Lingering in the Slow Time of a Dali Homestay

Cobblestone paths shatter into scales of time beneath my toes I follow the scent of coffee around a corner into a small alley Gently pushing open the homestay door Wind lifts the branches of the lemon tree at the entrance Fruits swaying in the sunlight and gentle breeze At this moment, my Dali journey officially begins Inside the homestay, plants flourish in the courtyard greenhouse When taking photos for my friend, sunlight passes through Clouds tumble into the window frame, becoming a fleeting glimpse in my lens What I love most is sitting in the courtyard at dusk Watching twilight spill over the roof tiles, feeling relaxed and at ease At night, when wrapped in cotton bedding I smell the lingering scent of sunshine on the pillowcase As the night breeze rises, I count stars through the glass Suddenly reminded of the stars in the Sahara Desert Realizing that gentle sleep connects us everywhere The surprises of travel Always come unexpectedly In the morning, awakened by the aroma of sour rice noodles Steam wrapping around everyday life Spice bringing a light sweat to the tip of my nose Yet giving roots to a stranger's stomach in a foreign land Before bed, a cup of sweet peach gum soup Soothes my stomach and softens the foreign night I suddenly understand True healing was never deliberately arranged But comes from the host simmering "care" into the soup, hiding it in the coffee aroma Landing on the traveler's palate Warming both stomach and heart The slowness of Dali is never about deliberately slowing down But about staying in such a warm house Letting days naturally ferment into honey Just as San Mao said, "Time is beautiful because it inevitably flows away." And this place Is precisely the candy given to travelers As time flows by