Pandas, Wide & Narrow, Sichuan Opera (2010)
Traditional Brunch
Met up with Jing for what I was told was a traditional Sichuan meal. It is obviously lacking in the spicy peppers. It was this day that I just figured I would lose a ton of weight in China – I just was not catching on to this type of food.
From 12:00 clockwise: Corn, Roast duck, Pepper, Peas, Chicken feet, and crayfish in the center.
Chicken feet stir-fry… doesn’t get any more gross than this.
chengdu drink
Jing enjoys those chicken feet, which I just couldn’t do.
Heading out to the Panda Base, even the suburbs huge apartment buildings house tens of thousands. I begin to realize how populous China is.
Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
In the north east suburbs of the city, the Chengdu Panda Base has been preserving and exhibiting Giant Pandas since 1987. In 2008, a second breeding center was virtual destroyed in an epic earthquake that rocked Sichuan province.
We meet up with Jing’s friends Ming, ChaCha, and Tee and head to the Panda Base. It’s a pretty hot day.
Pandas are just chillin in the heat.
My favorite find thus far… Obviously these signs are needed to prevent consumption of the various animals in the park.
Red Pandas too… I prefer these raccoon cousins to the real pandas.
Having some crappy ice cream near the pond.
Ming and ChaCha (couple) and Tee)
With the heat, most of the pandas were hiding in the shade, so we decided to head elsewhere and come back another day.
Wide & Narrow Alley (Kuan Xiangzi)
West of the city center is Wide and Narrow Alley a series of three pedestrian streets form a historic district that has its roots in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911 AD). Like Jinli Street, it’s packed full of restaurants, bars, and shops, but it does feel quite different. There’s more brick, more pavement, more open, and modern.
Starbucks everywhere
Then entranceways to many of these cafes and restaurants make for great subjects
Baldachin fabric that this region was known for.
There’s traditional art everywhere.
Fried dough
One of the original structures.
Sichuan Opera
We head to Qintai Rd and the Culture Park just to the south. Home to the Sichuan Opera, there are several galleries and shops on this small street.
Opera building the day.
Entrance to one of the smaller opera theaters.
We head inside one of the opera houses to take a look around.
Many things to buy… tea is also served.
It’s getting dark, so we quickly check out the culture park, which is a nicely landscaped urban park.
It’s hot and muggy and I’m always on the look out for cold beverages, which just aren’t a thing in China. Every time I see a cooler I get my hopes up only to find it’s unplugged and everything in it is warm. Either way, I couldn’t find Diet Pepsi… they had this Pepsi Max stuff which wasn’t available in the States at the time. I have been drinking the stuff ever since.
As the case with many of the urban gardens around the city, a lot of the greenery is coated in a thin layer of grime. I guess my lungs are now too.
A wall on the side of the opera house we will visit later.
Tribute to mothers and daughters.
At the Opera
The audience is free to walk around the dressing room and see the performers prepare. Along with the tickers we are also given a small packet containing white, black, and red makeup similar to what the performers wear.
The Opera seating area. Along the back wall are shocks selling tea, snacks, and gifts. During the performance, workers serve tea and peanuts, give massages and ear cleanings.
The performances were a interesting. My lack of any understanding of Chinese maybe inhibited my enjoyment of some of the singing.
The main attraction of the Sichuan Opera is the Changing Masks, which was really worth the price of admission alone. I didn’t even think to lift may camera it was such a cool performance.
Here’s a youtube video someone else made that shows the whole performance (set to start playing at the mask changing).
An exterior shot of the Shu Feng Opera house and one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Write a Reply or Comment