.JPG)
.JPG)
We slept in & waited for Dan, who needed a new bank card. Although the bank has branches in Changsha, Dan had to come back to Ningyuan to replace his card because it was issued here. Welcome to China. Nancy went with him to help explain his dilemma.
When he got back, we had lunch at a hotel along the river. When we paid up, we were given a discount as their “foreign friends.” We then walked through the Wet Market, which sells everything from light bulbs to vegetables and live ducks, chickens, fish, eels, cats & dogs. None are for pets. A woman was skinning a cat next to a cage full of morose live ones as we walked by. Then back to the apartment to cool down.
While there, Gandalf arrived. He had come to visit us from his home, which translates as Big Bridge in Blue Mountain County. A good place for someone named “Gandalf” (after the wizard from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings) to be from.
Gandalf had errands to run and we had social obligations with Jian. Dan was pretty put out – he doesn’t think much of Jian – so while we tried to make nice over dinner, Dan didn’t try very hard. “Frank” was the first to arrive – an English teacher who Dan genuinely likes, and one of the rare Chinese teachers who has been outside of China. Frank studied in England for 4 months. He toasted each of us one-on-one – apparently, that’s how you do it. And if you say “Gambei,” you’re each expected to down the entire glass. Fortunately, it’s 3.1% beer & the glasses aren’t much more than shot glasses. Also fortunately for us, we’re American, and Chinese tolerance for beer tends to be low. Many (including Jian) get very red in the face after a couple of “Gambei”s. I’ve been told that many Chinese are slightly allergic to something in beer & that other forms of alcohol don’t have the same effect, but I can’t swear to that.
After dinner, Irvin & Gandalf met us at a café in town, where Irvin was indulging his longing for home with a steak and french fries. Judy & I left the kids & came back to the apartment to finish “Pirates of the Caribbean III.” The boys went out for night snacks.
When he got back, we had lunch at a hotel along the river. When we paid up, we were given a discount as their “foreign friends.” We then walked through the Wet Market, which sells everything from light bulbs to vegetables and live ducks, chickens, fish, eels, cats & dogs. None are for pets. A woman was skinning a cat next to a cage full of morose live ones as we walked by. Then back to the apartment to cool down.
While there, Gandalf arrived. He had come to visit us from his home, which translates as Big Bridge in Blue Mountain County. A good place for someone named “Gandalf” (after the wizard from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings) to be from.
Gandalf had errands to run and we had social obligations with Jian. Dan was pretty put out – he doesn’t think much of Jian – so while we tried to make nice over dinner, Dan didn’t try very hard. “Frank” was the first to arrive – an English teacher who Dan genuinely likes, and one of the rare Chinese teachers who has been outside of China. Frank studied in England for 4 months. He toasted each of us one-on-one – apparently, that’s how you do it. And if you say “Gambei,” you’re each expected to down the entire glass. Fortunately, it’s 3.1% beer & the glasses aren’t much more than shot glasses. Also fortunately for us, we’re American, and Chinese tolerance for beer tends to be low. Many (including Jian) get very red in the face after a couple of “Gambei”s. I’ve been told that many Chinese are slightly allergic to something in beer & that other forms of alcohol don’t have the same effect, but I can’t swear to that.
After dinner, Irvin & Gandalf met us at a café in town, where Irvin was indulging his longing for home with a steak and french fries. Judy & I left the kids & came back to the apartment to finish “Pirates of the Caribbean III.” The boys went out for night snacks.
.JPG)