10 Chengdu experiences

[Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

9. Gather around a boiling pot of chili oil and other spicy juices and dip and cook delicious tidbits such as ox esophagus, goose intestines, pig brains and pieces of congealed duck blood. It sounds like an episode of Bizarre Foods, but really, it is all quite delicious. At least, you can go home and dine out for a year on the stories alone.

Suggestion: Shujiuxiang is one of Chengdu's best known hotpot restaurants and boasts a spot among China's top 10 most popular. It has several addresses and your hotel concierge should be able to point you to the nearest.

10. Girl-watching. This is my favorite pastime of them all. Sichuan lasses are petite, pretty and with plenty of steel beneath the velvet with lots of brains and common sense to boot. They are very easy on the eye, and I hope my son is reading this.