We traveled to Chengdu to see the Giant Panda Sanctuary. We spent two days in this big city seeing the sites and most importantly seeing the giant pandas. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and is one of the most important economic centers and transportation and communication hubs in Southwestern China.
China's Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary is home of one-third of the world's giant panda population and is the largest remaining contiguous area of panda habitat. The sanctuary is also home to several endangered species, including red pandas (they look a little like cats), snow leopards, and clouded leopards. We got there early because that is when the pandas are most active. Active for a panda consists of sitting and eating and perhaps moving around a bit, lazy. They were SO SO cute and were hungrily eating their bamboo and sleeping and occasionally playing. We also got to see these tiny pandas that were only about three months only. They were trying to stand up and falling all over each other. Pandas are absolutly adorable! This was the part of the trip that Holly was looking forward to the most, seeing Xióng Māo. Since the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka was at the Sanctuary, Holly almost didn't get to fulfill her dream of holding a baby panda (she eventually was able to). Prime Minster of Sri Lanka, really, really?!!?
Besides the adorable pandas, Chengdu is known for its spicy food (such a fan) and their hot pot dish. The hot pot is eaten family style and consists of a simmering metal pot of water/oil/spicy-ness at the center of the table - think fondue. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, veggies, mushrooms, seafood (white carrots and lotus roots are a favorite). Although you get quite smelly in the process of cooking your food, it is worth it and did I mention it was spicy. Always a plus.
Other tourists attractions include the huge statue of General Mao, the Anshun Bridge, and the Jin River that runs through the city. We went and saw the Sichuanese Opera, famous in Chengdu. The opera consisted of traditional musical instruments, an insane hand puppet show (she did ET), a girl that flipped a table on her feet, and a marionette show . The highlight of the opera is the mask changers, they switch masks every couple seconds, it was incredible. We also got the once in a lifetime offer to star in a porno movie if we run out of money and want to go to Taiwan. Interesting...
China's Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary is home of one-third of the world's giant panda population and is the largest remaining contiguous area of panda habitat. The sanctuary is also home to several endangered species, including red pandas (they look a little like cats), snow leopards, and clouded leopards. We got there early because that is when the pandas are most active. Active for a panda consists of sitting and eating and perhaps moving around a bit, lazy. They were SO SO cute and were hungrily eating their bamboo and sleeping and occasionally playing. We also got to see these tiny pandas that were only about three months only. They were trying to stand up and falling all over each other. Pandas are absolutly adorable! This was the part of the trip that Holly was looking forward to the most, seeing Xióng Māo. Since the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka was at the Sanctuary, Holly almost didn't get to fulfill her dream of holding a baby panda (she eventually was able to). Prime Minster of Sri Lanka, really, really?!!?
Besides the adorable pandas, Chengdu is known for its spicy food (such a fan) and their hot pot dish. The hot pot is eaten family style and consists of a simmering metal pot of water/oil/spicy-ness at the center of the table - think fondue. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, veggies, mushrooms, seafood (white carrots and lotus roots are a favorite). Although you get quite smelly in the process of cooking your food, it is worth it and did I mention it was spicy. Always a plus.
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