day 13

So today was New Years Eve. It was not at all like I expected. We got up quite early to clean the house. I believe it is Chinese tradition to clean the house, rid of the old etc etc. So we swept the floors. I have to wonder who taught the children how to sweep. They would fling dirt out the door but instead the dirt would hit the raised edge and just fly sideways into the nooks and corners of the doorway. But different ideas of clean I guess.

That is one thing I am still trying to get used to. The different ideas of what clean is. Its clean to use the floor as a trashcan because it is easily swept, so sunflower seeds can be spit on the floor, crumbs thrown down, cigarettes used or ash be tossed on the ground, its all ok. But to sit on a planter is dirty.

Afterward we made a quick trip to the hospital where I got another rabies vaccination and then we piled into the vehicle to the small village. I don’t know what I was expecting. We arrived and the boys set up the decorations for the home, which was 2 big red lanterns that in itself is not complicated but new wiring has to be made to a light bulb inside. Never are a plug installed and one cord made and stored, instead every year the entire doorway is just re-wired. The rest of the decorations were posters and ribbons to be taped to the wall.
The ladies meanwhile cooked. Once ready we all sat down for dinner. It was about 3 or four and as you can guess the guys (at the big table) started opening bottles of liquor. Dinner was good. The usual array of 5 or so plates of food from 2 or three vegetable dishes to a plate or two of just meats. Again at the end carp was served. Carp is an interesting fish to eat. I don’t know if you have ever tried it, in the use we don’t often eat it.
Afterward I was schooled in Mahjong by his cousins where I not only worried myself about my toes catching frostbite but I also lost about 10 koai… Luis and I retreated to a bed that had blankets and heating pad which what looked like was mint for 1 person. It was the first time I was happy to spoon with a dude as it was the only way to stay onto of the heating pad and under the blankets.
The next morning I slept in while events happened. Why I was not awakened for the “important” events of the morning is beyond me. It was thought I would prefer to sleep. Oh well, such is life eh? Lunch was served as leftovers from the previous day. Leftovers here are very similar to leftovers in my family but I think not the common way to eat leftovers for many people back home. Here after a meal all the leftover food is dumped into one big pot so the next day it can be heated up and eaten again.
The only difference in my family is dad adds a can or two of cream for a “stew”. Well with Chinese food the various dishes are all rather strong flavored. But this time the bitter pickled cucumbers teamed up with the sour sauced lotus roots to overpower the more subtle flavors of the other dishes of vegetables, meat and fish.
Again I played Mahjong as there is little else to do here. I don’t know why but I guess I expected more of a small hamlet of a village in the mountains surrounded by forest, fields or rivers. Here it is almost nothing of the sort. The land is flat and filled with fields yes. But all the fields look dead with grey dirt carved in neat rows. No forest exists except huddles of trees that scatter the road or distance. The village is much like the rest of china I have seen, crowded. I was amazed at how crowded the small village was. Narrow dirt streets lined with trash and piles of bricks, bamboo or what looks like a sort of hay. Dogs are scampering over piles looking for food while old men sit around smoking.
I think however on the game of mahjong I must be getting better for in the evening when I played with the older ladies I didn’t loose horribly. I only lost 1 of my 5 koai. So I almost broke even. For barely playing I think I am doing well. I blame my cursed luck more than my strategy.
The game is a rummy type game, played with tiles instead of cards. And the game is much like Jin rummy except for 4 people. Well in this game you must call “Uno” to signify you only need one tile to win. Well I would get to the brink of winning several times but often loose only to discover the tiles I need are in the possession of someone else… It is amazing how I can get so close to discover I never had a chance. They found it quite funny as 4 times in a row the same lady won showing her pieces were the ones I needed.
Another night passed and now it is the 27th. I leave the day after tomorrow back for Wuhan. There I must get all my money from the bank and get the transcripts for Texas state. It should only be a quick stop as hopefully Erwin and I are going to go down to Guilin where we will rent some mopeds and scooter around the country side taking pictures. He is leaving soon so it is our way of saying good bye and well doing what we love, taking pictures. Hopefully soon this will be posted on the net.