Chengdu: Home of China's National Treasures

A few days ago we took a day trip into Chengdu to see, what else other than China's most precious animal: the panda. It was a hot, humid day, so most of the pandas were inside their compounds. However, we could walk inside and see most of them through glass windows, and we did see one adventurous juvenile braving the heat, high up in the boughs of a tree. Fat and cuddly looking, they meandered around their enclosures, occasionally getting into wrestling matches and chomping on bamboo. For the most part, they were content to sit around and do what pandas do best: look adorable.

This rapscallian was giving his mother a hard time: climbing around on the wooden structure in their enclosure, and jumping off onto her over and over again:

We were even there during a time when there were tiny, tiny little babies in the Moonlight Nursury. They were so young that they were still in the incubators, and were actually surprisingly ugly. They were pale, pink and wormlike. However, I couldn't help but be fascinated by these tiny creatures. Despite so much pitted against them, these little pups had struggled against all odds into the world.

However, despite going to Chengdu for the express purpose of seeing the legendary pandas, I found that my very favorite part of the area was not the pandas themselves, but the red pandas. I'm not sure how closely the two are actually related, but red pandas look like a raccoon mixed with a fox, and they are freakishly adorable.

Just look at that face.

Even more surprising was that the red panda enclosure was not actually blocked off from the pathway leading through it. There was only a waist high railing, which meant that as we were walking around, we would happen upon a red panda, casually sauntering along the pavement or up some stairs. The picture below was taken about 4 feet away from the little guy. It was an amazing experience to be able to see them so close up, and I challenge anyone to watch a red panda cleaning his paws, and not squeal. The cuteness overload was through the roof.

After visiting the pandas, we left to have lunch in Chengdu. It was a great city, full of Western comforts mixed with uniquely Chinese buildings. I plan on visiting the city many times before the year is over. And in case anyone thought I was bluffing about the food here, I snapped a quick picture of our amazing lunch, just so you can understand how jealous you should be feeling:

For the next five days I'm going to be traveling with my dear friend, Snow, to make a short road trip across China. We will be visiting Xi'an and will end up in her home in Taiyuan. Wish me luck, and by the time I get back, I am sure I will have plenty of stories and countless amazing pictures to share. Till then, man zou! Take it easy!