Where do they serve panda?

We have just concluded a lovely four night stay in Chengdu. This relaxed city is located in the southwestern part of China, in the Sichuan province. It is protected by mountains so enjoys a subtropical climate. The warm and moist weather creates an incredibly lush landscape that is perfect for a huge variety of plants to flourish, especially tea. You really cant walk more than a few blocks here without running into another tea house. They are always very casual affairs with big umbrellas, wicker chairs, people playing cards and majong, and lots of napping. Now some of our more discerning readers may remember that Nate doesnt actually like tea. Playing to his loveoffood I suggested that maybe he could just think of tea as a very thin soup. Progress has been slow but positive. I started him out on the more mild jasmine and chrysanemum teas, then moved him up to the woolong varities. To be honest I dont think he is yet ready for the strong green teas that the area is famous for. It is delicious but served very strong. Served loose in the cup along with a thermos of water, what greeted me appeared to be a clump of greenery that resembled a much different product and if bagged up and sold in the United States could probably commands triple digits.
Another thing Chendgu is famous for is its pandas. PANDAS! YEAH!! There is a huge reserve and research center where they are breeding them back from near extinction. And thank god for that as they are the rolliest polliest little creatures I have ever seen. I actually started laughing at the first oneIsaw. It is no wonder they have become the poster animal for all sad and underfunded campaigns.One must arrive early in the morning as by afternoon they have eaten far too much bamboo and are only able to lie around on the ground. But in the morning they are wrestling, climbing and rolling all over the place. I expected something a bit more ferocious and intimidating looking, something more like the rest of the world's bear poplulation. Not these little guys. I honestly dont think they would hurt a fly and all I could think of was how I wanted to run over and give them a hug, a great big bear hug.
Chengu is very famous for its food. It is spicy as hell, served with heaping piles of dried chiles, garlic, ginger and peppercorns. We went a a great open air seafood restaurent downtown in the night fish market. Oysters steamed and served topped with garlic and ginger, whole prawns cooked with chilis and bamboo shoots, braised fish. All served with lots of cold beer to combat the heat. Side dishes like fried rice are ordered from the vendors walking up and down the street.
We just arrived a few hours ago here in Guilin. Just a short twenty-five hour train ride. Those initiated in the Chinese rail system knows that there are two classes which every traveler must choose between at the ticket window. Not first or second (remeber this is a communist country) but rather hard or soft. We decided on the hard sleeper as it was 150 yuan cheaper. The real difference is that instead of four people in a berth there are six. And in hard class people are allowed to smoke, eat, and spit anywhere and at any time. But hey on the plus side the language barrier eliminates any of that tiresome chitchat. Just silence. Twenty- five hours of silence.


p.s. Some people took us to a singles club in Chengdu. They drink red wine mixed with coke and you can send messages between tables via a runner. Despite what some of you are thinking some of our notes did actually border on the polite and appropriate.