Chinese National Day is a similar holiday to Independence Day in America, except it lasts for a week. During this time, most Chinese visit family and friends. I took this time to travel to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. The city is famous for having the spiciest cuisine in China and the largest population of panda's in the world. Like Xi'an, Chengdu traces its roots back to the silk road and remains an important city in western China. However, the city is larger and feels more modern than Xi'an.
After arriving in Chengdu I headed to Tianfu Square at the very center of the city. It was crowded with people celebrating the holiday, but not nearly as crowded as some other places I visited.
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| Floral arrangement commemorating National Day |
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| Happy Birthday P R China |
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| Mao stands between Tianfu Square and the Sichuan Science Museum. Ironic? |
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| Canada? |
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| Tianfu Square |
A block from Tianfu Square is Renmin Gongyuan (People's Park). The people of Chengdu are known in China for being easygoing, and Renmin Gongyuan is where they go to relax. Popular park activities are tea-drinking, ear-cleaning, paddle-boating, kite-flying, and taichi.
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| Renmin Park is well defended by statues |
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| The Monument to the Martyrs of the Railway Protection Movement of 1911. It memorializes an uprising of the people against corrupt officers who pocketed cash intended for railway construction. |
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| I'll have an oolong tea please |
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| Chrysanthemum tea |
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