Another early start, another new city, this time we were heading 3hrs south to Chengdu, the home of the pandas.

Chengdu is the capital city of the Chinese province of Sichuan and has a population of over 21 million making it the fourth most populous city in the country.

Chengdu’s signature spicy cuisine is largely recognised as the best in China, so with that accolade we headed out for lunch to a nearby family restaurant for a Sichuan ‘hot pot’.

The food proved to be spicy, but our guide Kris suggested it was tourist level and just 1 out of 5 on the spice range!

Our two tables indulged in a range of vegetables and meats dipped in a chilly inspired sauce that glowed red and required a good amount of beers to help temper the heat.

After a very filling meal we went for a walking tour of the city to check out Tianfu Square.

Tianfu means abundance, referring to the rich land and good climate in the area.

It is the centre of Chengdu and one of the icons used in the modern growing city. North to the square is a 30-metre statue of Mao, the former head of Chinese Communist Party.

Next on our tour was People’s Park, arguably the most lively and noisy park we have witnessed in China, full of locals dancing, singing and doing tai chi.

We stopped to watch some older couples dancing in the park and the next thing Michelle was being invited to join in. Thankfully she took to it like a duck to water and was soon moving her way across the park..!!

As we ebbed our way through the park we came across a number of tea houses, as well as a few unusual Chinese characters and of course a panda or two.

The whole park was awash with eye- catching visual arts. As we left the area and made our way to Kuanzhai Alley, often referred to as the Epitome of Old Chengdu Life, we walked past street graffiti with the obligatory panda reference.

Kuanzhai Alley, also known as ‘Wide and Narrow Alley’, consists of three historic paralleled alleys from Qing dynasty. The ancient styled buildings create a stunning backdrop selling delicious Sichuan snacks & handicrafts making it one of the most attractive places in the city.

The three streets are the left over part of the buildings after the chaos of war in the Qing Dynasty.

Kuanzhai Alley attracts millions of tourists to the Qing style of quadrangle courtyard and houses some fashionable bars and various restaurants, making this place a combination of traditional Chinese culture and modern life.

Every corner in Kuan Alley shows the nostalgic past, providing the opportunity to choose a tea house to taste the famous covered-bowl tea or the world famous Sichuan cuisine in a restaurant to feel the old life of Chengdu.

Visitors and local young artists gather in Zhai Alley to spend time, taking photos or chatting and we saw plenty of artistic backdrops for people to enjoy.

As a group we opted for ice cream, having had our fill of hot pot and instead went for a panda inspired treat.

Having worked his way through the ice-cream, Andy passed the panda sweet to Michelle to finish off.

Tomorrow we are off to Chengdu Panda Base, also called Chengdu Research Base for Giant Panda Breeding, the world’s only museum that focuses entirely on the critically endangered giant pandas. Another day to remember.