This travel article is part of a series written by Greater Sudbury's Jean-François Démoré, who invites readers to join him on his travels through Asia.
By Jean-François Démoré
Hello everyone! When I last left you, I was arriving in
Cheng'du, the capital of the province of Sichuan. It seems
fitting that on the day I am scheduled to leave the province, I
update you all on how I have spent my time in this wondrous
place.
Situated in the southwest of China, Sichuan is known for its
cute and cuddly pandas and its fiery cooking. It has recently
been the focus of the international media as it has been rocked
by massive earthquakes. This has led to a significant drop in
the number of tourists in the area. Following my time in
Beijing during the Olympic period, I was more than happy to do
some sightseeing without the hordes of tourists.
Panda sightseeing
The first stop on my sightseeing itinerary in Cheng'du was the
internationally acclaimed Panda Breeding Center. As the name
implies, this expansive center is dedicated to the procreation
of the giant panda, and thus grants visitors a chance to see
pandas at various stages of their development. From the
week-old babies to healthy mothers and fathers, I was
tremendously impressed by how well the animals were being cared
for.
Given China's record on animal rights, I was not expecting such
large and natural enclosures for the emblem of Sichuan. I must
admit to having developed somewhat of a weak spot for these
furry little creatures. Seeing the week old, rat-looking babies
squirm on their pink and blue protective blankets and
witnessing the "teenage" pandas wrestle and play only three or
four meters away, was an experience I will not soon forget.
Now that was hot!
Speaking of memorable experiences, that same night I gathered a
group of hostelers from around the world and headed to a local
Sichuanese hot pot restaurant. The hot-pot is essentially an
oil-based fondue laced with an absurd amount of hot peppers,
chili peppers and black pepper.
Instead of ordering plates of food, you order your hot pot
which is delivered and placed in the center of your table over
an open-flame to keep your oil hot. You then help yourself to a
buffet area on which a large variety of meats and vegetables
are placed on wooden skewers.
The variety of meats on its own is an intimidating sight. From
cow's tongue to pig's brains, you can find whatever your little
heart desires (or fears), at your average hot pot restaurant.
Armed with skewers, you place your sticks in the hot oil and
await your perfectly cooked treats.
Let me preface my next phrase by saying that I am a big fan of
spicy foods and have had my share of Tabasco sauce and proper
Indian curries. On a scale of 1-to-10, where the hottest thing
I have ever eaten is a 4, the Sichuan hot pot ranks as a 10.
I'm not saying I had a little tingling sensation on my tongue,
but experienced a true burning sensation emitting from
everywhere on my body. As I sat enjoying the meal and sweating
profusely, it felt as though I was sun burnt all over. Although
it was absolutely delicious, I must admit to not being able to
"handle the heat" of a true Sichuan hot pot. Spicy food lovers
- the bar has been set.
Impressed by the culinary skills of the local chefs, I
organized a cooking class in my hostel. Gongbao chicken, spicy
tofu and sweet-and-sour chicken are now part of my cooking
repertoire. For the equivalent of $10 Canadian, the four hour
class was a bargain, not to mention the three delicious plates
I was left with afterwards.
Careening through the countryside
Traveling by local bus with my fellow amateur cooks, we headed
to the town of Leshan, home to a large Buddhist complex housing
the world's tallest thousand year old Buddha; an impressive
sight at 71 meters tall. The following day, I took the time to
enjoy a traditional Chinese "blind" massage and visit the tomb
of one of my childhood computer game heroes, Zhuge Liang.
From Cheng'du, I hopped aboard a bus destined for Juizhaigou,
the Chinese equivalent of Banff, Alberta. The 12-hour bus ride
was an experience in itself as the earthquake has left many
scars along the roads of the region. Frequent land slides
caused major hold-ups while the bumpy roads, lack of on-board
toilets, crazy Chinese driving and gut-wrenching precipices on
either side of the bus, kept the journey interesting.
A side note to potential travelers to China. It is best to
leave the driving to locals as the rules of the road do not
apply here. Passing blind, uphill and around a corner seems to
be the norm, as long as you obey the one rule that seems to be
upheld across China: honk your horn at absolutely everything.
If you are going around a corner, honk your horn. If there is a
pedestrian on the side of the road; hold down your horn as long
as you can regardless if he is in your way or not. It is
absolute madness.
Pleasure and panorama
Upon arriving in Jiuzhaigou, I had to find a bed for the next
two days. Due to the earthquakes, most of the organized bus
tours to the area have been cancelled, and thus the town and
its hotels were eerily empty. This gave the willing deal-seeker
the ultimate bargaining chip; one that I did not hesitate to
use. When my head hit the pillow, I had managed to secure a
double-bed private room with 24 hour hot showers and a western
style toilet for under $5 Canadian per night.
The next morning I ventured into the park and was not
disappointed. The first views from the 3500+ metre attainable
summit made the journey worthwhile. The hundreds of multi-level
waterfalls and vividly coloured lakes will haunt my dreams for
years to come. When combined with the calcite pools of the
neighboring Huanglong national park, this area easily ranks as
the most beautiful place I have ever visited.
In a few hours, I am boarding a plane for the historic city of
Lijiang in the province of Yunnan. I have heard great things
about the province and if it is anything compared to its
neighbour, Sichuan, I will be one happy traveler!
About the Author
Jean-François Démoré has travelled Canada extensively with his
parents Michel and Diane, spending one summer driving to
British Columbia and another to P.E.I. Once the travel bug was
under his skin, he was quick to jump on the opportunity to head
to France when the opportunity presented itself during his
second year of university. Between his third and fourth year,
he ventured back to Europe for a three-month trek that saw him
visit more than 50 cities in 15 countries, accompanied solely
by his backpack. This is his first visit to Asia.
