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Howdy all. I'm in China now enjoying some R&R. I can't talk long since I don't know how reliable this connection is, but it seems like I can check my e-mail ATM and update this darned page (after I figured out what the name was *hangs head*). The weather's been pretty good and the trip has been fairly entertaining, although I'm still jet lagged. (Darned dizzy spells.)
I've got way too much to write to throw it up right now so I'll just leave it at this: I'm still alive. *cue maniacal laugher*
Muhahahahaha!
We got up early to catch the ferry to San Bu. To save on time and for convenience, we took the taxi. The ride was long and expensive, but I couldn't imagine getting to the station any other way. The station is large and looks modern. The ferry looks newish (at least newer than the one I was on the last time I was here) but there weren't any outside decks for smokers or people seeking fresh air. (Like me.)
Speaking of smoking, there were messages posted on the walls noting that there was a maximum fine of five thousand dollars for smoking in the cabin. However, there are ash trays in the back of the boat and people routinely went to the back to light one up. Guess where I sat? When it got unbearable, I found another seat closer to the front away from all of the tobacco fumes.
The boat itself was going at a pretty good clip. I'd say well over thirty knots. It was hard to tell really how fast we were going since there was no speed gauge and I couldn't really judge distance that well from inside the cabin.
The ride wasn't that long and when we got to San Bu, I whipped out my camera to take some photos. As I was scanning to find somthing to take a picture of, I saw a "no photo" sign and there were a lot of soldiers in uniform in the area. Rats.
We went out for dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. Some of the waitresses actually came out to solicit our business, but apparently we already had plans for one of the restaurants. They have this custom (well, I guess borne out of necessity) in these parts to wash their bowls, cups and utensils at the table before eating with them. At this restaurant, the lady came out with a whole pot full of cups and bowls and spoons. The pot itself was full of hot water, and she carefully rinsed each one in the pot before placing it on the table. At most other restaurants, they offered an empty pot or bowl so that we could fill our bowl with hot tea to use to rince our spoons and chopsticks and anything else we wanted rinsed with hot tea. Once we were done, we'd throw the used tea into the bowl and filler up again.
I was a little shocked when I was offered cat or dog meat. I declined, and coincidentally enough, after dinner we passed by a number of puppies in a cage next to the chickens. They were so cute! I should've taken a picture, but what sort of caption was I going to put under it? "Lunch"?
We then went to my grandfather's condo before my dad showed me his old schools. His old middle school is actually quite old, although they took down part of the original wall and built a number of new buildings around the original.
I finally got to check my e-mail tonight and had this strange net over the bed I was sleeping in. I guess it's an insect net but at this time of the year, I don't see any reason for it.
[0 Comments]
Wednesday, November 27, 2002 at 13:41:07 (UTC)
whoa! you are in china already? how is everybody there? did david like the keychain?
girl
Thursday, November 28, 2002 at 14:38:57 (UTC)
Yup, he likes it.
QYV