Well, 40RMB for a taxi one way to Jin ci Hotel and he did not even go through the gates. Too intimidating? Wrong colour? Don't laugh, in Shanghai the colour of the taxi meant how much you would have to pay and often whether or not you would make it to your destination - well, 7 years ago it did anyway.
Back to the hotel. To confuse everyone this and the park blog will be present and past tense. I was writing in real time, with the intention to transfer to the computer the same day - that did not happen. Therefore, I am adding bits I had not written at the time. Throw away the editing pen!
No matter, despite the cold it was a short, pleasant walk. When I got to the right place, there are several buildings within the hotel compound - that is the only way to describe it, I was able to talk to a very friend help assistant manager. She took me to look at one of the rooms, "Chinese style." This had me asking if it meant actually Chinese or was it decorated in a certain fashion. I believe she found this query confusing; when we finally looked at the room I explained after ensuring there was a western toilet and shower. It seems I am teaching regardless what I am doing.
After we walked back to the main hotel I was asked if I wanted to eat in their banquet room because it was "maybe" too early to go to see the park next door. Translation - it was lunch time and then there would be the inevitable nap (or rest) time. Even this far north. Only the banquet room was available because there were two or three conferences at the hotel that day.
Very sweet coffee! But pretty good. They must assume all foreigners drink coffee rather than tea. The coffee did not taste like the prepackaged stuff; however, there was a machine that readily offered refills. The first cup must have been the special blend - only one cup per person. I am the only foreigner in the banquet hall - buffet lunch, 168RMB - this will be an expensive day! Jin ci Park after I eat and warm up. At least I can take my coat off here.
Braised enema? I do not think that can be right! Despite the automatic, or push button, closing lids for the warming pans much of the food is only lukewarm. Except the shrimp dumplings which are in steamer baskets without lids. They are absolutely delicious! Rice paper wrappings with delectable shrimp and what I believe is a hint of cilantro. I will not ask where the shrimp came from, this being a landlocked province just below Inner Mongolia. The benefit of having a bit more money is being able to eat a good meal without being cold - me, not the food!
I foolishly left my non-working Canadian cell at home - more commonly referred to as mobiles in China, which still works for taking pictures. On the way to the hotel - roughly 30 minutes, everything was all industrial in appearance except for a few glimpses of what might have been small temples. One in particular - for its size and placement, was surrounded by run-down, utilitarian shops, none over a storey high, which made the temple appear to be reaching for the heavens in a last gasp for fresh air and freedom.
What I can only assume were fake gates - gracing entrances to various unknown edifices, empty lots or businesses - were ornate, colourful and mimicking the past made all behind them even sadder, and the gates themselves like painted ladies of the night. In the light of day garish, gray and fading.
As we left the city there were signs of possible destruction in progress amidst row after row of trees. No idea when these were planted or what they were because all the leaves have, of course, fallen and their skeletons are mere spectres - drained of all moisture, frozen in place, black with soot. Everything covered in soot and exhaust. The plants, the trees, the buildings, the people.A flash of white therefore was bound to catch my eye. One of the lovely birds with white wings offsetting bluish black plumes flitted by to land in an otherwise naked, semi-stripped nest.
The banquet hall is far more colourful than the people. Even the conversation, usually loud to deafening in such places, is subdued. The majority of the men in blacks, browns and eggplant hues. At least the latter show some spunk. Also far more men here - there are at least two conferences, most likely upper echelon business managers, going on here. Of course I should not comment on what people are wearing, nor why they are here, I am in my usual grays and dark rose (no turquoise today) I tend to wear here; nor does anyone why a lone foreign, mature, woman would be in such a distant place - the hotel is not easy to get to or from (I discovered this later).
The hall is the usual golds, off whites and rich colours always found in higher class banquet halls in China. This one has rich brown chair coverings and table toppers. It is the huge murals depicting ancient scenes at each end of the hall that have all the colour. These ones are in excellent taste and even match what is going on in the room - eating, entertaining and serving being the themes. It is interesting that both murals portray only women, whereas they are very unevenly represented in the room. As expected, the majority of servers are young women.
I am warm enough to wonder if I should just remain here for the rest of the day. I won't, I do want to make it to the painted ladies at the park next door to the hotel before dark. I have to work off this bountiful meal. The hot and sour soup, near the end of my meal, was horrible. I have never mastered the etiquette for filling plates in China - other than ensuring they are ladened - I believe in having a new plate for each trip to the buffet. And there everyone goes - all at once that magic unseen motion of the head, or unheard whisper - to rise up and leave. Perhaps I should do this once a month in different higher end eateries wherever I am.
Now if only I could master xiao xia. (little lobster - or really big prawns!)
No comments:
Post a Comment