Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital of the Chinese province of S’chuan with population of 15 million people, where they love pandas, hide the world’s largest sitting Buddha in the mountains, adore Europeans, and don’t eat dogs, seriously!

Kung Fu Panda

I visited Chengdu for the first time about a year ago, when I requested this flight, mainly because of pandas. Among stewards, this destination is popular for two things – wild nightlife and especially pandas! Just around Chengdu there are several nature reserves with pandas, which are visited by tourists from all over the world. And if you think that the Chinese do not behave very nicely to animals, this is not true when it comes to pandas. The most lazy animals in the world enjoy a very comfortable life in China as it belongs to them. A year ago I visited with two of my colleagues the largest reserve in the city – Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, which is located outside the city in a huge forest park. Admission is not high, it costs only 58 RMB and the gate of the reservation opens every day from 7:30 am. Pandas run freely in the woods and the only things that separates them from people are purely natural obstacles. It is generally recommended to visit pandas early in the morning, shortly after their feeding time (which is between eight and nine), when they are still alive. Pandas spend most of the day being lazy and have not in love when it’s too hot outside. Keep in mind, however, that even the early morning hours will not prevent a lot of tourists from visiting this place. In particular, do not make the mistake we did when we came here on April 29, 2017 (Saturday), when not only was the weekend, but also a public holiday in China. The Chinese like to go to parks on weekends and free days. Just as the blogs I studied before my visit predicted, late April and early May are not the most appropriate. The pandas ignored the huge interest of the visitors, mostly hidden, and if any were outside, we had to push to them through the crowds. The reserve, however, is a beautiful oasis in the midst of nature. There is a beautiful lake, many forest paths and even a few museums and galleries. Many Chinese come here to enjoy a picnic, suck in fresh air and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. If you have an extra $ 200 in your pocket, you can book a few minutes with a baby panda that you can feed or hold in your arms… Due to a quite high price there are not long queues.

In front of me there is another layover in Chengdu, this time up to 48 hours, and my plan is clear: Visit the largest sitting Buddha in the world, sitting in the Leshan Forest, about 1.5 hours drive from Chengdu. It is easy to get to Leshan thanks to a high-speed train from Chengdu, but we (me and my Ukrainian colleague Anna) prefer to choose Marco’s guiding services and decide for his $ 80 per person tour, which includes a traditional Chinese lunch and entrance to a nightclub with unlimited alcoholic drinks. It is worth it and it’s also much more comfortable. Marco is a Chinese guide whose whatsapp number is saved in the phone of each cabin crew member who has ever been to Chengdu. Marco once worked as a steward, later cooperated with several clubs in Chengdu and today probably has the best profession in China – doing a tourist guide. The Chinese are very eager to travel around the world and take pictures; Europe, Egypt, Morocco and Jordan are especially popular, but also because of the language barrier they do not like traveling alone. They usually travel in smaller or larger organized groups and Marco is the one who speaks English, knows where to go and does  a personal photographer for his customers. And if he doesn’t accompany four young girls around the Greek islands, he takes the cabin crew from Etihad or Qatar Airways to the Leshan Buddha… or to nightclubs…

First, I enjoy pretty rich breakfast, which we have as a cabin crew at the JinJiang Hotel free of charge (by the way, one of the most beautiful and best hotels we spend layover in, plasma TV  is also in the bathroom right above the bathtub). And around ten in the morning we are already sitting in Marco’s car and heading to Leshan. It’s Monday, an ordinary working day, so there should be no queues in front of the Buddha. No need to go too early in the morning. On weekends, however, prepare for three-hour long lines! Marco says goodbye to us for a few hours before we enter the forest park. While he will be waiting for us in the car, we are climbing up the stairs deeper into the woods. Suddenly a huge Buddha head appears in front of us. This is the place where usually during the weekends endless lines are formed. For the safety reasons, not too many people are allowed to enter the steep and narrow stairs down Buddha’s right shoulder at once. This time, however, the turnstiles at Buddha’s head are empty, and even the weather is getting better and better!

Gigantic Leshan Buddha is a real giant. People who walk down the stairs on his shoulder look like Liliputans. In his sitting position he is 71 meters tall, carved directly into the rocks and has been sitting there for 1400 years! Supposedly he was built to protect fishing boats and boats floating on the river under his feet. Under his feet is also an altar where Buddhists light candles and incense sticks, and from his left side the path continues back up into the forest. It leads through a small cave in its bowels. Although the Buddha is the most important and most fantastic attraction of the place, the park also houses many other statues of Great Buddhas, museums, pagodas, Buddhist temples and natural schools for future monks. When the rays of the sun cut through the dense trees and hit the stone paths, I feel a bit like in an old Chinese fairy-tale. In the park is easy to feel strong positive vibrations…

After a beautiful two-and-a-half hour walk in the park, we get back to Marco waiting for us in the car. We are also a bit driven by hunger. Marco takes us to a very pleasant neighborhood (near Art Senses Hotel and Place on Tiexiang TempleRoad) in Chengdu to a restaurant where a traditional Chinese lunch is served. I have a little respect for the Chinese cuisine, but Marco will cool us down immediately: “I hope you don’t believe we eat dogs here! Especially in Sichuan Province, dogs have never been eaten. In some other provinces of China, dogs may be eaten till nowadays. But not in Chengdu! Never!” As is usual in China, they start to bring all the dishes at once – traditional egg-tomato soup, seafood on a stick dipped in soy sauce, salad with spicy dressing, chicken in orange sauce (this is very delicate), very hot ginger soup (I suppose it must work very well as a medicine for a flu or hangover) and also sweet corn buns. I try from everything and I really like everything I try…

After a rich later lunch, we are taken to the gates of Jinli alley, one of the most beautiful part of Chengdu. It is a traditional old Chinese alley where many red lanterns light up every night, where various concerts take place, and restaurants have sitting outside to soak up the atmosphere. The stands sell various traditional handicrafts such as Chinese silk, Buddhist bracelets, embroidered handbags and more. It’s really hard to resist. Thanks to all the food stalls around, you can recognize various and tempting smell in the air, but avoid the place where tofu is fried – it smells like fried socks! I also consider the special cleaning of ears which seems to be a special Chinese thing. The ear-cleaners walk with their tools from table to table and many guests have their ears cleaned while eating! But in any case, Jinli Street has a wonderful atmosphere…

I kind of suspected that the Chinese were obsessed with the Western world as I observed them on my numerous flights to China. There is always a small hurricane around the trolley with duty free on board. Many Chinese passengers hurry to get cheaper branded products, especially those made in Europe. “Made in China” – they  push the goods away, “Made in Germany, France or Italy” and they purchases per kilos. It’s quite funny. We prefer to buy way cheaper Chinese faked versions, while Chinese go for originals. And the following experience will just confirm my opinion! What is exotic is very warmly welcomed in China. And exotic for them is anyone who does not have the typical Asian features. Club managers fight for foreign visitors by competing in offers. If you don’t get paid for visiting their club, they will offer you at least an unlimited number of drinks throughout the evening! My colleague Anna is a similar introvert as me, we are not very much into this kind of fun, but we have never been to a Chinese club and have one – two drinks for free sounds tempting. Marco pick us up at our hotel at 11 pm and drive us to Mr. Nine Club, located in a former old factory. But what is ahead of us inside will take our breath away. They don’t even have such clubs in Dubai! (I haven’t been to Ibiza, so I don’t dare to say.) High technology, light & dance show, huge plasma screens and many platforms for various performers. Best of all, there is no dress code in Chinese clubs. And since nobody forces me to wear mini dress and high heels, but sneakers, jeans and a shirt are enough, I can release and have more fun. (Yes, the endless bottle of vodka also played a role in this.) Soon, Ana and I are the most popular girls in the club, not just among guy but also girls. However, we are able to communicate only via google translator apps on mobile! But still, we are having a great time…