On May 20, the lychee-themed Baiqiao Service Area on the Baotou-Maoming Expressway, located in Maoming City, Guangdong, officially commenced operations.
The main building on the west side of the service area resembles a plump lychee fruit, while the main building on the east side resembles a gracefully unfurling lychee leaf. The two buildings complement each other, jointly forming a landmark landscape rich in lychee elements.
The service area is equipped with ETC lanes and a large parking area, facilitating smooth vehicle pass-through and enabling a two-way flow of traffic. Nestled within Baiqiao Village, travelers and local residents can easily shuttle between the service area and surrounding attractions on foot or by bike via an overpass.
Under the guidance of Guangdong's High-Quality Development Project for Counties, Towns, and Villages, the Baiqiao Service Area exemplifies a new development model that integrates transportation, agriculture, culture, tourism, and commerce.
Irene Antonyan, an Armenian vlogger, expressed her intention to introduce this unique service area to her audience. "I'm going to tell everyone about this service area," she said, highlighting how it seamlessly combines the modern aspects of the city while preserving the rural parts.
Irene was particularly struck by the service area's unique design. "I even heard someone say that it's supposed to look like a lychee," she remarked, adding that it even includes the kernel inside, which she found quite fascinating.
Moreover, Irene praised the infrastructural development in the region. "I really like to see all of this infrastructural development because it's important to connect the rural areas to the rest of the world while maintaining the authentic parts," she explained.
According to Sharma Priyasha, an Indian vlogger, she was also impressed by how the service area demonstrates that a fruit plantation can have such a significant influence in a city.
"That's also what I want to share with my international friends: how deeply a single fruit, like the lychee, is intertwined with the history and culture of an entire city, and how much effort the city is making to showcase this rich heritage to the world," she said.
Reporter | Chen Jinxia
Photo | Li Yangshi, Liu Dongming, Yang Jianxiong
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
