The pandas are not caged. They are given their own grounds filled with bamboo and are separated from the public by a moat and fence. Looks like they were enjoying their breakfast.
As you enter you are greeted with long walkways shaded by glades of towering bamboo on either side. We went early in the morning at around 8.30, to catch the pandas during their feeding time. Apparently, they eat only in the morning.
Last weekend I visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. A little away from the city, it’s one of the most famous places in the world where you can see giant pandas, including the rare red types.
Last weekend I visited Jin Li Jie, or Jin Li Street. It’s a reconstructed ancient street, which is filled with shops and restaurants. A tourist favorite. But I didn’t like it much. It was too commercialized, complete with a Starbucks, which took the charm out of the place. Crammed with small and big shops that...
These monkey police warn us to watch out for falling stones all around the mountain roads. The monkey is kind of the unofficial mascot of Emei Shan, which is known for its wild macaques. These things can be quite aggressive, snatching things from bewildered tourists. I encountered a few but thankfully they left me alone…
That contraption the man is carrying is an easy chair. Rich Chinese whose main aim is just to see the summit and old Chinese who cannot climb the torturous steps have themselves carried to the top. Two men hold each end of the chair and can be periodically seen rushing up and down the mountain.
On the way back, as my ice numbed feet drag slowly, I notice more of these numerous spice shops that dot the sides. They had funny names, with some of them labeled as fungus even. The big mushroom at the center? That was one of the fungus labeled ones. It seemed quite popular, all these...
These locks in various shapes, the most popular being a heart, can be found all over the sides of the huge courtyard at the summit. Remembrances of love. Tied by couples, as a prayer to hold their love steadfast.
