CHINA - We have arrived!

Tuesday, July 10, 2017

Hello from China!

We arrived here late Sunday night, a mere 34 hours of non-stop travel from the time we left home. My first impression was that it was a very busy place, with a lot of traffic for a Sunday night. 

Not surprisingly we didn’t sleep well that first night and were wide awake at 3:30 am. There’s a nice buffet breakfast included at the hotel but we still had to wait 3 hours until morning! There was plenty of Western-style food,  but I also took the opportunity to try something new. Congee, for instance, which is just a tasteless porridge made of rice. And roast duck – something I don’t normally eat for breakfast. I also enjoyed a glass of what was labelled “raisins juice.”

Bert went off to work and I stayed at the hotel to unpack, read, and relax. There’s a nice pool here and a gym that I tried to convince myself I would use. Bert was back shortly after noon and heading off to another tool shop, the one where Kevin works. (Kevin has been to our place several times, and last time he was in Canada he and two other Chinese men slept over.) Bert asked if I’d like to go along too, so I brought along my laptop to occupy myself while he was busy doing whatever it is that he does.

A car came for us and I was happy to see the city in the daylight. Just like Bert said, there are vehicles of all kinds - bikes and trucks, buses and cars - all sharing the same busy roads. It made me nervous, especially to see two or three people on one bike, often one riding side-saddle – and no helmets!  I suppose it’s quite safe because everyone is used to it, and you would probably become much more careful and aware of your surroundings, knowing that a family of 4 on a motorbike may be right beside you in your blind spot.

Bert went off to look at machines and Kevin gave me a tour of the plant. Kevin is the owner/president’s son and told me how his dad started the company and how big it now is. (HUGE!) Kevin left me in his Dad’s enormous office with his sister Katherine, who  also works there, and is also fluent in English. 

 I quickly realized it was Katherine's job to 'entertain' me, but really I would’ve been perfectly happy in a corner somewhere with my laptop. She made tea and served  it to me on this massive tea table which was made from an inverted tree stump, hand-carved into multiple levels that direct the tea spill-over down carved valleys to drain excess tea/water like a fountain into a hole where it’s neatly collected into a hidden pail.

I asked about using the ladies room and discovered this: a floor toilet.  

I took one look and decided not to use it. However after several cups of tea, it became an unfortunate necessity.

A grab bar would be nice for those of us not accustomed to squatting, or getting up from a squat. But then, would I want to grab a bar everyone grabs after using the toilet?

And toilet paper; that would be nice too...

I was feeling awkward making small talk with Kevin's sister and wishing I had just stayed at the hotel by the pool with a good book when Kevin and Bert finally came back. Kevin was surprised to hear  that I was going to go to visit someone in South Korea while in this part of the world. He asked if I’d like to go to Taiwan, where he’s from. I thought that would be great of course, and before I knew it, he had arranged for me to go Taiwan for the weekend and spend 4 days with his wife. Um... I’ve never met his wife. I know she’s got two little ones,  a baby and another 15 months older and that she lives with her mother and a babysitter/housekeeper/nanny person since her husband lives and works in China.
How do I tell them I don’t really want to go to Taiwan without Bert, to stay with a young woman I’ve never met...? I'm sure that Kevin’s doing this to show appreciation for having him at my place when he was in Canada, as well as to Bert for bringing thousands millions of dollars in business. to their company.

 It’s hard to know what’s going on. He’s constantly on the phone speaking Chinese.  Is he talking  talking about me? His parents are going to join us for dinner at our hotel, I find out.

At this point I was beginning to feel like I was trapped in a cult, not knowing what is happening or what is going on, not allowed to do as I please, but being pulled along into their mysterious plans! Kevin and his sister Katherine drove us back to the hotel then went to pick up his parents Dave & Teresa at the airport.. Bert and I went to our room where I  had a meltdown because I was afraid to go to a strange country with people I don't know and I began to blame him for everything that was happening and everything else I could think of that is wrong on this trip and wrong with the world today. Jet-lag may have had something to do with that. 

At dinner we were seated in a private dining room in the hotel and several attendants served us one of the most elegant meals I’ve ever had! Course after course of beautifully prepared dishes, many of which I’d never had before: octopus, bamboo, miso, and many more. There was plenty of red wine  to go around as we were toasted again and again to welcome us, and toasts to health and prosperity, happiness and friendship. Kevin and Katherine were kept busy translating everything for us; their parents don’t speak English.

With Katherine & Kevin (standing), and their parents Dave & Teresa

That was only DAY ONE in China!

Today Bert has gone off to work again, and I’ve been perfectly happy to stay at a nice air-conditioned hotel with a pool, and with real toilets, and a gym that I still believe I might use. Today for breakfast I feasted on fried banana, dragon fruit, curried pork, vegetables - and a few mystery foods - and have spent most of the day reading.

Tomorrow we fly to another city and another tool shop!