Lynette and I at sunrise on top of Emei Shan!31-Jan-2010 01:07, Panasonic DMC-TZ6, 3.3, 4.1mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 80
Arriving in Chengdu after a 26h marathon train journey the air was still nippy but we’d slept OK on the train, bar the 0730 wake up call when we didn’t get off the train til 1530. Train snacked out and still disbelieving how so many people eat the giant pot noodles, we were looking forward to more adventures with the sights promised here. Would the pandas prove as cute and cuddly as we anticipated? Would People’s Park show us many crackers Chinese? Would we see more monkeys at Emei Shan?
Note: 1 GBP = ~11 Chinese RMB or 1.6 US Dollar at time of writing.
The streets of Chengdu are a shining and rapidly expanding example of the highest class of fashion – surprising!
The streets of Chengdu are a shining and rapidly expanding example of the highest class of fashion – surprising!29-Jan-2010 02:36, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100
After getting off the train in Chengdu, we were all set to walk to the much recommended Sim’s Hostel until a friendly local showed us the pictures of an alternative accommodation. At a fraction of the cost of Sim’s, we decided to check out The Traffic Inn Hostel. A 40min bus trip later (but in the direction of the centre and right beside where many buses leave for the sights around Chengdu), we arrived to find a hostel spotlessly clean, with excellent communal showers, OK food and free WiFi for 80RMB a night. The only problem with the duration of our stay there was that as it is off season in China, the place was absolutely dead. We would have to amuse ourselves for the three days there!
The Panda Sanctuary
This was nearly a lovely photo of Lynette, but this Panda was having none of it…
This was nearly a lovely photo of Lynette, but this Panda was having none of it…28-Jan-2010 04:03, Panasonic DMC-TZ6, 4.9, 49.2mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 400
We got up early on Thursday 28th January to get the first bus to The Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding as apparently they are fed at 09:30 then just go to sleep for the rest of the day. An hour’s journey away, we were refusing to pay the extortionate hostel tour prices to get you there for 8am and bring you back. Despite the first bus having broken down on starting up the engine and having to wait 30min for a replacement, making our own way there was definitely the best plan and we didn’t miss a thing. We were very worried we wouldn’t see the pandas with our morning delay and the bus arriving at 09:15 so literally ran into the park, which was huge, and panic looked for the first Great Panda enclosure. We could see a panda in the distance eating so we zoom lensed and photo’d – at least we had seen one. As it were, there was absolutely no need for panic – every enclosure had awake and eating pandas – these fellas are so laid back, it takes them forever to do anything. We got quite close to some of the pandas and they were just stunning. Very funny faces, many comically eating their bamboo leaves.
Panda’s spend sixteen hours of every twenty four eating, mostly bamboo. Explains the luminous green poo!
Panda’s spend sixteen hours of every twenty four eating, mostly bamboo. Explains the luminous green poo!28-Jan-2010 04:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
The baby panda enclosure had 3 pandas learning the ropes so they entertained us for a good half hour trying to climb down from the perches they had gotten to and then two of them hitting each other. One panda poohed as we watched – a fluorescent green/yellow coloured thing – guess bamboo goes luminous as it’s digested! They all look so lazy though like they can’t even be bothered to eat. Another panda had fallen asleep in a Y shaped tree branch with a leg straight out each arm of the Y and his head between his legs. How he was ever going to get down was beyond us! They were given a snack at one point which they all went crazy crying for the keeper to give them a treat. Very cute! Lots of pictures and videos
And also playfighting… and shortly afterwards humping…
And also playfighting… and shortly afterwards humping…28-Jan-2010 05:55, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 70.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
There were red pandas there too – we’d never even seen a picture of one before but they were beautiful! Black bellies, red top hair – absolutely stunning. There were three enclosures of these. We stayed at the panda park for 4h – we really enjoyed it and there were animated pandas up until the point we left.
The nursery! Watching these little cubs learn their limits is a fascinating and hilarious hour well spent!
The nursery! Watching these little cubs learn their limits is a fascinating and hilarious hour well spent!28-Jan-2010 03:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
We bussed back to Chengdu and lunched before going looking for better (ie. thicker and warmer) jackets and clothes for when climbing Emei Shan in two days’ time. We were disappointed that the gear we found there was so expensive – nearly UK prices so we gave up and decided we would have to make do with what we had. We had walked for miles so decided to go to the recommended ‘Bar Street’. The only problem was the complete absence of any bars?!? so settled on a couple of beers back in the hostel, where randomly one of the local’s had a rather amazing voice and we drifted off to sleep with a pitch perfect rendition of Les Miserables bouncing from our eardrums.
Here all manner of classes and group fun take place every morning!29-Jan-2010 03:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
Another early start today to get to ‘People’s Park’ before they all pop off to go to work (or some of them at least – it’s amazing how many Chinese people don’t seem to actually have jobs to go to…). There is a lot of emphasis on public exercise in public places and ‘People’s Park’ is a lovely area of green space where locals go in a morning to participate in different free exercise and activity sessions. It is amazing! With many elderly people there, there is a real community atmosphere. There are different traditional dances, ancient men simply swinging arms and stretching – like a form of yoga.
We even found OAPs having fun with a bit of swordplay… not good people to mug!
We even found OAPs having fun with a bit of swordplay… not good people to mug!29-Jan-2010 03:20, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 55.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200
Choirs sing songs, individuals sing local Chinese (hard on the ears) songs to groups watching them like a warped form of karaoke. Martial arts, tai chi, activities with toy weapons e.g. we saw 3 elderly people performing an old form of martial art with plastic knives. They were very bad but hilarious to watch! We followed all this activity watching with a cup of tea at a traditional outdoors teahouse. I had green bamboo shoot and Steve had jasmine tea. They bring you the cup with leaves in and a lid to keep your drink warm alongside a flask of boiling water each. Unfortunately, it’s not Tetley’s and we didn’t really like the taste LOL.
Steve in the centre of Chengdu!29-Jan-2010 04:16, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 200
Moving on, Steve went to get our train tickets to Xi’an for a few days time and let me loose to find Carrefour myself in Chengdu to buy a few bits and bobs we needed. With my sense of direction and the awful hostel drawn map, it was never going to be easy. Sure enough after 10mins I was totally lost so I wandered for ages before stumbling across Carrefour, on reflection absolutely nowhere near the location on the map! I treated myself to a Starbucks skinny vanilla latte as a reward for finding it . Later on, we grabbed a bus to Jinsha museum which had been recommended highly in our guidebook. In truth, it was bloody awful! A really dull museum (although obviously with massive investment), we got through it as quickly as possible before bussing back and grabbing another bus to Emei from where we got a taxi to Baoguo, our starting point for the mountain Emei Shan tomorrow. Bauguo looked beautiful at night with Chinese New Year festival lights hanging from every tree. We stayed in a lovely room in The TeddyBear Hostel (complete with giant teddybear) and chatted to the early hours with the owner’s son and his friend talking about Chinese culture, tax etc and their dislike of the festival lights as they were put up to please the local mayor!
The Sacred mountain of Emei Shan
Lastly, apparently one of the best sights of Emei Shan, and its within ten minutes walk of the car park. We disagree… you need to do the whole thing!
Lastly, apparently one of the best sights of Emei Shan, and its within ten minutes walk of the car park. We disagree… you need to do the whole thing!31-Jan-2010 08:27, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 28.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 200
Emei Shan is one of the four Buddhist sacred mountains of China and at 3,099m, it is 1,000m higher than the other three. A World Heritage Site thanks to its breathtaking scenery, apparent mysterious natural wonders, and historical Buddhist temples it was originally a Taoist retreat, but became a sacred Buddhist mountain by the 3rd century AD. Anyway, we decided it was time for some exercise… although thankfully we didn’t ned to get up until 11am on the day we set off, but not before Steve squeeze in a game of Chinese Chess with one of the locals (he lost, but its another tick!). Had a breakfast of the most awful noodles I’ve ever tasted, grabbed some crampons and set off for our overnight adventure. We hadn’t been feeling well for a few days with heavy colds so we decided to do the ‘easy’ route of bussing (complete with kids who thought they were on a rollercoaster so screamed around EVERY corner) to within 2h of the summit, hiking the final 2h and then tomorrow hiking the whole way down (taking a cable car for the 2h we’d hiked the day before. So, in reality we’ve hiked the whole thing, honest). It was bitterly cold when we got off the bus with thick ice and snow everywhere. As a popular pilgrimage site, it was paved and subset with steps the whole way – unfortunately this turned into a deathtrap as all the steps had simply become an icy ramp! We put our crampons on but they didn’t help 100% – better than none I guess!
Next day, ice slides to climb in crampons… with only a luke warm pot noodle for comfort!
Next day, ice slides to climb in crampons… with only a luke warm pot noodle for comfort!30-Jan-2010 09:15, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 5.0, 28.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 1600
The scenery was beautiful with trees outlined in snow and ice and it’s our first snow of winter but the novelty wore off very quickly. 2h of climbing steps was just horrendous; especially as altitude headache was setting in to accompany the colds we already had (can you tell I was Cheery the Dwarf?). Our plan was to stay in a temple on the way up but there weren’t any available to actually stay in (minor oversight) so we opted for a hotel at the top in preparation for sunrise. The top had a giant stairway flanked by golden elephants all of the way up. At the top was a huge golden Buddha but in the weather conditions, it was nearly impossible to see it. Temples were dotted around the summit (not for sleeping in though). The place was swarming with Chinese tourists and the peaks of surrounding mountains completely shrouded in mist. Without being able to see much, we headed for our budget hotel room with no heating but an electric blanket each (we slept with ALL our clothes on!), eating a lovely meal of giant pot noodle filled with luke warm water. Mmmm…. crunchy!
The next morning at sunrise, the calm strength of pilgrimage is strikingly evident…
The next morning at sunrise, the calm strength of pilgrimage is strikingly evident…31-Jan-2010 00:42, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 11.0, 28.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1600
Managed to get up for sunrise, mainly from the hotel owner ramming on everyone’s doors to get everyone up for it. It was absolutely beautiful. The mist had disappeared from the previous night and the sky colour was unreal. The light played on the golden Buddha and it wasn’t long before the pink-purple sky started to produce the red circle of the sun much to the whooping Chinese’s delight. They were so noisy the whole time! It was visually stunning though and Steve took some gorgeous photos. After watching the sun rise, we went for the cable car to take us down the portion we walked yesterday for time’s sake as it’s supposed to take 10h to walk down. We need to get the last bus back to Chengdu for our connecting train to Xi’an tonight and we only have 9h now to get to the bus – whoops!
Heading back down the top section by cable car… we walked every step of the mountain!!
Heading back down the top section by cable car… we walked every step of the mountain!!31-Jan-2010 01:52, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 13.0, 28.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
We had a veritable feast of corn on the cob for breakfast and then the cable car threw up supersonic views. We cramponed up and got ready for the long hike down. Once the ice had melted a few hundred metres below and conveniently when everyone else had gotten on the buses to take them to the bottom, leaving us with the mountain to ourselves, we were able to run down the steep steps to make up time. We didn’t stop for anything to eat, only to take pictures of the views and MONKEYS!! Overweight macaques parade part of the route, looking for nice titbits from tourists so we sat and watched them for a while against the snowy backdrop.
You may think we’ve just told a funny joke… its more like ‘Get orf my land!’…
You may think we’ve just told a funny joke… its more like ‘Get orf my land!’…31-Jan-2010 05:40, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 35.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
About halfway down the mountain, Steve’s calf muscles gave in so he was hobbling but I got a second wind and took great pleasure in taking the mick out of him! I got some videos of him too . The scenery was exceptional and the weather and views changed dramatically with the rapid descent. There must be around 15,000 steps in total going up the mountain and they are so steep. All in all, it took us 7h to get down in the end so we were happy. On arriving in Chengdu, we decided to treat ourselves (I use the word ‘treat’ loosely) to a McDonalds. Unfortunately the bus took us a different route and we ended up with the local version, Dico’s. OMG, it was rotten! Diet going well today then…. Onwards to our next night train, with the more pleasant ‘middle bunk’ option with the delight of arriving tomorrow in Xi’an and the land of the Terracotta Army! We’re ridiculously excited!!
Lynette outside Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding, getting particularly excited!28-Jan-2010 06:08, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 40.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
A Red Panda, also endangered with only 5,000 worldwide. You can see where the racoon/bear confusion has all started!28-Jan-2010 03:00, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 400
A brief pause between mouthfuls of bamboo to flash us a cute smile… those charmers!28-Jan-2010 03:16, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 90.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 400
Lynette snapping up close, to actually touch or get a photo with one costs £100 – they never miss a trick!28-Jan-2010 03:24, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 22.0, 28.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 1600
The nursery! Watching these little cubs learn their limits is a fascinating and hilarious hour well spent!28-Jan-2010 03:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
Pandas give birth to twins 45% of the time, but in the wild they can only care for one – sadly the other one doesn’t make it!28-Jan-2010 03:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
Slightly more active then their elders, they like to playfight and muck around seemingly oblivious to the cameras.28-Jan-2010 03:53, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200
Panda’s spend sixteen hours of every twenty four eating, mostly bamboo. Explains the luminous green poo!28-Jan-2010 04:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
It would have been cruel to hope for a slippy stone… so we didn’t… honest.28-Jan-2010 04:54, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100
Besides eating, the most animated Pandas get is when… more food is coming!28-Jan-2010 04:55, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 65.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100
They actually took turns pushing each other, without moving from their current positions though…28-Jan-2010 05:07, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 65.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100
This Panda got stuck, while his four friends got stuck in to bamboo below. D’oh!28-Jan-2010 05:19, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100
The Giant Panda has a unique false thumb, making it the only bear who can actually hold its food to eat it!28-Jan-2010 06:17, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 50.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 800
Varying levels of skill do not stop any of the people here genuinely having a wonderful time!29-Jan-2010 03:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 83.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
Wherever you look something is going on, join in, drop out, laugh along, absolutely fantastic place.29-Jan-2010 03:12, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 38.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 200
We even found OAPs having fun with a bit of swordplay… not good people to mug!29-Jan-2010 03:20, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 55.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200
Lynette chilling out with a cup of tea, after an exhausting morning watching other people be active.29-Jan-2010 03:29, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 38.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200
The streets of Chengdu are a shining and rapidly expanding example of the highest class of fashion – surprising!29-Jan-2010 02:36, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100
Inside Janxi museum the archeological digs themselves, complete with ghostbuster…29-Jan-2010 08:34, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 800
One of the many cute dogs settled around Chengdu, this one trying to escape his fancy dress bee costume, unsurprisingly.29-Jan-2010 09:31, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100
The streets around Emei Shan, all lit up and beautiful in preperation for Chinese New Year!29-Jan-2010 17:12, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 6.3, 105.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 1600
Lynette cuddled up in the Teddybear Hostel, our last bit of warmth for a while!29-Jan-2010 15:09, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.3 sec, ISO 100
Next day, ice slides to climb in crampons… with only a luke warm pot noodle for comfort!30-Jan-2010 09:15, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 5.0, 28.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 1600
When the mist clears, the hoar frost decorating the trees is very c-c-c-calming!30-Jan-2010 10:10, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 8.0, 28.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400
One of the chief exports of hte mountain appears to be sacred fungus and mushrooms. Did we miss a trick?30-Jan-2010 10:13, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 400
Throughout the hike, porters with supplies would pass us – we’d have offered to help but… um…30-Jan-2010 10:33, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 45.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400
Lynette distraught to find she is over the “Child Entrance Fee” threshold…30-Jan-2010 10:35, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 400
The next morning at sunrise, the calm strength of pilgrimage is strikingly evident…31-Jan-2010 00:42, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 11.0, 28.0mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1600
Until they all hit the summit and start whooping anc cheering at the first sight of the sun!31-Jan-2010 01:04, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 3.5, 28.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400
It was a perfect clear skies morning, here is looking across to the 20m higher summit with its own temple on top.31-Jan-2010 00:49, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 30.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 800
Once the sun has risen, the other pilgrims head to light incense sticks to pay respect.31-Jan-2010 01:12, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 200
On one portion of the mountain, a huge range of locks decorate the fence edge, each inscribed with a couples name to symbolise love.31-Jan-2010 01:17, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 28.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
Looking back up at the temples liberally sprinkled across the Golden Summit.31-Jan-2010 01:37, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 13.0, 28.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 200
Heading back down the top section by cable car… we walked every step of the mountain!!31-Jan-2010 01:52, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 13.0, 28.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200
One of the larger temples on the way down… also a welcome sign we’re about to evade the tourist herds!31-Jan-2010 02:01, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 13.0, 28.0mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 200
Lynette with her trusty crampons on ready to go… what technological marvels!31-Jan-2010 02:05, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 45.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
If metal isn’t your thing, then these snow accessories from straw will surely be even more effective…31-Jan-2010 02:06, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 200
Our descent was hall marked by beautiful blue skies, while the foliage was decorated by the permanent hoar frost we’d avoided!31-Jan-2010 02:18, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 38.0mm, ISO 200
One of many Tibetan Macaques, they scented our monkey experience and didn’t go in for the kill…31-Jan-2010 03:39, Panasonic DMC-TZ6, 4.9, 49.2mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 400
The locals seem to take more pleasure from discouraging the monkey presence then they should…31-Jan-2010 03:41, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 105.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 200
Lynette standing in front of ‘The Elephant Bathing Pool’. So named because an elephant once bathed in it. Most of the way points are also tenuously named!31-Jan-2010 03:44, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 28.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
More of the Tibetan Macaques, obviously disappointed we didn’t have fanta and bags of smarties spilling out of our packs…31-Jan-2010 03:45, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 105.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
You may think we’ve just told a funny joke… its more like ‘Get orf my land!’…31-Jan-2010 05:40, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 35.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
When two monkeys both make this face at you… normally a good time to leave!31-Jan-2010 05:41, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 82.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 200
At this point my calves had given way, and the sight of steps like this made the rest of me want to go the same way!31-Jan-2010 06:13, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.5, 28.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 200
Near the bottom an absence of snow made the surroundings no less appealing!31-Jan-2010 08:00, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 28.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 200
We were tired bunnies, but happy that it meant the end was only an hour(!) away!31-Jan-2010 08:07, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 10.0, 35.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 200
For those that really can’t be arsed to lift one foot after the other, there are easier ways to climb the mountain…31-Jan-2010 08:07, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 4.0, 45.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 200
A narrow path through the cliffs provides some welcome shade on a hike that has suddenly got quite warm!31-Jan-2010 08:10, Panasonic DMC-TZ6, 3.3, 4.1mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 80
Towards the entrance/exit, more and more intricate carvings appear, this of Emporer Kangxi’s visit to Emei Shan.31-Jan-2010 08:22, Panasonic DMC-TZ6, 3.3, 4.1mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100
As in all of China, the construction continues unabated – next year expect a 5* spa resort on the top!31-Jan-2010 08:37, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 28.0mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200
Lastly, apparently one of the best sights of Emei Shan, and its within ten minutes walk of the car park. We disagree… you need to do the whole thing!31-Jan-2010 08:27, Canon Canon EOS 400D DIGIT, 7.1, 28.0mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 200
The streets of Chengdu are a shining and rapidly expanding example of the highest class of fashion – surprising!
This was nearly a lovely photo of Lynette, but this Panda was having none of it…
Panda’s spend sixteen hours of every twenty four eating, mostly bamboo. Explains the luminous green poo!
And also playfighting… and shortly afterwards humping…
The nursery! Watching these little cubs learn their limits is a fascinating and hilarious hour well spent!
Here all manner of classes and group fun take place every morning!
We even found OAPs having fun with a bit of swordplay… not good people to mug!
Steve in the centre of Chengdu!
Lastly, apparently one of the best sights of Emei Shan, and its within ten minutes walk of the car park. We disagree… you need to do the whole thing!
Next day, ice slides to climb in crampons… with only a luke warm pot noodle for comfort!
The next morning at sunrise, the calm strength of pilgrimage is strikingly evident…
Heading back down the top section by cable car… we walked every step of the mountain!!
You may think we’ve just told a funny joke… its more like ‘Get orf my land!’…
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