TRAVEL: HEISHANYU

10/5 黑山谷 

We decided to go see some on the places recommended in the flyers for groups tours...but do it ourselves for cheaper and more leisurely. We got up early and got the bus. U can't go directly to the scenic spot you first get the bus to the town then get the public bus to the scenic spot. Either being dropped of at the bottom to climb up or at the top to walk down. It was afternoon already so we choose the easier option of walking down. It was another nice day, albeit, a bit cooler than it had been. As Most people were preparing to return to work and had returned home, the place was pretty quiet! We we finally reached the top after a bumpy road rising high up the mountain l - we discovered the place was quiet and almost empty, like our first day at dazu, we got student discount entry and entered. Wow! 

景色还刻骨铭心，有山有水，绝美！

mountains nature water and waterfalls. Beautiful! We enjoyed strolling and admiring the beautiful waterfalls, cavern lake like areas and canyons walking the bridges that crossed through them. We even got complimentary pics. Cooler in the low cavern areas I'd wished I'd brought a jacket. The waters were pale blue and almost clear in the carven areas, near the bottom entrance they changed almost to a opaque pale romantic green. Soft forest flowers dotted around the edges. We strolled to the exit chatting and listening to music. We got on the bus to the main entrance. 

Freezing we awaited the public bus 公交车 but ended up hitching a cheap ride with an orange vendor, who even gave us some to eat! I was feeling a bit under the weather due to lack of sleep etc and jim was kind enough to buy me some herbal medicine you add to hot water for colds, it was actually nice, not heavy or strong not flowery. And I did start to feel better within the next day or 2. 


We arrived back late to 重庆 and went for a last meal together with some shots of baijiu 白酒 not getting the cheapest actually means it's semi drinkable. The most expensive is a couple thousand rmb - endorsed by mao hence the price. (maotai 茅台）

 We ordered a couple of dishes and I learnt not to say 要饭 I want rice, it means I'm begging for food. We strolled back again. In a tired, baijiu relaxed endured mood. Slept and had a sleepy goodbye from jim in the morning. A wet morning and day at that. 

TRAVEL: NATIONAL HOLIDAY CHONGQING

10/4 重庆

Today we go our separate ways. Pengge will come with us but tomorrow will Leave to return to uni in Nanchang. Carmen today, will go to Xian in the afternoon. we took the train (no idea why I can nap in short journeys in planes and trains but not long?!) back to Chongqing. I had already booked a place so the two guys will come with us. Unfortunately there wasn't enough beds so I will bunk with karin for a night as 陈劲 wanted to sleep on the wooden seat and they keep the door open! Not super Comfortable but there's a shower and it's convenient so who cares. 

 We went to the old area of the town. Up near one of the mountains. Chongqing city is known as 山城 Mountain city because it's full of mountains. Lots of bridges too. A nice one near the first place we stayed. We went to 磁器口 ciqikou a porcelain port area that climbs high up into the mountains old streets full of hustling people spellings wares and trying to appeal to foreigners. Lots of henna spray tattoos, chillis, giant candy floss 棉花糖 and 古物店 antique thrift shops. Karin got some mao posters and his little red book. Haha. 

We wandered round and round, basic old buildings in the poorly made Chinese style of the century before. But so full of life. We climbed higher and higher coming across a cave like tunnel 隧道 clearly used for bombs/communist things/transporting goods. It was pitch black inside and seemed to go on for a long time. But it was really fun haha. When we came out the other side finally there was only a few shops scattered around and far less people. We didn't find a lady selling animals who had a particular bunny that would come over for some petting if she called it and said I love you. It was adorable! 超级可爱！but we had a right walk back to the station! After this we tried to head to the foreigners area. But we weren't exactly sure. We ended up getting closer to the ports! 

Which was seemingly Impossible to get to, but worth it! We befriended a local lady who helped us take a short cut through her building block. The only person really able to understand her was chenjin as he's from a neighboring province and has been working here. They talk very different. But u can get the idea of it as some of What they say is similar to standard 普通话。 they aren't speaking a completely different dialect like 上海话 but they blend in a lot of their own local dialect /slang plus they have different accents and can't pronounce some

Things like H, Instead saying F. But it's understandable since the country is soooo huge! China is so fascinating and you see it everywhere by just taking a minute to Appreciate it. The differences and characteristics of he people and the culture is amazing. Of course there is bad points 缺点 but to understand it you need to

Look at the nature of the people, their values, how they have been raised inthoughts and manner , history and beliefs - 看性格价值灌输了思想和礼貌，历史和信心。 respect and understand 

We eventually got to the marina area which was a buzz of life in every corner. River boat cruises, outside MTV (which the guys did, Chen choices his fav jay chou, the Taiwanese guy who I also like) it was very pretty, and vibrant. It's never a dull hour. We walked all

Around before heading to the expensive over crowded foreign building complex based on a ship. Not particularly worth a visit but the guys wanted to go. Pengge ended up getting a spray on henna elephant on his arm to be like malik. He didn't wake us in the morning when he left for his slow train back to nanchang for school, it was super early. 

TRAVEL: CHENGDU PANDA BASE!

11/3 成都 熊猫基地  CHENGDU PANDA BASE!

So although we were exhausted last night, an early night was not had... nor did we get up super early. I thought pengge had woke up at 6 with my alarm as we were talking, turns out it was sleep talking haha. Turns out he's had a couple gay friends and was freaking out incase we thought he was gay, the gay hostel guys also thought he was Korean lol. We got pics with the owner and he gave us homemade jiaozi! How cute! 
We evenentually

Made it out after lunch to go to the panda research camp 成都熊猫基地。it was super busy, the best times to go is early morning were they are most active and get fed, afternoon they eat again, they like the cold so with this random heat they are of course not very active. Got karin a student entry using my card haha. We headed straight to see the outside panda enclosures and luckily we were just in the right place at the right time for one slowly came plodding along to the front looking for food haha. Everywhere else they were hidden, sleeping or inside but we later saw one climbing up a tree. Of course the Chinese crowded around the ones that were awake, but we had been patient and at the right place at the right time so we're comfortably near the front. The environment is nice. Lots of wild bamboo shoots. The enclosures are ok too. (For not being nature of course) 

We had to line up for the babies. Lots of people in short 5 minute slots per section, 2 section, under a year and babies. Lazy, sleeping or eating. They save the best for last with the newly borns. Omg they are about the size of puppy's. All sprawled on the floor. Sleeping, if it wasn't for the breathing movement and one of 2 crawling about you would think they were fake/dead. But utterly adorable!

Outside we checked out the reserves for the red panda 小熊猫/红熊猫。 they were more active, and are endangered now, Unlike the panda which has had a recent change in status.the red panda is fast climbs trees and jump, more like a fox狐 or raccoon 狸 with a huge thick tail, the only way it really resembles a panda (along with being a native of china) is the black panda eyes, body,habits, tail and colouring are nothing alike. Their enclosures were big we could walk around them, close to the red panda, one climbed up high in a tree overhanging our path and another across the barrier was meters apart eating. So cool! 

Ofc leaving the place you are bombarded with panda souvenirs 熊猫纪念品and food. I tried some of the sort of, Chinese Carmel cream but it's made with a golden syrup so not really to my liking. we squeezed and I mean SQUEEZED  all 5 of us into a 三轮车 motor rickshaw. Was actually hilarious.

 From here we decided to check out the old street we didn't venture into last time, a different one kuanzhaixiangzi alleys 宽窄巷子 we got some of the traditional sort of Milk icelollys. Not heavy, not so milky very refreshing! I learnt some of the names for the different operas of each area 昆曲，京剧。川剧.歌剧.粤剧. We eventually found a place to have Sichuan hot pot. Unlike the Chongqing 火锅 it doesn't have lots of sauces and spices 调味料 so no 花生酱 but you do have the oil 芝麻油 the guys basically drink it haha. 

Again we did half and half med/hot and light spice. Super tasty! I love the seasweeds here there's a few types or maybe just different names for the same thing haha 海菜海带海藻, and all the mushrooms and 豆腐 we then went to the super market the girls getting some hot pot spices. It's delicious but not the easiest thing to digest. And like in thailand, it's one of the few things that's not usually served with rice or noodles (though sometimes u can put noodles in the hotpot)