(Excerpts from an email sent by a friend in Shanghai)

          It is a nice day today here in Shanghai.  The sun is shining but the weather isn’t hot.  It’s the kind of weather that’s suitable for traveling. 

          Mum is going to Chengdu tomorrow to attend the founding anniversary of her college.  She plans to stay there until the seventh of October.  At first I thought I’d go with her, as we could visit some interesting places around Chengdu after the anniversary.  I was thinking of the Hailuo Valley (famous for its glaciers), Dao Cheng (famous for its jokul and the national customs of Tibet), and the Yangtze River gorges.  There are so many places that attract me.  I’m itching to start right now, but unfortunately, I can’t apply for vacation  until the end of next month.  There are just too many things that I have to do at work.  It’s a pity that I can’t go.   

          As her anniversary party is very close to the one-week-long holiday for National Day, mum has decided not to return until then.  That will give her time to visit her friends and do some traveling.  I suggested that she go to the bamboo forest in the South of Sichuan province.  It was awarded the honor of being one of the ten most beautiful forests in China by National Geography.  Mum knows already that she will go to Qingcheng Mountain, as it’s very beautiful and quiet.  I hope she has a very happy vacation. 

          I want her to bring back some of the traditional food of Chengdu including beef jerky and Zhangcha duck.  They’re really delicious.  Chengdu's sausages are also very appetizing, but it is not a suitable time for them.  What a pity!  People there usually make sausages at the end of November and then air-dry them.  That usually takes about a month.  It may not be a bad idea to have her ask someone to mail some of them to us when the sausages are ready. 

          Dad is preparing lunch and mum has gone out to buy moon cakes for the friends she’ll visit.  Shanghai's moon cakes are very famous in China though some say they’re not as good as those made in Hong Kong.  I like the ones made right here.  Those from Hong Kong are too sweet for me.