I am a day behind updating our adventure because we did not get settled in to our hotel until about midnight yesterday. It was a long day but one of the best thus far. We started our day shopping at the Jin Li market in Chengdu. It was so cool! The narrow streets were layered with mostly tourist shops but it was so beautiful. The decor and decorations is what really made the market so special. They had a several interesting local artists and unique crafts. For example, there was a man who made candy (like Ansley’s panda below) out of hot caramel. While he shaped it, the candy would harden and hold its shape. We were very impressed by his creations. Another lady would make candy that resembled blown glass. The girls enjoyed shooting a crossbow at targets after mowing down some ice cream. I did get a shot of a Tibetan monk on his cell phone in a Starbuck’s courtyard. I figured you don’t get to see that every day. They had what was essentially an outdoor food court. While tempting, we headed out to the Panda Sanctuary for lunch.

The weather was perfect to be outside and the Panda Sanctuary was really nice. We started with a traditional Sichuan lunch. While it is known for its spice, they took it easy on us. We only ordered a couple spicy dishes and both were very good and tolerable. While at the panda sanctuary, the girls (and Christi) had what was probably the highlight of their trip. Each had the opportunity to hold a baby panda. It was truly a rare experience and one they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. It was hard to top that high but we spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering around the park. The grounds were lush and they have one of the largest collections of pandas in the world.

Chengdu is a must stop for anyone touring China. The city felt cleaner and newer than our other stops. Many of the residents had a noticeably lighter beautiful skin tone. The city didn’t feel overwhelming either considering it has 14mm residents. The only negative would be the typical pattern of overcast weather. This is the preferred weather of pandas though which is why the sanctuary is placed there. As a stated before, the city just has a good vibe to it.

We already blew through Guillen and are now in Yangshoo. I will try to update further tomorrow.

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