Panda Day

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Flag of China  , Anhui Sheng,
Monday, August 1, 2011

This morning we  got an early start with check out and headed out to the panda park. The weather is a bit over cast and it looked like rain but it held off. We chose not to hold a panda. I couldn’t justify the price of $165 for a minute. I have to really watch my cash, Idid not figure the tips well and didn’t realize we would have so many guides. The wouldn’t take a credit card. Might have done it but we talked about it and in the end it didn’t bother her. We had been told a head by our friends in another group to get a map and venture out and not sit around waiting for everyone to have their pictures done. The park is beautiful and so peaceful. the bamboo is amazing. We got to really take our time a see many of the pandas and red pandas. We explored the lake where the black swans were and the fish. It was nice walking the paths just the two of us. The fish and fish food was a big hit. Teegan also got an ice cream pop. Later I heard some moms say their kids were more excited about feeding the fish then holding a panda
Entrance to Panda Park
Entrance to Panda Park
. I guess it amazed me that so many people in our group had never seen pandas. Visiting the  DC zoo often we see them almost once a year. The reserve is very well kept and since it’s was Monday here it was not very crowded. After that it was off to lunch. Todays was less spicy an more enjoyable. Teegan found things she liked.
After lunch we went to a local park. Again this was peaceful and a nice change of pace. Some how Teegan and I hooked up with Anna and Melissa, two of our young teens. I have to say over all we have a great bunch of kids. They, from what I’ve seen are one of the best behaved bunch. The big girls and very good with the little ones and we have one girl who is about 10 who has some special needs and the older girls have really included her and they are all “her friends”. Back to the park, I paid 30yuan, about $4.75 for us to take a boat out in the little lake. We were not the best paddlers but had a very good time. Teegan was a little nervous, are you surprised Paige? “Mom do you know how to swim?” she knows I do and the lake was about 3 feet. goodness she is a worrier. Then we found the ‘playground’ which means fair rides. For about $1.50 Teegan and Anna went on the little roller coaster. Ever since Sesame Place last summer she  will go on the little ones. They went around about 3 times. Then she went on the ride in the water (picture) what fun. They had it rigged up with balls in the water and they gave you a net and as you went around you scooped up as many balls as you could and put them in a basket
Walkways
Walkways
. She loved it. We found an area where locals were practicing Chinese yo-yo’s. 
It was time to say bye to Joe our Changdu guide and off to the airport. Grabbed some KFC and have to say it was good to have  a bit of fast food. Oh but on the way to lunch we had turned at IKEA, oh how I would have loved some meatballs. Can you believe it for the first time no delays, tok off on time and about to land in Guilin. Teegan slept whole flight, she needs it. Of course she was worried that if she fell asleep she wouldn’t be able to go to sleep tonight.Got to hotel at 11pm. We got up at 7:30. Have a shower but the water isn't as hot as other hotels, love those HOT shower. This hotel is a bit nicer then last two. Went to breakfast and they have a separate room for our group. We were the only ones in there, that was a bit weird, us and about7 employees. Finally a few more started to trickle in. We are not meeting till 9. As we  were sitting there one of the sterno cans exploded, a little excitement to start the day. We are in the south now, just like home hot, humid and mosquitoes. We will probably be more zapped at the end of the day. Starting with painting in the park today.
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