Day 2: The Sichuan Spice of Life

---

My first real day in Chengdu and I don't think much more ridiculousness could have occurred, unless of course I ran these streets as a naked waiguoren.

My day started like most others around here. I awoke in a small, dimply lit brick room, devoid of all homeliness and comfort. The Loft, a converted industrial warehouse now youth hostel, is fantastic, yet the rooms may be a bit too artsy for their own good. Everything is meant to look old and "industrial" as they claim, yet the cold floors and machine-style beds can get to you. I guess though I shouldn't expect much as I am staying for about $7 US a night. Still, the place has a great cafe downstairs, a tour office that couldn't be easier, and a commor roon in the warehouse loft where you can do just about anything.

So fresh and re-energized, I decided to try my luck at walking down to nearby People's Garden. Before I ever neared it, I was lost. It turns out that Chengdu decided to do away with any sense of street ordering or standards as street names change at every block. I decided to ask a waving security guard how to go, and that is where it got interesting.

The young guy immediately launched into his life story that to be honest I still have no idea what he said. After about an hour of standing there dumbfaced and nodding, we swapped phone numbers. Before I got 20 feet from him, I already had a text message inviting me to drink tea this afternoon. After a quick run to Qingyang Gong Taoist Temple, I grabbed some lunch at a random Sichuan restaurant. Along with the meal, I ordered a bowl of rice, as normal for any meal around here, right? Turns out a bowl at this particular restaurant meant bucket, yes bucket, and I was soon dining on a pail of "mifan."

I headed back after my bucket to meet Yu Meilan, my security guard buddy. We grabbed tea at a small place nearby, where he knew nearly everybody. I know for a fact we went there because he could show off with his "laowai" friend, because absolutely every person there had to come up and stare at me with blank faces as they quietly asked him if I could understand. I couldn't. The man spoke a pretty rough Sichuan dialect, and just about the only part I could understand was that he could barely understand me either because he didn't know much Putonghua, or Standard Mandarin. Great, just the guy to hang out with for the next 5 hours. And I did.

We headed to nearby Chengdu Central Medical University, where it turns out my little security guard buddy studies clinical medicine. For the past 2 hours I thought he was in the Army, as it was all he had talked about (or all I heard). But no, apparently he is going to be a doctor. By the way, ever seen an open-air dentist office? How about one in between a candy shop and a hardware store?

I capped off my day with fine dining at Chen Mapo Doufu House. For all that need an explanation, Mapo Doufu is an extremely spicy tofu dish, complete with mouth-nimbing spices and a deep red color, and more importantly for me, Sichuan's specialty. It was bliss. Well it was, until I realized Chinese family-style food isn't all that well-suited to the single diner. On second thought, yeah that's bliss.

I'm now back at The Loft, ready to get a good night sleep before my big day tomorrow. Pandas. I'm headed at 7 am manana to the Giant Panda Research Center to catch 40 or so pandas, and panda foxesm doing their bamboo-eating thing. Should be grand.

---

Comments

[Lizeth]

I was in chengdu for 5 weeks during november. Myself and other students from Brooks Institute of Photography traveled around Sichuan Province working on a project. I was doing some research about chengdu on google and your blog came up. I myself also stayed at the Loft. I was their for 3 weeks!!!! Hope you are having a great time. I dont log in to this site, so you can email me if you want to at [e-mail]