Wind, Assorted Animals, Cooking In & Dining Out.

January 24^th Those glasses of Port last night must have helped me sleep! There were dreams, myself and #1 son traipsing through jungles in what appeared to be the Philippines along with scary snakes now and then. We awoke to something we don’t hear often in Wuzhishan, wind howling through all the window cracks. I stayed in bed dozing and not particularly wanting to get up, going back to my dream whenever I dropped off.

After lunch we thought it was not quite so windy so we decided on a nice long riverside walk.

Remember these from last week?

Unfortunately many of them succumbed to the wind. It is rare that we have strong winds here, even in the typhoon season we are usually spared the worst.

That particular bridge had lost eighteen of its lanterns, as we moved through town the casualties lessened. The wind is coming from the north, by the time it’s moved through the town it has lost some of its power. Here’s someone who wasn’t fazed by the wind at all.

On our way round the riverside we bumped into Sam, he works at a famous hotel at the base of the mountain. If you are interested, you can book here - https://www.trip.com/hotels/wuzhishan-hotel-detail-534423/wuzhishan-yatai-rainforest-hotel/. Anyway, Sam was out ‘Nordic walking’ through the countryside and back home to his better half. He demonstrated how to use the poles and then let the Minister of Health have a go.

The weather was absolutely wonderful this afternoon, the wind was still there but a great deal weaker than it had been in the morning. We both ended up feeling a little too warm!

Now a walk wouldn’t be a walk without the odd creature or two, I’m sure you’d agree with that, so here are our first two candidates. I had to take this with the phone to get ‘between the bars’ and they were very dubious about me getting too close. Beautiful though, aren’t they?

Round the corner I often chat to a cat in a cage, today it had canine company who really got excited on seeing me. Maybe someone shared my details on the Pooch Pipeline!

The cat was also there, but the dog’s owner had to keep the dog busy while we had a chat.

Huan popped into Baijiahui to look for red peppers, I stayed outside because the left luggage machine had run out of paper. Yes, we had bought something on our travels, another two Xinjiang flatbreads from the friendly family by the riverside. Huan reappeared sans any shopping so we headed off home where I decided to show you the express delivery boxes control panel.

The lights are on so we assume that it is now working. However, we do not know which companies are using it and most deliveries appear to be just as before.

Nearing home I heard dog voices again and I thought maybe there were some old, or maybe even new, friends to have a chat with. It turned out to be two in a car. Don’t worry; they were fine apart from shouting at me. There was no sun on that side at all, still quite a breeze near our house and the car windows were open for them.

January 25^th Sleep was not so good last night, there were dreams but not sufficiently clear enough for me to share them with you. Being late up, my fault, our morning plan was cancelled. Instead I did more renaming on the PC while Huan played music. She did have a few breaks sitting on the balcony with her phone though.

Even after lunch we changed our plans again, Huan carried on with her music, I carried on with renaming files galore. I also cooked today’s dinner. Here it is, chicken adobo.

Would you believe that we couldn’t be bothered to go out after dinner either? Instead we just lazed around until bedtime. The family motto came into play “I will do it tomorrow!” (Tomorrow has no reality, since every day is experienced as today – Wikipedia)

January 26^th Sleep was not so satisfying again last night, getting old is a pain in the proverbial. I did dream last night though, I was one of a bunch of couriers in exceptionally fast cars, a touch of the fast and the furious. In another dream I was also a top notch marksman. I have no idea where either of these dreams came from.

Do you find that at times your brain wanders off; mine did this afternoon while we were walking in the countryside. I remembered some of my early dreams, when I had just joined the army. I dreamed of being shot and cars in one dream, cars and women in another dream, women and being shot in the third variation. I lived in fear of dreaming about all three at the same time! I also regularly have ‘flying dreams’ which I really do enjoy, hopefully after talking about it today I will have one of those again pretty soon!

Anyway, back to today, we stayed at home in the morning, Huan cooked tonight’s dinner. After lunch we had to follow her plan, the one that we didn’t use yesterday. The first part involved taking a bus to the edge of town, either a #1 or a #5. We ended up on a #1.

We were headed for the place where we nearly bought our forever home. At that time there was no Blog so we didn’t take anywhere near as many photos. The main thing that put us off, and there were more than one, was the u-bend above where the bed would be in the master bedroom.

Huan had a chat to the fisherman on the bridge, he let her photograph his catch. I left her to it as his buddies were a little bit on the inebriated side. Now you may have to strain your eyes, but his dinner is there on the right side of the photo.

Today we were not going straight to the villages but veering off to the right, passing the newly installed exercise equipment and thence into the depths of the countryside.

My navigational skills were on top form and soon, despite the enormous difficulties of finding our way through this strange land, we discovered the left turn!

Dogs are generally friendly; cats can be when they feel like it, cows are there for a good chat. Goats will sometimes nuzzle; pigs on the other hand, like to run a mile!

This is a very pleasant route, quiet today as well. It needed a panorama.

Sometimes the trouble and strife turns criminal in the countryside and likes to steal things to take home with her. This plant is to replace one that she previously murdered!

This lady is someone that Huan always talks to when we walk this way, and she always remembers Huan too. Usually she is embroidering ‘Li Brocade’, today she is cooking. Not only that, she is using fire, Uncle Roger would be pleased.

Chinese New Year, as I’m sure you know, is a very traditional holiday and it is not over very quickly. With all the things you are supposed to do every day it can last fifteen days. However, in the countryside, farmers have work to do.

Unusually some farm dogs came to chat today.

Huan was next, although she can’t get them to talk to her.

I was then directed to a family at the side of the road.

Soon the kindergarten came into view which was our cue to turn right and head back into town. On the way down I spotted the truck that tried to drown us last week. We are not sure if it only fresh water that is being sprayed or if it has some chemicals added. It smells clean enough.

The riverside market was as quiet as it always is these days but the town square was quite busy. Unfortunately, all the activities were for little people, ones who are much younger than me.

Let’s finish the day’s photo shoot with one of the Prime Minister, dynamically striding across the road. She had been to the restaurant in Baijiahui, ‘18 Bowls’, to check on its opening hours, specifically for tomorrow lunch. I had declined the offer to accompany her and stayed on my side of the road waiting patiently for her return.

January 27^th Only boring dreams to report on for last night. I was teaching but I know not where and I know not when. In fact I don’t even know what I was teaching. We both woke earlier today but we awoke to miserable weather. Not to worry, our only plan was to go out at lunch time to have lunch with new friends. Over the weekend, Chinese New Year, we met Jack, a Chinese gent and his wife Virginia, an American lady. They work on the mainland but spend time here every ‘winter’; no doubt we will see more of them in the future. Today’s venue was the new ‘18 Bowls’ restaurant located in the Baijiahui building. The food was very tasty and not too expensive. We may return but I won’t go alone. They have no menus; everything has to be done via your phone. My phone is still stuck with Huan’s bank details. I forgot to take any photos but Huan managed a few. Unfortunately, the ones of Jack and Virginia are not very flattering so I won’t share them here. Instead you can have a drool over a few bowls.

As we left I spotted another unusual motor bike so I thought I’d share that with you too. The owner turned up a few minutes later not looking the part at all. Instead of leathers he was wearing a knitted pullover, the kind that my Mam or Grandma may have made. It was not a snug fit, more baggy and long, it brought to mind the original sloppy joe look.

That was the end of our day. The weather had worsened; it didn’t feel like a walking day at all. No cooking was needed this evening, only yours truly making good old British bap sandwiches. After dinner all I did was watch ‘Moonstruck’, a very much underappreciated actress called Cher starred in it. They don’t make movies like that any more!

January 28^th No dreams worth sharing last night. We woke up, late, to a miserable morning again so we stayed in. Today it was Huan’s turn to be idle while I prepared this evening’s dinner. Here it is all ready for when we come home this afternoon. The recipe calls for annatto, something I can’t get here so I substituted it with a quarter teaspoon each of paprika, turmeric and nutmeg. That’s what’s in the egg cup.

After lunch Huan had originally wanted to do another bus and walk like we did on Thursday but I managed to talk her out of that. Instead we headed towards the countryside and LuoBoTe village, via the road to somewhere. As you can see the weather had improved, a lot.

Before we had crossed the bridge our route had changed, not the destination, just the way we would get there. Going via the Mansions on the Hill kept Huan out of the sun a little more. The Mansions are between these two photos.

Today we even walked down to the river passing a very small farm on the way. The dog(s) used to come out and chat but now there is only one and he is chained up. Although you can’t see in the photo his tail was going like the clappers so I guess he remembered me. The duck was just interesting, sitting on the wall.

Down at the river two photos were taken, well more than two really but some were used to create a panorama. Huan thinks you shouldn’t see that because it has a pile of waste bricks at one side. I think you should see both, it’s a lovely place.

Before long we were passing through LuoBoTe village where Huan pointed out these fruit. “I used to eat them when I was young” she said, “Shall I show you?” Pointing out that Dalian, where Huan grew up, is at least three and a half thousand kilometres north of here, a very different climate, and there is every chance that these are not the same fruits, I managed to talk her out of her demonstration.

In the village the woodworkers asked us in to say hello. This is a regular occurrence and we usually say no because we are on the way somewhere and don’t have time, or are on the way back and are too tired. Huan wanted to go in so I agreed. Poor chaps probably thought they could sell her something! This is their workshop.

She did manage to find a snake but there was no chance of her buying it. I don’t think I would fancy it in the house anyway, even if it is made of wood.

After going through the village we ended up going back to the Mansions on the Hill, via the empty cow byre, shame I couldn’t have a chat. This time we walked at the bottom of the allotments, even disturbed a couple of goats on the way.

Up from there and down the other side led us towards the river, a different way home.

Deciding to try and cross the river we stumbled across a couple of babies. They looked very young; we did our best not to disturb them.

Huan then found a big baby. Once upon a time, it used to be so easy.

More kids were found; they looked to be just a little older. I was a long way from them but Huan disturbed them a little. Hopefully their mother will be able to find them.

Not so much a baby this time, more a doddery old man.

Almost back home we passed our old neighbours’ house; they used to live very near the front gate. The husband fixes motorbikes and his wife works in the sports hotel, they often ask us to stop. As with most invites, we are usually either on the way out somewhere distant or on the way back exhausted. Today I was glad to see them and even happier to accept a (few) cup(s) of tea.

And here they are with a late arrival to the party.

After enough tea we headed home and I got busy. This morning’s preparation had been good but dinner still needed putting together and cooking. I was cooking Bopis, a unique Filipino food traditionally prepared from assorted pig parts, usually the heart, kidneys, lungs, and intestines. In our case, the pre-packaged innards that I had bought came from sheep, same idea though.

Huan had suggested I use two green chillies just like she had yesterday. Having enjoyed yesterday’s food I took her advice. Leave the seeds in she told me. What she didn’t tell me was that she took them out yesterday! Luckily for me we had some cheap yoghurt in the fridge which helped cool mine down just a little. I have to say that despite the fact that I prepared and cooked this dish I was very pleased. The serving platter was completely emptied. Huan often saves a little of whatever we are having for her breakfast, not today though, we scoffed the lot. In case you’re interested, it is served with plain boiled rice which in our case means white rice with coloured rice and various beans, nothing normal about us you know!

January 29^th The boss was up early enough to walk, the slave wasn’t. In fact the slave woke up at nearly ten o’clock with his head stuffed up yet again. He’s back on the Chinese medicine for a while. Lunch was egg & tomato with xinjiang bread. I found a video showing it being done the Chinese kung fu way, served with rice, it’s quite amusing, you can find it here: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJMAQa_CpdE&ab_channel=LittleBigChina.

After lunch we thought we really should go out, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. Once we were outside we wondered if we had made a mistake. Yes the sun was shining, the sky was blue, but it was also windy and cold! Slowly we got used to it. I took far too many photos as usual, so did the artistic director. Let’s start with the moon.

Oh, you noticed the bird then, that’s what I was aiming for. Today we were sticking to town, not even the riverside. On our way up the top street Huan kept asking to go up to the small towns. I guess we would just call them side streets; they’re not even in the suburbs.

Of course there was ‘no through road’ and we had to retrace our steps.

We managed to find a sign that we haven’t shown you yet. This one says 不忘初心 Bù wàng chūxīn, Do not forget the original intention - 牢记使命 láojì shǐmìng, Remember the mission.

Next up is someone who is always pleased to see me, a fellow with an unusual nose for a dog, it’s red. As you may be able to tell from the photos, the second one in particular, he did not want to let me go today. I think he could smell ‘other dogs’.

Huan took better photos of the ostrich than I did today so it’s only fair that you should see them.

This is the year of the rabbit so I guess I have to share these as well. There was a little girl there who really wanted me to take pictures of the rabbits with the camera. The one in the top two photos has a broken leg, something we only found out after. The one in the bottom photo leapt out of its box when I tried to get close.

Another car graces the Blog this week. See if you can identify these little people.

No? Well maybe the side view of the car will help. It didn’t help me at all so I did a search and found this – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaws It could be right but I won’t guarantee it.

Our schedule was different this week for the weekend, no two day potato salad either. Instead we ‘went out to dinner’! Well, what I really mean is that we walked back through town and paused the fitness app while we popped into Wallace’s, a Chinese burger place.

Here is my financial adviser tucking into her double fish burger. She was far too busy to take a photo of me chomping at my double beef burger. Just as well, I wasn’t wearing those horrible plastic gloves. Burger verdict, not so good today.

Huan did have to take my photo though; we were approached twice by young ladies wanting their photo taken with the foreigner. Usually they take the photos with their own phones and we never see anything again. Today Huan took photos with their phones and with hers. I have no idea why the second photo shows them both looking at me.

During our lunch date the other day Virginia had mentioned a salmon shop and told us where it was. We then had a discussion about how to say salmon and I forgot what she told me. Sitting in Wallace’s I spotted it across the road. It’s actually a small restaurant but you can buy salmon to take away. I do like a bit a lot of salmon, how about you? However, at ¥220.00 per half kilo, it is imported from Norway; I think I may just give it a miss.

And so another Sunday comes to a close, we walked another ten kilometres today. There’s a vague possibility that we will manage 200km this month, three years ago I did over three hundred in a month. Still, a lot has happened since then.

January 30^th Another late morning, more my fault than Huan’s, as usual. Last night’s dreams were mostly about driving and getting lost! Monday is of course shopping day, the car park was not quite full today and the supermarket was not too busy. Our list was small this week as we have to return to Sanya on Wednesday to meet a potential new tenant on Thursday. Huan has work for us to do first!

For some reason Huan suggested we walk after lunch, I didn’t disagree. We went up SanYueSan and back via the Ostrich market and the riverside. Before we went though I found one of the two cats I had seen last Wednesday. Today it allowed me to get near and even to pick it up. There was no sign of the other one and no sign of any ‘parents’ either.

Yet another car for you now, or a bit of one anyway. I have often seen cars with 911 stickers, but I have never seen one with the additional phrase. I wonder what they are trying to say.

One of my many canine stops includes this next place. There are three dogs that have known me since we arrived here in 2015, even after they moved house. They and a chicken share their residence with a woodworking human or two. We usually only see them all sitting around drinking tea, today only one man was there and he was busy. Huan asked what he was making and he told her it was art.

Huan also found a swan, or is it a goose, inside the workshop.

Not to be outdone I found a couple of babies and one allowed me to pick it up.

So after a week of many hugs from our feline and canine friends it’s time to say goodbye once again. We’ll be back of course, routine says so. Until then we’ll bid you all a fond farewell, take care of yourselves, and see you next time.