Or everyone getting some one on one time with the bus microphone.
So if I miss something memorable please let me know some way or another and I will add it to this blog. Because it's the little things that made it so much fun.
Ok so now this is like, real blog material.
I don't remember breakfast, so I won't write about it.
I do remember the Scholar's Temple. Another scorching hot day. Still rather humid since we're in the southern part of China. It's about 9am in the morning, and the locals are already *Rainier Wolfcastle voice* up-und-at-dem kicking around some shuttlecocks and doing some tai chi. Observe.
These ladies HAVE tai chi.
But we're here to see this.
Apparently Monica thinks she's scarier than the lion. Maybe.
So anyway this Scholar's Temple is pretty cool. Has some amazingly intricate figures sculptured into the walls and roof of the place. Obviously, scholar's used to study there. The courtyard was quite large, filled with potted bonsais. And these bonsais were thriving pretty well. Throws my, 'bonsais are indoor plants' theory out the window. So we walk around the place for an hour or so. Looks at things we don't really know what are. Yes, I can make garbled Engrish too. The place is now a museum of sorts, housing some of the finest workmanship I've ever seen in the form of ivory sculptures. I honestly don't know how they did it, but here's an example of what they can do.
Like seriously. That is nuts. Carved. From ivory. Nuts. So while I was there, I was asked to say something about the place in front of the camera. During CSP we were followed around by cameramen who filmed us as we proceeded around China. I think for future publicity material or something. Anyway, Eva didn't seem up for it so she took a picture of me pretty much spouting garbage about the heritage and history of the place. Yep, I clearly know what I'm talking about here.
So after that debacle and a whole lot of group photos, we exit the temple. Li Lei's bought a shuttlecock from one of the locals. I haven't kicked one of these around in awhile, but it didn't take long to take hold again. We kick it around until we have to board the bus again. I buy one from one of the locals. 10 yuan she says. Sure. Get back on the bus, and hear people getting it for about 4 yuan. My first introduction into the art of bargaining? Perhaps.
Oh, by the way. Another random memory. Me kicking that shuttlecock in the halls of our hotel in Beijing. Quote Kristina, 'I could just leave you here all night and you'd be fine.' Truer words were never spoken. Though I should mention, these shuttlecocks are completely handmade. They basically cut out circles in plastic bottles, add a little padding to the bottom of it, tie it altogether with twine and stick in a few dyed feathers. I think it's the first time that I've actually appreciated something that was handmade. And it was only 10 yuan. Amazing.
So we had lunch somewhere I forget. Time to fly to Xian!
I'm in a row with Meghan and some random guy we don't know. Monica manages to get a switch with that bloke. So I'm chillin' right, and then out of sheer boredom, my twin turns to me and says, 'Can I put make-up on you?' Says nobody's gonna notice. I stupidly agree. The sad woman ENJOYS putting make-up on me. 'Look up'. 'Close your eyes.' 'Look down.' I get mascara-ed and eyeliner-ed. Like an artist admiring her work, she looks me up and down. 'All done.' So I take a few photos with my camera. Doesn't look too bad. Don't really see it. So Monica's like,
'Ok, let's make a bet.'
'Why?'
'Cause I'm bored.' She suggests something lame.
'How about...if nobody notices that I have make-up on, I go commando, and if someone does notice that I have make-up on, you go bra-less.'
The deal was struck. On the terms that I didn't do anything to attract attention (like batt my eyelashes).
So as soon as we landed I hit the bathroom and check out the damage. Turns out it's pretty noticeable. I figure I have this bet won. Rock up next to the lads at the baggage claim and start talking. Hope they point it out soon. They don't. Bugger. Time to try the girls. Nothing's biting. *Sirui's voice* DAMMIT!
Pop out of the airport. Hop on a coach that smells like its been disinfected recently. Pretty tour guide tells us we're off to some Xian markets. Still nobody notices. We get about an hour there. Honestly I wish we had more time there. I'm not one for shopping but that place rocked my socks off. My first mistake was buying four watercolour paintings at 150 yuan for the lot. Don't know what I'm going to do with them.
But I know what I'm going to do with one of these.
It looks like a touristy tea cup. And it really is. But get this. If I fill it up about 3/4 full, nothing happens. But if I fill it up to the rim, the whole thing drains. The question is, why does the whole thing drain, and not just the little bit that's flowing out of the hole? Probably doesn't make sense me explaining it, so Youtube it or get me to show you what it looks like. Also picked up a tea pot that doesn't have a lid. It has a hole at the bottom. You put water in from the bottom, and when you flip it the right way up, no water flows out. Funky. Thanks to Sophie, I got both for 20 yuan. Sophie was actually pretty knowledgable about most of the stuff that was there. Ocarinas. Charcoal rubbings of ancient stone tablets. Better quality shuttlecocks, made out of leather and real chicken feathers. I didn't wanna leave that market.
So still, nobody had noticed. It was dinner time. We were treated to a dumpling dinner. Each dumpling was given a special name in Chinese, and tended to represent the ingredients that were used to make it. Since most of the dumplings looked the same, I'm just going to put in the ones that looked really distinctive.
Walnut dumpling.
Mushroom dumpling.
And this was the final one. Basically, they give you like, eight bits of tiny, tiny flour. We all thought they were like, micro dumplings that would expand and could be eaten like normal dumplings. Well I did at least. But no, you just chuck them into a pot of water, heat it all up, and make a soup with it. People on the table then take turns ladling soup into their own bowls. You only get one scoop, and without looking at the pot, you try to get one of the eight 'dumplings'. Those who manage to get them are considered lucky. Rules courtesy of Connie.
I didn't manage to scoop any. No luck aura here. I also gave up the bet during the dinner. Krissy actually noticed I had make-up on, but didn't say anything cause, in her words, 'I thought it was something you might've been into'. Seriously. Me?
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