CHINA 2010 FRIDAY 9th

We really must buy a clock so before we do anything else we will return to an area near the ‘Walking Street’. The shorts Keith bought are okay for indoors so he needs to buy another pair. I had already seen some in ‘Trust Mart’ so we would go there first as it is awkward to shop in the supermarket if you already have bags of shopping. Setting out from home was pass a couple of stalls outside the ‘beer kiosk’. Today we were amazed to see the lady who has a dress stall washing a large electric fan! In ‘Trust Mart’ there was nothing suitable so we called at the ‘Apple’ shop where we had more success. As Keith began to barter he realised a sale was on so it was a waste of time trying to get the price reduced any further. We found the string of clock shops and as I had already seen one I liked in the first shop it was only a case of bartering again. This time the ‘boy done good’ by getting the price down from 88 to 69 and that included the battery.

Instead of returning straight home we walked down side roads until we eventually came across a large street market. A wonderful sight on either side of the road with many stalls selling fresh seafood, fruit and vegetables. Behind them an array of other shops included one which was an ‘Aladdins Cave’ and I found some ‘S’ shaped hooks on which to hang the coat hangers on the drying rail. Leading off about half way along the street was a long covered section that we didn’t venture down today but could see this is where I should be able to buy my meat. Examining the fish stalls I saw all the crabs were tied up with coloured strips of rag to prevent them from moving. We also saw some unusual fish such as silvery grey ones that looked rather bloated and had small spikes on their bodies. I immediately thought of the porcupine! Laid on the floor where three hard shelled ray like species complete with a thin tail. Further along baskets were piled high containing chickens, ducks and rabbits. Again I thought about one of the recipes in the book that came with my new microwave. ‘Duck in Beer’ – first get your duck and kill it! At the end of the street we found it was near ‘Si Bei’ station and so I know now why the supermarkets in our area do not stock very much meat and fish.

The sun began to shine as we reached home so whilst I caught up on writing the diary Keith took one of our six dining chairs out onto the balcony and drank a cold beer!

Late afternoon we took the Rapid Bus three stops down the line as our plan was to finish at the top end of ‘Yundang Neihu’ and the adjoining park. Walking along the streets after we had alighted from the bus we came to an avenue of lilac coloured flowering trees and under the shade of the branches was another street market. This was a much smaller market but so much cleaner. The colourful stalls displayed flowers, fruit, watermelons the size of very large footballs, meat and fish. Everything was so artistically arranged, even the local farmer selling bunches of green leaf vegetables had them overhanging the edge of the long table.

We arrived in the park to find it very busy with children playing and the older generation under the shade of the trees so they were almost in the dark playing cards or chequers. One or two people practiced their martial art skills but once again no sound of music. It seemed people were just happy to wander around the meandering paths around this vast lake. Despite the heat there was a surprisingly large number of joggers. As the sun set we came across three very large fish restaurants all with the same name and with many cars and buses arriving at the one nearest the main road. We had walked a fair distance this afternoon and on reaching the main road had hoped we could get a taxi but at this time of the day they were all taken and not knowing the bus routes and numbers yet we had to walk home. It wasn’t a bad thing as we came across a very nice place to eat where all the walls were decorated with the colourful masks of the ‘Beijing Opera’ characters. We had a very nice meal too, especially their version of the Squirrel Fish. Once again the staff could not have been friendlier towards us.

As we left the restaurant Mander called to say that we will be taken out tomorrow. It was 9pm when we arrived home and it is still hot and sticky with no breeze.