I was woken up very early by a rooster. If I knew where it was, I would've rung its bloody neck. What a way to be woken up. Grr. On this day we had to go back to practically the same place we'd been yesterday (more fandango with the number 13 bus) to see the Oriental Buddha Museum, where various famous Buddha sites from round China and the rest of Asia are recreated. It also contains the world's longest sleeping Buddha at 170 metres. Pretty huge, until you realise that they actually have only carved the head and the feet and then left the rest of the rocks, where the body would be, covered by thick trees. Conceivably the whole thing could be carved, but it's not. In the Oriental Buddha Museum, which is an outdoor park, we had seen most of the Buddha sites in person already, and the real thing is always more impressive. We got to see some of the Han Dynasty tombs which we'd neglected to visit the day before (very dull), and the other Asian Buddhas, which inspired much more interest in us. I am slightly worried by my ability now to distinguish between the types of Buddha: Tibetan, Thai, Sinicized... I couldn't tell you the differences, but when I see them, I know.
We got the 3 back into town, as I knew it went the way we wanted, and went to find the man who had sold me the fruit kebab the night before. I had seen him in the same spot out the bus window that morning, so I knew his haunt. First we went to our kebab seller of the night before to get lunch, and got chicken wing kebabs, lamb kebabs, and chicken 'bits' (essentially deep-fried chicken nuggets, but better). We tried out spicy fried potato kebab which was made of heaven and angels. I got five fruit kebabs from the fruit seller man, as I had honestly never tasted anything so incredible in my life. Liam got one and though he doesn't like strawberries proclaimed it amazing too. We realised that we literally hadn't eaten a single thing in Leshan that didn't come on a stick. My kind of life, that.
We got our bags from the hotel and got a taxi to the bus station. It was a different bus station to the one we'd arrived at, and a lot more efficient looking. When we'd arrived at the bus station we'd thought Leshan threatened to be a dump, but in fact I liked it so much, just the general casual, relaxed atmosphere, that it is one of my favourite places in China. Admittedly I was only there for two days, and it might get pretty boring after a short while, but I preserve the memory of it as an amazing place.
We got an express bus back to Chengdu but it still took a while. At the bus station in Chengdu (again different to the one we went from) we were pestered by taxi drivers who offered 30 to take us to the hostel we wanted, and then when we began to walk off, raised it to 60! Erm... ¿qué? We walked some way before we hailed a taxi and it was such a distance to the hostel that it actually made it past 30 on the meter. Goddammit. We got a 6 bed dorm for an incredible 15 kuai (the cheapest we've ever found in China). That's around 1 pound. We booked to see a Sichuan Opera performance that night and went to check out our dorm. It was annoyingly dark and messy but very good for just 15 kuai. The whole hostel had a teahouse sort of feel - open spaces and lots of twisted bamboo. I think it would be gorgeous in summer, but in the winter it was a bit cold and gloomy.
We tried out a recommended restaurant. Normally the restaurants we're recommended are good, but this one was awful. We ordered return to the pot meat and kungpao chicken (both Sichuan specialities) plus rice. Both the dishes lacked flavour - definitely not the famous Sichuan spice we were expecting! We get better, spicier kungpao chicken at our local in Urumqi. Our rice didn't turn up. The boss was seated next to us cooking the books and admonished the staff for leaving us unattended - they had forgotten our rice and left our tea untopped-up. But by then it was too late. The service had been unsatisfactory and we left the newly brought over rice completely untouched.
Back at the hostel, a minibus took us to the opera along with a Californian called Claire. She said she was actually British and I internally groaned and thought 'oh here we go, the typical 'oh wow, you're British? I'm an English American - my step-great-grandfather-once-removed lived next door to someone who was once married to a British guy!' but this one was genuine! She lived in Battersea until she was nine years old, then moved to California. Nice girl but she was leaving the very next morning. Another one that was teaching in Shanghai, I think they're breeding.
The opera was more like a cabaret than an opera with various performances such as puppetry, shadow-hands, a famous comedy sketch which I believe is called the Rolling Oil Lamp, plus an incredible performance on the erhu, Nolan's instrument of choice, by some expert or other. The Sichuan Opera is different from the Beijing Opera, and is famous for its Changing Faces and fire-breathing. When we eventually got to that, it was breath-taking! Especially as the puppetry expert also got her puppet to change faces and breath fire! How?!?! Just... how?! They wear masks and change the mask so quickly that you can't see it being done. We checked the internet to see how it's done, but it's actually a classified national secret and a guy that let slip was immediately silenced and got into Big Trouble so we still don't know. Liam's theory is that they pull it up from the chin strap, but who knows really. Surely letting out something that simple couldn't carry a charge of treason? It was a nice end to the day. Then to bed - sightseeing tomorrow!
The sleeping Buddha - you can see the head in the top left-hand corner, and the legs just about fit in the photo on the right.
A very Thai Buddha at the Oriental Buddha Museum.
Mmm fruit kebab - food of the Gods!
1 comment:
Opera sounds like fun! ALL food should come served on sticks. I'll test you on Buddhas when you get back :P
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