Wuhan is, of course, the most wonderful place in the world because it's where our daughter is from!

We have found some similarities between the Twin Cities and Wuhan, half a world away!

• Wuhan is the capital of the Hubei Province/ Saint Paul is the capital of Minnesota
• Wuhan is a Tripartite city (Triple Cities!) / We live in the Twin Cities!
• Wuhan is in the province of Hubei, known as the Province of Lakes/ Minnesota is known as the "Land of Lakes"!
• The Yangtze River shapes life in Wuhan/ The Mississippi River influences the life & culture of the Twin Cities

Wuhan is China's oldest, largest, inland industrial commercial centers. It's much larger than where we live in Minnesota with a population of nearly 10 million. The three cities of Wuhan - Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang - have always benefited from being at the confluence of the Yangtze and Han Rivers - in the heart of China. The area has been commercially important since ancient times, due to the Han being one of the few rivers in China that flows from the north to the south.

Wuhan has 35 higher education institutions - ranking 3rd just behind Beijing and Shanghai.

I hope to sample some of JunFen's favorite dishes in Wuhan - steamed Wuchang fish, spare rib and lotus rib soup and hot-dry noodles. I have a few recipes for these dishes - but tasting the "real" thing will help me try to make them for JunFen.