Chengdu part two: pandas and red pandas, a hot pot that destroyed us, travel tattoos in Chinese characters, and a night-time visit to one of the largest buildings in the world.
Free phone charging on a park bench
One small detail summed up the city for me: an ordinary bench in a square with built-in USB-C and USB ports, free for everyone. Power is the future, and they hand it out to everybody. Why can't every European city do this?
Taikoo Li and the Daci Temple
In Taikoo Li, past and future meet. It's a low-rise district of contemporary luxury built around the centuries-old calm of the Daci Temple. I ate my third crab-roe bun of the day, with ham, mushroom and black truffle, and Lorenzo loved it as much as I did.
The hot pot finally
We had missed it in Chongqing, so in Chengdu we made it happen. We ordered "medium" spice and it was still very, very spicy. My eyes were watering and my nose had never been so clear. You get used to it, though, and the flavour is amazing. Later we went out to the bars by the Anshun Bridge along the river. A gin and tonic cost €20, the most expensive thing we bought in China.
The panda base
Everyone was super excited for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The giant pandas are the stars, but our family's favourites were the red pandas.
Kuanzhai Alley, calligraphy and tattoos
Back in the centre we walked the Kuanzhai Alleys (the "Wide and Narrow Alleys"), where old teahouses meet modern Sichuan food and art. There we met a calligraphy master and bought an original piece that he personalised for us.
I had always wanted a travel tattoo, so after reading great reviews of a local studio, Paola and I booked together. I had a phrase that means a lot to me written in Chinese characters: live your life, life is only one. In the video I chat with Cory from the studio, which has hosted international clients for eight years. Their contacts are in the description.
The SKP tower and the closed mall
We ran to the SKP mall to see its "Tower of Life", a coloured bamboo fountain, just before it closed. Then a guard kindly let us into the giant New Century Global Center so we could see the architecture inside, even though it was closed. It also has an indoor water park. We ended the night at 11:30 p.m. with street food by the hotel. Chengdu is living in the future and growing fast. It has to be on your China itinerary.