Pandas and Pandemonium

Well that was a fun day, if ever there was one.  After a Chinese buffet breakfast, we drove through downtown Chengdu to reach the Panda Centre.  There was a definite look and feel about this part of town.  The dwellings looked poorer and there was much less traffic.  Leo explained that the migrants could not afford them.  When I asked which country the migrants came from, he smiled and said they were peasants from the country.  Poor people trying to find work.  They did the work that others wouldn't take on.  It seems inequality is everywhere in the world.

Several coach loads of cute kids (so-called at this point) and silver surfersust have been up with the lark.  They were already well ahead of us in the queues.  We joined the trail, watching the Giant Pandas chewing their bamboo or scratching their body parts.  They lived in a clean environment with no nasty smells.  They all seemed content with life.

As we waited in line to see the baby pandas in incubators, one lady was not content.  She tried to jump ahead.  An official spotted her and told her firmly to move.  I think that is what he said.  He might just have insulted her.  Well, what a to do there was.  Shouts and arm waving.  I clung on to hubby.  Another official arrived and she was removed from  the area.  We stayed in place after that episode.

The cute babies were just a few weeks old.  Sa was born on my sister's birthday.  She is cute too.  They are only on show for a short period and then returned either to their mum or their carer.  I just wanted to give them a cuddle.  I could have but thought the £200 for thirty seconds would be better spent on other things.  

There was a loop video about the mating and artificial insemination of Giant Pandas.  It had full viewing at every performance.  Apparently they are put into a deep sleep (can't spell anaesthetised) then the receive electric stimulus together with a hand massage.  Now what would you call that job?  Unpleasant, I say.

We were reaching the climax of the film, (I  said the film!), when the cute kids came in to watch.  What a racket!!!  Teachers tried to calm them down but they were so excited.  We gave up on the film and went to see the Red Pandas instead.

Over the past twenty four hours, Leo kept telling us not to waste film on the koi carp we saw in various pools.  We realised why when a path took us to an incredible sight.  Hundreds of them squirmed and wriggled in a frenzy to catch a tasty morsel.  Amongst this activity, black swans glided without a care in the world.

In the final display cabinet, I had a revelation.  iI am not a human being.  I am a Giant Panda. Why??  A caption stated 'in order to conserve energy, Giant Pandas eat a lot and only move as much as they have to'. What more can I say??