Photo taken by Luiz Gomez. For chinadaily.com.cn

From my heart

When a foreigner first comes to China, it is the roofs that first catch the eye, but it doesn't take long for one's interest to move from the buildings to the beautiful people who inhabit them.

Such was the case in Shanxi province during a trip organized in May by China Daily and the Shanxi Tourism Bureau.

Any foreigner who travels through Shanxi — or anywhere in China — is won over by the warm smiles of the people. It is these smiles that make us forget about the roofs.