We passed back through Chengdu on our way out of Tibet and it was fortunate that we did - somehow we lost track of our camera on our stopover on the way into Tibet in the Chengdu Airport and we didn't realize it until our plane was boarding. One of our guides tracked it down in the Chengdu Airport lost & found while we were in Tibet and we were able to get it when we stopped for a few days to see Chengdu. We kept our cash stash in the camera (thinking that it was something we would always keep our eye on) - all $1000 were still in the case. Chengdu was the only place in our tour we returned to a second time. Chengdu is a beautiful city. We especially liked the People's Park, with its "facebook" path where parents advertise their adult single children for matchmaking purposes. Small children, since most families only have one, are treated like little kings and queens. They are dressed up and paraded around like dolls. Chengdu is the site of the famous panda breeding center, and we were able to take a tour and watch their large number of pandas. They allowed you to handle a young panda (for a considerable fee) - KR got a late birthday present. We also were able to see the rare forest panda (pandalargus mikenorthamericanus) in its natural habitat - it even smiled at us before scampering off. Another highlight in Chengdu was a fantastic cultural program that was performed in a traditional tea house. The costumes and makeup were stunning. The theater was very small and intimate, and we had front-row seats. Then it was off to Guilin and our cruise down the Li River. A view of the mountains and river is featured on Chinese money - it is a very iconic place for the Chinese. We enjoyed the food in Guilin - they are famous for their presentation, as you can see. A very hot and humid place, however. I don't do well in hot and humid. Oh, by the way, avoid anything that looks like a bug or group of tentacles on a stick. They also stack up smoked quail like cord wood. However, the hour-long foot rub (for $20) was a deal.
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