It’s amazing how alcohol can contribute to people sitting around talking about absolutely nothing. This is what was happening under my window last night and it continued on until 1:30 in the morning. For some reason I didn’t feel like using my complimentary Mix Hostel ear plugs. (Always beware a guesthouse that provides them) It was all the more irritating because I had intended on getting up early in the morning and going to the People’s Park to do T’ai Chi. The morning rain killed the plan altogether, but I got a few extra hours of sleep.
By 9:30 the rain had cleared and I set out for the People’s Park. So what if I missed out on AM T’ai Chi? It would still be nice to have a stroll and a cup of tea at one of the many teahouses that Chengdu is known for. By the time I arrived, the sun had come out and the park was awash in shades of shimmering emerald. I was greeted by a Chinese fellow who welcomed me (in English) to the People’s Park. In Beijing I was regarded with suspicious curiosity. In Dali I was regarded with polite curiosity. So it was nice to welcomed somewhere, and I was so choked up that my “thank you” was barely audible. The park was very busy at this time and there were some people doing T’ai Chi, but they were way beyond my skill level, so I left it alone. The tea houses were bustling with activity and as I walked past the outdoor seating area, I witnessed several intense mahjong games in progress. I don’t know if they were playing for money, but these people were serious players. I was greeted by a teenage girl who told me that her name was Zhou (I think). She noticed that I was alone and she told me that she was alone too, so we could “travel” together. I hate to admit it because she seemed like such a lovely young lady, but I was immediately suspicious. I’ve been in Asia too long not to be. We walked for a while and I practiced putting some Chinese sentences together as well as listening to her speak Chinese. She didn’t ask me for anything, though, and I parted company with her so that I could go sit in the teahouse and have a cup of Jasmine tea.
Of course they tried to sell me the most expensive tea that they had, but I wouldn’t be bullied. “Bu yao. Tai gui le.” (I don’t want it. It’s too expensive) That much Chinese I can handle. Someone offered to give me a shoulder massage or an ear massage. I thought that this had something to do with pressure points on your lobes, but it doesn’t. They have this object that looks like a soft-bristled paint brush with a metal handle, and they put the brushy part into your ear while they strike the metal part with a tuning fork. The very thought of it gives me the chills. It makes me think of having a snake flick it’s tongue into my ear. Oooooh, I’ll pass. I enjoyed the local tea and I squeezed every last drop of flavor out of the leaves as I refilled the cup again and again with fresh hot water.
I went on to find the Green Ram Temple. This is a Taoist temple in the middle of another park. I enjoyed the walk through the compound and I especially enjoyed the various frescoes on the temple walls. Most of the paintings had an animal from the Chinese zodiac incorporated in it and I always lingered at the tiger images. I also liked the big stone courtyard with the large yin-yang symbol painted in the middle of it.
Once I exited the park, I picked up a local bus because my feet were hurting and I was starting to get hungry. I had one more spot that I wanted to check out. It was nearby my guesthouse, so I thought that would push through the pain in order to have a look. I thought it would be another old quarter like the one near the Wenshu Temple, with recently-built traditional architecture. It wasn’t. It was more like the Chengdu ghetto. The buildings were all done in brick and they had some character, but they were the type that get knocked down to be cleared for new condos or high-rises. All I can say is, even if this neighborhood is on the poor side, they have some excellent food. I broke down and patronized several food vendors along the street. One of them had fresh-steamed buns full of veggies that were out of this world. I paid less than a quarter for two. I got some fruit at the street market from a very nice woman who seemed thrilled to be selling to an outsider. I tried to keep my photo-snapping to a minimum so that no one would feel self-conscious while I explored, but it wasn’t long before I was completely drained. I stumbled back to The Mix exhausted, but very satisfied with my last day in mainland China.
