Xi'an and Chengdu

When we left the hotel yesterday morning, I noticed a Caucasian woman sitting with 3 older Asian children. Turns out she was from Michigan and had just adopted their third child - a girl of about 9 just the day before. I had chills. The two siblings spoke fluent Mandarin and were able to speak with her. She was smiling and doing well.

In the morning, we rode bicycles the 8.6 mile ancient city wall that surrounds inner Xi'an. The bricks made for a  bumpy ride, but what a beautiful day!

This was the first time I noticed people staring at us. The day before, at the terra cotta warriors, two little girls about third grade who were with their parents, asked Craig and I if they could do their English lesson with us. They proceeded to interview us about our China travels. So cute! But on the wall, I noticed people actually staring at us. One person walked right up and took a picture of Craig and Liam on the tandem bike. I'm not sure if it's because we're always the only Caucasians around or if it's that we are a mixed race family. I always wonder what they're thinking.

The moat outside of the city wall.

There were many couples having their wedding photos taken, some in traditional red dresses, some in white.

We took the bullet train for the four hour train ride to Chendu. The nicest elderly man sat next to me for the last half of the ride. He had the most pleasant laugh! His English was pretty good even though he didn't think so. He used to be a teacher. He asked the question that many Chinese people we have met always ask: Do my children speak Mandarin? I'm always sad to answer no.

Today we started at the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center.

The kids were thrilled. 

This one reminded me of Kung Fu Panda!

There were 4 babies in trees that we watched climb over each other. So so cute!

The red pandas just climb out of their enclosures and walk in front of you!

Next we went to the People's Park. You could buy a baby bottle taped to a pole that had water with fish food inside. The giant fish sucked on the baby bottle and got the food out.

The strangest thing here is that ear cleaning goes on everywhere. They stick things down your ears and tap these metal sticks together to massage the insides of your ears and they clean your ears!

We had seen videos on YouTube of sugar candy making but here it was live! You spin the dial and they make whatever animal you land on by shaping the animal with heated sugar. Kyra got a bird.

Here is Chengdu's version of Match.com but for arranged marriages! If the son or daughter is still single and in their 30s or 40s, their parents put a paper here describing their unmarried son or daughter and then put their own (parents) phone number. Other parents look for a match for their son or daughter, call the other parents and try to make a match!!

Next we went to what is basically like an old neighborhood, but it has been renovated and now has shopping and restaurants. These were two guys dressed up to take pictures with tourists.

She was demonstrating the most beautiful instrument.

Delicious fresh fruit popsicles.

All through the area, they had put huge pictures on the walls and then built out parts of the picture with metal. They were amazing. Here, the front part of the man, his bowl and table seem to be coming out of the wall. 

Craig turned out to be a celebrity here. One man asked if he could take a picture of his four year old daughter with Craig. Craig held the little girl and the father took the picture. My famous husband!