Sunday, November 8th, 2015
Welcome to Chongqing (pronounced Chong-Ching) China!
We arrived here today for a brief visit to the Chongqing Zoo to see the giant Pandas up close and personal.
This is the only stop so far that I could have skipped.
Originally, we were scheduled to fly into Chengdu to visit the Panda Research Center. Unfortunately, the runway was closed in Chengdu, so we were diverted to Chongqing. The NatGeo team had to rustle up some Pandas for us somewhere. Thus, a trip to the Chongqing Zoo.
A city roughly the size of Austria, with a population greater than the entire country of Canada, 34 million people, Chongqing guides happily told us about their city and how the government has done so much for the people, building railroads and bridges. It was obviously a well rehearsed propaganda speech. The guide further explained that Chongqing was at one time known to be the most polluted city in China, but the government cleaned up the air.
OMG! If this is clean ... I'm glad I never saw it polluted! You can't see across the river in this town. It literally felt like I could cut the air with a knife. Seriously, it looked like a heavy fog, but the sun was shining up there somewhere!
Going to the hotel, the driver toured us down the nicest boulevards lined with beautiful flowers and trees. Which probably explained the one hour drive to hour hotel. Felt like we were going in circles while the guide continued feeding us the government fed B.S. I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but the pollution is so bad, even the leaves on the tree lined boulevards were covered with grime, giving them a dirty brown appearance. The contrast between fresh green growth and the dirty brown leaves was staggering. (Cough, cough!!) The colorful flowers lining the streets in artistic designs are not planted in the ground, rather strategically placed in pots so they can be easily replaced when they get grimy.
Imagine housing for 34 million people. There are apartment and condo buildings on top of apartment and condos!! Most roads in Chinese cities are loaded with bicycle traffic. Not here. It's hilly and difficult to get around, so it's all car and bus traffic. Traffic is controlled allowing cars with license plates ending in odd numbers to drive Monday, Wednesday and Friday and plates ending in even numbers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sunday is up for grabs. Even with those restrictions, traffic was horrendous.
OK, back to the Pandas, our sole reason for being here. We visited the Chongqing Zoo. Being Sunday, most of the 34 million inhabitants were visiting the zoo, too. Or at least it seemed like it.
The Pandas did not disappoint. We saw 6 different Pandas in a "natural" habitat setting. It was feeding time when we arrived. Watching these bears that appear so cuddly and docile, munching on their bamboo, made for some great photos. They are huge animals, almost the size of the bears that hang out at my house in Aspen. Just made you want to reach out and hug one. But I'll stick to the stuffed Panda the hotel left in our rooms as a gift. Here are a few adorable Panda pics.
My friend, Susie, whom I traveled with to Amsterdam last spring, had a saying when she had seen all she cared to see and was ready to move on ... "Tally-ho!" And away we'd go. My friend, Gail, has a similar signal when she's ready to move on. When she is - completely OVER - seeing something ... She makes a check mark motion with her hand and says ..."Check."
Pandas, "check" that off the list.
Back at the hotel, we had a very interesting dinner at the Sichuan Restaurant. We had no idea what we were ordering. The food started coming out in waves and was placed on a lazy Susan in the middle of the table.
I actually would like to stay in China a few days longer because I don't think I can gain much weight eating water and air.
Anybody who knows me well, knows that Chinese food is the LAST choice on my food list. Enough said about the cuisine ... or lack thereof. Thank God I smuggled some Peanut M&M's into the country. And thank God it was Yvette's birthday. At least I recognized the birthday cake.
Tomorrow ... Tibet
Welcome to Chongqing (pronounced Chong-Ching) China!
We arrived here today for a brief visit to the Chongqing Zoo to see the giant Pandas up close and personal.
This is the only stop so far that I could have skipped.
 |
| Flight track from Cambodia to Lhasa, Tibet. |
Originally, we were scheduled to fly into Chengdu to visit the Panda Research Center. Unfortunately, the runway was closed in Chengdu, so we were diverted to Chongqing. The NatGeo team had to rustle up some Pandas for us somewhere. Thus, a trip to the Chongqing Zoo.
A city roughly the size of Austria, with a population greater than the entire country of Canada, 34 million people, Chongqing guides happily told us about their city and how the government has done so much for the people, building railroads and bridges. It was obviously a well rehearsed propaganda speech. The guide further explained that Chongqing was at one time known to be the most polluted city in China, but the government cleaned up the air.
 |
| Note the flowers along side the road. The buildings just down the road can barely be seen because of the pollution. My lungs still hurt. |
Going to the hotel, the driver toured us down the nicest boulevards lined with beautiful flowers and trees. Which probably explained the one hour drive to hour hotel. Felt like we were going in circles while the guide continued feeding us the government fed B.S. I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but the pollution is so bad, even the leaves on the tree lined boulevards were covered with grime, giving them a dirty brown appearance. The contrast between fresh green growth and the dirty brown leaves was staggering. (Cough, cough!!) The colorful flowers lining the streets in artistic designs are not planted in the ground, rather strategically placed in pots so they can be easily replaced when they get grimy.
Imagine housing for 34 million people. There are apartment and condo buildings on top of apartment and condos!! Most roads in Chinese cities are loaded with bicycle traffic. Not here. It's hilly and difficult to get around, so it's all car and bus traffic. Traffic is controlled allowing cars with license plates ending in odd numbers to drive Monday, Wednesday and Friday and plates ending in even numbers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sunday is up for grabs. Even with those restrictions, traffic was horrendous.
OK, back to the Pandas, our sole reason for being here. We visited the Chongqing Zoo. Being Sunday, most of the 34 million inhabitants were visiting the zoo, too. Or at least it seemed like it.
The Pandas did not disappoint. We saw 6 different Pandas in a "natural" habitat setting. It was feeding time when we arrived. Watching these bears that appear so cuddly and docile, munching on their bamboo, made for some great photos. They are huge animals, almost the size of the bears that hang out at my house in Aspen. Just made you want to reach out and hug one. But I'll stick to the stuffed Panda the hotel left in our rooms as a gift. Here are a few adorable Panda pics.
My friend, Susie, whom I traveled with to Amsterdam last spring, had a saying when she had seen all she cared to see and was ready to move on ... "Tally-ho!" And away we'd go. My friend, Gail, has a similar signal when she's ready to move on. When she is - completely OVER - seeing something ... She makes a check mark motion with her hand and says ..."Check."
Pandas, "check" that off the list.
 |
| This dish was filled with hot chiles, peanuts and chicken bones. |
 |
| Yvette's birthday. Cake. Did someone say CAKE?? |
Tomorrow ... Tibet
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