Chengdu Day 2 - 10.22

(This entry is written 3 weeks later according to original key-word jogs)

It seems as the days go on we get less and less sleep. This morning it was a 6:40 alarm so we could make downstairs at 7:30 for a minibus that was to take us to the panda research center just outside of the city of Chengdu. First stop: Sam's Hostel, another place recommended by syl's book. But we weren't there to check out the place. We picked up an old couple and two middle-aged Malaysian ladies. Then I blissfully passed out until syl shook me awake outside of the panda center.

After about a five minutes walk into the research center it felt like we have entered a sichuan mountain forest where the pandas naturally dwell. Luscious green trees still thriving in the cool fall air; graceful groves of bamboos arching over misty pathways. Everytime I see a big grove of bamboo, I feel such a sense of mystery and exoticism, something I imagine more "appropriate" for non-asians?


The research center occupied a huge area, arranged in a maze-like pattern of panda enclosures and garden grounds. And there were panda bears abound. I don't recall ever having seen panda so upclose, even though I must have when I was a kid. Their cuteness was only matched by their paramount laziness. Most of the pandas we saw never lifted their asses off the ground, if they moved at all. They simply sat or laid on the cold wet ground and chewed away. Once the bamboo in their hands were chomped up, they reached or rolled over for some new ones, wielding sticks in both hands for maximum efficiency. Their fat paws and long claws were surprisingly agile when it came to peeling the bamboo stalks.

He's a shy sleeper	Dual-wielding madness

The one thing I had my mind set on before even coming here was to do the close encounter with panda. By giving a generous "donation", one can get into the panda's quarters and pet it while getting pictures taken. Well if that isn't once-in-a-lifetime, I don't know what is. When I enquired it through our bus driver/guide, he was for whatever reason very enthused and went about to hook me up. Turned out there were two options for doing a panda closeup encounter, one for 400Y with an adult panda, and with a baby panda for double the price. At around 9:30 in the morning, all the baby panda quotas were already filled, so it was the big guys for me.
With a bit of discussion sinyee was also allowed inside to be my photographer. Strapping on plastic shoe covers and gloves, we shuffled into one enclosure under the watchful eyes of a big group of onlookers; us and two other panda enthusiasts with their respective photographer, all foreigners. My turn came last and as I stood behind (as repeatly emphasized by the caretakers) the big furry dude with my hands on his furry head, him (or her) obliviously munching away, well... let's just say I didn't have to make myself smile for the picture.

After that, we were also quite lucky to witness an infant panda being filmed in a windowed room. It was about the size of a newborn human baby. The caretaker woman held it to a man with a big camcorder, then briefly brought it out to the window to tease the throngs of tourist plastered against it. I was enviably squished by the mob against the glass and was able to snap a shot before the baby was handed to its mother to nurse. The room was dim and prison-like with its cages and bars, but the scene was nevertheless "awwwh" inducing.


At another part of the panda center there were a few other animals, like the cuddly and active red panda, whom no one wanted to pet and take a picture with, even though it was only 50Y. Near the entrance a "Swan Lake" was haunted by the mourning calls of peacocks, perched atop dense trees goading on the silent herons across the pond perched on their own willow trees.


After all that it was only 11 oclock. Our little minibus drove us all back to Chengdu city. On the way we chatted with the Australian couple who lives in Thailand and owns a boat; it seemed all they did were sailing and traveling around world. And they had a fondness for the sichuan pepper which I didn't quite share. The malaysian ladies found out they were connected by a common friend, so we all had a happy friendly chat.

Syl and I both felt the squeeze of time for our stay in Chengdu. Despite its perpectual damp gray weather, this city had a unique lively feel to it. And despite the searing numbness and constant heat of almost all its foods, we could still feel the gourmet potential here. So ever since setting our exit date we had carefully planned our every meal to sample all the representative foods of Sichuan. For today's lunch, it was to be Dan Dan Mian at this place called Cheng Du Dan Dan Mian. That had to be good right?

And it was! The place was like a low-class cafeteria. You sit, plastic chairs fixed to plastic table, waitress comes without pen or pad, you order from the fluorescent-back-lit menu on the wall, you pay, she yells out your order, the cooks behind the frosted glass whip up your food and voila, food on your table.

Dan Dan Mian was really quite good, I think homemade noodles, very simple, just noodles and some minced pork in a spicy sauce. We got one order of 1 "Liang", which is 50grams, then added a second to boot. Also our lunch menu: an order of Hong Shao Niu Rou Mian, not crazy about it; two pieces of Yi Er Nuo, a yellow sticky rice based pastry of sorts, tasted ok, and a bowl of chili oil wontons, ok. Not yet satisfied, I tried to order a double cooked pork for us, but ended up getting a plate of fried rice. So I went huh? But of course, you don't argue with a waitress working at a place like this, and you certainly do not return the food for a new plate. Live and learn, we dove in. Surprise surprise! It was fabulous! Double cooked pork fried rice, spicy (of course), not loaded with numbness, perfect rice texture. Yummm.. this was the kind of food for which I came to China.


We did a bit of shopping; syl stocking up on some socks and toilet paper, and I got a great deal on the sleeping bag I saw the other day. With the compression bag that came with, it really packed down so small I easily fit it into my backpack. Looking at the time, we were going to be a tad tardly for our 1:30 meeting with the JZG tour guide in the airport. So for the first time in Chengdu, we called a cab.... to take us to the airport shuttle terminal. Yes... we took a cab to catch a bus. Such luxury. Well anyhoo it ended up that we took another taxi in place of the airport shuttle because he charged us the same price and was going to leave as soon as we got on. Turned out to be a good move because the taxi driver got us there *a lot* faster than the bus would have, giving us ample time to find our contact person, get our tickets and check in.

The flight from CD to JZG airport was so quick, the attendents barely had time to serve us drinks (just coke and water). On the descend, I was able to look over my fat neighbor's bulbous body and watch the plane skirt around impressive giant black peaks dusted with snow. The afternoon was thankfully few in clouds. Outside the airport the sun shone harsh and cold.

Our guide collected all the members of his group and herded us onto a toasty bus. The driver drove really really slowly down the mountain as the guide told us some stories and explained the coming iteniaries. He wanted to get everyone signed up for either a JZG cultural show or a lamb feast the next evening. But instead of softening everyone up by describing how delightful each of the events are, he started by blatantly stating the kickback he and the driver would receive from that and pleaded with everyone to join one of the event and help them along with their meager salaries. Well that nigh well caused a big ruckus as the bus boiled over with complaints and outrages. I had known about the culture show ahead of time and was set on going, so we both handed over 180Y each (that's *very* expensive for china). None of the other 17 passengers on our bus ended up obliging our guide with any additional income.

After the issue was awkwardly dropped, we drove on languidly for some more time and finally stopped, at a yak store. Perhaps it was the freezing cold temperature inside, all the samples of dried and smoked and otherwise processed yak meat looked somewhat less than appetizing. But of course that mustn't stop me from trying them out. Yak, pretty much like beef. Except the prices in this store was outrageous! Like 95Y for a half kilo of dried yak meat outrageous.

Next stop, a temple devoted to a local religion that was a blend of buddhism and primitive shamanism. The locals called it something-something-Jiao. Well, it looked much like what I'd imagine a Tibetan Buddhist temple would look like, so I'm just calling it tibetan.

	Tibetan Prayer Flags

By the end of this little tour, the day was drawing to an end, thanks to the sluggish driving, which I was sure was choreographed by the driver and guide to fill in what otherwise would have been a void in the day's schedule.

A short hop over to the small town of Chuan Zhu Si, we mass checked into our accommodation of the night. Before arriving we harbored reservations about the 3-star rating on the hotel. Afterall we were in the middle of the boonies, surrounded by yaks and snow mountains. Well, surprise surprise, this place was a real 3-star, complete with sofas and slippers and nicely packaged toiletry, and a remote-controlled AC/heater! Next door at the hotel's adjoining dining room, we feasted family-style on 9+ dishes, quite good dishes, with hot soups to boot. Some nice people from Gui Zhou waved us over to their table and shared the bon bon chicken they brought up from Chengdu. Such hospitality.

Back at the hotel room we cranked the heater up to the highest setting and laid out our still-wet clothing to dry on the lamps. It was cold outside, about 6C at an altitude of 3500meters. I put on three layers of clothes and pulled up a second bedding sinyee unearthed in the drawers and crawled in. Ever since getting off the plane I hadn't felt right, with a headache creeping up on me, soreness developing in the joints and a general weakness; as if I was coming down with a serious cold. To top it off the spicy food from last night's hotpot hadn't agreed with my internals for the whole day. It was burning its way all "through" my system. I just hoped the sick feeling was due to altitude and that tomorrow I would find myself with renewed energy to enjoy what we expected to be the highlight of this entire trip.


Dan Dan Mian 2Y/50gram, HSNR Mian 2Y/50g, Yi Er Nuo 2Y. Fried rice 5Y with bland soup. sleeping bag 540. Chengdu taxi starting fare 5Y, 10Y to airport shuttle, another 10Y/person to airport. JZG Culture show 180Y.