I arrived in Guilin yesterday afternoon and was once again surprised at the modernity of the city. I guess I had this notion of China as a huge, massive country with its major metropolises being Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau. But the rest of the country I assumed was still relatively undeveloped. I guess I was wrong, way wrong. Guilin is home to a mere 600,000 people, a tiny fraction of the country's enormous population, but it is a city of shopping centers, restaurants, beautiful parks, neon lights, and friendly people, all set amongst beautiful scenery. It's cold here though. Last night I met Sam, a fellow dorm-dweller at the Guilin Backstreet Hostel, and much to my surprise he speaks Chinese! It's pretty intriguing to watch a 6'6" blond kid from Tampa Florida speak Chinese with amazing ease and fluidity. He took me to this great noodle spot for dinner, then helped me buy a sweatshirt at the local market for what seems a fair price. We walked through the gaudy night market, tasted local rice wine, and got caught in a downpour while snacking on BBQ squid and fried seafood balls. It was a fun night. Back at the hostel, I exchanged travel stories with a girl from Israel and enjoyed a bottle of red wine with a couple from San Diego.
Today its cold and raining, and my poor toes are freezing! It's still early, so I'm enjoying a cup of coffee in a McDonalds overlooking central Guilin waiting for the shops to open. Shoes, gloves, and a hat are on my must buy list today!
Friday, December 28, 2007
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2 comments:
Hey Dona,
I love reading your blog (I think you're making alot of us at work envious of your adventures when our biggest adventure of the day is searching for something in the G drive) and now that you're in China, I feel like I ought to say Hi to let you know that I'm thinking of you! China is one big construction zone sprinting towards commercialism, isn't it? Do you notice that the Chinese like having the windows open all year round?! Something to do with not trapping the germs from the old times...but I'm grateful to eat a steaming bowl of wonton soup from a storefront stall while squatting on a fluorescent pink plastic chair huddled around a makeshift table bundled up in my jacket if I don't have to smell smoke! You mentioned McDs--splurge on a taro or green bean pie from McDs someday (they're still fried instead of baked--yum) and the KFC spicy chicken wings are delicious--fast food done right! Even I had to use the illiterate menu, so don't feel bad if you have to point! Enjoy enjoy enjoy, Dona, (as I know you are.) I'm longing for some Guilin rice noodles right now.... "Xin nien kuai le" (Shing nien kwai luh, in English phonetics) Happy New Year!(usually applied to the Lunar New Year, but whatever...)
who'd a thunk you'd be fighting frost bite hehehe. How fun to meet so many different people along the way. WOW girl what a journey. Keep enjoying.
Luv M
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