Tourists, Languages, (Lack Of) Seatbelts, and Humidity

We've had a very full, touristy-but-rewarding Saturday!

Morning: "We Take Care of Our Own"
The morning started with a very typical driving excursion: The ASU and UDub students were going along as well (people who live in the same building but from different programs/in a more advanced language class); they piled into a coach bus while our ten trusty group members got into our usual van.

However, as we approached the West Gate, the bus stopped and we suddenly turned around. Turns out either ASU (Arizona) or UW (Washington) left without one of their members, but since the van was easier to maneuver, we were the ones who got sent back. Our bus driver somehow got lost and took us in a big circle back to the dorm; we scoffed at how we would never leave one of our own. He also got lost on the way back - he went out the South Gate, turned around, came back in, and meandered back to the West Gate. Heh. Oh - there surprisingly were a few functioning seatbelts in the van, however. (I have yet to wear a seatbelt in this country...I was convinced they didn't exist!)

We arrived at a rather ugly building (below) for a "tea art show," which no one was very excited for due in part to the "early" departure. We'd been slated to leave at 9am, but hadn't really left campus until after 10, of course. However, it was fantastic. We were first treated to a beautiful dance performance, and then separated into groups to be served several kinds of tea in a traditional ceremony. It was an absolutely fantastic way to start the day:

You would never know a beautiful tea house was inside.

Apologies for the backlit nature of this photo - our attendant was gorgeous!

We were continuously served a few sips of different teas at a time.

While my camera is terrible (and I am not the greatest photographer, anyway), I did manage to get a video of both the first and second dance. Below (in simply awful quality, and from the side) is the first dance, gracefully performed with very long-spouted tea kettles:

It may be difficult to see, but they are pouring (tea? plain water?) from their kettles into the various cups on the table with surprising accuracy! The second performance included all of the girls and was set to a faster song. They were both beautiful. I wish I could've gotten a better quality video!

We then headed to the Chengdu Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum:

An embroidered screen

If I had $2750USD... This would have come home with me. That "painting" is entirely embroidered.

One of the crazy looms!

And, finally, our group went to a lunch paid for by AsiaLearn (so, by our program fees, ha) at a beautiful Tibetan bar/restaurant. Both the ambiance and the food were incredible! I have never liked vegetables as much as I liked both the garlic broccoli and (spinach?); I also had my first several watermelon slices of the season. (Now it truly is summer!)

Blurry, but hopefully gives you a feel for the atmosphere

We were seated on couches!

Afternoon: "It'd be great if it weren't for the crowds..." (or, "Is the humidity at death-inducing levels, or is it just summer in Chengdu?")

After lunch, we traveled to Wuhou "Temple." It was beautiful, but incredibly crowded, and the hordes of Chinese people do not seem to be very aware when people are trying to make their way through them -- interesting, considering their incredible traffic-navigating skills. (Good thing I'm good at weaving through crowds and saying "Dui bu qi"!) I was also approached by 3 Chinese men who wanted to take a picture with me while I was wandering by myself. I did not expect them to put their arms around my shoulders, but I probably should have. (Unfortunately, I do not have that particular picture for you.)

It was practically in a forest! I also had to work really hard to keep people out of the pictures.

This is for all you Year of the Roosters out there. :P

I was taking this picture when I was approached by those guys

That's a lot of incense!

After an hour or so, we then went to "Dufu Thatched Cottage," the home (estate?) of the famous Chinese poet. By this point I was rather exhausted, although it was lovely. The humidity was also well beyond tolerable levels - it actually hasn't been too bad on this trip so far, but it made up for that today. Let's just say I didn't know what true humidity was until today.

At the end of the hour or so we spent wandering in the jungle - er, estate - we came upon a goldfish/coi(?) pond which was absolutely full of swarming fish. I rather snarkily remarked that the fish swam like the Chinese drive - on top of each other in huge crowds, all going in a different direction. (Hey, I get less politically correct at the end of a long, hot day, alright?) But no, they really do. >_> We saw fish literally jumping out of the water and landing on top of each other, trying to get the falling bread crumbs.

There were at least two more clusters of fish like this throughout the pond!

And that brings us up to now - waiting in the wonderfully air conditioned (yet still rather sticky) dorm for our Chinese pizza order to be delivered. Last night we went to "English Corner" after dinner - a gathering of Chinese students of all ages who want to practice English by the flags near the South Gate. I made friends with a nice girl, was intimidated by highly politically intense 12 year olds, was made uncomfortable by the questionable advances of a few Chinese guys, and was complimented on my Chinese pronunciation. :)

I also bought an erhu!! :D I am a little concerned both about how terrible my first attempts will be to play it (I haven't had the chance to try it out yet) as well as the instrument's quality... prices ranged from 220RMB to over 2000. Alex and I bought the two that were available for 220; we got a deal for buying them together, so it was 180 apiece . . . also known as just under $28, baby. (I think they retail for a grand or more in the States.) I am totally looking forward to playing it (maybe I can learn the song from the Tea Ceremony video that I currently have stuck in my head!). The only problem is, it will not fit in my suitcase. I have to decide if I want to ship it home (and how to properly package it...) or figure out a new carryon situation. Suggestions welcome!

Tonight we met a guy from the States who's been living here for a few years. He actually graduated from UMN-TC in 2009, just as I was finishing my freshman year - we both think the other looks familiar, but I don't think we've met. He had some pretty great/crazy/awful stories about his experiences here so far (he hasn't been home since February 2010!). He says he wakes up every morning going "...Why am I still here?!" :P I can sympathize. I'm really starting to enjoy it here, but spending years here sounds awfully daunting.

Oh, and per popular request, here is a picture of me at Wuhou:

Next time I'll do the Asian peace sign.

Tomorrow we are leaving at 7am sharp to go to Qingcheng Shan, the mountain where Taoism is said to have started. It also inspired the scenery for Kung Fu Panda!! I can't wait. :D