Pandamonium - Day 3 Chengdu June 23, 2007

Before the blog update, a note on the comments - we really appreciate them! We have not been able to view our own blog and comments but Mom & Dad are sending the comments to us so that we can read them. So thanks, and please continue to keep sending comments.


The day began with another early rise from bed. Lilly suggested that we leave for the Chengdu Panda Research Center by 7:30 a.m. to beat the traffic and crowds of tourists that would come later. Her advice was right on the money! We were among the first to arrive and since it had rained in the night, it was a bit cooler which made the pandas more active. Chengdu PRC is a world renowned center that currently has 39 pandas. They are expanding the center greatly with much more land. What a sight to see nine baby (well ten months old) pandas all together in one enclosure. It was pandamonium. The panda enclosures are really super - large, clean, very natural environment. Several adult pandas were nearby as well. Melanie had her dream come true of holding a baby panda, while I had my picture taken standing behind an adult panda. Unfortunately they give you so little time, but it was amazing to be so close to a species that is loved the world over but in serious danger of going extinct (even with all the conservation efforts!). We also both held a red panda. Tanja, we thought of you the whole time. We know that you would be in seventh heaven or higher! We then walked to the Swan Lake where we saw the water lillies, black swans, thousands of koi fish and other birds.



Lilly wrote down a variety of places in Chinese and English for us to explore the city during the remainder of the day. Our first taxi ride was an adventure and reinforced the impression that there are no traffic rules, or the rule is anything goes! The taxis are really cheap! We had what would have been at least a $10-$12 taxi ride in D.C. for the equivalent of about $1.50! We had another terrific Chinese lunch Sichuan style based on Lilly's instructions to the restaurant as to what we were to order - another delicious Kung Pao chicken because she knew we liked that and a beef dish - with warm cokes! Lunch was 58 yuan, before tip - about $8. Then we went to a Chinese Massage Center where we both had wonderful and relaxing messages. I had a full body massage and Melanie had a foot massage and neck massage. Melanie decided to follow her American doctor's advice (although I don't think he meant to have this done in China) and actually had acupuncture done on her neck and arms (see the picture to believe this one!). Of course she grilled the people about the needles to ensure that they are sterile. The place is actually a university training center for Chinese medicine.

Next using Lilly's paper, we hopped into a taxi and went to the Wenshu Temple (also known as the Manjushri Monastery). This is a very important Buddhist site. Unfortuantely there were no guides or anyone who spoke English to explain everything we saw, but many of the buildings and gardens on the grounds were labeled in English. There was some amazing architecture, beautiful gardens including a pond overfilling with turtles, monks walking about and others praying with incense at the various Buddha statues around.


Our day ended with an adventurous walk near our hotel. We walked to a large shopping center where we experienced how far westernized China has become, and yet differences that are striking. When we enter the department store, every conceivable cosmetic counter you would find in a Macy's, Sacs 5th Avenue, etc. was available. The store was packed, and it is apparent that the Chinese have wholly embraced our materialistic consumer culture. We noticed there was a grocery store on the 1st floor so we went down to explore. This store was much larger than the other grocery store we went into. We could not believe how many people work in the store - there must have been close to 5-10 people working on every aisle. Again, we were fascinated by all the things that are so foreign to us - so many varieties of mushrooms and herbs and of course, the always interesting meat department. Nothing really gross but it's obvious that no part of any animal is ever wasted. We were also obviously the focus of much attention and felt ourselves being stared at a lot.


Across from the shopping center, there was a Pizza Hut. Lilly told us that she is aware that Pizza Hut in the US is considered cheap fast food, but in China this place is considered upscale and people would take their honored guests there. Notice the curtains in the windows in our picture! We fell asleep early and skipped going to dinner, hence we have now been up since about 3:30 a.m. updating the website for everyone anxiously awaiting panda photos!

To view more pics, click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/organize/?start_tab=one_set72157600507065902