Mere moments in Chengdu – but lots of fun.

We stopped in Chengdu for about 24 hours on the way home from Tibet (so excited about hot showers and clean sheets)–but had a blast. My main goal was to hug a panda so we headed out to the Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Center, just 6 km outside the city. It was an absolutely beautifully landscaped and laid out park and we trudged through the rain to the nursery to hold a 1 year old panda. The price tag was steep (over $100 US) but it was going to the facility to continue research. It was definitely a highlight to hold such a laid back snuggly big baby panda!!!

We also got to see a full grown panda eating his way through his 50 kilos of bamboo a day. Another fun surprise were the frisky and fast moving red pandas also located at the facility.

If that wasn’t excitement and novelty enough, the concierge sent us to a fun snack joint for dinner where a young guy took pity on our bewildered state and showed us how to order spicy dumplings and noodles. We then walked around the “shopping street” full of lights, people and shops. We topped the evening off at the surprisingly good Sizhuan Opera – which had a sampling of may different acts: Chinese Opera, Acrobatics, Comedy (interesting through translation); shadow puppets, and dance. We would highly recommend time in Chengdu!