Wish you were here! cherson zebra 105slTravel postcards - March 24

ary and Stephen Campbell of Smith Mountain Lake spent July 2012 touring China, making stops in Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Lijiang, Kunming, Chongqing, Wanxian, Fengdu, Shibaozhai, Yichang, Wuhan, Hong Kong and Macau. Transportation included five internal air flights, an overnight train, a Yangtze River cruise ship and a jet hydrofoil. In addition to the large cities, the couple spent time in rural areas and stayed in the homes of local villagers. “The two days spent in the private home of a Chinese family in Elevit

the tiny village of Hu Xian Donghan was very memorable,” Stephen Campbell said. “They spoke only Mandarin, but their warm and generous hospitality made our stay enjoyable and informative.”

What's black and white and generates lots of panda-monium? Two words: giant pandas.

Er Shun and Da Mao, the two cuddly bears on loan from China, will make their début at the Toronto Zoo later in May after flying all the way from Chengdu, China on Monday. Their arrival in Toronto marks the first part of a 10-year deal between Canada and China. The two giant pandas will stay in Toronto for the first five years and be transferred to the Calgary Zoo sometime in 2018 according to the Toronto Zoo's website .

But there's more than
the million-dollar-per-year price tag associated with keeping these pandas in Canada. Er Shun and Da Mao are part of a breeding program and if they're successful, it'll not only mark a landmark achievement for zoo keepers in Toronto but also mean the city will get its very own panda, reports the Toronto Sun.

When it comes to bears (note that pandas aren't related to bears such as the grizzly and the polar bear), pandas are one of the rarest breeds. It's estimated that there's less than 2000 of them around the world with roughly 1, 600 of them in the wild and 300 in captivity according to the CBC. Their dwindling numbers are part of the reason why there's so much excitement when they arrive at a zoo says Laura Doty, a communications specialist with the Memphis Zoo. The zoo is one of only five zoos in the U.S. that has pandas.

“A lot of people love pandas and have apartments for rent in hong kongnever got the chance to see them in person,” she told the CBC.

Er Shun and Da Mao's arrival marks the first pandas to visit Canada in the 24 years. Prior to their arrival, the last pandas in Canada were Cheng Cheng and Bing Bing who stayed in Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg back in 1989.