300
RMB (Close to $50 AUD) and a 2-hour private car ride later we arrive at a
strange place. It was like an old zoo that had been run down and was in
the process of being re-furbished. The gate was closed - we thought we were
early - but they just let us in.
With
trepidation, Rani and I slowly and quietly walked behind the driver who
casually led us further into the park. We spotted a westerner, who was working
at the park. She spoke and had an Aussie accent, we began to tell her how we
were worried about seeing giant pandas in cages...etc...we spoke to soon. To
our left as we walked was a row of gaol like cages, tiny with two Giant pandas
in each. They looked so depressed and sad. The worker told us how horrified she
was about them being there - and that this only had just happened in the last
week because of complaints by Chinese tourists about not being able to see a
panda in their enclosures. Rani and I looked at each other through watery eyes
- Mortified. LETS MAKE THIS VISIT QUICK.
We
walked through the 'ZOO' and saw other 'rescued' animals before coming to the
panda enclosure.
It
was OK.
From
what we could see…the parts where they were chilling out had dense coverage of
plants and bamboo - you could see that the park had tried their hardest to
mimic the wild environment. The pandas (such beautiful creatures) looked to be
healthy, happy and well fed.
I
took the photos below while they were in these enclosures - They are not
wild.
Would
I recommend the day trip out there to the 'sanctuary' NO. If you want to see
pandas go into the jungle. It's not worth the $50 to get there and it’s not
worth the heartache.
