Panda Country

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Geo: 30.67, 104.07

An early start for the 60+min drive to the Guilin airport, then Shandong Airlines 737-800 to Chengdu. The two US ladies go their separate ways so we are back to eight.

According to our itinerary we'll then have a free day, so hopefully a chance to find and use the services of a Chinese laundry.

Chengdu is a big, sophisticated city of 14M (with very poor visibility today). It is an ancient, major city that predates the Chinese Emperors. Even its name has remained unchanged for over 2,400 years. 70% of the world's iPads are made here, but their prices are higher here than in the US.

We had a bit of a walk and shop, and another very fine body massage. Off to eat spicy Sichuan food tonight.

PS. Another culinary disappointment, at the Chen Ma Po restaurant.

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Photos

Chengdu market
11 floors of small stores. According to our guides, "knock off" shops are now officially frowned upon and not so easy to find. Still, all have said the shopping Mecca is Shanghai.

Comments

[tony]

they say in Chendu "when the sun comes out the dogs start barking.Did you visit the Panda center?

[Morag]

Yeh I was hoping to see some piccies and hear your tales if Pandas, so didn't visit them?

[Morag]

Gawd freaks me out! But then I really am not into the retail. Sad to hear the Sichuan was a disappointment, would expect to have the best and the real McCoy, or maybe that is the real McCoy and what we have is the westernised variety!