-PAGE5-Kuanzhaixiangzi(寬窄巷子).Veryniceplacewithlotsof(expensive)teahouses,restaurantsandlocalsnacks.Greatforrelaxing.StreetsdatefromlateQing-dynastystylebutarerebuiltrecently.FreegovernmentWi-Fiinthisplace.TianfuSquare(天府廣場)(InthecenterofChengdu).Thissquare,overlookedbyanenormousChairmanMaostatueinthecenterofthecity,hasbeensprucedup.Everyeveningatdusk,aswellasatnoontime,anelaboratewatershow,synchronizedtomusic,burstsoutfromthesquare'sfountains.BelowthesquareisthehubofChengdu'ssubwaysystem.People'sPark(人民公園)(ItlocatedinthewestofTianfuSquarewhichhastwoblocksbetweenthem,15minswalkingdistance.).ThisparkisaimportantentertainmentplaceforChengducitizen.Everyday,especiallytheholidays,therearemanylocalpeopleinit,thatmeanstouristcanfindtherealleisurelifeofChineseoldpeople.Theyaresinginganddancinginseparategroups.Ifyoufollowthesound,youcanfindthem.Somepracticecalligraphywithwaterontheflooraroundamonumentinthenorth-westerncornerofthispark.Someparentstaketheirunmarriedchildren'sinformationheretofindpotentialcandidates.Therearemanyteahouseshere,wherelocalpeopledrinkteaandplaymajong.Theaveragepriceofonecupofteais￥10.TherealsoisaSichuansnackrestaurant,Zhong'sDumpling(鐘水餃).Besidesdumplings,youcanfindalmostallfamousSichuansnacksinit,atfairprices.Thisparkhasnoentryfee.SichuanScienceandTechnologyMuseum(四川科技館)(TakeataxiorbustoTianfuSqandwalktothelargebuildingdirectlybehindtheChairmanMaostatue).Thishugefour-storeymuseumisfilledwithinteractiveexhibitsaboutscience,aerodynamics,space,mathematics,roboticsandphysics.Childrenwilllovetheinteractivedisplaysandindoorplaygroundonthe4thfloor.AdultswillappreciatethedescriptionsinbothEnglishandChinese.Everyonewilllovethecrowd-pleasersliketheroboticorchestraandwalk-throughmapsofSichuan'swaterways.Duringweekdaysthismuseumcaneitherbeoverrunbylocalschoolgroupsorbesodesertedit'salmostcreepy.ClosedonMondays.Overall,quitegoodvalueformoney,especiallyonarainyday.￥30,freeforchildren.ChengduZoo(成都動(dòng)物園)(InthenorthofthecitynearthePandaResearchBase).Offersallthetypicalanimalsthatonemightexpectinazoo(elephant,tigers,giraffes,monkeys,aswellaspandabears).Whilethezooitselfislargeandspreadout,someofthecagesarewoefullysmallandthefacilityseemsunderstaffed.Mightbegoodforafamilytovisit.ThezoohasvendorssellingChinesesnacksaswellassomecarnivaltyperides.￥12.SichuanUniversityMuseum(四川大學(xué)博物館;SichuanDaxueBowuguan),

WangjiangRd(望江路)(Abouta15minridefromXinnanmenbusstationora40minutewalk),

?+8602885412313.9AM-5PM.Excellentdisplayoflocalartifactsandisworthwhilewayofspendinganhourortwo.ThemuseumisoneofthebetterinChinaandtherearefourfloorsofwelllite,airconditioneddisplayswithdecentEnglishtranslations.Startinginthebasement,enterthefirstroomwheredozensofstonecarvingsdatingfromtheHandynastytotheTangareondisplay.Theroomnextdoorhasamoderatelyinterestingdisplayonthemuseum'shistoryandnumerousexamplesofancientbronzesandstoneageartifacts.ThefirstfloorismostlyartifactsfromtheMingandQingdynasty,includingfurniture,silkclothing,andaninterestingdisplayofleatherpuppets.Thesecondfloorhastheperhapsthemostengagingdisplay:artifactsanddailyuseitemsfromethnicminoritygroupsinChina'ssouthwest,includingTibetans,Miao,Yi,Qiang,JianpoandNaxi.Thethirdfloorhasadecentdisplayofcalligraphyscrolls,paintings,andceramics.Themuseumiscurrentlyclosedafterthecitychangedthelocationofseveraluniversities.Plansarependingforanewmuseumtobebuilt.￥30(students￥10).SichuanOpera(四川歌劇院).Mostguesthousesandtravelagenciesoffertoarrangevisitstothesetraditionalshows.Itismorelikeaburlesquecabaretthananactualopera,sometimesincludingmagicians,traditionalmusicians,shadowplays,comedy(spokeninChinesethough),anddancersbesidesthetraditionalpieces.Ofcoursethemostfamousisneveromitted:quickface-changingandfirespittingperformedbydancerscladincolourfultraditionalcostumes.Youwillfollowthestorysittingatyourtable,sippingonyourconstantlyrefilledteacupandnibblingsomesaltedsnacks.Notethattherearemanyteahousesinthecitythatoffertheshoweverynight.TrythelocalfavoriteatShuFengYaYun(蜀風(fēng)雅韻)teahouselocatedinChengduCulturePark(文化公園)onQintaiRoad(itisbesideQingyangTemple).Youwillbeseatedonacoveredopenground(cooledbyfan;noA/C),whichisactuallythecenterofthetraditionalteahousebuilding.Youmighthavetobookinadvanceorjustasktheconciergeofyourhoteltobookitforyou.￥150backrows;￥220frontrows.WuhouciTemple(武侯祠)(nearJinlistreet,south-westofTianfusquare).ThistempleisbuiltforcommemoratingZhugeLiang(諸葛hottestofauthenticIndianorThaifood,thelevelofspicinessinSichuanfoodshouldbenoproblematall.However,SichuanfoodalsomakesheavyuseofSichuanpepper(花椒;huājiāo),whichlookslikebutisnotatruepeppercorn,andcausesyourmouthtobecomesomewhatnumb.Sichuanpepperisaddedinmostspicydishes.IfyoucaneatspicyfoodbutdonotlikeSichuanpepper,youneedtoorderso(不要花椒;búyàohuājiāo).However,Sichuanpepper(inadditiontocausingnumbing)hasanimportantcitrusytastethatitaddstofoodsandauthenticSichuantastesbankontheplaybetweentheflavoursofbothSichuanpepperandchilipeppers,anditisstronglyrecommendyouatleasttrytheauthenticversionswiththeSichuanpepperbeforedecidingforyourself.ThespiciestfoodinChengduishotpot(alsocalledsteampotorsteamboat),althoughthetraditionoriginatedinChongqing,soitisnotreallyChengdufood.Sichuanhotpotsarebasicallyabigpotofsoupandspicessimmeringinaholeinthemiddleofyourtable.Patronschoosefromalargeselectionofmeats,vegetablesandotheradd-ins.Mostpopularinclude:lamb,mushrooms,beef,tofu,quaileggs,potatoesandvariousothers(pork,greenvegetables,fishballs,carrots,andevenpig'sbrain!)Youcanchoosespicypotornonspicypot.Withspicyhotpots,unlikeeasternhotpots,thesoupisNOTfordrinking;instead,fishoutyourcookeditemswithchopsticks(donotfishtheliquidoutwithaspoon,itistoospicyevenforlocalstodrink;thefishedoutvegetableswillbespicyenough),diptheminthesmallbowlofoilprovidedtoeachperson,andenjoy.Youmayalsofindthelocalfoodtoooilyortoosaltyforyourtaste,andmaywanttoadviseyourserveraccordingly.Therearealsoalotofweirdlocalsnacktypeoffood,suchasspicydragonprawns(looklikeverysmallcrayfish;麻辣龍蝦),spicysnails(香辣田螺),Chongqingduckneck(九九鴨脖子),Bangbangchicken(棒棒雞),spicyrabbitmeat(二姐兔丁).Theseonesaresodeliciousandyoumusttrythem.Butyouneedtoaskalocaltotakeyoutotherightplace.Quiteoftenyouwillfindthatthesmallrestaurantsandshopsofferthemostdeliciousandcheapestfood.Ifyouwanttofindevencheaperfoodoptions,streetvendo