China > A Long Walk Through Chengdu

Today we have the whole day in Chengdu. Tonight we have a flight to Shangri-La. I checked how to get to the Anshun Bridge, a special arch bridge over the Jinjiang River. From there, I want to walk back along the river. Some travel companions are coming along. To get to the bridge, we take the subway. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk to the nearest station. There is no ticket counter, but luckily we can use the machine in English. We need to travel five stops on line 3. We have to be careful to get on the subway going the right way. At Chunxi Road station, we get off. Here we follow signs to line 2. We ride one more stop to Dongmen Bridge station. When we come above ground again, we stand next to several skyscrapers. We follow the water, which leads to the Jinjiang River. Along the water, people are dancing or doing gymnastics. After about fifteen minutes, we arrive at the wider city river. Here I also see the Anshun Bridge. Marco Polo wrote about an earlier version of the Anshun Bridge already in the 13th century. In the 17th century, the wooden bridge had two layers. Due to flooding, the bridge was rebuilt several times in the 18th century. The last time, the bridge was destroyed by high water in 1981. The Chengdu city government decided in 2000 to build a replica of the original bridge. The Anshun Bridge was completed in 2003. The bridge is especially beautifully lit in the evening. Still, it’s worth seeing during daylight too. On the other side of the bridge, we follow the Jinjiang River.

China - The Anshun Bridge over the wide city river of Chengdu

Along the water runs a walking path. Various types of birds sit along the shore. The buildings on the opposite side reflect beautifully in the water. In a small bar, we order coffee. The girl serving us clearly enjoys serving European tourists. When we leave, she waves us off enthusiastically. The walk along the river is about five kilometers. Many people greet us. This does not seem to be an area often visited by tourists. Small children stare at us. Sometimes they timidly wave back. Around half past twelve, we arrive at the Wuhou Shrine park. Here, it is clearly more touristy. Shops overflow with panda plush toys. Next to the park lies Jinli Ancient Street, a street full of shops and food stalls. The atmosphere here is cozy. We buy some food at various stalls and sit at one of the tables. After lunch, we split up. I go to the mausoleum of Wuhou. This is a memorial for Liu Bei, the first emperor of the Shu kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280 AD). I enter the museum through a side entrance, so I only later see that large groups of Chinese tourists follow guides with flags through the main entrance. I had not expected such crowds at this mausoleum. Since I don’t have a map, I follow the signs. The mausoleum itself is a bit disappointing — more than a Buddha statue, there isn’t much. The Tomb of Hui, officially the burial mound of Liu Bei, is inside the Wuhou complex. It is the only preserved imperial tomb from the Three Kingdoms period. I make a round around the burial mound. The park where the mausoleum is located is also beautiful — the bonsai garden, the little bridges, and the blooming rhododendrons. I sit for a moment and watch the people passing by. Outside the park again, I stroll past the stalls. I try a stick with dough balls, which resembles Dutch oliebollen. By half past four, everyone is back at the hotel. It’s time to leave Chengdu. By bus, we drive just over an hour to Chengdu airport. Check-in goes reasonably fast. The carry-on baggage control afterwards goes less smoothly for some travel companions. The security for this domestic flight seems stricter than for an international flight. I order a chicken dish and wait for the flight. Around eight o’clock we board. At exactly 8:30, the planned departure time, the Chinese Eastern Airlines flight takes off for Shangri-La. The flight lasts just over an hour. At a quarter to ten in the evening, we land at Shangri-La airport. As soon as I get off the plane, I notice the temperature is over twenty degrees lower. I put on my sweater and jacket. Shangri-La is at 3,300 meters altitude, meaning I am now almost two thousand meters higher. The Shangri-La airport is small. The luggage quickly appears on the belt. The bus is already waiting in front of the terminal. We drive in the dark to the center of Shangri-La. The old walled city is car-free.

China - The historic city gate of Shangri-La

We get off at the city gate, which is beautifully lit. The luggage is loaded onto a small electric cart from the hotel. We have too much luggage and the driver has to make two trips. We walk to the hotel. As soon as I walk under the city gate, I find myself in nice old streets. In 2014, the town was heavily damaged by a city fire. Fortunately, it has been completely restored. The hotel has beautiful and spacious rooms. Everything looks new. There is even underfloor heating. It is now eleven o’clock. I go to bed.