One More: Chengdu Global Center
Accidentally finding the largest building in the world.
Yelp reviews for local hot pot give me an address that led to the taxi driver letting me out in a sparsely populated suburban parking lot next to a huge building. I thought it was some kind of mistake, but the driver insisted. I walked closer, and realized it must have been a mall… well THE MALL that was all over the news way beck when it opened in 2013. The largest by floor space. I guess the place is inside.
By this time of night the place is pretty empty and a lot of shops are closing up. Everything is super glossy and some tacky marble confuses the senses. It’s really a massively ugly structure in the inside.
Spread out across the first floor is a a children’s amusement park with rides and games.
Not sure what floor this was but it was pretty. It had a lot of interesting restaurants but most were closing up. Having a hard time finding the hot pot place.
Looking down… what’s this… a water park?
This is the lobby to the movie theater. There are a lot of elaborate displays for the movies it’s showing, and a gift shop to by movie merch. On the other end is the entrance to the mall mall – which is more like a traditional mall layout with shops and restaurants.
Huge life-size Transformer for whatever piece of crap Transformer movie was out at the time.
I don’t think I saw half of this structure, but somehow I found this Hockey Rink in it.
Exploring the water park
Yeah… it’s pretty fucking huge.
What’s more impressive than the beach is the huge video panel! (click to enlarge).
Each side of the water park dome is lines with hotels.
A chapel.
Restaurants and bars line the entrance.
To the right of the beach is a section with tube rides and water slide. To the left, a series of hot springs. All of it was closed. I don’t know if I was supposed to be there at night, but no one said anything. (click to enlarge)
Arcade
Of course there would be a hot chili pepper game in Sichuan, China.
These kiddie ride things are very popular in China.
Warm Pot
Finally- the Warm Pot Restaurant. This is a stew pot cooked at the table (in this case, by the waitress). It’s hearty, a lot of good meat and definitely enough in one for several people. You pick the ingredients and they deliver the pot, mix it up and when it’s hot, you devour it.
Raw pot. I forget the meat. Pork and lamb I think.
The heat is turned on and the waitress stops by occasionally to add ingredients based on cooking times.
Mid-way through, the stew is topped up with noodles spun fresh at the table.
Amazing! I will definitely be on the lookout for this again. A great way to end this round in China.
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