China Day 6

Although I was prepared for rain as all the guide books said we would be in Chengdu during the rainy season, today was the first day of rain.  The Opening Ceremony of the International Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage was held outside at the Intangible Cultural Heritage Park.  Our six buses pulled up to cheering crowds (most likely cheering for the high government officials getting off the first bus).  I was pleased to find that the organizers of the event had supplied all with plastic rain jackets and umbrellas.

After all the introduction speeches, about thirty six troupes coming from far away countries and different parts of China performed.  The costumes were as elaborated as one might see at any olympic opening ceremony.  Despite the rain, the performers were spectacular.  What I experienced was anything but intangible.


Short news clip of the performers


The group dried off and warmed up at the Chengdu California Garden Hotel where we ate lunch.  A dinning room meant to look old world, full of the typical round tables but this time a buffet.  Three masseuses gave very unique head massages during lunch but unfortunately never made it to our table before we had to leave.  China is famous for massage and Chengdu is particularly famous within China.  I had a particular interest in learning all I could about message for a client of Oei Design (more about my findings later).  

The last tour scheduled for the Sister Cities was the Jinsha Museum,  built over the ruins of the ancient Shu culture.  The museum exhibited the archeological findings under a "glass" floor.  The Chinese know so much about their history as there are extensive written records.

With the Sister Cities program coming to an end I made a point of reserving this evening to meet the family that hosted my  daughter, Isabella, a year ago when she traveled to Chengdu as an exchange student.  "Fish" and her parents rendezvoused with Kisha (my translator) and me at the hotel and took us to dinner.   It was like meeting old family.  We had much to talk about .  How their daughter and my daughter's lives have intersected and their continued communication.  We talked about how their meeting opened both of their worlds to thoughts and possibilities never before imagined by these two teenagers.  The preciousness of life was thoughtfully discussed.  They asked about my husband and my decision to let Isabella travel so far away from home.  "Fish" being their only child, and the devastation and loss of so many loved ones  to the earthquake being so fresh in their memory, they said they would be reluctant to send her abroad at this time.  I personally hope that one day our two daughters can meet again.  There was a heartfelt goodbye when the evening came to an end.

Thousands of beautiful images of Chengdu