TRAVEL WATCH: NOVEMBER 15, 1999 VOL. 154 NO. 19

ALSO IN TIME

Getting Ready for the Super-Jumbo Era Whatever air travel brings in the next 20 years, hot tubs, fitness centers and piano bars are probably not part of the plan Detour Some citizens of Chengdu, the bustling industrial center of China's Sichuan province, have mastered the art of outdoor relaxation Kitsch Report With its ovoid shape, jutting spars and glowing appearance, the Millennium Dome looks like the docking station for some sort of alien ship

Detour

Unlike many of their busy comrades, some citizens of Chengdu, the bustling industrial center of China's Sichuan province, have mastered the art of outdoor relaxation. The winding back alleys of the city's temples and parks are packed with informal but elegant teahouses offering clusters of open-backed bamboo chairs. For about 25¢, you are served a porcelain cup filled with leaves, which is continually refilled with hot water as your cup nears empty. There's a delicate art to gripping the saucer, cup and lid in one hand and holding back the leaves of jasmine tea with the lid as you sip from the cup.

Delicious beverages are only part of the attraction. For generations, intellectuals gathered for lively debates on philosophy and political theory over cups of tea. Sichuan opera was performed, and the voices of storytellers filled the air with humorous anecdotes and Chinese fairytales. Not suprisingly, the Red Guards shut down many of the teahouses during the Cultural Revolution. While the venues have made a strong comeback, the conversation nowadays veers toward the safer grounds of shopping and housing.

For a chance to unwind at a friendly and peaceful teahouse, head to Wenshu Monastery. Early morning brings Buddhists of all ages together for offerings and silent prayers in the incense-filled prayer halls. Wander the courtyards, and the old monk painting in his small studio may invite you to partake of a little plum schnapps and peruse his many rice paper rolls of character paintings. For lunch, try the monastery's inexpensive and tasty vegetarian restaurant. Finally, choose a seat in the teahouse hidden away among the pavilions and pagodas. Wenshu Monastery, also known as Hollow Wood Temple, is off Renmin Zhonglu down an alley called Wenshu Yuan Jie (entry fee: about 12¢).

By Doveen Schechter