A flight from Xi’an to Chengdu, a lively wander through Jinli Street, jasmine tea with massages and ear‑wax extractions, a fiery Sichuan dinner shared with generous locals, and an evening rounded off with an emergency beer run.
Chengdu.
Today, we left Xi’an after breakfast. A coach picked us up from the hotel and took us to the airport for our flight to Chengdu. As soon as we landed, we were whisked off for an early lunch before starting our city tour.
Jinli Street.
Jinli Street dates back more than 1,800 years to the Qin Dynasty and was once one of the busiest commercial areas of the Shu Kingdom.
When we visited, it was absolutely heaving with tourists and locals hunting for bargains. The buildings were beautifully ornate, with intricate decorations along the roofs. We passed small rooms where people were gambling and playing Mahjong, and food stalls selling everything from squid and duck to shrimp, dumplings, and what looked suspiciously like rats.
I particularly enjoyed the little art shops where local artists painted and sold their work right before your eyes.
Jasmine Tea, Massages, and Ear Wax Removal.
After Jinli Street, we drove to a city park where we visited a small pagoda and were served Jasmine tea. We sat outside under the trees, sheltered from a brief rain shower.
The tea was lovely, and it was nice to rest after all the travelling. Some members of the group took advantage of the “extra services” offered by locals in the park. Dave decided to have his ears waxed, a process involving syringing, heating, and removing the wax. Not something you’ll find on the menu at Starbucks in England. Liz followed suit.
Meanwhile, Mel, Tracy, and Cecilia all opted for massages. I’m not sure whether they were genuinely enjoying themselves or whether my commentary and the knowledge that I was taking photos made them laugh so much. Cecilia may even have nodded off. John also had a massage, though he went for a lower‑back version rather than the neck‑and‑shoulder treatment the girls chose.
Once everyone had finished their tea, massages, and earwax adventures, we boarded the coach and headed to our hotel.
Sichuan Dinner.
After checking in and resting, we were taken out for a Sichuan dinner. I loved the spicy food, though others weren’t quite as enthusiastic. I mentioned to our guide that I was surprised it wasn’t spicier, and he explained that tourists are usually given a toned‑down version.
He then went to speak to a large family group at another table. After a few minutes, the head of the family looked over at me, said something to our guide, and then sent over a plate of dishes for me to try. These were definitely spicier and much nicer. It felt a bit odd eating while being watched by an entire Chinese family, but I thanked them and explained that when I travel, I like to try what the locals eat, not the tourist version. They seemed genuinely pleased.
Chinese people are incredibly polite and hospitable. It’s a shame we don’t always treat visitors to Britain with the same warmth.
Emergency Beer Expedition
After dinner, Judith and I went on an emergency beer run. Back at the hotel, we discovered the bottles weren’t screw‑tops, but the bar staff happily opened them for us and even gave me a bottle opener to keep. After a few beers and a chat, we all headed to bed for an early night.
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