Panda-Venture Part I

Today was the best day EVER! And one that I’ll remember forever. I got to see pandas and even got to hug a baby panda.

Woke up this morning at 7 to meet my guide, Jason and his driver, whom I had hired to take me to the Bifengxia Panda Base 150 km away. Jason spoke perfect English and has been a professional tour guide for over 10 years, taking visitors to Bifengxia regularly.

And when you’re in a car for 2 hours with a guide, you get to learn some things:

* Chengdu is the cleanest capital city in China but very foggy. For 360+ days a year, the city is under fog, with blue skies in the summer. However, girls don’t mind as this kind of weather is good for the skin and complexion.

* Chengdu’s global centre is the largest building in the world.

Tibet travel tips:

* If traveling to Tibet, it’s recommended to relax and not do anything for the first 4 hours of arrival. Most people will get hit with elevation sickness during this time, so it’s very important to rest and get a good night’s sleep at the hotel. If you follow this tip, you’ll be fine for the rest of the trip.

* Most people fly from Chengdu to Tibet and the sudden change in elevation causes fainting and vomiting. It normally takes up to 4 days for elevation sickness to pass – but by then, most people’s tours would be done. If you go by land, it’ll take 5 days travel time, but your body will adjust slowly, so by the time you arrive in Tibet, you’ll be fine.

* To put into perspective: Chengdu is at elevation of 500 ft. Bifengxia is at 1500-1700 ft. Tibet is at elevation of 3000-3500 ft.

At the foothills of where the panda base is located, we saw a camel and a couple of deers at the side of the road, hanging out. I’m sure I screamed tourist, but I had Jason stop the car so I could take a photo. Cuz, you know, animals.

We parked the car and checked into the ticketing office where we we paid for admission. We then had to board a shuttle bus to go all the way up to the entrance of the panda base. As an alternative, you can hoof it if you have lots of time and are particularly energetic. It’s about an hour of ascension if you choose to hike.

And as I only had the guide and driver for 8 hours (1/2 of which is driving time), I wanted as much time with the pandas as possible. To give you an idea of how big it is, Bifenxia Panda Base sits on 177 acres of mountainous natural reserve.

Legend has it that after the NV WA goddess collapsed of exhaustion during her work on the sky, her body changed into what is now the Bifeng gorge, her hands into “the patching mountain”, her sword which was dropped into the water became Ya’an fish and her ride became “divine eagle mountain.”

As the sky patching work went unfinished, Ya’an became the rainy city, with drizzle around the year. What’s more, one of the colourful stones which NV WA goddess used in her patching work had fallen down from the sky and became what is now Hong Kong.

There’s even a ginormous canvas painting inside the ticketing office, hung behind a model of the gorge, depicting this legend. The super saucy, over-the-top painting by famous Hong Kong artist Liu Yuyi was purchased in 1994 for $8,888,888 HKD.

Okay, so on to pandas!

While Jason went to the admin office to arrange the meet-a-panda for me, I spied 2 adolescent pandas. One which was partially obscured by the bushel of bamboos he was scarfing down, while the other was weaving in and out of bushes. And just when I thought bummer, Jason hurried me over to this white building and ushered me through these heavy curtains.

Guess what was waiting on the other side for me? THIS FACE!

*Insert angel chorus here*

This 3 month old adorable panda. Munching away on bamboo. Smiling up at me! Exactly like this. The staff must’ve thought I was some sort of mutant, as I literally froze in my place when I saw him, mouth opened. I couldn’t keep my eye off this fella. I couldn’t even put on the blue plastic robe and gloves required when touching a panda (it’s to keep our filthy germs off such magnificent creatures). I gave my camera to Jason to take pics, while they threw the garments on top of my clothes.

Then I was allowed to sit down, touch him and take photos. It was nearly too much! And then I got kissed by him! When Jason and the staff saw that, they both told me that almost never happens.

Most people are allowed 10-15 seconds with a panda. I got a minute, minute and a half because Jason knew the staff there and could ask for favours – like asking them to take pics with my iPhone while he takes pics with my Canon. So I walked away with like, 40 memorable pics.

Still, it all went by in a blur. It was very important for me to engage with the panda, rather than just smile for a “photo op.” I came all this way, waited so long to meet a panda, that I was going to pet him (hair was bristly), smell him (earthy), hear him (squeaky noises) and look into those beautiful black eyes. I was so overwhelmed with joy by the whole experience that I forgot to ask what my panda’s name was.

It was a dream come true and an experience I will treasure always. But the dream had to end and the minders took the panda away.

How much did it cost? A donation of 1500 RMB ($250 CDN) will have you meeting a panda, while 3000 RMB ($500 CDN) would allow you to play with a baby panda for a few minutes.

To thank you for the donation, Bifengxia base will give you a signed Wolong Panda Club certificate. At the Chengdu Panda Base that I’ll be going to tomorrow, it’d cost 2000 RMB ($333 CDN) to take a photo and no playing. Also, the staff there will take one picture which they’ll give to you, while here, you have to use your own camera.

Well, after all this, everything else at Bifengxia would be icing on the cake. I feasted my eyes with all the pandas: the playful adolescents play-fighting and perching perilously in treetops to the adults who just wouldn’t stop eating.

I asked Jason which he preferred – Bifengxia or Chengdu Panda Base and he said the Chengdu one. He personally thought that going to Bifengxia is a waste of time since all pandas look the same and you can see them in Chengdu, especially if one is short of time. But he understands that tourists (like me) would want to check out both centres.

He also said that people in China don’t have quite the same fascination as foreigners with pandas. They love them, mind you, but Jason said that people in China eat animals – all animals – so they don’t see why someone would pay so much to hug one or take a picture with one.

Sidebar: I’d like to think that this is his own point of view and that he’s doesn’t speak for everyone. I don’t care what he says, it’s worth paying that donation amount. I mean, how many times in your life are you going to hug a panda?

After lunch on the panda base, we drove back to Chengdu. Jason and the driver dropped me off on Chunxi street, which is the “Nanjing Road” of Chengdu. I was going shopping! By myself and on my own timetable! I love that china has some of my favourite stores like Zara and H&M. And I absolutely had to check out Japan’s transplant, the Ito Yokado department store. Holy cow, talk about busy! It was like Boxing Day crowds in there.

Also big in China are homegrown brands such as Me & City, Lily and Meters/Bronwe. Funnily enough, the international brands are less expensive than homegrown brands. Everybody loves to shop in China. And so convenient – stores are open until 10pm.

I shopped until it was nightfall and then made my way back to the Buddhazen by subway! There are only 2 lines in Chengdu, north-south and east-west. And being that I’ve traveled by subway in New York, London and Paris, Chengdu was a piece of cake.

The Wenshufang neighbourhood where the Buddhazen Hotel is located is quite special too. Bordered by Renmin North Street, Ximadao Street, Wenshuyuan Alley and Wenshuyuan Street, it’s a world all on its own.

Away from bustling Chunxi street, you’ll find here temples, folk markets, small shops and street vendors with lots of traditional Qing dynasty architecture and old world Chinese charm.

It’ll be another early day tomorrow. Going to the Chengdu Panda and Research Base plus whatever else I can squeeze in before my flight back to Shanghai tomorrow night. A whirlwind trip!