Right before we had our last dinner in Chengdu we detoured to the visit biggest building in the world. I have read about it online on social sites and found out that this monstrously huge building was just opened end of June.
And here I am, right here in Chengdu. Of all the shrines, temples and gardens that were slotted into our itinerary, how come the New Century Global Centre isn’t, I asked my guide.
On our 3rd day in Chengdu and after 5-6 Sichuan meals, we were all ready for a change of cuisine. In fact most of us were already craving for our familiar western fare.
It so happened that we were scheduled to visit Happy Valley, a theme park in Chengdu where we are expected to watch the dinner show “Paradise Ethos Chinese Cultural Show” that evening. At this theme park, there are shopping options as well as international food chains. And the first 2 that we saw as we walked from the entrance was Mcdonalds and KFC. 😀
Visiting pandas in Chengdu is a must. If you haven’t seen the pandas, then you haven’t been to Chengdu. Or so it seems that way. “Panda tourism” is big business in China. Each year hundreds of thousands of people (both local and foreign) visit the country’s world famous centre in Chengdu. a city about 2,000km southwest of Beijing.
Salt must be a precious commodity in the Sichuan province. It’s so surprisingly to see vibrant, vivid colours of the food served and finding out that it tasted absolutely different from its appearance.
Frankly for the average wage-earners Malaysians everything in Japan or Korea is expensive. That lies true for food, produce, products and transportation as well as accommodation.
While I agree that Korean fashion can be rather trendy (ahem, taste is subjective) & chic and not just frills and lace (though there were plenty of that as well), it was by no means cheap or affordable.
Like every traveler I learnt and discover about its ingrained culture in every country that I set foot upon. Korea is no different. While Seoul the ever popular tourist destination gets the limelight with its grand palaces and iconic shopping districts, Busan the 2nd largest city in Korea has its own charms and notable landmarks.
Since it was a media familiarisation trip, we had to cover some touristy destinations but it was easy to see why they are an attraction.
First is the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple right at the cliffs of beach. Half of its charm and mystic lies in its location, a serene and scholarly temple perched on top of jutting rocks facing the merciless strong waves.
Today I’m feeling pensive as I sit here starting on another post of my experience of Busan, Korea. Today my countrymen turned out in full force and in high hopes of change and for a better country.
Change.
Just 2 weeks before I stood facing the Korea’s largest canola flower fields along the Nakdong River in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang.
“The blooming of the canola flowers signals the arrival of spring and a new season. A season of change“, says my Korean friend.
*Panorama shot of the rapeseed flower field.
One of Busan’s main attractions are its coastline and naturally, its abundance of seafood.
The main seafood market of Busan – Jagalchi was an eye-opener even for someone like me who has frequently visited wet markets in every state in Malaysia and in most countries that I have laid foot on.
