Chengdu is truly a city that never sleeps...

Everyone thinks Kuanzhai Alley is just for the daytime window shoppers, people watchers and tea-sippers, but its real soul comes out when the neon flickers on and the crowds thin. I’m tucked away in a tiny indie bar tonight where the stone walls are centuries old but the music is purely tomorrow. The lead singer is pouring his heart out in a dialect that sounds like home, and for a second, the spicy stir-fry scent from the street outside blends perfectly with the smell of cold hops and spring rain.

It’s these energetic, dark rooms that keep Chengdu’s pulse racing. I love my share of quiet temples, but after guiding all day, give me a local band and a frosty glass, any night of the week.