We moved hotels this morning to ensure that our Tibetan permits could find us. It would have been a simple matter to get them sent to the airline but the bureaucratic way would not allow this.
To fill in the day we took a taxi to the centre of Chengdu ( a huge modern city of about 9m people and as many cars, trucks, bicycles, motor bikes, carts etc). Taxis are fairly scarce & some of the taxi drivers don’t appear to be able to read (we always get addresses written in the Chinese characters).
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Just some of the motorbikes parked in central Chengdu |
First up was Tianfu Square, a very large space in the centre of the city. Apparently there is a water show at dusk & noon but we were not there at those times. Overlooking the square is a very large white statue of Chairman Mao.
Next we headed for Jinli Street which looked only a short distance on the map. Well, after seeking directions many times & having been told opposite directions we jumped unto a 3 wheeled cart. Jinli was a disappointment. It was supposed to be part of the old city of Chengdu. Reading the fine print we discovered it was extensively renovated in 2004 (read totally rebuilt). Now it is a haven for Chinese tourists (saw few foreigners there) with artists & performers, street stalls & souvenir shops. All in all very touristy.
We gave Wuhou Temple a miss as it was a steep 60 yuan entry fee.
Another taxi road across town to the Wenshu Temple (5 yuan entry fee). This was a marvellous serene oasis in the middle of a dense & crowded city. Lovely bonsai trees & shrubs, turtle & fish ponds, a large Buddhist library, very large temple complex with incense burners etc.
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| Phil sitting on the stone turtle at Wenshu Temple |
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| Buddhist library at Wenshu Templeaption |
Outside the temple complex there is another recreation of an old style shopping & dining precinct, Wenshufang Street. It is supposed to be the widest pedestrian boulevard in the city but there were lots of cars & motorbikes travelling along it when we were there. It had lots of stalls selling snacks which seem to be very popular in the city.
Finally we took another taxi to Changshun Street (Kuan & Zhai Lanes). Again this was supposed to be another old part with old architecture but it was completely rebuilt between 2004 & 2008. Another disappointment but certainly the Chinese tourists were enjoying it. Think it must be university holidays as a lot of young people around enjoying themselves.
Our guide map informs us that there is a restaurant called “Husband & Wife Lung Slices Restaurant”. Apparently this cold dish was invented here in the 1930s but today beef, ox heart & tongue are used instead of ox lung and it is served in a spicy sauce. We didn’t indulge!
Chengdu also has a Panda Research Station so everywhere you go you see panda replicas from cuddly toys, purses to insignias on taxis.
Back to hotel, still no permit so Sunday flight is looking doubtful.
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Human statue nursing his bird cage & bird at Kuan Lane |
(posted from the Victorian head office of the Blog - ngm)
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