Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Chengdu by Day








So today was my first real day in China, and it was rathering relaxing. I got up in time to enjoy the continental breakfast at the hotel. Definite perk while on tour. It was a huge spread of about 20 items served buffett style and then a salad bar. Yep, i said it, they have a salad bar for breakfast. All items were pretty foriegn to me, except hard boiled eggs, bacon, and mashed potatoes. I guess they assume us American's like our potatoes 24/7. Other than that there was rice (as if i had't had rice 3 times already in a day), egg rolls, puff rolls, and other interesting dishes.

I then spent the morning exploring the theatre and heading out with my TD and ATD. It was nice to see the space we will be playing and get filled in on the details of the show. We then went to Pizza Hut for lunch.






SO, as if you don't already love pizza hut, in China it is a upscale sit down restaurant. One item on the menu what Lamb with cousecouse (sp?). It would be the nice restaurant you go to take a date to on a night out. I was quite impressed on the fact that the pizza tasted about the same as it is in the states. So needless to say it will probably be a good escape from the normal China dish. I am still tring to stay away from the Mcdonalds as there seems to be one every two blocks.

I spent a little bit of time walking around the streets today and got to take in the normal life of China men. I noticed that there was a street vendor selling puppies right along side the slabs of meat on a stick. Ironic?

So cluster fuck isn't even the begining of describing the traffic here in Chengdu. I am waiting to se ethe best picture i can get of it, but it is unreal. Most traffic lights have 6 to 10 streets that just kinda merge into one another and you would think they would have a round about. But they don't, so everyone just kinda merges into a cluttered mess and fight to get to whatever other street they are heading to. Throw in all the mopeds, and i mean more than there are cars with horrible brakes. And about 2000 pedestrians and you have a huge mess. It is funny, cause as you are crossing the street there are cars that don't bother stopping for you. And it doesn't matter if they have a red light, they just feel they can go on into the middle of an intersection. Our head carp was in a taxi that hit a guy on a moped and the taxi just kept on driving as though nothing happened.

Tonight we went down to a historical district of the city and went to see the Shu Feng Ya Yun Tea House and Sichuan Opera known for there changing of masks and hand puppets. Apparantly you have to stay in an apprentice until the government gives you permission to join the opera. It was amazing, everyone in our group loved every bit of it. Enjoy the photos!

FYI I had to check my bed to make sure they didn't forget the actual mattress, cause it feels like i am sleeping on a hard box spring.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is spelled cous cous. Just so you know. Love you!