China: Giant Pandas and Giant Buddha

Today was the day we’ve all been waiting for (especially Erin) … PANDAS!!

We went to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding and saw both giant and red pandas.  The red pandas were definitely more active and playful.  The babies were super cute too.  We also learned about breeding at the reserve and general facts about pandas and their diets.  The most surprising fact is that pandas sometimes eat meat! We also watched a video on the breeding process. We learned a lot!

The red pandas were really cute and liked to be in the trees. The adult giant pandas mostly just sat and ate bamboo. The baby giant pandas were adorable. We all took a lot of pictures. This was defiantly one of the many highlights throughout the trip that we will remember for a long time! It didn’t even feel like we spent hours there!

In addition to seeing the pandas in Chengdu, we also went to Le Shan. After driving three hours, we finally arrived in Le Shan, a small city, located in the Sichuan Province. Here, we visited the famous Giant Buddha. The Giant Buddha is exactly 500 meters tall, which, if you’re as short as I am, seems really tall. Climbing up and down the twisty paths was definitely worth the amazing view and group picture we got at the bottom. The Giant Buddha doesn’t only serve as a tourist attraction but is also a religious temple. As our group walked through the temple, we observed the way the locals practiced their traditions. Our visit to the Giant Buddha was both a fun and educational experience.
-Sabrina & Marirose
Jackie and Rebecca