Fu Hu
Trip Start
Jan 24, 2004
1
23
31
Trip End
Apr 01, 2004
Chengdu,
China
Friday, March 12, 2004
After a monster lunch, I begin the second walk of the day. This one up to the Fu Hu temple. I am suddenly accosted by a troop of schoolchildren who have been following me. One breaks loose and runs alongside asking if she can have her picture taken with me. I am bound to say yes and then suddenly they all find the courage to do the same. I am a Lao Wai . A foreign devil. Here I am a rarity. The facial hair adds a certain 'je ne sais quoi'.
The Fu Hu temple is the best one yet. Tranquil, lush gardens where monks dry their robes. Big squares of orange in a magic garden of pink flowers and very large bonsai trees. I smell incense and the exotic perfume of rare orchids perhaps. The mountain stands ahead of us defiant. Inside the temple is the most hilarious hall of mirrors. Except they are not mirrors they are full size Buddhas with silly faces. Like oriental garden gnomes. The Fu Hu temple is a place I would gladly have stayed if they'd had a room. And I wouldn't have cared if it had meant eating vegetables.
I find some hot springs and bold as ever, I go in. The multi level bathing pools do not look quite natural enough. They have been artificially modelled according to Chinese tastes. But its relaxing and there are few other people here. I catch the rays of the afternoon sun and move from pool to pool . The lowest and furthest away contains a cave and I go in there and stay in there. The foreign devil does not wish to be disturbed. I am thinking how nice this is after all those cold nights in Russia. Only yesterday at the top of a mountain I was gritting my teeth all over again.
Next ; Chengdu days
