Lazy Days, Hainan Ethnic Culture Museum, Anniversary

August 15^th Sad day, time to leave the hotel and make our way back to Wuzhishan. Huan and I took some photos of the ‘Tea House’ as we were up early before our first ‘item on the agenda’ which was to make the most of our last buffet breakfast. Needless to say, we all did it justice! After that, we took our last dip in the pool beside our rooms before packing up and moving out. Once back in the evening we took our guests to our normal ‘choose food’ place, I think they enjoyed it.

August 16^th All of us slept a little later than usual, one more than everyone else! It was a very busy day for me consolidating all the photos from my camera and phone, Christopher’s camera, phone and GoPro and then editing like mad. A lot of dashcam uploading was required as well, that may be finished in a day or two. We hadn’t planned anything touristy for today so that our guests could rest a little, it’s a good job too as it poured down with rain for half the day. In the evening, it was time for a visit to our local KMC. Yes, you did read that right; it’s our local KFC copy.

KMC went well enough although I do wish they wouldn’t foist soft drinks on you. On the way home, we passed one of the shops where we often talk to the man and his birds. Today he took them out of the cage to feed them.

Not only that, but he let me hold them while they were having their nosh too, I loved it.

August 17^th The weather caught us out again today. We decided to go swimming up the mountain at the ‘21’ Hotel’ but the nearer we got the harder it rained. Giving up on our endeavour I decided to visit the bank but on the way passed the museum. That had been closed when our guests were last here so we popped in to check. It was open!

You can see a lot more photos, taken on a previous visit, by following this link:-

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uS4cUQmKrsVMwgUP7

While I then went to the bank, Huan took Chris and Amber to visit the ‘new wet market’. They got back to the car before me because the ‘new’ market tenants all appeared to have moved back to the refurbished ‘old’ market. Topping up the fuel tank was the next job so we drove all through the town even showing Chris our ‘Lady of the Lake’. When we reached the fuel station there was a long line so I retraced our route all the way back to the first one. All pans were then abandoned for the day, except for this evening’s, so it was home for lunch.

Today was Chris and Amber’s wedding anniversary so we treated them to dinner at our only western style (sort of) restaurant, “Coffee Prinz”. The prices have come down and the quality is still good although you do have to be careful what you order. Chris’s sizzling steak was great, Amber’s fried noodles not so good, Huan’s ‘soup noodles’ were fine. “What about yours?” I hear you ask. Well, there was a mix-up with my order which was first blamed on other people booking their tables in advance and hence getting their “Seven Powder Chicken” before me, and secondly blamed on new staff in the back who cooked mine and then sent it to someone else. I ended up cancelling my order, eating some of Chris and Amber’s leftovers and then having a lovely “Banana Boat” dessert.

At least we all enjoyed the evening, I wonder if the two bottles of “Great Wall Cabernet” had anything to do with that?

August 18^th Today’s plan was a repeat of yesterday’s but one of our guests was feeling a little delicate so we all had a lazy day instead. We did go out in the evening to one of our local Muslim restaurants where the ladies both had “ròu jiā mó”, the men had lamb and beef and we all shared two plates of fried rice. It was ‘lubbly jubbly’ as they say.

Chris and Amber wanted to try ‘stone walking’ again so went down to the town square and obliged their whims. Huan joined them but my ‘soft feet’ had a rest. No photos were taken but a few videos were, here’s a screen shot from one of them.