I think when you visit any country, you should spend some time immersing yourself in that countries unique customs. A lot of the time, this means doing something native that can’t be experienced anywhere else. In Spain, you might think about running with the bulls. In Ireland, a visit to a 2,000 year old tomb followed by a stiff drink at the Jameson factory is in order. And in China, well you can do a lot of stuff in China that would probably be illegal anywhere else. I want to share one of those experiences with you.
On one recent trip to Szechuan, I decided to spend a day at the zoo. In Chinese zoos, you can rent tour guides for a few hundred yen a person ($30-$40). After meeting our guides, we were loaded into freshly painted green jeeps not unlike the ones used in the Jurassic Park movies. They were designed to withhold force from any animals that might have gotten loose. We started off on a standard tour about the zoo’s ecological system including it’s massive forest. As we kept driving, the thick trees of the dense forest gave way to a clearing full of giraffes and rhinoceroses. Slowly, I felt like I was on a safari deep in the heart of Africa.
We’ve all seen discovery channel blurbs about giraffes, but there’s nothing like experiencing the power and elegance of these creatures up close. Their long, slimy purple tongues would give Gene Simmons a run for his money. I was given some vegetation to feed the giraffes. Up close, I could touch their cheeks and look into their almond eyes. It was surreal the way they they moved their necks. One moment their heads would be inches from my hand, and in the next moment their faces would be sweeping the sky in one graceful motion.
The highlight of the trip was the feeding of the lions. Remember that scene in Jurassic park where they load a lamb into the velociraptor pen? The humans watch from the safety of their vehicles as the little sacrificial lamb stands motionless. In one shot, we notice the bushes rustle and the look of terror on the lamb’s face. In the next shot, there is nothing there except a few dismembered limbs.
I was a given a live chicken when we approached the lion pens. The zookeepers told me to get out of the car and chuck the chicken over the roadblock. At first I hesitated, I think a PETA ad ran through my brain. But then I realized I eat chicken every week, and this was just the circle of life. The chicken was on the other side of the road.
I hustled back into the car and waited. The chicken just stood there, unaware of what was about to happen. One of the female lions silently strode out of the bushes and onto the middle of the road. The chicken started clucking as it realized a natural predator had arrived on the scene. It tried to fly but only got a few inches of the ground. The lion stared at the bird in amusement. I think I saw her lick her lips. In one pounce, she sundered the bird in two. Guts and entrails hung from a claw while the lion filled her jaws with the sweet meat of the bird. In only a few seconds, there was nothing left but a few pieces blood stained feathers.
Other animal interactions included holding a tiger’s tail ever so gently while praying to god. For the faint of heart, you can get your picture taken with a panda on your lap. For fifty bucks, definitely a worthwhile deal.
