Lots of Pandas!

I know I haven't written in a couple of days, but that's simply because of lousy wifi. Well, two days ago we went to see the giant pandas and got to be like the keepers. We got to clean out their enclosures, make food for them, and feed them. I learned that when you feed them, their caretakers make them put their paw onto a little shelf. I also learned that giant pandas need a ton of work but it's well worth it. On the second day, we got to go to the panda preserve where they had a three-day old baby panda and two three month olds. We got to see six red pandas too!

That night we went to the Chinese Opera with all sorts of entertainment that included shadow puppets! The shadow puppeteer could make his hands into birds, rabbits, and a whole bunch of other animals! He told stories that you could easily understand, even if you didn't speak Chinese. Next we saw seven masked people that when they turned around, their masks suddenly changed! It took a while for me to catch on how they did it. There in Chengdu, everyone loves spicy foods. They served us dumplings, and my tongue was set on fire and had to be extinguished by some water and sprite. But I still ate all my dumplings.

I was really sad after the show because I learned that we would be leaving early the next morning. Now we would be traveling alone, I had gotten used to going around in a big giant group. All my friends were as sad as I was, but maybe we'd get to visit each other after we all get home. My friend, Martina and I promised to keep in touch.

We got up really early this morning and ran to the airport (well, not really; my back would break if I ran too long with my luggage) and boarded a trip Guilin. Our plane was called Air China, earlier on our travels I had seen a plane called Air

Berlin. We visited Reed Flute Cave, Pearl Factory, and the Elephant Trunk Hill. The Reed Flute Cave is amazing, there was even a natural rock formation that looked exactly like a lion! At the Pearl Factory, Mom bought a pearl necklace and a matching bracelet and I bought an everyday necklace. Elephant Trunk Hill was just as peaceful as in the pictures with the bright green grass and the ancient pagoda. We also got to see a local fisherwoman with her cormorants. (they're a kind of bird that people use to fish, look it up)

I've seen so much in only three days and my big adventure's not over yet. I promise, I'll keep you updated!