English Corner
Yesterday evening, Josh and I met Karen and Mei for a long anticipated hike up Qianfo Shan (1000 Buddhas Mountain). It was a 30 minute of zigzagging up a mini-shan on sheer rock stairs with opportunities to buy a red wish ribbon (which you can see some of a photo) or eat some fried squid on a stick along the way. This was a special place, there were signs that said "Please no spitting, relieving yourself, or littering cigarette butts that are possibly lit". Once at the top, we had quite a view of both sides of Ji'nan (check out the photos in "1000 Buddha Mountain" entry). After the hike, we found a great restaurant. We have to learn the Chinese writing for 'bitter-melon' so that we NEVER order it again. Its like eating a leaf. We also discovered winter-melon last night, which was absolutley delicious.
While Josh was working this morning, I decided to go for a wander down some main streets I had never really explored. (Heping Lu and Whenwua Lu for Jake and Elizabeth). I was nearing a crowd, so decided to cross the street and see what the performance was. As I got closer, I heard a familiar language over the speakers...a familiar voice....Josh! There he was with a microphone participating in something called English corner. He was leading a whole crowd of children and onlooking parents in an activity called 'Making Rain'. Afterward, an American woman sang "If you are happy and know it" and then the the kids got a chance to go ask questions to their favorite English speaking celebrity. Josh, with his red and gold sash, was quickly surrounded. I wandered over to eavesdrop. "Do you like houses?" "Do you like music?" "Do you see a blue cat?" It was adorable.
Afterward we went out to lunch and had Sichuan hot pot. A woman brought out a black bag hung on a scale to show us that the fish we ordered weighed two kilograms. Our lunch was in the bag flopping and jerking around. He was shortly delivered to us in a bowl of boiling oil surrounded by mouthnumbing peppers and bean sprouts. Josh spent an hour on the hotpot carefully extracting a dozen tiny fish bones from his mouth after every bite. I trolled for bean sprouts. It was just too boney for me.
Tonight we are headed out for some Chinese Barbecue in the Muslim district with Harmony and Willacox. Harmony is from Southern California and Willa is from Canton. They are a fun, young couple that Josh and I have a lot in common with, so I really like getting together with them.
While Josh was working this morning, I decided to go for a wander down some main streets I had never really explored. (Heping Lu and Whenwua Lu for Jake and Elizabeth). I was nearing a crowd, so decided to cross the street and see what the performance was. As I got closer, I heard a familiar language over the speakers...a familiar voice....Josh! There he was with a microphone participating in something called English corner. He was leading a whole crowd of children and onlooking parents in an activity called 'Making Rain'. Afterward, an American woman sang "If you are happy and know it" and then the the kids got a chance to go ask questions to their favorite English speaking celebrity. Josh, with his red and gold sash, was quickly surrounded. I wandered over to eavesdrop. "Do you like houses?" "Do you like music?" "Do you see a blue cat?" It was adorable.
Afterward we went out to lunch and had Sichuan hot pot. A woman brought out a black bag hung on a scale to show us that the fish we ordered weighed two kilograms. Our lunch was in the bag flopping and jerking around. He was shortly delivered to us in a bowl of boiling oil surrounded by mouthnumbing peppers and bean sprouts. Josh spent an hour on the hotpot carefully extracting a dozen tiny fish bones from his mouth after every bite. I trolled for bean sprouts. It was just too boney for me.
Tonight we are headed out for some Chinese Barbecue in the Muslim district with Harmony and Willacox. Harmony is from Southern California and Willa is from Canton. They are a fun, young couple that Josh and I have a lot in common with, so I really like getting together with them.
posted by B | 2:00 AM
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