At the end of October we went away for a long-weekend to Chengdu in the Sichuan province of China. This was our second visit to Chengdu and we went with the main purpose of visiting the Chengdu Research Base of the Giant Panda Breeding centre again. We visited this attraction, along with some of the other interesting sites in the city.
Chengdu Research Base of the Giant Panda Breeding
This is definitely the main attraction in Chengdu and we were so happy to go back for another visit. We got to see some adult pandas, red pandas and also some baby pandas. There have been over 20 pandas born at this centre this year, but there were only four out for the public to see. Needless to say, they were so adorable and everyone swooned over them.
Jinli Street
This was one of the busiest trading streets during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280). Today it is a busy tourist and local attraction with handicraft shops, restaurants, tea houses and street food vendors.
Wuhou Temple
Also known as the Temple of Marquis Wu, this temple was first constructed in the sixth century. It is a famous Chengdu landmark and a favourite temple amongst the locals. It is known throughout China for having the largest showcase of relics from the Three Kingdom Period (220-280).
Wide and Narrow Alleys
In 2003 the city began to restore this area which consisted of common gray-brick courtyard homes. These courtyard homes have since been converted to beautiful shops, restaurants and tea houses. It is a very popular area with both locals and tourists.
Tea House
During our visit to the wide and narrow alleys, we stopped for some tea at one of the tea houses. This particular tea house had a lovely courtyard that offered some peace and quiet away from the busy crowds. Many of the teas on the menu were unusual and so we opted for some immune-boosting Astragalus tea.
Ear Cleaning
Ear cleaning in public is a common practice in Chengdu and we saw many vendors offering their services. Getting one's ears cleaned is surprisingly thought of as a pleasurable experience.
