More Pandas and Sichuanese Opera

Today is the big day, when the girls get to sit with a baby panda. We're off to the Dujiangyan Panda Research Center.

Where you can pay $100 or so for the privilege of scooping up panda poop and cleaning the panda enclosures. What a great racket. They actually make money on labor. LOL.

And then there's a group of us that will pay close to $300 for 20 seconds with a 2 year old panda. Man, this is an even better racket. Mrs. SFO777 at the head of the line.

And we're off for our 20 seconds with the baby panda.

Over in a flash is an understatement. But it was pretty cool nonetheless. Adjacent to the Panda Research Center is the Quincheng mountainside with a stunning park which eventually leads to the Quinyang Taoist Temple.

The Temple is located at the top of the mountain which can be accessed by cable car... but not until you walk up a long, long series of stairs. Personal porters are a big business here. Our guide Alex.

After initially resisting, Mrs. SFO777 decided to accept a ride.

OK, now we're much happier.

We're not even close yet. The cable car station is across the lake. You can walk around, or take the ferry.

At the top, more stairs...

With the actual temple another 30 minute (uphill) walk away, we all decided we'd seen enough and headed back down this beautiful spot.

An hour later we were back at the hotel and all pretty hungry. So we headed for The Temple Café for a late lunch. A simple "Bonjour, comment ça va?" toward Chef Jerome and we were BFFs, as he came to our table and prepared a wonderful spread.

And desserts.

OMG, what a fabulous lunch with two bottles of Chablis. After a nap, we headed out for our final night and the Sichuanese Opera.

Where visitors can dress up in period costume including full make-up. SFO777Jr and the future Mrs. SFO777Jr were great sports as they went for the glory.