The first question
Nora wanted to understand Chengdu through its everyday pace. She was vegetarian and needed to avoid sesame, but did not want the whole trip to become a search for “safe” restaurants.
One food note for the day
The guide had the same bilingual food note that had been discussed before the trip. Each food stop began with a clear conversation, not a fresh explanation. When one market became crowded, a quiet neighborhood tea house replaced it without losing the day’s story.
The detail that mattered
The most useful tool was not complicated: a clear Chinese card, the original requirement beside it, and a guide who knew that the card started a conversation rather than replacing one.
The outcome was a day in which food needs stayed present without taking over the entire story. It did not remove the need to confirm ingredients at every stop.
