Another early start at 7 am to be first in line to see the Pandas at Chengdu’s Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. In Chengdu and especially near the Research Base everything is Panda themed, the busses, ice-cream, backpacks, even the garbage bins. Due to the early arrival we actually were almost first in line and so we headed down to the first Panda area. Unfortunately, due to the hot weather, the Pandas were kept in-doors hence we could only admire them from behind the glass. However, it also had the benefit that there was less vegetation for them to hide and we could see them in all their glory. After a couple of hours and many photos later we headed for lunch back to the city center, followed by a stroll in People’s Park and tea and water melon. In the teahouse one could also get a neck massage or have his or her ears cleaned which some of our fellow travellers ordered. In the evening we enjoyed a performance at the Chengdu Opera, with of course Sichuan opera, a puppet show, shadow play, a comedy and musical performances accompanied by a nice cup of tea. We concluded the day with a romantic stroll along the local river.

Continuing with the panda theme

Day 7 – Visiting the Pandas