Just a brief recollection of last night.
Our Chinese friends wanted to cook for us again, so we of course oblige although the food is quite different and made my tummy a bit crazy yesterday.
As I peer across the vast jungle-like garden, I low and behold saw a the brightest blue jewel coloured bird sat on a makeshift washing line between 2 palm trees! I couldn’t believe my eyes! A Kingfisher sat delicately on the line. He was much smaller than I thought a kingfisher would be; between a blackbird and a starling size. As I edge towards him, that’s it, he’s off. Sadly no photo of him for our friends Linds and Howard (it is their coupley bird of choice).
And so we are ushered to sit and see what unusual food we shall eat. We bought 7 large bottles of beer to share with them and were going to make spaghetti meatballs for them, but as they want to cook and have already dominated the small kitchen, we just crack open the beer for more clinking of glasses to the phrases of ‘happy’, ‘manager’, ‘Chinese gentleman’, and a few Chinese ones including ‘Canna’ (may not be the right spelling as done phonetically) which means bottoms up. Mr Tim trying to say bottoms up sounded hilarious but I try to be polite and not laugh my head off. It sounds a bit like ‘Botta Uh’. They have done some ‘flied fish’ which I thought was flying fish, but again lost in translation; it’s fried fish. Beautifully done, and again another ‘crabber’’. I plucked leon some out today and he agreed it is very tender. They also do cooked cucumber in soy sauce, and a bit like the start of scrambled egg, up to pouring in pan, then add chopped up tomato to make the egg separate. We had another lovely evening, although our host Marco (from nearer Hong Kong) Didn’t seem to appreciate the ways of these Shanghai businessmen. Marco is quiet, reserved, likes to serve everyone, and doesn’t drink too much. Pretty much the complete opposite of Leo, Mr Tim, & Mr Tzu. Last night was their last night here, and although I enjoyed the experience, it is probably for the best so Marco can resume his peaceful life. And my tum tum prob couldn’t take too much more!
