Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

[mo_fire]

Well, the following was our favorite pocket of places in all of China... well, and Guilin, but that will be in the next installment.
I'll get started this morning with the streetscape of the area we stayed in which is the "old" city... lots of tea houses, and very culturally rich!
Here are some of the buildings on our street - Qintai Street

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

Our first "outing" was to a monestery originally called Xin Xiang Temple which dates back to the Sui Dynasty (605 - 617).. it was destroyed during the Ming Dynasty, but rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty by a Buddhist Monk named CIZhuo who carried out the spirit of the Wenshu Buddha. Thus it was renamed the Wenshu MonesteryIt is now a protected site, and the centre of Zen Buddhism practice in China. People make pilgramages from all over the world to pray and give thanks here... we were the only Western people there this day. It is very hard to find.

It houses many exiled Tibetan Monks, and Zen Buddhists where they teach their practices, and spread the though of peace and love.

We were there for about 4 hours, and said nothing... if you have a child, you would think - "no Way is my kid going to stay quiet for that long!" But I didn't even have to tell Likkle Mo... she felt it and respected it, and I actually followed her around in amazement as to how she just "fit in" there. She prayed, made offerings, and appeared to know exactly what to do and when... hopefully the pictures can show it better than I can write it...

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

More from the grounds...

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

... we are off to get ready for the first day of school - Grade 3!!! Later, we'll show you the Panda Breeding Research Center, Dafu's Cottage (the most famous Chinese Poet), The Big Sitting Buddha - Dafo in Leshan, and our trek to the Golden Summit at Mt. Emeishan!!

Have a great day folks!!

[Laurel]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

ever so lovely ...

I can not wait to see the Panda's!!!

They were one of the best highlights during the olympics for me ~

Happy First Day of 3rd Grade Girlie ~

[BND1999]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

happy first day of school...

i am going to share these reports with my chinese sister.... well not really my sister.. but someone my dad brought over here 19 years ago from shanghai.. she has since gotten an MBA,CPA... works at a big firm.. bought a condo... has travelled all over the world.. and has become a US citizen... she is actually going home in three weeks as she does twice a year.... she is indeed like family.. is there for everything.. and it will be of great interest for her to see someone elses view of visiting her country

[Sugar Shug]

Re: Mo & Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mo_fire</div><div class="ubbcode-body">




</div></div>

I love this pic. Happy first day of school!

Peace and Blessings

[Diplomat]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

Multiple threads, huh? Well, I'm here and tagging along. Loved Part 1 and still can't believe you took this incredible journey with just Likkle Mo, and not speaking a word of Chinese/Mandarin or whatever else Wonderful pics, and thanks for the narratives. I'm so looking forward to the rest

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

Tonks for having a look CEW - part 2 was much different than Beijing, so I decided to not take up too much space on the last thread!! Enjoy some more!!

Sugar Shug.. the next couple are for you... reminds me of some from your Panama adventure with little Miss - have a look!!

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

For Sugar Shug... Just like Her little Miss... My Likkle Mo always finds new pets everywhere we go!!

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

Dufu's Cottage (China's most famous and celebrated poet)... quite a lot more than a cottage actually. After his death, they made a lovely park and large grounds to celebrate where he wrote most of his poetry (which was the little cottage). The large pagoda is actually a mausoleum housing him and all of his family.

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

I was a little disapointed with the Panda Research &amp; Breeding Center... quite a few of the babies and adults were sent to the Beijing Zoo (which I did NOT want to see a Panda at), and Ocean Park in Hong Kong after the earthquakes to keep them safe. There were mostly just the toddlers (age 2-5 yrs) which were great, but we didn't want to get too close still! I took way better video (with zoom) than photos, but here's a few anyway... it was great to see that there is a place that is dedicated to making sure the Giant Pandas don't become extinct!

[Laurel2]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

bless her little heart!! such a beauty - and her lovely spirit is just awesome!!

Love the pets! the panda's are spectacular!!

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

After a couple of days in Chengdu, we headed west by bus toward Mt. Emeishan which was my big &quot;want&quot; for this trip - to make it to the Golden Summit... en route, we stopped for a couple of hours in Leshan to see the &quot;Big Buddha&quot; which is also something I have wanted to see. We didn't climb up and over it, rather, we took a boat into the river and viewed it from that vantage point instead... plus, we were saving our legs for a 2 day hike up and down a mountain!!
It's hard to take a great picture because it is SOOOO big! (30 storeys tall and took some buddhist monks 90 years to carve out of the mountain)

[mo_fire]

Re: Mo &amp; Likkle Mo - Pt 2 - Chengdu/Leshan/Mt. Emeishan - China

I won't say too much about our trek up Mt. Emeishan, I'll let the photos speak for the beauty, but i cannot put words to my emotions on this trek with Likkle Mo. It was very personal, and very moving. The mountain has a lot of spiritual history (you can google it I am sure). It is 4000 meters (26 miles) above sea level... We got some fresh cut bamboo poles to use, and walked most of it, at one point though there was a cable car available for a 4 mile REALLY steep climb, so we took that. When we came down we walked the whole way, and believe it or not, it was hardwe on our bodies than going up!! Neither of us walked well for two days after this 2 day journey! But it was worth every painful step!!

The following is vistas, monesterys and likkle tea or &quot;bush&quot; stops. A lot of peiple need special mixtures to deal with the altitude, aches and pains, headaches from pressure changes, etc. Likkle Mo &amp; I just drank a lot of water and kept chugging along! I am so proud of us!!

Base of Mt. Emei


On our way up







Nothing like a little prayer and offering along the way...







The Golden Summit is in sight....