Starbucks Marathon

How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day? My friend Faye and I decided to treat ourselves to Starbucks while we were in Chengdu (Jan 2011) and since we counted 9 of them on the map we decided to try and go to all of them. Did we make our goal?? Count them and see!!

Cups One at 9am!!

Cups Two at 11:30am.

Cups Three at Noonish!!

Cups Four at 1pm!!

Cups Five at 2pm!

Cups Six not pictured because the Starbucks Store was closed.

Pictures of Chengdu!!

We, Faye and I, went to the Chuan Ju (Sichuan Opera) while we were in Chengdu.
It was a delight to almost all the senses. These first three pictures are from the traditional mask changing performance. Where the dancers had colorful masks on that would change at a moments notice.

These next four pictures are from the comic drama of the evening.

It was a physical comedy with lots of tripping, falling, face pulling, and acrobatic feats.

There was a storyline that had something to do with a husband who likes to gamble and the wife who wants him to stop.

Next were one of my favorite acts!!

The young man who performed these hand shadows looked to be about 12 years old.
The hand shadows fluidly flowed from one subject matter to another with no story but the music played while he performed just set the tone of each subject matter.
It was really marvelous to see his hands appear to be animals or other forces of nature.

The next three photos are from a warrior play that had actual singing during it. I don't really know the storyline at all. Sorry. The costumes and face paint were quite colorful.

Okay so these next two pictures are hard to describe.
The woman is actually an elaborate hand puppet. But she was so intricate that each of her fingers could move and function like a real hand. The man's head in the corner of the first picture is the man orchestrating her dance. She sang and danced.
I believe that the singer was off stage but her body movements and face movements were so detailed and amazing it was like watching a small person really dancing. So Crazy!!!

These are a villain and king story that had some sword play.

These elderly men were the ones playing all the music for the entire event. They got to be in front for about 10 min at the very beginning of the performance so that we as an audience could "meet" them. Are they not the cutest little orchestra?

On our travels in Chengdu Faye and I came across the trusty YMCA!!!

The Old Navy prices were almost double what you would pay in the United States!!
Bu Hao!! Not Good!!

The Fashion Strip was in full form in Chengdu.
Here are just some of the bright and shiny stores!!

I ate a foot long Subway sandwich every single day while I was in Chengdu!!!
Even now I wish Kunming had one. Sigh!!