HELLO PANDA

One of the highlights of my trip to China was a visit to the Panda park in Chengdu city!!! I love love love pandas, and if you think they are cute in photos they are a thousand times cuter in real life. Pandas are the treasure trove of China and I can totally see why. There is not a single soul who would not melt into puddly goos when they see these babies romping around and just being cute. Everything they do is cute! If you don't melt into a puddly goo when you see them in real life, then you don't have a soul, period. The Panda park is really great, and surprisingly not as crowded as I thought it would be. My friend Ann from Seattle is doing her study abroad in Sichuan University and I brought her along and we were both gushing over the absolutely adorable bears while they frolicked and ate bamboo. While we were there some contestants of a beauty pageant were there as well, so that was an absolute blow to my self esteem, with all these gorgeous women towering above me in their 4 inch heels and clad in sexy trench coats. But back to the pandas, SO CUTE. One of them was even born on my birthday! It is fate, meant to be. If I were like Veruca Salt I'd stomp my feet and say "Daddy, I want that one, NOW" like she did in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, but since I'm not I'll just wheedle to no one in particular that I want a panda, please? 

Sapphires and Emeralds

The bluest of blues and the greenest of greens! If you needed proof that Jiu Zhai Gou is absolutely beautiful, here it is. The water is so clean and clear you feel like it runs from the springs of heaven, cascading down the numerous and endless waterfalls, trickling through icy cold streams. You forget the pollution in the cities of China, and for a while, standing at the edge of the water, taking in the perfect mirror image of the mountains in the water, the world seems clean and beautiful again. Under the dancing Tibetan flags, you acquire a sense of wonder and peace that you forgot you could feel. And walking through rows and rows of evergreens in what they call the 'Virgin Forest', you feel young again, just a baby sapling among hundred year old trees.

Leave Me Breathless

Had the great opportunity to head up to China last week with my parents and their friends! At first I was a teensy bit worried about being stuck in a tour full of retirees who were all about 3 times my age, but this is not the first time we've travelled together and I had heaps of fun being the youngest one about. Of course I became the translater and also the unofficial 'strong woman' of the bunch, since I can carry things and bend with a lot more ease then anyone else teehee. But I'm so glad I made the trip! We flew into Chengdu, of which I have no photos because it is, like all other major cities in China, absolutely shrouded in the haze and pollution of industry. But when we took a connecting flight to Jiu Zhai Gou, which is translated to Nine Tibetan Village Valley (henceforth JZG for short), it completely took my breathe away! Literally and metaphorically, since the oxygen content in the high altitude environment (roughly 3-4 thousand feet above sea level) makes it hard to breathe, and of course it is just gorgeous. These photos are from the first two days we arrived in JZG, and thankfully we heeded the advice of our tourguide and bought some oxygen 'tanks' because we sure as hell needed them once we started sightseeing! One other thing we did not expect was the cold! It is supposed to be autumn, but when we arrived the stewardess announced it was -15 degrees celcius. Thank goodness for the lovely sunny weather, allowing us to fully enjoy the crystal clear aquamarine waters of the lakes and waterfalls. In stark contrast to Chengdu, nature is truly breathtaking. 

Barcelona Beautiful

Some of my favourite parts of Barcelona! Park Guell and of course the ever famous Sagrada Familia that displays only a modicum of Gaudi's brilliance, and the beautiful Parc Montjuic with its sweeping views and people watching. Sat on the steps of the Montjuic castle/museum and had a scoop of Movenpick icecream while people watching to the strains of a guitarist busker-- utter bliss!! One of my best days was a solo jaunt to Sagrada and taking the lifts up and climbing down those scary spiral steps, and then heading off to La Boqueria market for a yummy lunch my friends Kristin+Sam recommended at Bar Central for superb seafood. Right now I kinda miss Barcelona, but since I just got back China and am now lying in my lovely bed, it is just really good to be home. Till I see you again, Espanol!!!