffee shop is a combination of Chinese style and modernity. The banana leaves and the pagoda, the square and round lines, the light and shadow, create a calming atmosphere. Inside the coffee shop, the space is large and the decor is restrained, with a Chinese and Zen feel. I ordered a Yirgacheffe coffee. The first sip of iced Americano was a refreshing acidity. The milk coffee foam was delicate and dense, with a rich milk flavor, sweet, like the winter sun melting into an old man's white beard, simple and reassuring. The special blend was the barista's inspiration, with a hint of autumn pear, and I was immersed in the world of fruit flavors. People work and read by the tower, happily snoring in the lounge chairs, and blending in with the Xisi Tower and the old ladies' idle chatter. I stumbled upon a restaurant in a narrow alley in Shiqiao. The sign says "Since 2019," but I only stumbled upon it today. The potato dish is a staple that is hard to get wrong. The stir-fried water spinach is cooked with a little more oil and stir-fried over high heat, and when served, it is steaming hot and full of flavor. The beef is cooked with oil. The spices are cleverly combined, and the meat is tender and flavorful. The most surprising dish was the crispy pork. The golden crispy pork is wrapped in a hot heart. Dip it in a little sour and spicy sauce, and it jumps out of the ordinary crispy pork system and into the subtropical ocean. I realized that my taste buds had just experienced a new journey.