Highlights:
-Woke at 5am, checked out of hotel in Taiyuan, forgot to return key, had have the cab turn around, realized that I forgot something else on the way to the airport then found out that the rest of the group had saved it for me (yay!)
-Boarded plane around 8AM, airline served awful Chinese breakfast of congee, yellow pickles, preserved plums and a bread bun. Didn't eat much, took a nap. Flight was 2 hours long.
-Took a cab from airport to Traffic Hotel in Chengdu, met the group at noon at a restaurant next door called Thai Fiesta, the restaurant screwed up our orders many times and did not give a refund or discount. Food quality not worth mention.
-Went to Panda Breeding Center, Emery bought me a panda hat (got many laughs from that), took many silly pictures, had ice cream and bottled water at Panda Cafe
-Animals spotted: peacock, red panda, adult and infant pandas, and giant koi fish.
-Went back to the hotel, from there got another cab to take us to a Tibetan restaurant Emery found in the Frommer's guide book, funny lady cab driver took us to the wrong one after making a quick pit stop at a photo developing center (lol), walked around the corner of the street to a different local restaurant and ate good Sichuanese food (fried filleted fish, pork with potted vegetables with flour wrap/buns, fried dough triangles with sesame).
-Came back around 9, did laundry at the hotel, showered, tucked in.



Shared Expenses
lunch at Thai Fiesta 80Y
bus fare to the Chendu Panda Breeding Facility 50Y (25 each)
Panda hat souvenir 60Y
ice cream and water bottle 8Y
cab fare to dinner 20Y
dinner 98Y

total = 316Y approx. $47US

* Friday, May 1, 2009