So yes, Mother's Day was great
Mother's Day is commemorated in this part of China, probably because it gets people to take their mothers or wives out to eat and buy gifts.
We did not take up the free dinner for mothers offer that the Italian-ish/French-ish restaurant on our street offered. Instead we went to Sui Wan Tou to Randy's friend Dave's apartment. The girls from Home Bar decided to descend upon Dave's apartment and cook Chinese home-cooking. After some technical difficulties (Dave hasn't turned on his stove in over a year, normal for unmarried men, really, expats or no), we had the most amazing feast. Of what I ate (Bu yao rou--no meat), I had Ma Pou Dofu, Gam Bian Su Ji Dou, La De Tu Do that was completely out of this world. Myles also ate a lot of Qing Gua (cucumbers) because, you know, they make you burp.
And yes, please be forewarned that for some time I will be one of THOSE PEOPLE that remind you that the food in the restaurants is nothing at all like what I ate when I was in a particular country.
Afterwards Randy asked Myles if he wanted to go home our wander about Sui Wan Tou. Of course, Myles said he wanted to stay in Sui Wan Tou. We were in some area that I hadn't been in before, and once again I was reminded so clearly that I really am in another country, a developing country. Open vegetable bazaars, open butchers, dogs wandering in the streets and the stores--clearly no USDA or OSHA, you know? And yet aspects that made me realize some of the simplest most mundane things are universal. Some of the stores had desks in front where their children worked on their homework. I watched one grandmother chase a toddler around with a bowl of food, trying to get another bite into her (how many times has that been me?)
This wandering eventually led to a jewelry store, which then ended up with my leaving with an actual 24 K Gold bracelet (WOW). Randy had planned this all along, though for the first time in YEARS I hadn't already guessed it. Later we got flowers from the flower girls, a bunch so special that I really can't believe that Randy didn't plan it ahead of time, too. So with my roses and my orchids, the apartment is pretty festive.
I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day, or the opportunity to give someone a Happy Mother's Day, too.
We did not take up the free dinner for mothers offer that the Italian-ish/French-ish restaurant on our street offered. Instead we went to Sui Wan Tou to Randy's friend Dave's apartment. The girls from Home Bar decided to descend upon Dave's apartment and cook Chinese home-cooking. After some technical difficulties (Dave hasn't turned on his stove in over a year, normal for unmarried men, really, expats or no), we had the most amazing feast. Of what I ate (Bu yao rou--no meat), I had Ma Pou Dofu, Gam Bian Su Ji Dou, La De Tu Do that was completely out of this world. Myles also ate a lot of Qing Gua (cucumbers) because, you know, they make you burp.
And yes, please be forewarned that for some time I will be one of THOSE PEOPLE that remind you that the food in the restaurants is nothing at all like what I ate when I was in a particular country.
Afterwards Randy asked Myles if he wanted to go home our wander about Sui Wan Tou. Of course, Myles said he wanted to stay in Sui Wan Tou. We were in some area that I hadn't been in before, and once again I was reminded so clearly that I really am in another country, a developing country. Open vegetable bazaars, open butchers, dogs wandering in the streets and the stores--clearly no USDA or OSHA, you know? And yet aspects that made me realize some of the simplest most mundane things are universal. Some of the stores had desks in front where their children worked on their homework. I watched one grandmother chase a toddler around with a bowl of food, trying to get another bite into her (how many times has that been me?)
This wandering eventually led to a jewelry store, which then ended up with my leaving with an actual 24 K Gold bracelet (WOW). Randy had planned this all along, though for the first time in YEARS I hadn't already guessed it. Later we got flowers from the flower girls, a bunch so special that I really can't believe that Randy didn't plan it ahead of time, too. So with my roses and my orchids, the apartment is pretty festive.
I hope you had a Happy Mother's Day, or the opportunity to give someone a Happy Mother's Day, too.
Comments