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Today's weather:
-Day: 30 degrees and cloudy.
- Night: 21 degrees heavy rain and thunder.
July is defiantly not the best month to travel in China. It's to hot, specially in the big cities. Every evening my host family go for a walk, and this evening it started to rain really heavenly, with beautiful thunder, they just got home soaking wet. :)
Sentence of today:
Can I help with anything?
有什么可以帮忙的吗?Yǒu shénme kěyǐ bāngmáng de ma?
Today's - Good to know:
When trying to start up a conversation in China, never be afraid to ask, or state, the obvious. If a friend is coming out of a restaurant with red-fried port smeared all over their face, best check to se whether they've eaten by asking "Chīfàn le ma?" (Have you eaten?). If you can't think of an obvious question to ask, try stating the obvious. It's as easy as talking about the weather. If a friend has just arrived at your house, let them know they've arrived with a gleeful "Nǐ lái la!" (You've arrived!)
Todays tip:
Never , ever fight to settle the bill if your Chinese host is determined to pay.
Dish of today:
Huǒguō or hotpot is Chinese fondue consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood.
Today's Historical fact:
China's taste for exotic animals is helping drive many to extinction. In 2007 a deserted ship containing 5000 rare creatures was discovered floating off south China. The cargo included 44 leatherback turtles, over 2500 monitor lizards, 31 pangolins and a large consignment of bear paws. It is assumed the cargo was heading for the restaurants of south China. In 2010 another ship containing hundreds of dead pangolins was found. As a result of voracious demand for exotic meat in China, species such as the pangolin have vanished from China and neighbouring countries, so traffickers have turned to Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations, where populations are also rapidly dwindling.
Snakes feature prominently on China's menus - more than 10,000 tonnes of serpents are dished up every year to diners- and in traditional Chinese medicine, as snakes parts are believed to restore health and boost sexual prowess. The venom of dangerous species such as vipers is particularly sought for medicine. The situations are so dire that no fewer than 43 of China's 200 snake species are said to be endangered. Nature, however, has a way of fighting back and the depletion of snake number leads pretty quickly to an increase in rodent numbers, which resulting crop destruction.
(Lonely planet - China)
My day:
I could finely sleep to late; I really needed a long sleep after 3 days of sightseeing. The neighbour grandma waked me up, again. But this time I knew she would come. I was invited for lunch, which became my breakfast. Very nice! :) The son-in-law gave me a lift to the subway station afterwards. Which I really appreciated, because the bus its not the most pleasant transportation.
Today I went to the Military Museum, which was quite amazing actually. But the main exhibition was close, sadly. But was amazing to se the huge missiles, tanks, and aircrafts. But to get a ticket in, which is for free, was a b****, you have to fight your way through the masses of people who want a ticket before you, so the only way to get the ticket, was to push you way through. Typically Chinese.
由妈妈 (Mom) said she would pick me up at 4pm at the museum, but had much time left, so I went to see the China Millennium Monument, a art gallery, and then to a park afterwards.
由妈妈 picked me up, and then we drove to her old apartment where Deng baba waited, they wanted to rent it out, so just 5 min after we arrived, 3 guys, the new renter, came and signed the contract. Its normal that you rent out apartments for half a year at a time, and also pay the whole rent right away, so they had a lot of money with them. I think at least 30,000 Yuan or something. Interesting experience.
From the old apartment we drove to a hotpot restaurant. Here You mama's niece waited. Very sweet girl called Xiaoxiao, and her English is really good. The hotpot is the most delicious Chinese food I have had so far, it was so tasty, it's a bit like fondue, you choose which kind of soup you want to cook the different meat, vegetables in. Mama of course ordered a lot of dishes to put in and everything was so tasty.
When we got home, Xiaoxiao showed me a webpage where I can download free Chinese music, and she also introduced me to some nice Chinese pop music.
And then it came; I knew it was a matter of time. Bad stomach! Think there was something at the dinner that wasn't properly cooked, could have taking it out of the hotpot to fast or something.
Bedtime! - Goodnight!
Ps: I miss you Vince!
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