(English version from the text posted in Jun/2014)
The day dawned strangely silent as if a cloak had muffled the usual sounds of the city. Despite the characteristic almost permanent overcast sky covering Chengdu, this morning presents itself much worse with a kind of fog that in spite of the warm temperature stubbornly stays in the city erasing the top of the tallest buildings.
The city, with more than four million inhabitants, is not that confused or noisy. However, the fog that almost permanently covers the city is partly due to pollution coupled with the hot and humid climate of the city.
Most of the visitors that arrive in Chengdu has the Panda Research Center in the top of the list of things to do in this city, that doesn’t have much more to offer than commercial areas, shopping center and a wide range of delicious Chinese food.
I decided not to visit the Panda Center as I don’t appreciate to see the animals being used as entertainment… and as shopping is not my “thing”, I was left with the Chengdu food experience, guided by my Chinese friends with who I have been hitchhiking in the last five days!
Population: 4.100.000
Elevation: 500 m