Landed in Chengdu and were greeted at the airport by the incredibly smiley, bubbly and most enthusiastic, Alina. She shared with us that she has been married one year and is from northern China where there is snow – she loves snowboarding and during the less busy summer season in Chengdu, she is a tour guide in her home area which is know for its amazing ice sculptures.
Introducing us to our driver and now in a seriously luxurious car (!) driven for about 40 minutes to our hotel for the next 2 nights, the Zen Budda. It would seem that there is a theme establishing itself here as Alina explained that the Government decided, 3 weeks ago, that the district our hotel is sited within, opposite a monastery, is to be redeveloped and therefore building works are being undertaken at the front of our hotel! She offered to escort us to our hotel room and if we were not happy would see that we were taken to another hotel. Fortunately, the main works appeared to be to the façade only but we sensed that other tourists had bailed early as the reception staff seemed elated that we chose to stay and even upgraded us to a suite (in fact, I think we could have chosen any one of the hotel rooms as it certainly seemed empty!). With mini Zen gardens housed within a quadrant of floors, our suite was lovely and seemingly rather ‘authentic’! With an ‘afternoon at leisure’ we wandered across the road to the local Monastery which was beautiful and then stumbled upon a ‘Walmart’! Albeit just an oversized supermarket, seemingly ogling at soap-powder and home wares rather comforting though (don’t read on daughter …!)
… Sadly any airy thoughts brought to an abrupt end as we watched an old man walking the Market area in the blistering heat with a live turtle dangling on a stick, by its tail, all limbs and head protruding from its homely shell – any dignity for this beautiful creature, lost….my heart broke at this utterly cruel vision and continued to haunt me most of the night (confirmed by Alina, this poor live creature advertising his stock of turtles for turtle soup!) – and I know will stay with me always ……
The following morning (after my awaking at almost every hour as the air conditioning, wasn’t!) with pillows feeling like bricks on the bed seemingly made of stone, breakfast time …. also appearing to be following a trend, we had now reached an all time low – pretty much soup or bread but thankfully the toaster working – frugal and sparse but hey, it won’t hurt us to diet!
Alina collected us and off we set for an almost 2-hour drive to Leshan and then to board a boat for the 30 min round trip to see the Grand Buddha (completed 803 AD, 71 metres tall and etched into the sandstone cliff, taking 90 years to complete). To witness the enormity of this Buddha was absolutely incredible! Instigated by a Monk, this momentous statue took our breath away … with one foot big enough to seat 100, each ear enough space to house 2 people and 1200 curls adorning his head, this Buddha created to bring better luck to local villagers who had been greatly affected by severe floods – it has remained intact and now oversees a great town!
Next a very scrumptious (best meal so far in the whole trip!) Sichuan lunch of beef in soy and pork in fish sauce with rice and vegetables – apparently most tourists cannot handle the chilli of this region – though for us, dishes could be served as they ought to be, and how grateful were we for meats of a fantastic quality, beautifully prepared!
After lunch a short drive to the town of Huanglongxi – a well preserved ancient town with period buildings and attractive waterways. We watched as a lady skilfully crafted a sugar work Phoenix – how thrilled she was that tourists were being bought to watch, so much so, she presented the said highly prized sweet to me, free of charge (in the hope that Alina would bring other ‘paying’ guests in future!). Alina was beside herself with excitement and could barely contain her giggles and leaps at such a sugar creation for priced at 50rmb (equivalent to about £6), she would never spend such a sum on a sweet and evidently nor would many other locals we passed as ooohhhhs and arghhhhhs followed wide eyes glaring at the Phoenix!
As my dear husband gaily broke off pieces of the creation and gobbled away, I sensed Alina’s sadness at its reducing size … quietly asking my husband to PLEASE release the Phoenix and give it to her to share with her friend she was meeting later, he then acted like the ‘child in a candy shop’, bottom lip out, eyebrows frowning and almost hugging the creature, reluctant to release! Like a mother disciplining the selfish child in order to encourage ‘sharing,’ I sternly insisted he ‘LET IT GO NOW’ and the prized creation was eventually released to Alina who, by this point was almost bursting with joy! A picture taken to be sent to her husband – priceless!
The following morning, Alina told us how she had felt ‘our’ kind gesture needed to be extended to the driver who had a young son – he would adore the Phoenix! It seems this was taken to school and shared with his class mates …. my husband now feeling a tad guilty at his greed but recognising the good deed shared a nice feeling rather than a comforted tum!
On we drove to the Dujiangyan Giant Panda Base where we were to be volunteer keepers for a day. Again, (the theme!), seems an earthquake occurred nearby 3 weeks ago which may have devastated the local tourist attraction area (info not released), so numbers at the ‘en route’ base down considerably…. We were meant to be ‘Volunteer keepers’ – touring the base, learning about pandas, feeding them, cleaning enclosures, weighing faeces and bamboo. Seems ‘rain stopped play’ as the torrential downpour pounded at such a pace, any cleaning of enclosures could apparently wait! So, we watched a film with David Attenborough narrating (!), had a photo (additional charge for a quick 20 seconds beside this beautiful creature – he melted my heart as he stared into my eyes xx), had lunch (watched as folk chewed on fish and spit the bones onto the table – was it just me hoping they would be cleared up before the next person sat at the table?!), watched another film (Chinese one this time showing of one man’s dream to develop research bases to ensure pandas are ‘encouraged’ to reproduce before being set back free in to the wilds of the forests and fields retrieved (!) from local farmers ….). I have to say, David’s film seemingly more ‘open’ and ‘frank’ as a few more years with RADA possibly required for the latter offering!
Later we fed 4 small stems of bamboo to a willing panda, rolled some corn and rice into a ball shape (panda patties) and left the base ….. I’m not saying that seeing the pandas was not incredible, but truth be told, would rather trek through forest and see them in a natural habitat than behind bars (and I could watch dear David anytime!) – not sure who cleared up the enclosures that day or weighed the bamboo but apparently itinerary’s are subject to change …
Finally, onto the airport and a farewell to the very lovely Alina. Still she smiled and loaded our bags with sweets and treats for our journey… I am sure it wasn’t just me that felt sad leaving her … next stop, Xian.
FACTS:
- Panda gestation period 3 to 11 months – with the mother deciding when is the best time to produce a baby, food abundance permitting. Twin panda usually born though mother only has enough milk to nurture one and therefore rejects second born (panda base staff rear this one, periodically swapping the two babies with mother to ensure both have natural mother’s milk).
- Pandas are carnivores and eat bamboo rats though choose a more vegetable based diet of bamboo, (carrots, corn, rice and egg, steamed patties!), and apples.
- The Chinese name for Panda means Cat Bear as it was believed they were both species.
- Panda lifespan usually 20 years. Approximately 1800 survive in the wild to date due to loss of natural habitat through urbanisation. Previously also taken from the wild for the Government to present to Country leaders as gifts.
- There are 3 types of tea houses in Chengdu, one placed every 200 steps apart! The first, a ‘relaxed’ tea house with low tables and bamboo chairs to slouch in all day should you wish. If you feel lunch required outside, simply turn your tea cup upside down on your chair and no one else can sit there (can’t see Starbucks allowing that!). The second, ‘business’, complete with wifi and the third, ‘night tea houses’ which have opera performances to entertain you (such as rolling a lamp of hot oil on a bald man’s head (nice!), fire eaters or singers).