Chengdu- Jiu Zhai Gou: April 2012

I have a memorable trip of 8days in Chengdu-Jiu Zhai Gou. We arrived at Chengdu Suan Liu Airport at the 12midnight and we took a cab to our Hotel. Surprisingly, the cab her ehas no extra surcharge for airport cab.

The next day morning, we started our trip to the world-renowned Chengdu Panda Breeding Research Base which is situated in Futou Mountain, 10km (6miles) north of Chengdu downtown. We planned to take a cab as we have 4 of us, just nice. Here, our bad experience started. The bad traffic in Chengdu city. What an unsystematic traffic on the road. People fight for taking cab in the middle of the road, bicycle, buses, motocars, motor, pedistrain all cross-linked. Finally, we managed to grab a cab and willing to send us to the place.

 

 

The base is replete with indispensable equipment for all kinds of breeding and research regarding Giant Pandas, such as rooms for the animals, feeding rooms, clinics, a Giant Panda Museum and research building, as well as huge bamboo plants and bushes for the Giant Pandas.

 

In the afternoon, we visited some tourist spot in the city like Du Fu Cottage. Du Fu, a very famous poet, lived in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Just as its name implies, the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu was his home more than a thousand years ago.

 

Just get into the time, we took bus at the station right in front of the Du Fu cottage, we heading to the Qingyang Gong Taoist Temple. It is conveniently situated to the southwest of Chengdu, facing Wuhou Memorial Hall on the south and adjacent to Du Fu Cottage in the west. It is one of the celebrated Taoist temples in China. Personally, I dont find any interesting in this place, so we make a quick move to our next visiting place to have our dinner, Wide and Narrow Alley.

 

Wide and Narrow Alley is a network of three pedestrian alleyways collectively known as Kuan Zhai Xiangzi. With full of excitement, we hope that we can find some good local food, but we were dissapointed because it is an area of really expensive restaurants and tea-houses. Nevertheless, we found some local Chengdu food there also, but the taste not as good as JinLi Street where we had in the next day.

 On the Day 2, before we taking our flight to JiuZhaiGou Valley in the afternoon, we took bus to Wuhou Memorial Temple located at Wuhou Street in the morning. This is a shrine integrated with tombs of Liu Bei, the King of Shu during the Three Kingdom period in Chinese history, and Zhuge Liang, a great prime minister of the Shu Dynasty. It is the only temple with the Emperor’s tomb and his officials’ tomb integrated together.

 

Just right beside the exit of the temple is JinLi Street. It was claimed as street's prosperity of former days. Visitors gather in this ancient street to relax, admire the traditional-style buildings, and taste some local snacks. Here, we can find all local food and famous snacks. We tried most of the snacks. The SanDaPao, PoLuo Rice (Pineapple Rice), TouHua (Beacurd) are some must try snacks.

 

In the evening we flew to JiuZhai-HuangLong Airport, it was an hour flight, 450km from Chengdu city. The airport is located at 3500m above sea level. As we drop-off from the plane, we were shivering as the weather is so cold outside because it has just snowing at the night. Our tour guide was there to send us to our hotel. It took 2 hours to our hotel, on the way, the tour guide explained to us about the Jiuzhaigou and advised us not to sleep on the van, take a long and deep breath to prevent us from having altitude reaction.

 

We were welcome with hot local dishes and rice when reached hotel. We was told that the hot water supply will cut off at 10.30pm. Unlucky when we finished our meal and went back to hour room, it already past 10.30pm. We have to use the 'ice-water' to do our washing. My god, my hands and face were freezed!

 

We were so extremely happy and excited compare to 2 days before. Jiuzhaigou valley, we had waiting for long time. Here we come. There is no equal elsewhere that has sceneries and fables of dreamlike eloquence, or natural purities like a fairyland as Jiuzhaigou Valley. We were stunt by the great masterpiece of nature having dreamlike scenery. It combines blue lakes, waterfalls, verdant forests, snow-covered mountains, and the folk customs of the Tibetan. We spent a day in the valley. There were buses to ride in the valley. Surprisingly, there are only one station has food and drinking water sold. Luckly we brought our lunch there, but  we felt so exhausted in the afternoon because we carried no enough drinking water, somemore the weather turned hot and we were walking for a long stair cases while carried a heavy camera and stuffs.

 

Wow. the sceneries were just too beautiful and wonderful. No wonder people call it Jiuzhai Heaven in another way! We got not enough time to soak in this beautiful heaven!

 

In the evening 6pm, we were invited to have a close contact with Tibetan. The Tibetan family have some fun and sing for us while served us their local food to let us understand more about their culture.

 

After having fun with local Tibetan, we have our show 'Mystery of Tibet'. A very meaningful show and get an quick understand about Tibetan.

 

 

The next morning, we take our van to MuNiGou as the HuangLongXi is closed for the season. It took about half day ride to go there. We have a wonderful scenery on the way heading to Munigou. The snow mountain, the Tibetan village were at our both side.

 



 

After a long ride, we reached MuNiGou Valley. Holding the primary area of virgin forest, the Muni Valley comprises Erdao Lake and Zhaga Waterfall which is the biggest calcified waterfall in all China. We went to Zhaga Waterfall but unlucky we missed out the Erdao Lake as the tour guide din't show to us. Zhaga Waterfall scenic spot stretches for about 5 km, where water flows around trees and trees grow in water and this scenic spot boasts many attractions. In the sunlight, the spattering water is like jade, exhibiting wonderful colors.

That was the end of the 3 days 2 night trip at the Jiuzhai heaven. We were so lucky to see the snowing in the Jiuzhai-huanglong airport before leaving JiuZhaiGou. I personally strongly recommend to visit this wonderful heaven!

The next day, we took bus at the Central Transportation to LeShan. It took about 2.5 hours from Chengdu city to Leshan. There giant buddha statue is facing ther river at the confluence of three rivers, namely, Min River, Qingyi River, and Dadu River. It is the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, it has 71m high.

 





 

In the evening, we headed to Mount E-mei. We stay a night at the bottom of Mount E-mei. The next morning, we took a bus go up to JinTin(Golden Summit). It took about an hour bus to go up the hill and then take a cable car to the bottom of JinTin. At there we have to climb up the stair case about half to peak. Golden Summit, is 3000m above the sea level, seemingly reaching the sky. It was plenty cold around 6-8 darjah celcius. The attraction at the peak are clouds sea, sunrise, Buddha rays and saint lamps. Unfortunately, we din't have luck to see those because it was a raining day, so we could not see the beauty of the scenery at maximum due to the fog.

 

 

 

 



The Golden Summit Scenery is as beautiful as this picture but unfortunately we cound't see it!

 

After a long walk to the golden summit, we took bus back to Chengdu city at the E-mei transport station. We have no enough time and also tire of walking after these few days, so we decided to skipped visiting BaGuoShi Temple and other famous temple in the Mt E-mei.

 

Yeah, after a long ride, we reached our Hotel at Chengdu city at 7pm. Yes, finally we can go to shopping at the famous shopping spot- ChunXi Road (春熙路). Shopping malls, department stores, supermarkets, boutiques, modern cafes, a spacious square  and especially small stands are widely scattered in around this area. Here leave us pleasant memory about  pretty Chengdu girls with branded stuffs on hand. Time past, after we took our dinner and just started our shopping spree, the department store going to close at 10pm, we have to go back our hotel sadly. Unlucky, it was heavy rain outside. Again we saw all pretty girls and young guys were standing in the middle of the road to call for taxi at this raining night. Unfortunately, we din't spare an umbrella, so we waited at the taxi stand. My god, one hour past, we also can't get a taxi because all taxi has occupied! :(

 

Our last day spend at DuJianYan (都江堰) which is the oldest and only surviving no-dam irrigation system in the world.  This irrigation system was constructed on the Minjiang River to prevent flooding. It plays a crucial role in draining off floodwater, irrigating farms and providing water resources for more than 50 cities in the province now.

 

Fish Mouth

 

 

SiChuan Spicy Steamboat is a must to try because of its famous. After came back from Dujianyan, we have our last meal at Ba Shu Zai Steamboat. We ordered a YuenYong Soup. Herbal soup and the spicy soup base for the steamboat. The spicy is different from what we taste in Malaysia, it tastes spicy and a bit bitter and you will feel numb in mouth after it. After few pieces, we all changed to herbal soup.. haha..

 



 

This trip is memorable to my family and I. I'm salute to my parent and thanks god that they are able to walk alot at this age, because this trip really need to walk alot. Unlucky, I have a terrible stomach upset during the day visit at LeShan. Surprisingly, I made a nap at there after climbing up from the lookout point of giant buddha. It made my day terrible and end up with sleep tight at the hotel at Mt E-mei. :(