After writing the last blog we had an afternoon nap (after all getting up at 7.30am is hard work for us now!) then we headed for Wuhou park and temple. It is nearby and only costs Y20, we had heard noise coming from it the night before and consulting the lonely planet discovered that there were nightly shows. We wandered round the park only to discover the temple had closed, 5 mins earlier! The park was beautiful... lit up at night by fairy lights and lanterns. There was a really odd looking floating castle made of fabric and lit from the inside. We eventually came across a stage, surrounded by Chinese, standing as close to one another as physically possible! We waited nearly 45 mins for the festivities to begin, in which time the crowd had grown larger and some Chinese woman was groping Barnes' bum. The first act, some african drum band, were average and attracted no applause. The same happened for the two chinese acrobats, who kept moving in and out of a barrel. We knew at this point why we had paid only two pounds to get in. It was all getting to Barnes and she was feint, so I carried her to the edge of the arena (I exaggerate a little! - and yes she is better!). The night started to heat up with Shaolin monks kicking their way round the stage and breaking things in half profusly... thoroughly entertaining! Next there was some dragon dude, who kept changing his mask sneakily whilst fire breathers and other novelties occured around him... the crowd was wild at this point. Then everyone started to leave... but there was another act... it was a woman singing chinese songs... the pitch was too high and our ear were splitting... we left! On the way out of the park we came accross some dancing bears, black bears... Barnes' was not amused, especially as I was trying to take a picture.. I am documenting all of China you see!

Yesterday we got the train from Chengdu to Chongqing, a 3.45 hr train journey. We were delighted to discover after the previous days ticket purchase from the woman who spoke no English, that we were in soft seats. As well as nicer seats, the people seem nicer too. No chinese 'chavs' in soft class! It was great travelling during the day, something I definitely missed to Xi'an.. I could look out of the window! I took loads of pics, the valleys, villages, rivers, paddies and the occasional pile of rubble (a sign of the times or a recent earthquake?). it was excellent. Barnes slept and played Tetris, in her words "I just feel like were on a train!". Free pick-up again. The roads seem a little saner. The hostel is interesting, no western toilet for Barnes (although we have now found one near the dorms), and the shower is over the toilet... intersting experience this morning, but oddly it makes sense! Walked into the city centre ... a short walk from the slummy street we are staying in.. EVERYBODY stares! It's making Barnes a little paranoid! For lunch we went to the food mall, tried some snack food. Dscovered one was a spring roll (v. tasty), another was like a spring roll and the third (which looked like eggy bread) was in fact some deep fried mush that she put sugar on top. All cost 90p tho! Got the Yangtze cable car across the river at dusk, wandered along the opposite shore and waited for the lights to turn on. It was very pretty.. not as many lights as I would have thought.. but beautiful nonetheless! It was bargain at Y4 each as well.