Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Weather of today:
- Day: 31 degrees and sunny
- Night: 18 degrees.
Sentence of today:
Thank you so much for your hospitality. The lunch you made was very tasty.
非常感谢您的招待。 您的午饭很好吃。
Today's - Good to know:
The notion of guānxì关系 (Connections) is central to doing business in China. In a country where people often have to compete for goods and services in short supply, a network of advantageous reciprocal connections in places of power is all important. Obtaining goods and services through such channels is colloquially known as 'going through the back door' (zǒuhòumén走后门). Typically displays of guanxi are lavish banquets fuelled with Chinese spirit (báijiǔ白酒). If you want to cut any deals while in China, you may be wise to adopt the local custom in this regard.
Todays tip:
Don't wear flip-flops or high heels while hiking the Great Wall. Too dangerous.
Dish of today:
小米海参 Xiǎo mǐ hǎishēn.
Some kind of yellow soup with sea cucumber. It didn't taste of much actually, not when you pay 319 Yuan for one little bowl of it, and "Deng Baba" ordered 13, one to each at the table.
Today's Historical fact:
1962: The Great Leap Forward causes mass starvation. Politburo members Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping reintroduce limited market reforms, which lead to their condemnation during the Cultural Revolution.
My day:
Today I had to get up early. Breakfast was served at 8am, before going to the Great Wall. "Deng Baba" drove Xiaoxiao and I to the entrance of the wall, he wanted to sleep in the car in the meantime. We hiked the Wall for two ours. It was pretty steep in the beginning, so you should be really careful while climbing the steps. There was a lot of Chinese tourist there though; it took a bit of the charm I think. But I was wondering why some Chinese woman could walk with high heels, or guys with flip flops, because the steps are so steep, if you take one wrong step, you could easily trip and fall down the stairs.
After the Great Wall we drove near "Deng Baba's" work to eat lunch, I also wanted to buy a extern hard disc, which was the area for doing that. I bought a Toshiba 500GB hard disc, USB 3.0. But it works like s***. Don't know if it doesn't like my Mac or something, but it should be working after transformation it. Bad bought. Hope I can get "Deng Baba" to change it to another one.
This evening we ate out, I drove with "Deng Baba" to a very fine restaurant. We got our own room with room for 13 people. And after a little while, the neighbours entered the room, and some other people I hadn't seen before. It was some of their friends. We were in total 13 people eating dinner together, in classic Chinese style, with a big round table with a glass plate in the middle you could twist around. This was the first time I have been to a more formal dinner. In the beginning there were a little fight about who should sit in the host seat, and who should sit next to the host, the host is the most important, and then the two sitting next the host. While the dinner was going on, everyone several times went up to cheer with the host, but also everyone else cheered with each other. I should also go around to everyone and say my thanks, especially the host and those sitting next to the host. Funny experience. You can see the pictures, where I cheer with the different guests. Actually "Deng Baba" was the host, because he invited and also paid, but one of their friends, an older guy, got the honour to sit in the host seat. While they where cheering to each other, there were also a little fight, who could get the glass lowest as possible while cheering. It should mean that you show respect, if you lower the glass more than the other. Mostly it's the youngest one lowering the glass the most.
Flying to Dalian tomorrow. Really looking forward to lie on the beach there.
Bedtime! Goodnight!
Ps: I miss you Vince!
- comments