Land of pandas and spicy hotpots.
(J) I am sitting in a 1st class cushioned wicker chair near the stage of the Chengdu opera theatre, the tea is aromatic but mild, the beer is cold and the atmosphere sedate. The show is yet to start. The chairs of my companions are currently empty. Ian and Julie are off having of all things, their ears cleaned, Chez is having a nail painted in the style of a performers mask. It has been a trying couple of days but after a spicey hot pot meal, for which the locals are famous, and now this, I am feeling pretty good.
The overnight train rides, there have now been two, are ok but it is hard to get decent sleep, so you are very tired by the end. Last nights didn't actually end until almost midday today. We thought we would be heading to the hotel for a shower & relax before heading out for an evening stroll, but no, "due to unforseen blah blah blah the itinerary was changing so if it is alright with you we are off to see the pandas right now!" The pandas were great, the Obama woman had been to see them in the morning so the whole place had been closed. It just opened when we arrived and the sanctuary was therefore quite empty. I must confess to a bit of trudging however, as the weariness was not easy to shake off.
No food since a few snacks on the train the previous evening didn't help, but given what a good paddock I have been in these last few weeks, it is hard to complain about that. When I did finally eat the hot pot meal I mentioned earlier, it was a great pick me up. The food is cooked in one of two broths heating on the table, a spicey and not so spicey...most people would know the deal. It was very tasty and is a fun way to eat. It takes time and is an opportunity to relax and enjoy.
Chengdu seems a pretty nice little town, only about 8 million in the town proper. It did seem relaxed by comparison with some of the other places we have been, but our stay was very brief. Our hotel was a bit dilapidated but that too is part of the fun. After the show and a few beers the bed was very inviting.
(C) Chengdu would definitely be on the itinerary if we ever return to China. It has a more relaxed and cheerful atmosphere than everywhere else we have been so far. The street our hotel was in was on a 'beautiful' river according to our first female guide, Andy. It was more quaint than beautiful but given some time to explore I'm sure we would have found that it was quite charmingly beautiful. Something I am noticing with the way our guides have described places and attractions to us is that they are always the most beautiful, the most magnificent, the most fantastic, the best in the world or number 1.
We had to cram one and a half days worth of touring into half a day but it was certainly half a day well spent. The Panda Base had plenty of Giant Pandas of various maturity and even the ones sleeping were amusing to see in their various sleeping positions on bamboo platforms or perched in trees. Some covering there eyes from the sun. The adult and young adult pandas that weren't sleeping were busily eating bamboo some of them like pigs in mud just immersed in the bamboo lying there eating. The juvenile pandas (approx 8months old) were practicing there climbing skills up trees or rolling down a hill..very funny to see. There were also a few Red Pandas in another area of the base. They were also very cute and would wonder right up to you and sniff your legs as they crossed the pathways to get to the other side. A couple of them were quite fascinated by Ian's hairy legs.
Andy also took us to the Broad and Narrow Alleys which were pedestrian streets lined with restaurants, shops, many tea houses and bars. Drinking tea in the afternoons is a very big thing in Chengdu to relax and catch up with friends. Once again no time to stop and linger over a bing pijou or a pot of Oolong Tea. We did however just have enough time to visit Andy's favourite tea shop back near our hotel where we were treated to tastings of different teas before purchasing. We even tried Bamboo Leaf Tea. Our next stop right across the road was for our magnificent (as described by me) Hotpot Dinner. Now my favourite meal in China.
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