CHENGDU

I had never heard of Chengdu before this trip, even though the city’s population (not counting the suburbs) exceeds 13 million.  The city center is surprisingly modern, centered around a huge pedestrian area full of upscale shops, restaurants, movie theaters, and cafes.

Chengdu’s streets are radically different from those in every country we’ve visited so far:  they are straight and wide; mopeds and motorcycles are forbidden (electric scooters are everywhere); and vehicles actually stay in their lanes, obey traffic symbols, and rarely use their horns.

For the first and last time in my life, I donned an apron and took a cooking class (below left).  We also visited Chengdu University, where ping pong seems to be a popular major (below right).  Did I mention that Keith is sporting a fu man chu mustache?

Pandas: Chengdu is home to a famous panda reserve, where these nearly-extinct animals are studied and bred.  Because they absorb only 3% of what they consume, all they do is sit around and eat all day (and poop, as evidenced by the panda below right).

The red pandas were quite a bit more lively (and racoon-like).

I shall immediately name China as co- defendant in my current suit against Vietnam.  If you don’t know what I’m talking about and this bothers you, click on www.mckeecolsman/worldtour/saigon. html and scroll down a bit.

We spent a night at the “English Corner,” where locals seeking to practice their English meet up with native speakers.  No one told us that the ratio of locals to English speakers would be about 15-1, and within seconds, the mob surrounded us and bombarded us with questions.  Did I mention it was it incredibly hot and humid in Chengdu?

We ended up having a late dinner with two guys we met there.  They were both extremely smart and nice students (studying international finance), but I was somewhat surprised by their opinions on the Taiwan issue:  They vehemently believed that even if 95% of the people of Taiwan voted to formalize their independence (voted against being a Chinese province, against unification, however you want to word it), China should nonetheless force Taiwan to accept unification, using military might if necessary.   They analogize it to how a family might have to treat a truculent child, adding that it is strictly a “family matter.”  I faithfully regurgitated the line we’ve been using since Nixon: “I support a one-China policy, but it should be resolved peacefully.”

Just before catching a bus to Chongquin, we grabbed coffee with two English students Keith met at the English Corner, who insisted on helping Keith with his bag.

Nightlife:  The locals were extremely friendly, toasting us when we crashed a wedding party (below left).  Chengdu’s tiny expat community congregates at a bar called Shamrocks, and they are decidedly dysfunctional.  Before getting into a fight with another girl, the pseudo-lesbian couple in the foreground (photo below right) confided in us that they intensely dislike the two older platinum blondes (whom they ludicrously accuse of attempted boyfriend theft).  That’s why it was fun to force them to pose together for a photo (the one to my left was a hoot—she actually won Ms.Texas back in 1961).

On the way to Chengdu, Keith snapped the following shots in Kunming, including several from the Stone Forest.