Pesky things

Warren has a class tomorrow so he wanted to do some prep this morning. As we have no printer here, we need to do the work put it on usb drive and then wander over to the office in office hours to print it.

He did his prep and I tidied the book case where we keep our resources and most other stuff that one accumulates. I noticed he was looking for something. Conversation goes like this.
You looking for something?
Yeah, my usb, you seen it?
Well, you used it friday to print my stuff off but I put it on the table.
You sure?
Yes, it was in the folder with my printing for fridays class but i knew you would want it so I took it out and threw it over to you. Both of us are picking up papers and looking under things.
Well, its not here, you havent seen it
Not since then. Starting to wonder if it was friday that i gave it back.
Where is the folder we took to english corner?
Here but its not in there. When did you last have it. Friday i thought. I must have left it in class. But you didnt use it unless the music was on it? No, that was on my phone.
Both of us madly pulling things off the bookcase. These usbs have all kur work prep plus photos plus marks etc. We could recover most but lots of work. Decide that it is lost and we would have to spend the day going from computer to a second usb when Warren puts his hand in his pocket and sheepishly says, oops just found it!
My comment, you are buying lunch.

It is only little, it is alongside a park of cards

Murals on the walls

Today we went to eat at the canteen and being Saturday it was not very busy and I was able to take some photos.

Our meals are in the front with Warren off to the side.

These two fill one side of the canteen, very

true to life, the black covered boats are traditional here on the canals.

Upsizing

Yesterday we went out, the plan was to go for soup and hot chocolate as ut was a cold, wet and miserable day. Nothing like soup and hot choccy to warm ones insides up, right.

Only thing is that we had to brave the weather to get there, as we have no cooking facilities in the apartment.

We rug up, grab the imbrellas and head to the bus station, as the terminal is just across from the gates, there was no oroblems getting a seat, we were the only ones on for several stops. Still raining when we reached Shi Mou shopping centre where Fizz Pizza is located. The rain was fairly pelting down and we were keeping close to the shops as there was some overhang to keep the rain off. Well, one of those shop fronts was Pizza Hut, we wanted pizza and that was closer and they also have soup and hot choccy.

In we went and of course directed to the second floor, the door person was on the walkie talkie as we were climbing the stairs. "Liang ge le weis" telling the staff upstairs that two foreigners were coming up. We were greeted with smiles, shown to a seat and given menus. Hum, there was a large pizza on the front with different toppings. I asked if that, pointing to it was that price 88rmb, again pointing to the price. A nod of the head to comfirm it but she pointed to the other side which said 176rmb for 2 and then run the pen down the side. Warren then took over as he thought that he would like dessert. Between us and our limited Chinese and the menu, we thought we knew what we were getting and jt was pretty close.

For the sum of 176, there was the pizza, two hot chocolates, a salad and a soup and two dessert.

Soup and salad, we selected fruit salad which came with mayonaisse as usual here but you know it does taste good surprisingly, inthe back ground was the big mug if chocolate.

Then the pizza! Nine little squares of different, one had prawns, one mushrooms, a couple had sweet corn and chicken, couple with sausage type meat, one with lots of chilli which was the only little in the middle that got left.

Then dessert, oh my goodness! The left one was cake and cream, nice but the one on the right, we cut them in half to have half each, was like a soft mousse with a denser mousse on the outside then coated in a dusting of chocolate dust? It was so yummy and so rich, I didnt quite finish my half.

Then came paying the bill, I knew that I had lots of small notes in  my wallet that I wanted to use up, they are hard to convert back to our currency, some places wont even take them Warren did wonder if I was scraping the barrel to see if we had to wash dishes or not. Too cold to do anything after so we just rolled back over to the bus stop and made our way home caught a bus that we hadnt caught before but we remembered that it went past the south gate and better than that it stopped right outside, bonus.

Rum Balls Chinese style

I made rum balls to take to classes so the kids had someting else to eat and try besides sandwiches. I had made these before so knew I could similar ingredients to make them. They were very basic but had the taste and texture.

First I had to source the fruit and yes, able to buy sultanas, not mixed dried fruit, little school supermaket had condensed milk in tubes but there were some tins which I thought was condensed milk, it had a panda on the outside. I opened it and yes! It was condensed milk. Warren had Australian oats bought here for breakfast so that was it oats sultanas and condensed milk with a little bit of coffee for flavour. Rolled in sugar. Not a drop of rum anywhere.

I got out container to put them in and realised they were not big enough. Warren suggested tge coffee boxes. We keep them just in case they could be used for something and they could. Used a plastic sleeve to line the bottom and they were good to go. I am never sure how many will turn up but I allow for 12 to 15 each class, I preped 24 for each class, some had two and there were a few to bring home again, luckily for Warren. We finished the last tonight.

Food!

One would think I was hungry as this is another blog entry on food but no, I did a lesson on food yesterday to one of my classes. Its a concept that I have not taught before and it has been hard to get my head around it.

I have two lessons back to back of 40 minutes, shorter than I am used to with two lots of students. It is also a taxi ride away. Their English is pretty good and I did ask them what they wanted re lessons, they came up with fashion, music, movies and food.

Music and movies? talking to teenagers, not me. However, last week we did clothes, maybe not what they thought but they learnt new words and try to play a game just not how I expected them to play. This week was food! Again so new words and then I had them make sandwiches, they had fun, had something to eat and got to use knives, butter etc that they would not usually use.

Food Delivery

We have noticed a lot of food been delivered by courier, people ripping up the footpaths on ebikes to collect and then take to businesses or homes. Even seen outside of school campus waiting for some one to come and collect.

We were enjoying a burger at Burger King a couple of weeks ago and in the space of the time it took for us to consume our meal, there had been eight delivery people came in to pick up. They leave their helmets on and go to a special counter.

I have a bit of a giggle when I see their logo on their shirts bikes and containers, it is a speeding kangaroo.

 This guy was waiting at lights to continue, the food is a hot box between his feet. It is just not fast food venues, there is a street of small restaurants that we often walk along thank goodness it does have wide footpaths as its common to be walking along and several of these bikes pull in, collect and shoot off again. Time is money I guess and the quicker they do it the more money they earn.a

Drying meat

First Happy New Year to all.
We often see meat drying, it is quite common place here. Only ducks and fish though and I had a thought of why? It is for flavour? Is it left over from years ago before fridges and supermarkets?

Out with a friend yesterday and just before he arrived, we had seen more on the footpath so I asked him why it was.

It is partly flavour and a way to perserve the meat. Mainly old ways to ensure there is plenty of food available at Spring festival (Chinese new year)when family visit. We were told that it is done only in this area and we realised that we had not seen it in other parts of China.

It is common to see ducks drying alongside of clothes drying in the sun. I dont think anything to put on them just using the sun. We did have a roast duck yesterday, it was very crispy skin, very tasty.