Archive for March 21st, 2008

Dinner

Friday, March 21st, 2008

I’ve got a feeling these posts are starting to be repetitive. Anyhow, this evening I went out looking for something for dinner. I ended up having Muslim food. I asked for 孜然牛肉 (beef with cumin), the cumin was a bit light on, and so was the meat, considering what I paid, but it was quite nice. Worth a second visit. But as usual I was quizzed about what I’m doing in China and so on. It’s such a bore.

The milkless cafe

Friday, March 21st, 2008

This cafe has no milk whatsoever

Yes. The cafe with the sign pictured above had no milk. I advised the staff that the purpose of the photo was to tell the guys back home. I don’t know why the picture ended up so small. But it’s probably just as well, because it’s only a sign.

Melbourne is famous for its coffee. And rightly so. The streets and lanes ooze with latte, expresso, cappucino, iced coffee and long black. That’s one thing I really miss about home. For Christmas my sister Janne and Tyrone gave us a really nice coffee machine that we use at home. Beautiful.

Right now I’m in an internet cafe where the price of getting online is reasonable and they also have small tins of Nescafe for 3 renminbi each. I have just skulled three of them. I think the Chinese young guys sitting around me playing computer games don’t know what’s quite wrong with me. They are a good group, though. Their eyes didn’t pop out of their heads at the first sight of a Westerner.

This weekend I’ve got some correcting to do, which I’m happy to report I’ve made a start on. I also hope to go and check out the Walmart.

Today I went to a big bookshop and bought some Chinese learning materials for myself and Asher. I’d better not do that too often, as there is a baggage allowance for the way home. Perhaps if the money balance is good at some stage I’ll post a whole stack of stuff home.

Shame Nanjing shame

Friday, March 21st, 2008

I went with a colleague to a restaurant specialising in Nanjing food. The service was awful, the food was nothing to write home about and the bean drink was virtually undrinkable. We treated that as an entree and went next door to another restaurant which was far better. The latter deserved a repeat visit.