Hot and spicy

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Hot and Spicy is Chengdu, they are very proud of the fact that no other region of China can match them. When taken out for the infamous Hot Pot, the really nice people have a section in the boiling cauldron of Chengdu spices, chillies and numbing peppers, that is relatively spice free. Secretly though and I would be no different, they like to watch the snot run, the eyes pop out, the face turn red and the sweat run, by KKs third Hot Pot she was handling it like a local, AAh she’s no fun anymore.

A very big favourite is the lamb kebab at the small shop front BBQs and street stalls, it is such a joy to be amongst the full spectrum of Chengdu society, sitting, queuing, young and old, revelling in these tasty, tender, hot and spicy skewers. It’s nothing to see a shiny Bentley disgorge a pile of dollied up birds and they will be in up to the elbows making as much noise as a group of construction workers from the site next door, the enjoyment of food has no distinction. Next to the vast new mall and its fine new restaurants will be a street lined with food markets, chocca with people making all sorts of noise and laughter , mess, food plates laden on the table, its their joy their sociability time, not the quiet tones of the half filled restaurants, mind you it was good for us to have a bit of a break from the frenetic activity and slip in the odd sly burger or pizza.

What did we do in Chengdu other than eat.

On returning to Chengdu another old friend Mickey took Hamish KK and I out to her ecco farm, 2 hours drive from Chengdu. Dujiangyan, Mickeys home town, is a small city, 600,000 beside the Mountains and has the Minjiang River running through it, channelled by a 2000 year old irrigation system that saved the plains from flooding and irrigated over 5000 sq kilometres of land and is also a major tourist attraction in the city, with its riverside restaurants, quaint market alleys and a laid back atmosphere, is one of the easiest city’s we have visited. “Laid back” part of the DNA as over the centuries the irrigation system saved them from constant disasters and provided a land of plenty.

Mickeys eco farm is 800 acres right on the edge of the city, devoted to children’s education, a great set up, a huge array of activities, that caters for up to 800 odd kids some days, even some discussion on the possibility of hosting children in the Porangahau area!

Trip back on the fast train, only 196ks an hour more of a commuter speed, its the intercity express trains that reach the 340 ks an hour speeds, but an insight into their wonderful efficiency. China building fast train lines all through Asia, Egypt, California, South America, Africa.

Royce West Clark who showed Garric and I round some of Chengdu 5 years ago, diverted from Dubai where he is based working for Emirates, to come and show KK some of his great City. Panda Park was a must for my friend, theres no doubt about how cute these animals are but you have to get there early around feeding time as they stuff themselves and spend the rest of the day sleeping, a large ball of fur hanging in a tree fork.

Then whisked us off on another fast train to Emeishan Mountain and hot springs, the first afternoon basked in the wooded springs aaaaaah bliss, the next day climbing the stepped mountain in the pissing rain and fog, great gasping exercise but no fabled view, bugga. Emeishan another cool small city a favourite haunt for those who can afford the getaway.

It was then a city of contrasts the packed, acers of street stalls full of cheap gear, men humping huge loads, bikes, scooters, packed high a cacophony of noise, smells, commerce and the big shiny new glass and brass malls, nearly all cloths and shoes, expensive, branded cloths and shoes, but no Salomon Gortex size 12 at a reasonable or unreasonable price, not even the fabled buy anything Hong Kong. Looks like its got to be the Katmandu sales!

Thank you to the wonderful people who looked after us in Chengdu.

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