Christmas

Christmas eve after one class of teaching we departed on the 2hour drive to Hangzhou, one in which Peter insisted on accompanying us, and then sleeping the whole way and not actually coming into the airport to help... unsure of why he actually decided to come but thats old Unc Pete for you. After about an hour of delays we were on the plane to Qingdao and arrived at about 7pm, greeted by the 4 gappers, Maddie Caro Tom and Jack, we dropped our stuff and went straight out to a little restraunt with an even littler man serving us. The girls were locals there and he was VERY excited that they had brought 4 friends. Then off to a bar Le Bang, the name being the only thing french about it. Where we spent the countdown to christmas, Qingdao seems to have a lot of westerners, and english speakers, the bar even had a western playlist which consisted of a lot of "apple bottom Jeans" and those kind of songs that are just a little bit too old to be cool.

Christmas morning we waited for the boys to arrive and then ripped into the presents. Case and I had done pretty well to bulk up each others piles, including stockings, so and I must say I had a fair few from NZ as well, so I was doing quite well for myself! For lunch we went to a place called the Diner where they well serving a western christmas meal, and I must say their attempt at roast veges wasn't too bad! We had the choice of steak or a rack of lamb, and it must have been good because it was the only meal I had been able to stomach for the past couple of weeks! (I'm pretty sure I've completely recovered by the way!) We managed to stay in the diner chatting until about 4pm, I'm not to sure whether the empty restraunt and it's waiters were to overjoyed at that, and it was only when they started setting up for dinner that we decided a change of location might be necissary.So after a brisk stroll around the freezing beach we took refuge in baar, for a Christmas toast, and then back home for some stella poker playing on my behalf! A game which Casey contracted the unfortunate nickname of Folds, which seems to have stuck with the Qingers crew!

After a well deserved rest we were back to the Diner the next day, to try out the infamous "homer's basket" which aquired its name for having enough grease in it for Homer Simpson. The girls had heard of it but never dared to try it, but with Casey and me there we ordered three of the most amazing basket in the world. Filled with chips,nuggets, onion rings and popcorn chicken, and eaten with a generous helping of mayo and ketchup, I really was suprised that my heart was up for it!

Apart from good places to eat the one thing that the Qingdao crew prided themselves on knowing was good bars, so off we went this time to a bar with a bouncy dance floor, another of China's greatest inventions, we do have one in Yiwu as well, which some of you may be lucky enough to have a jump on. The floors are great because even if you don't feel like dancing you can actually just bop without moving!

Next day the girls had one for class to teach which we sat in on. Then off to what had become our local by then, the DINER! When we got there we had already picked out what we were to have, only to find that they had added things to the menu. Now we were all confused and torn, I personally almost cryed when I had to cut eithter Lasagna or chicken burger. As you can all imagine the Lasagna got cut, I think the tipping point was the chips! Then back home for another evening of poker, where to all of our shock (embarrassment) Fold's cleaned up!

Last day in Qingdao was no warmer than the first, so we met the boys at the "australia hotel" which again besides the name didn't have much else true blue about it! Everyone was hoping for a bit of boxing day test action, (everyone besides me, who didn't actually know who was playing, but I think I had the excuse of if NZ isn't playing why would I care,) but much to some peoples horror and others relief, the Australia Hotel let us down again, so we had to settle for what the best hot chocolate in China. Then we went to a few markets where Caro And Mad were opened to a whole new dimension of China, the junk to buy, all the while that we in Yiwu had been buying up in bulk on little Mao watches and cute keyrings, the girls had been doing serious clothes shopping, so although the shops had nothing on Yiwu, the girls had a ball finally shopping for what china makes best JUNK! The only thing that could stop the girls from their rampage was that snow started to fall. A delicious restraunt for tea, with spicy chicken and garlic veges, and then home for the nightly poker, which this time ended at 3am, and I came out with a towering stack! Then up at 6 to head home!

So ourt Christmas had NOTHING on 44 Union's their was not a pea to pod in sight, but it was definitely an experience, and we had the best chinese christmas we could. I don't know if you can call it a white xmas, I mean there were puddles of muddy slush like snow everywhere... that story might get romanticised when I get home to NZ.

Anyway hope everyones Christmas was good Xxxx