Chengdu Blur

I have a couple of days to catch up on, and this one will be brief, with few photos, as I can't remember much of it!

The chills I experienced on Panda day developed into a full-blown flu/virus/who knows what by that evening. I knew going to bed that night that the next day (our last in Chengdu) was going to be a killer, as we planned to check out of the hotel first thing in the morning and spend the day at an embroidery centre and then JinLi Ancient Street (which, contrary to its name, was built only a few years ago but created to resemble an old-time chinese outdoor market). Then we were catching a flight to Hefei around dinner time. Ugh.

When I woke in the morning I was worse...started taking antibiotics and arranged to stay behind in bed while the guides took the rest of the group off to the embroidery centre. They returned to pick me up at 1:00 pm (along with my brother-in-law who had been exploring the city on his own) and by then I could at least function. We spent the afternoon slowly exploring JinLi street which is really lovely...full of booths with candy that had been spun into fascinating shapes...


...and small squares with goldfish pools, and temple buildings and lovely places to sit and chat...




One exciting event was the purchase of necklaces with names carved into a single grain of rice. It was quite a production making ourselves understood to the artist...that we wanted our names on the necklaces, but in Chinese characters, not English (try translating "Florence" into Mandarin!) But with persistence, the help of teacher Anne Marie, and lots of humour, we were successful...

We ended the afternoon at the most beautiful Starbucks and to refresh ourselves with juice, tea, and coffee - which was friend Anne Marie's highlight of the day...

Then off to the airport. Hmm.

Our flight that had already been rescheduled from 5:30 to 6:30 was further delayed. Our guide MaRui questioned the attendants at the desk but no one seemed to know why. Everyone sprawled out on the floor of the waiting area and the kids pulled out books, nintendos and colouring books - and at regular intervals, people would stop and just watch what the kids were doing. To us it all seemed a very ordinary scene so we asked MaRui why all the interest. She laughed and said that chinese parents would not normally let their children sprawl on the floor that way. ;-)

At 7:30, they delivered hot meals to everyone waiting at the gate (much to Cassidy's delight).

At 8:30 we boarded the plane (oh thank goodness) and we finally arrived at our hotel in Hefei close to 11:00 p.m.

I made it. Tomorrow would be a better day.