My family, god love them, does not have a car. Other PC families have cars, so I did my best of mooching rides to any cultural destinations they might experience. My efforts paid off for I finally got to see the pandas. Chengdu has a world renowned facility to breed and raise pandas. Currently they have 40 at site - about 6 a year old, and 4-5 from 1 week old to 3 months old.
I was prepared. I brought all my money in order to hold one of the babies. This was something I needed to do in order to hit all my 5 essentials in my life (adventure, learning, making a difference, kids and animals). My friend Mike's family took us and paid for us. Extremely out of left field and completely appreciated.
We had a private tour - a lovely lady who took us around the grounds. When we got to the nursery I was googooing the babies and then someone whisked us off to put on scrubs. They sat us on a chair and gave us Xiao Wangzi - "Little Prince" - he was one of the smallest pandas ever to be born there (only 49 grams!), but now as a year old little tyke he is of normal height and weight. They placed him in our laps and gave him a honey dipped eucalyptus branch to gnaw on. God it felt good to hold him. I just cooed in his ear and watched him with awe. I wanted to reach out and grab his ear and nibble on it and roll around with him. Only two months away from animal love and I was feeling the DTs. I only got to hold him for about a minute or two but it was worth every second. I was skipping and singing the entire day. We took Mike's dad out for rice noodles and a small token of our appreciation.
It was really hot, so the pandas hung out inside, but I plan on coming back in the winter and seeing them again, and perhaps another snuggle with my xiao wangzi.
-- Be good, Katie
I was prepared. I brought all my money in order to hold one of the babies. This was something I needed to do in order to hit all my 5 essentials in my life (adventure, learning, making a difference, kids and animals). My friend Mike's family took us and paid for us. Extremely out of left field and completely appreciated.
We had a private tour - a lovely lady who took us around the grounds. When we got to the nursery I was googooing the babies and then someone whisked us off to put on scrubs. They sat us on a chair and gave us Xiao Wangzi - "Little Prince" - he was one of the smallest pandas ever to be born there (only 49 grams!), but now as a year old little tyke he is of normal height and weight. They placed him in our laps and gave him a honey dipped eucalyptus branch to gnaw on. God it felt good to hold him. I just cooed in his ear and watched him with awe. I wanted to reach out and grab his ear and nibble on it and roll around with him. Only two months away from animal love and I was feeling the DTs. I only got to hold him for about a minute or two but it was worth every second. I was skipping and singing the entire day. We took Mike's dad out for rice noodles and a small token of our appreciation.
It was really hot, so the pandas hung out inside, but I plan on coming back in the winter and seeing them again, and perhaps another snuggle with my xiao wangzi.
-- Be good, Katie
