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So much happens in one day it is hard to recall everything.
I have Monday and Tuesday off of work, rather than the weekend, when I actually have to work 8 hour days :( Everyone please feel sorry for me. So on Monday we decide to go somewhere or do something. We settle on Forest Park. I have never taken the bus before in Fuzhou, so that was the first first of the day. It is a cheap and interesting mode of transport. No AC, people crowded in, and everyone inevitably staring at the group of foreigners. There were 5 of us then. We are hoping for this bright wonderful day and instead we are offered a miserable, grey, rainy day, but we proceed. That is before we get off of the bus realise two people are wearing flip flops and I dont have an umbrella. No matter, Chris whips out a spare one, and the girls agree wearing flip flops isnt too bad. We refuse to give up.
Walking along the paths in Forest Park, everything is stunningly beautiful. One thing China does amazingly well are gardens. We are walking along taking photos, looking at the 1000 year old Banyan tree, and the Fish so numerous their bodies are coming out of the water to get so bread, and the other tourists are taking photos of us. We go to the Temple, take photos of the courtyard, the service room, the Buddha, and the other tourists are taking photos of us.. I realisenow we are the main attraction, and feeling rather foolish try to evade most of the photos. People here are sneaky though. They go to take a photo of the Buddha you are looking at, then at the last moment swing there camera and get you, mid sentence, or with a pineapple in your mouth. I bet there are some interesting photos of us right now snaking their way across the internet or being passed along. I really do begin to feel what it would be like to be a minor celebrity. Though we do also have people jumping out at us with their cameras, well we did that day. Photo's aside, Forest Park was amazing, so beautiful, and so worldly. They even put English underneath their warnings for caution, albeit written backwards,literallys reading right to left. Our only wish was that we had been there on a better day, and vowing to go back when it is warmer, though would dread the bus ride with no AC..
Tuesday was a fun day too. Caitlin, Chris and myself make our way to the Flower and Butterfly Market, about 40 minutes away by bus. Again another wonderfully comfortable bus ride. I forgot to mention that the buses dont stay on one side of the road, nor are they aware of other road users and will willingly go into the next lane whilst a car is driving beside it. it makes the whole experience a lot more fun.
We arrive, after being gawped at by a bus full of passengers, and I am foolishly wishing I hadnt worn my dress today, though I was prepared with wellies!! We get off, and we are surrounded by buildings and arched entrances. Chris is our tour guide and expertly leads us through the entrance. We have gone with the aim of making our apartment a lot more homely, ratherthan an empty shell, so looking for posters, plants, coasters, anything you would for an empty house at home. We go in and instantly everyone is looking at us. Chris asks if we are used to it by now, and I say not really, especially when people leer.. Big mistake. He then proceeds to tell me when every guy is leering at me. I want the ground to open up and swallow me. I must have gone bright red every 5 seconds.
Making our way up the aisles we see so many caged animals, birds, turtles, rabbits, hamsters, cats, and dogs. Dogs too big for the cage, fur matted and just wanting to be loved. My heart is breaking, and so we 'rescue' 5 goldfish in teh first aisle and consider a rabbit and a puppy and a cat and a bird and a turtle.. I can see our apartment turning into something only Doctor Doolittle would be able to live in, or us. i am practising my chinese, and surprised when people can understand me. Problem is, they understood my question, I am at a loss as to their answer, and pester Chris each time to translate.
We haggle, due to the fact that we are foreigners the stall owners instantly increase their prices, so we start at something ridiculously low. We saw some flowers we liked, and having had no luck previously, asked in vain as to how much. The owner said two of them were 35 yuan each and the other, the red one, was 45 yuan. Red and gold meaning good luck and fortunes. I say no, too much, we would pay 100 yuan for three. The owner laughs and says no. Comes down to 110. Chris looks at me and translates the amount, and i can feel people looking at me. Stage fright. I have never been good at bargaining or haggling, or saying no for that matter, and they are looking at me! I just turn and say no, whilst walking away. Chris and Caitling trail after me, and we just walk away, before the owner comes running behind us to agree to 100 yuan. VICTORY! only a small one, but a victory all the same to me :) I actually know have a spring in my step and wanting to practise my skills again.
Whilst we do haggle, a picture that started off at 200 yuan quickly came down to 80 yuan, though I didnt get it, we only end up with another plant for the apartment. Contemplating 'rescuing' another animal, Chris comes over all dizzy and faint, and we make a quick dash to the exit, with him carryinghis 7 foot trailing plant, and flag down a taxi..
Most taxi's back home, seeing someone hailing them down with a 7 foot plant was just drive drive, but I forget this is China. A taxi stops, we load our numerous bags, minus the fish into the boot, leaving the boot ajar so that that plant can stick out a metre into the road, and set off back to XiHu. We drop Chris home first, and Caitlin helps him up to his apartment with his bags, telling the taxi driver to wait with me in the back. MISTAKE.
As soon as Caitlin is gone, the taxi driver starts turning around. I ask him to wait. Didnt understand. I ask him to stop. Didnt understand. I start signalling and shouting at him to stop driving. Still doesnt understand. I wail, shout, moan, protest, signal, all to no avail. This taxi driver is intent off getting out of Chris' apartment block and I have no way of communicating to him to stop, nor do I know my address or where he is going. Panic setting in, having almost reached the main road again, I phone Caitlin to try to get her to tell the taxi driver to stop. Nope. Nothing. I start to resign myself to the fact that I was going somewhere I didnt know, with only my 5 goldfish to keep me company when he stops. I yell drawing his attention, and in the most authoritive voice I can muster (being close to despair it was a feat) i jab my thumb backwards and tell him to go back, giving him a pleading death stare. Click. he gets it. We return to see Chris and Caitlin rushing down the stairs to see if the taxi is there and if I am alright. Caitlin back in the taxi I learn the word for stop, and how to say our address in Chinese, not a moment too late either.
We end up going back to the apartment, setting up the tank and fish, and the plants, and it is still early. So we go out again. To Walmart this time and in search of a needed hot chocolate. stopping at the little store to grab a bin for myself, we head off to the Honor cafe, where they have english under the chinese :) I order a double chocolate but am given the chocolate bean.. Just as a note, the Chinese put beans - red beans, kidney bean, butter beans into their drinks as it is meant to be good for you. Not having realised they had given me that drink the first mouthful came as quite a surprise as beans popped into my mouth! i kinda had gotten used to that when a big lump of what I can only describe as goo enter my mouth. Gag time, I jump up, grab a tissue and to peoples dismay spit it out. What the hell was that. I decide it is time to take the lid off of my drink, and see, to my horror, loads of yellow goblets of what look like fat and beans swirling in my drink. Yummy... I later realise they have just cut up some tofu and put it in there, but still, what the hell?!
We go to Walmart, where we seem to have a group of men following us, everywhere. After oohing and ahhing at all the home luxuries, and picking up a few cushions (£1.20 a cushion!) we head to a bus stop, once again laden down. Having hiked the 8 flights of stairs twice in one day, both times laden down with goods, I am ready to collapse with some noodles, a beer and a movie. exhausted. Only in China.
On a side note, I taught my first class yesterday! AND I didnt throw up, yell at students, cry, resign, drink myself into oblivion, or anything! I survived and actually loved it!! Too bad I am crapping myself over today's class, and phonics :( though first, I will be receiving my first official Chinese lesson. Though after a day at the market and in a taxi, i feel being out in the street and people is whereI am going to learn the majority of my Chinese :)
Next time I write, I might have added to our animal collection, and will probably, no definitely have had so many different encounters and experiences. It is just so hard to remember them all.
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