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Nanjing, Day 11

Nanjing, China


Today was a well-needed slow day.
The morning's plan to visit a large TCM Hospital was rejected due to some miscommunication. The hospital was obviously going through some serious changes and reconstruction. With that came a rather exclusive attitude, especially to foreigners. They were only going to let us stay for about a half hour instead of three. That wasn't the plan and it wasn't good enough. So we canceled and left. However, a few hours later, we scheduled another visit with a different TCM clinic for the next day. We were relieved to find a quick substitute, since many members were excited about seeing medicine practiced in China. It all worked out for the best, since several people were feeling tired and probably needed a slow day to recover.

After a drive in golf carts around the park, the remainder of the group opted out of visiting the nearby temple in exchange for going back to the hotel early or visiting "electronic alley," a place for pirated software and knock off electronics and cheap MP3 players. It was packed and definitely catering more to the local crowd's needs.

After dinner the group Split up to go back to the hotel, out shopping, visit the local Pizza Hut (which is more like a fancy, expensive restaurant in China, not fast food; even though it still is) or out to a nearby nightclub.

For those who went to the nightclub, it was another night of dancing. The dance floor however, was tiny and packed with locals, who were very interested in our presence. After a few beers, many of them were coming over to practice their English on us. It's hard to be hidden in place like that when you're white and 6'3."

After the dancing and bizarre variety show interludes with dancers, crappy live bands and a drag queen, we took taxis back to the hotel in the rain. It was a great night together.

http://www.belila.com/Chinatour/


permalink written by  Benjamin Satterfield on September 24, 2005 from Nanjing, China
from the travel blog: China Tour Fall 2005
tagged Food, China, Botany, Medicine, Golfcart, Theft, Nanjing, Pirated, Chinese, Hospital, Clnic, TCM and Computer

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"Please get ready for rival"

Beijing, China


Vowels are not given much consideration.  Consonents often come preloaded with a vowel sound. Children are not taught, 'b', 'p', 'm', 'f' but 'baw', 'paw', 'maw', 'faw'.  Ns come preloaded  with a leading 'i' so that a word spelled, 'tun' is pronounced, 'twin'.  What I heard on the bus: "Please get ready for rival". Turns out it was not an invitation to spar but lack of respect for the lowly first letter of our alphabet which, when preceding 'rival' helps us not miss our bus stop.

permalink written by  prrrrl on March 15, 2011 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Beijing 2011
tagged Chinese, Vowels, Consonents and Pronunciation

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Out numbered

Beijing, China


I have four roommates. I am the lone non-Chinese - very good for practicing my limited language skills. They set the bar very low for Big Noses, everyone marveling at my Mandarin. Very friendly and helpful roommates but... they give me reason to use earplugs at night! I feel like I'm in a college dorm.

permalink written by  prrrrl on February 28, 2012 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Beijing I, 2012
tagged Chinese, Mandarin, Noise, Friendly and BigNose

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Not From Your Chopsticks, I Won't!

Beijing, China


Free taro! The hostel sells bottled water for 5 quai. The convenience stall just steps away sells the same for 3 quai. I'm accustomed to speaking Chinese when shopping so even though the people ther know sufficient English to sell to us White Ghost, they'll speak Chinese with me. The old lady gets a kick out of the fact that I can speak her language, so much so that this morning when buying my day's h2o supply she offered me pickled vegetables from her bowl with her chopsticks. Um... I waved the offering off. But then she offered me a whole, unbitten taro root. That I happily accepted with much gratitude. It was the size of an egg - a good sampling size. I like tubers.

permalink written by  prrrrl on September 25, 2013 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Liaoning, 2013
tagged Chinese, Water, Breakfast, Tuber and Taro

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tired but speaking

Beijing, China


(Comment on Instgram (prljan), or to tujan@yahoo.com, or to Blogabond.com (Prrrrl). Comments to FB cannot be seen behind the Bamboo Curtain!)
(Words in double parenthesis are courtesy of auto correct and left in for your amusement.)
I was extremely tired when I landed in Beijing Thursday afternoon. With an aching head I endured until 10pm, slept great and have no jet lag Friday. I don't have a good sense of time, however. First meal in China was my leftover snacks packed for the airport and mealless flight. So glad I ordered ((British)) vegetarian! The standard airplane food did not look appealing.
Hotel reception personnel are low on English skills. Since they know I can speak a little, they ((all)) ask me to use Chinese.


permalink written by  prrrrl on May 2, 2015 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Beijing 2015
tagged China, Chinese and JetLag

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blog 3?

Beijing, China


Hotel reception personnel are low on English skills. Since they know I can speak a little, they ((all)) ask me to use Chinese.
My second meal in China was more leftovers. Gotta finish the perishables! And I did. Third meal in China wasa disappointment. Great, by my standards, ingredients (mushrooms, bean thread noodles, dried tofu, cabbage) but bland broth. Second meal, which I am just finishing now, was great: ((win)) squid, cauliflower, eggplant, Chinese chives, mushrooms and quail eggs on skewers.


permalink written by  prrrrl on May 2, 2015 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Beijing 2015
tagged Food and Chinese

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