How To Use Chopsticks: Chengdu

First, sorry I have neglected my blog for a week, monday night and tuesday were spent in bed feeling sorry for myself but enough about that. As I very briefly wrote, last weekend involved an hour and a half plane trip to Chendgu. A group of 6 of us went and had a great time.

Our evening meal, after it was suggested to us that we try hot pot at some point in China and especially at its home - Chengdu was the weirdest meal anyone in our group had ever had. A huge vat of bubbling liquid was placed in the middle of our table on a bunsen burner, while three waitresses fought over who was going to sell us a beer. We were then talked loudly at for five minutes to choose items from the menu, which were then brought and put into the bubbling pot of hot liquid. On our return we found it was more usual to cook on piece at a time while holding it with your chopsticks; but I think they had become a little impatient with us.

The rest of the meal consisted on laughing, fending off waiters and fishing for the bits of meat doing laps to the bottom of the pool spurred on by the convection currents in the cauldron.

Our trip out of the city to see a gigantic buddha which had been carved into the rock face of a mountain followed. It was gigantic, crossing the river would have let you see it all.

The surroundings and the buildings were beautiful. Our lunch was much calmer than the hot pot; a very nice lady guarding the back gates to the area let us sneak out to a wee family restaurant, though an old gentleman being shouted at by his wife for trying to offer us a large lump of some sort of meat was interesting.

The next day started early to catch the Pandas at the largest breeding vacility in China (and presumably the world) having their breakfast. Feel free to say "awww" (oh and I think the Panda in the second Photo suits the name John).