I haven’t had much to say lately. Things have been busy. Finishing one phase of your life, and planning for another, is not an easy task, especially when government bureaucracy is involved. Such is life in China.
Random Conversation
As I sat on the 777 from Beijing to Shenzhen, a small boy, maybe six-years-old, climbed into the aisle from the bank of seats to my front. The lad’s eyes opened wide when he spotted me. There was a brief consultation between the boy and his father before he walked over to me.
“Good morning,” he said.
It was 6 pm.
“Good morning,” I replied, my young-learners happy face prominent.
He stared at me, concentrating.
Finally, he said, clearly and loudly, “Snake.”
“Yes,” I parroted, “Snake.”
“Snake,” he said again.
I nodded. “Snake.”
Then he ran back to his father and I returned to Michael Palin’s Himalaya on my iPod. I am willing to bet that good morning and snake are the only English words he knows. I wonder about the curriculum of his kindergarten.
Random Thoughts
Beijing Roast Dusk is as tasty as you have heard. Consuming it with 26 bottles of beer makes it more so. I wonder if Madame Donna can make it?
Don’t be in Tiananmen Square while experiencing distress in your lower GI tract. The square is 40 acres, and it is a long hike to the facilities.
Real men eat chili peppers, even if it leads to abdominal distress (see above).
The woman on a street corner that offers you a massage at 1:30 am is not really offering you a massage.
Don’t ever take a Hong Kong MTR train at 6:00 pm on a Friday afternoon. If you must, lube up first to increase your chances of getting in and out of the train and station.
Half-asleep dreams, where your wife is so close you can touch her are sweet, but few and far between.
Watching three dogs try to mate is funnier after consuming too many beers than it would be sober.
Yogurt can be an almost adequate substitute for mayo when making tuna salad.
Sure it’s a massage, Steve. She didn’t say what she was going massage, did she?
Corina´s last blog post..No Hay Mal Que Por Bien No Venga—Part Two
Corina: Touche!
someone was talking about beijing roast duck the other day…guess i will have to try it.
nomadicmatt´s last blog post..Eat Like a King in Bangkok
Matt: Don’t settle for Thai substitutes. Go to Beijing and get the real thing.
The random conversation is awesome and really just too common. Seriously, what are they teaching their kids?
Graham´s last blog post..Funny Sign Friday
Graham: Thanks. Yes, far too common.
In Japan they learn English in Jr. High. Do they teach it younger in China?
I’d be willing to bet Madame Donna can make just about anything a person could ask for.
Poor Stevo, she’ll be back an close enough to touch, for real, soon.
Shawn´s last blog post..Where I Want To Be
Shawn: Yes, they start to learn English in Grade 1. Many kindergartens offer English teachers as well.
I’m laughing at Corina’s comment and forgot my own comments.
That’s good to know about yogurt.
Robin´s last blog post..Friends
I think anything would taste good after 26 bottles of beer
quickroute´s last blog post..The Sign of the Times
Robin: Hehe. Yogurt is a miracle food, in more ways that one.
QR: Not everything. Intestine is still something on my “Do not eat after 26 bottles of beer” list.
What a delightful composite of happenings and thoughts. I laughed straight through the entire read. By the way, I like the way you’ve laid these out so we can hunt and peck for recent blog entries.
Beryl Singleton Bissell´s last blog post..On the way to Assisi: Foligno
Thoroughly good reading here, Stevo! As much as I’d love to be able to make that duck, I can’t. The “real” duck that you ate requires an entire process from raising it to curing it. I can make a suitable imitation that is really a Crispy Aromatic Duck although it’s far less satisfying than yours. I guess I’ll just have to make the trek one day to buy the proper ingredients over there and attempt to make it.
Here’s hoping your wife is filling that empty spot in your life really soon!
madame donna´s last blog post..Queen of the Grain Salads: Quinoa Tabouleh
A lot of kids in China start learning English at five. They are so cute.
Beryl: Thanks for stopping by. I’ll drop you a line.
Madame Donna: True. Maybe I could set up a Beijing duck farm in the USA? A little more authentic?
Real men eat chili peppers? This from the man who drinks not only swiss chalet dipping sauce but the finger bowl when goaded to do so…;)
Short stories like this make me yearn for more time in China (i.e., more than my brief visits in 2003-4). Good to catch up with you a bit this evening!
Allison: Please don’t bring up my embarrassing culinary past.
Joel: It’s always a pleasure to have you visit. If you get to China please look me up.
Princess Ivy: Thanks for the comment. Very true.