Feb. 05 - Feb. 12, 2008
8 days in total

Chengdu

· Click for the details of the tour itinerary we took

Miss. Wanda Tang

Details of the tour itinerary we took

Earlier this year I took a trip With China Odyssey Tours. I wanted to take a private tour because I did not want to be herded around with a group of strangers. Instead, I wanted to do things at my pace. I'm glad I did because I couldn't have had a more wonderful time. I arrived in Chengdu on the 5th of February in 2008 for 8 days. I was well looked after, and had an absolutely wonderful time!

February 5, 2008

This morning I arrived at the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. My Tour Guide Echo was waiting for me at the terminal with a sign with my name on it, and helped me with my baggage. We then went out to where my private car was waiting to take us to my hotel. Echo's English is fantastic. I am staying at the Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel, and it took about 20 minutes to get there from the airport. It is a four star hotel, and very nice. The lobby is huge, and there seems to be employees running all over the place taking care of guests. It only took a few minutes to check in, and Echo took care of that for me, so I just looked around a bit. My room is really nice. I have a large bed, and the place is really clean. I have a decent view of the city from my window. Echo asked if I wanted to rest, but I said NO WAY! I have been dreaming of coming to Chengdu for so many years, and I don't want to waste it by sitting in my hotel room. I figure a hotel room is only for sleeping and storing the books I buy. Our first stop of the day is Du Fu's Thatched Roof Cottage. Echo told me that Mr. Du Fu was a poet during the Tang Dynasty. What I expected to be just a small little cottage of no interest, turned out to be a large sprawling temple complex and museum dedicated to the poet. There is a cottage rebuilt to look like his. The whole place was really big and quite beautiful. I wish I understood more about temple architecture. I bought a book about Du Fu, and it has a poem he wrote about his house. It isn't a very happy one.

Du Fu's poem about his thatched roof cottage:
Eight month autumn high wind angry howl
Sweep off my house on three layers thatch
Thatch fly across river sprinkle river beside
High ones catch stick great forest top
Low ones float turn sink pool hollow
South village mob children bully me old without strength
Bear able to face to steal thief
Openly carry thatch into bamboo go
Lips burnt mouth dry call not succeed
Return come lean on cane self sigh end
Soon shortly wind calm cloud ink color
Autumn sky indifferent direction dark black
Cotton cover many years cold like iron
Finicky children badly lie kick in split
Bed head room leak no dry place
Rain fall like hemp not yet stop sever
Self path lose disorder little sleep
Long night wet what cause throughout
If get broad mansion 1000 10,000 rooms
Great shelter world cold scholar fear joy often
Wind rain not move peace like hills oh
When see before sudden see this house
My hut alone broken suffer freeze to death and satisfied
In the eighth month autumn's high winds angrily howl,
And sweep three layers of thatch from off my house.
The straw flies over the river, where it scatters,
Some is caught and hangs high up in the treetops,
Some floats down and sinks into the ditch.
The urchins from the southern village bully me, weak as I am;
They're cruel enough to rob me to my face,
Openly, they carry the straw into the bamboo.
My mouth and lips are dry from pointless calling,
I lean again on my cane and heave a sigh.
The wind soon calms, and the clouds turn the colour of ink;
The autumn sky is black in all directions.
My ancient cotton quilt is cold as iron,
My restless children sleep badly, and kick it apart.
The roof leaks over the bed- there's nowhere dry,
The rain falls thick as hemp, and without end.
Lost amid disorder, I hardly sleep,
Wet through, how can I last the long nights!
If I could get a mansion with a thousand, ten thousand rooms,
I'd give all scholars joy and shelter from cold.
Solid as a mountain, the elements could not move it.
Oh! If I could see this house before me,
I'd happily freeze to death in my broken hut!

Not very happy, but it's neat to think that I visited the location where this thousand year old poem was written. After Du Fu's place, we went to Wenshu Temple. I really loved this place! It is another huge temple complex. Echo said it is the largest Buddhist Temple in Chengdu. It is really beautiful. Every inch of the place is decorated with Buddhist symbols, and each courtyard is filled with ancient trees and beautiful flowers. The temple is a labyrinth of courtyards and buildings. I probably would've gotten lost if it wasn't for Echo. In the middle of the complex is a huge iron pagoda. I was told it is the tallest iron pagoda in China. It has to be at least 60 feet tall. I can't imagine how much that thing must weigh. The coolest part of the Wenshu Temple was the teahouse located on the temple grounds. It was HUGE! There were so many tables. Echo sat down with me and helped me order some tea. The tea was unbelievable! I have never had anything like it. At first it seemed kind of bitter, but after it had been brewed a few times it mellowed out and had a slight flowery taste to it. I loved it! The teahouse is much more than just a place to drink tea. It seems like a cross between a restaurant, a dining room, and a business conference center. There were people of all ages there, and they ranged from infants, to the elderly. There were many snacks available. There were peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and many other seeds and dried fruit that I didn't recognize. Whenever somebody would get up to leave, they would give the snacks that they had not eaten to the nearest table. It really seemed like a community center. There was a man wandering through the tables with a handful of what looked like dental instruments. Echo told me that he went around cleaning out people's ears. I don't know if I would be comfortable having metal tools stuck in my ear canal, but quite a few people did it. It was interesting to watch. After we sat and chatted, and people watched for a couple of hours, we went to a vegetarian restaurant next door. The food was really good! Everything was very spicy, but I just couldn't stop eating. It was so delicious, it was addicting, and there was so much of it. We ate like pigs, and loved every second of it. After dinner, we walked down the street by the temple, which is lined with streets selling all sorts of Buddhist things. Everything from Buddhist Monk's clothing, to incense, to beads, to giant carvings that I assume were meant to be installed in a temple. It was really fun, and the smells of all the incense was really nice. I bought a pair of monk's sandals, incense, and a metal incense burner. After our shopping spree, Echo took me to my private car, which took me to a theatre to see the local opera. It is famous for its mask changing performance. A performer walks onto stage wearing a hat and a beautiful costume with a large cape. The performer is wearing an opera mask and running around the stage every time they move their hand in front of their face, they change masks, but it is done in an instant. I watched very carefully and couldn't figure out how they did it. It was so fast. The opera performance was much more than just the opera and mask changing. There were acrobatics and martial arts performances as well. It was really lovely. After the performance, Echo and I took my private car back to my hotel, where she left me. After a shower, I headed down to the bar to have a few drinks and write this journal. I met a family from the States there, and we sat together and talked about our experiences. From what they told me, I have a lot of amazing things to look forward to.

February 6, 2008

This morning I woke up really early. I think it is because of the excitement of my visit. I had the breakfast buffet at the hotel. What a spread! The buffet was huge, and had Western and Chinese dishes. I ate a lot. I think I'm going to gain a lot of weight here. I saw the American family I chatted with last night. They are left today to go back. After breakfast, I found Echo waiting for me in the lobby. Today our first trip was to the Leshan Giant Buddha. My private driver drove us there. It took about two hours. I didn't mind though because the scenery we passed was amazing! I loved looking out on the Chinese countryside. It looks like time had stood still for centuries. I saw people plowing their fields with water buffalo. It was really interesting to see. When we arrived, the place was packed with people. The Giant Buddha is more than just the carving, it is a huge area composed of many temples, and paths around the mountains. The Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest stone Buddha in the world. It is 71 meters high. Don't be too impressed that I can remember this sort of information. I bought a book. The Buddha is HUGE! Echo said that the shoulders are big enough to put a full sized basketball court on each one with room to spare. The fingers are over 11 feet long. It is hard to describe just how big it is. We took a little boat out onto the river, to get a better look at the Buddha. It is hard to see it from the land because it is so big. It is so hard to imagine how something that large could have been made so long ago with just simple tools. It took over 90 years to carve. After we visited the Giant Buddha, we went to lunch at a local restaurant. There is nothing quite like real local Chinese food. We then went to visit Baoguo temple near Mt Emei. It is really humbling to know you are standing in a building that is almost a thousand years old. The Baoguo Temple is one the oldest and most completely preserved wooden Buddhist building in the world. It was really impressive! It was built on a slope. In the temple complex are a number of ponds. Located in the temple is the biggest bell I have ever seen. Echo said that the bell is over 400 years old and weighs over 25 tons. I'll bet that bell could be heard for miles. With the smell of incense permeating every corner of the temple surrounded by bamboo and having Mt. Emei as its backdrop, this temple is a really peaceful and spiritual place. After our visit to the temple, we went and had dinner at a local restaurant. I love the foods of Szechuan. They are all spicy, and wonderful! After dinner, we went to the hotel located at the foot of Mt. Emei.

February 7, 2008

This morning I got up early and ate breakfast at the hotel. Echo met me in the lobby, and we boarded a bus to go up the mountain. I thought it would be fun to climb the mountain, but Echo said that to climb the road to the summit takes about ten hours, so I decided the bus would be ok too. We got off the bus at Leidongping Peak and walked to Jieyin palace. Jieyin Palace is actually a large temple. It was magnificent. It was built to conform to the shape of the mountain instead of reshaping the mountain to fit the temple. The entire temple is red in color including the roof tiles, but not bright red, but a sort of dark red. It really stood out amongst the greenery covering the mountains. I think some tourists get bored with the temples, but I definitely have not. Each one is so different from each other. I think most people are in too much of a hurry to really look around. Every roof, painting, and even color schemes of each temple is different. The main statue in each temple is completely different. After the Jieyin Palace, we took a cable car up to Golden Summit. The cable car is a really great way to reach the Golden Summit. The views are just spectacular. The Golden Summit is the highest point of Mt. Emei and is cold all year round. We were freezing, but then once we started looking around, we forgot about being cold. The views are indescribable. The clouds far below us made it feel like we were in heaven looking down at the temples. The mountains poking up through the clouds were so magnificent. Sadly no photo will ever do justice to the experience of actually going there. Oh, the reason it is called Golden Summit is that there used to be a temple here with a bronze roof that sparkled in the sun, hence the name. After visiting the Golden Summit, we took the cable car back down and then took a bus to another parking lot, then another cable car up to Wannian Temple. The temple is famous for its beamless brick hall which as the name suggests built of bricks and has no beams. The temple was spectacular. I know I use that word a lot, but in this place surrounded by nature's splendor and ancient temples, it really seems to fit. There was a mountain stream that went right through the temple complex, and its gurgling water made the temple even that more peaceful. Scattered across this area of the mountain are little farmer's houses. They are really picturesque! It looks like life hasn't changed for these people for centuries. They still go about their business as they always have. I would love to live here for a year. It would be like living in ancient China. Although they don't seem to have much money, they seem so honestly happy. We then hiked to Qingyin Pavilion. The area is very beautiful, and full of monkeys. These monkeys are really good thieves. I saw one grab a woman's purse, run up a tree, and start emptying its contents before the woman had a chance to scream. They were trying to steal everybody's food and bags. The park offers peanuts for them at 2rmb a bag. I bought a couple bags and we had fun getting the monkeys to come and take the peanuts out of our hands. Echo said they were wild monkeys, but they seem to have become so used to humans that a lot of the wildness has gone out of them. From the amount of food that they acquired from visitors, by honest means or other, I don't think they have to scavenge for food. After the monkeys, we then headed down the mountain and went back to Chengdu. I hate to admit it, but I slept on the bus back. I was so tired after that much hiking, but really happy. Today I've experienced things today that most Westerners never will. I feel really lucky. Upon returning to Chengdu City, Echo and I went for dinner. I want to take a minute to talk about the food I have eaten here. It is so good. Very spicy, but so delicious. The biggest meal I had was called hot pot. It is like fondue, but different. I know that didn't make much sense. The pot is divided into two halves. One side is filled with spicy oil, and the other is filled with a broth. About a dozen different raw ingredients including vegetables, tofu, and meats are laid out on little plates, and then I put them into the broth, or oil to cook them. It was so good! Tonight I had a much simpler meal, but again wonderful. We had a chicken soup with Gingko fruit. I had no idea that Ginkgo trees even had fruits. It was really delicious. We also had KungPao Chicken. I have often eaten it in the China Town in Chicago, but it was a pale imitation of this. It was so spicy, and the chicken just fell apart. We also had a dish called 2 times pork. Echo said it was fried twice. I am not sure what that meant, but I am sure that it was fantastic. Again, I ate too much. I can't help myself. The food is so good!

February 8, 2008

This morning I got up early and had breakfast in the hotel. Today we had a very long drive to Jiuzhaigou which means “Nine Village Valley”. Echo told me it is really beautiful, and worth the 9 hour drive. There is an airport at Jiuzhaigou, so a flight there is possible, but I thought the drive would give me a chance to see more of China, not to mention it is considerably cheaper. When we arrived here, it was getting late, so I didn't see much more than the hotel's lobby. The drive here was really beautiful though. The landscape was spectacular. I think I have photographed about a tenth of China's water buffalo population. I really love them. I hung out in the bar for a while, because I was not tired because I slept a lot on the way here. I met a couple from Australia. They said it was their third trip to China. They are the typical backpacker type. They were really fun to hang out with though. It is fun to meet other people on tours. After the bar I came back to my room to write this entry.

February 9, 2008

This morning I got up really early. Too much sleep I think. Today began my adventure in Jiuzhaigou. As I mentioned before, the place is named Nine Village Valley. Echo said the valley is 50 kilometers in length and has over 100 lakes. The lakes are so clear that I could clearly see to the bottom of each one. Each lake is a different color. Some are blue and some are green, and each one is a different shade. They colors are so rich, that they look artificial. The lakes are located on different levels, and there are dozens of waterfalls linking the lakes located on different levels with each other. The area was amazingly beautiful because of the rich mineral deposits, the waterfalls have created stalagmites. The cliffs surrounding the valley are covered with trees and everything is so green and lush due to the amount of water in the area. I know this entry is very short, but I don't know what to write because the landscape of this area is so amazingly beautiful and beyond my ability to adequately describe. I am glad that I had a chance to see this in my lifetime.

February 10, 2008

This morning after breakfast I was driven to Huanglong (Yellow Dragon) Scenic Area. The area received its name because according to legend, a yellow dragon helped the King of the Xia Kingdom dredge the floodwater into the sea and create the Min River. The area consists of snow covered mountains and glaciers. The area is actually a long winding valley which is said to resemble a dragon winding its way through the mountains. The area is dotted with lakes of different colors, springs, waterfalls, and caves. Again, this area has to be seen to be believed. It is so beautiful. It is like Mother Nature really took her time on this place. We visited a cave called Yellow Dragon Cave. There are three sitting Buddha figures located inside which are covered with crystals from the water seeping from the rocks. They looked like they were made of diamonds. Because of the high levels of calcium carbonate in the water, the different lakes have many different hues. There is one waterfall named Zhaga Waterfall, sorry but I don't remember the English name. At the bottom of the waterfall is a big round boulder that the waterfall lands on. In the sunlight, the stone has the appearance of a giant piece of jade. It was truly an amazing place. After we visited Huanglong Scenic Area, we headed to Mao County. Along the way we passed the Diexi Lake. Echo told me that the lake is fairly new. It was created in 1933 when a huge earthquake struck the area. The ground opened up and flooded the area. This evening we stopped overnight at Mao County, where we had dinner at a local restaurant. Tomorrow we will go to the Wolong Nature Reserve to see Panda bears.

February 11, 2008

This morning we were driven to the Wolong Nature Reserve, home of the Giant Panda. We first checked into a local hotel and had lunch before heading out to the Nature Reserve. I am familiar with the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Center, but never heard of the Wolong Nature Reserve. Although lesser known, it is an amazing place. The Nature Reserve was set up in the 1960 to protect the natural home of the giant panda, red (lesser) panda, takin, and golden snub-nose monkey. Its name Wolong means sleeping dragon. It is because the mountain peaks surrounding the Pitiao River Valley look like the back of a sleeping dragon. The local Qiang ethnic minority people believe that a giant dragon came to this area, and finding it so beautiful decided to take a nap here, and never woke up. The dragon had the right idea, because this area is extremely beautiful! It the nature reserve is a valley surrounded by mountains. The mountains are covered with forests of bamboo, deciduous and evergreens trees. Some of the mountain peaks are so high that they have snow on them year round. There are three ethnic minority groups that live in the area: The Qiang, Tibetan, and Hui ethnic minority groups. They live in and around the Wolong Nature Reserve and live as they have for centuries. In fact they still wear their traditional minority clothing on a daily basis which is really quite beautiful! The area is famous throughout China for its giant pandas. The Chinese government built a breeding center within the Wolong Nature Reserve. It is called the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The center has over 50 pandas. Echo said that this center is the most successful breeding center for giant pandas in the world. Most of the giant pandas found in zoos throughout the world come from Wolong. For less than $150.00, visitors get to hold one of the giant panda babies. The giant pandas are so cute! The Wolong Nature Reserve was a really beautiful place to visit! Not only were the pandas wonderful, but the nature reserve was breathtaking. After visiting the Wolong Nature Reserve, Echo, my driver, and I headed back to the hotel for a rest. Tomorrow, we will head back to Chengdu for my flight home. I really am going to miss this place, and swear I will return again. It was simply amazing!

February 12, 2008

This morning we woke up early to head back to Chengdu. I sadly had to say goodbye to Sichuan province. I will definitely be coming back here again. Hopefully soon!