An overdue update
Dear friends,
It’s been 7 months since arriving Chengdu, and I feel like with so much stimulus hitting me daily time seems to speed up. I sometimes lose track of what I’ve done but here’s an update of life in Chengdu.
Chengdu Food
Chengdu is a UNESCO city of gastronomy. I’m still exploring (there is only so much one stomach can consume). Some highlights:
There are some great halal places in Chengdu (perhaps with its proximity to Xinjiang)
You can enjoy an all you can eat free-flow brunch at one of Chengdu's five-star hotels for only 80 bucks.
There's plenty of good beers. China's craft beer scene has gone on steroids and seems like any bar that sells a beer that is somewhat limited in quantity has turned into a "craft brewery". Two local breweries I really like: Wild West Brewing and Nanmen Brewhouse.
I think I mentioned it before, but I will mention it again. There is good coffee in Chengdu (thank gawd). Apart from Manner Coffee, where you can still pay $3.50 for a small double shot coffee, good coffees are on average $6.
I have found two excellent skewer (串儿) joints. I also admit I have ordered lamb skewers direct to our apartment because I got peckish after enjoying some delicious Victorian wine.
Chengdu is known for its Fly Restaurants (苍蝇馆), and I recently went to a 20 year no name noodle place that sits in an old converted car garage ($2 for a bowl of noodle). There’s hundreds of these places around, known by the local community. Migrant Meals - come visit Chengdu.
Within a 15 minute walk from our apartment I also have found an excellent :
(Michelin) vegetarian place which changes its menus according to the Chinese lunar calendar (solar term)
Peking duck place with half price duck every Monday
Italian place run by an Italian expat from Verona. We now have guaranteed good pasta.
Japanese restaurant where a pint of Asahi is only $4
I am also slowly accumulating Chengdu street food vendors. I have on WeChat the local fried noodle/rice lady. I recently added the wonton and noodle soup man and found an excellent Xinjiang naan and bao guy.
Bottom line - not a lot of cooking is done in the Chengdu household 😅
Travelling in Sichuan
I haven’t had a chance to do too much exploring, but have managed to get out of Chengdu to visit:
Qingcheng Mountain - about 70km Northwest of Chengdu and considered the home of Taoism.
Mianyang - about 110km Northeast of Chengdu, is the second biggest city in Sichuan and is known for their Shengshui and Luohan Buddhist Temple (1300 years old)
Chongqing - an incredible city on its own. Traditionally it's been a major inland trading port, and with around 35million people living in the region, it remains a huge economic powerhouse. In 1997 it separated from being governed under Sichuan and became a provincial-level municipality. The city is one of the most unique geographically. It's literally built between the mountains and the Yangtze.
Mounigou Valley - about 400kms from Chengdu, we're getting into West Sichuan territory. High elevation (~3000m above sea level), Mounigou is also home to the Tibetan, Qiang and Hui ethnic groups. (**West Sichuan was INCREDIBLE and I will write a separate note about it)
Chengdu hip-hop
“Unlike other Chinese dialects, which make heavy use of flat tones that can give the musical impression of monotony, the Sichuanese dialect is rich with rising and falling tones. The tone for one character can polar opposites when spoken in standard Mandarin or Sichuanese” - Maekan
I had listened to some Sichuan rappers on a Chinese variety show a few years back, and was keen to check it out. Funnily, one of my Zumba instructors is a big hip hop fan, and in the past 6 months of doing his classes have acquired a repository of Sichuan hip-hop songs.
So I went on my own to bounce with a bunch of 20 year olds to artists Ty and KKCHEO. Live gigs, at least in Chengdu, seem to have turned very PG. There is no bar, no support act and performances finish strictly at 10pm (also when China's shopping centers close). I am still on the hunt for Chengdu's underground hip hop scene. Watch this space.
Chengdu Marathon
I ran the Chengdu (half) Marathon!
After my high finishing the Sydney Marathon two years ago, I forgot that I don't actually enjoy running as much as needing to always beat my PB (blame the Asian upbringing). Thankfully, the Chengdu greenway is amazing to run along - it’s about a 300km loop that stretches all around Chengdu. I started doing these 15km evening runs from our apartment down south. People are cycling, walking their dogs, making phone calls, playing the saxophone, fishing. Even after 10pm, you see 5-year-olds still out with their grandparents. It's a city that doesn't sleep.
I also want to thank my 65-year-old mother who whilst visiting me in Chengdu got on a share biked and rode 15kms with me (twice).
Other random things
I have been doing a lot of Zumba (now that I stopped teaching). The most bizarre place I did a Zumba class has been at a BMW Showroom this weekend.
After my last traumatic experience, I found a delicious craft mung bean beer.
I finally went to see the pandas (twice). They remain cute. Not when they make horse like sounds.
I met some KOL cats recently. Something like 1 million followers on social media.
I went to my first Chinese standup comedy and am pleased that my Chinese is good enough to get jokes now (whoop)
I started a Chengdu Aussie Pickleball Team.
I have only attached one photo in this email, which is me speaking to our companies and guests in Shanghai at our flagship networking event during the China International Import Expo (the largest trade show in the world). The job is intense, and there are challenges I face every day. I can't say that any job is perfect, but this one is pretty close. To be able to represent the State that I am from is something I am very proud of.
Until next time, please drop me a line. I would love to know what you've been up to.
Lucy
x
