Sichuan Yunnan vacay

4 dyas until liftoff. woo! let's do a quick recap of the last two weeks. I didn't have much access to internet, so i'll do my best now from my written journal. to get the full details you'll have to ask me in person. First Chengdu

I gave myself 3 days in Chengdu because I was coming to Sichuan purely to eat spicy food. I was nervous going becuase i was by myself, but I found my hostel easily enough and they were really helpful my whole time there. The first day I just walked around, got caught in a rainstorm without my umbrella, and took refuge in a mcd's with tarrow pies and coffee. Took a walk to people's park, which was neat, had a bunch of old poepl singing and dancing, your standard chinese park.
I ate dinner alone at some streetside restaurant, but the owner was friendly. Had some spicy fish dish, and eggplant, both good and spicy.

The next day was the pandas, which were cool but i always get a little sad when i go to zoo-like places, because of these animals that should be out in the wild. even at so called 'rehab' centers like this one. And they were saying how the giant panda should be preserved because it's such an old species, ie average lifetime for a species is 5 million year and the giant panda is approaching 9. But, who are we to perpetuate a dying species hen it's their time to go?

After the panda's i had lunch with this random guy from my room in the hostel, he was leaving after lunch. it was nice to have some company though. then off to Dufu's thatched cottage, dufu was some famous chinese poet. it was a really nice, deserted area, much of it was still under construction, but they had traditional chinese music playing in some parts which was nice, if just a touch cheesy. I decided to walk back until i got tired, and i'm glad I did. I happened upon this shopping street, which while was recently built, was in the style of old chiense architecture, and talked with a cool shopowner. That was my favorite thing about chengdu, that it is a modern city but still has tons of old-style buildings and lots of greenery. Dalian doesn't have that, instead we have modern ugly building and parks that are few and far between.
bought a couple mooncakes from a little bakery. It was mid-autumn festival on the 22nd, so mooncakes are the traditional food. there's only one or two kinds i like, the rest of them are just bland dough with funny-texture sweet fillings.
kept walking for a bit then caught the bus to where i wanted dinner, the oldest tofu restaurant in town. i had two kinds of tofu (cracked and mapo) and pumpkin soup. but again, by myself.
day 3 was at leshan, this giant 70 meter buddha carved intot he side of the cliff. I went with a van arranged by the hostel, and so met some people to walk around with. we saw the buddha then went on to climb up and down a bunch of steps to a more remote area witha cool temple, crossed a bridge where a bunch of painting students were.
I finally had some hotpot!!!! sichuan is famous for its hotpot. and i wwas determined to get some. so glad i did, and even had some friends to eat with