Part 4: Chengdu – Meeting the Giant Panda
After we left the outdoor teahouse on our first shoot day in Chengdu, we made our way to the Panda Preserve. The preserve looks a lot like the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., with hilly walkways lined with bamboo that form shaded archways. Imagine the entire National Zoo being dedicated to one animal and that\’s the preserve. The guide here, Helen, came in on her day off to work with us. She\’s lovely and has given us amazing access to the animals.
Our first stop was the nursery to see the infant pandas. There were three cubs sleeping in a large wooden crib. At first glance, they looked like stuffed animals until you noticed the rise and fall of their little bellies. They were so sweet. After we shot a quick bit with Sam, we made our way to the 1-year-old area, where Helen told us that we could hold one of the Giant Pandas! What? It\’s true! For around $125 (1000 RMB) I was able to hold a giant 1-year-old panda for about two minutes!
(TIP! We were at the Panda Preserve in Chengdu in September of 2007. This was almost a year before a devastating earthquake rocked this area. Please check to make sure that the preserve is open.) First, they suit you up in a medical robe and give you plastic gloves for your hands. Then you sit down, and they plop a bear on your lap! He just sits there eating away at a bamboo shoot dipped in honey and you, well, you simply have one of the coolest moments of your life! The panda that was on my lap was really big and I thought he was going to be soft and cuddly. His fur was actually really coarse, but there were a couple of times that he looked back at me, and you could see that he just loved being snuggled. What a thrill!
After the pandas, we went to a typical Chinese restaurant for dinner. One of the producers ordered for all of us. I really liked the steamed flounder in soy and the duck. (TIP! If you are a little scared of ordering in China, you can never go wrong with the most common dish on every menu — Kung Pao Chicken! The dumplings are also a safe bet!) Most of the dishes in this region are spicy, so I was careful with my choices. The last thing I needed was an upset stomach.
After dinner, we then set up the last location for the day at the Marco Polo Bridge. There was a beautiful pagoda all lit up with red lanterns. I quickly realized that this is the pagoda that I was looking out at this morning where the people were doing their Tai Chi! It was really beautiful and very Chinese. We all lost steam fast after dinner and we were all relieved when Greg called wrap at 9:30. Sam and I walked back to the hotel, and I went up to my room for a hot shower and a good rest, because tomorrow we travel to Beijing!
The Slave of the Husband…
Seeking ahead to finding out extra from you afterward!……
Title…
[...]one of our guests not long ago proposed the following website[...]…
Title…
[...]Here is an excellent Blog You may Obtain Exciting that we Encourage You[...]…
Title…
[...]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine some unrelated information, nonetheless genuinely worth taking a look, whoa did a single understand about Mid East has got a lot more problerms as well [...]…
amazing guidebook…
Hey greatly great webpage!! Individual.. Good.. Superb.. I’ll retail store ones website as well as possess in which, enters what is actually more …I’m glad to consider numerous worthwhile info these contained in the create, we’d just like exercise p…
Awesome Article…
Superb blog site. Really looking forward to read a great deal more. Awesome….
Title…
[...]Every when inside a whilst we choose blogs that we read. Listed beneath are the latest web sites that we pick [...]…
The Ships’s Voyages…
I believe technological know-how just causes it to be even worse. Now there’s a channel to under no circumstances treatment, now there will not be a possibility for them to discover….
Title…
[...]we like to honor many other world wide web internet sites on the net, even when they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Underneath are some webpages really worth checking out[...]…
Souls in the Waves…
Great Morning, I just stopped in to go to your site and assumed I would say I loved myself….
Zierfischfutter…
I was of, filled with enthusiasm correctly this morning this news found her as me…
Souls in the Waves…
Great Morning, I just stopped in to visit your web site and believed I would say I appreciated myself….
Title…
[...]usually posts some quite exciting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[...]…
Healing’s Dragon…
to discover problems to enhance my web-site!I suppose its okay for making utilization of a handful of of your concepts!!…
premium high-quality physician…
Using havin such extreme content any time experience any type of problems via plagorism or it might be copyright violation? Your websites has various articles as well because reviews and unique content Really regarding just about everybody has simultan…
Title…
[...]we like to honor a lot of other world wide web websites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Underneath are some webpages worth checking out[...]…
Really Cool…
You can trace your sample to start your task….
fantastic generating…
I’ve increased newer plus much more effective matters away through short write-up. Also a specific thing to For several i’ll discovered is usually that sometimes usually, FSBO tackle merchants may deny anyone. Just bear in your ideas, they have a cha…
Title…
[...]Here is a great Blog You might Discover Interesting that we Encourage You[...]…
The Absent Game and…
Involving me and my husband we have owned far more MP3 gamers through the years than I can count, such as Sansas, iRivers, iPods (classic & touch), the Ibiza Rhapsody, etc. But, the last few ages I’ve settled down to one line of players….
{Next|Subsequent|Up coming|Following}, use your {variety|selection|range|assortment} of {green|eco-friendly} filaments that…
Brilliant Article…
Very Good Article…
Fantastic article. Will read more……
Board…
Its difficult to find informative and precise info but here I noted…
We need to ensure that the travelling on the number one on the net actually buy Ugg Boots Discounts, of the closing performance of an galoshes is tender that they can
Title…
[...]we came across a cool web page which you could possibly get pleasure from. Take a look should you want[...]…