I was designated the official tour guide for the Hangzhou and Xiasha part of Paula’s and Maria’s QCA (Quickie China Adventure). You need to remember that I do not speak the language except for a few survival words and getting from one place to another without a taxi card or language skills is always a challenge. Add on top of that 2 jet-lagged people that think they need to depend on you and you have an idea of what we looked like. I definitely will not win any tour guide awards, but we didn’t get lost, we didn’t let the taxi driver con us into an unwanted stop at the ‘tea museum’ (where I am sure he would have gotten a cut) and we didn’t get hit by any moving vehicle. I have to admit that I did fail miserably in getting Paula and Maria across the streets. I had just recently figured out how to get myself across the streets but I am definitely not confident enough to get other people across. You have to be aggressive in crossing the streets or they will see the fear in your eyes and not wait for you. Also Paula still has the mistaken impression that when the little green walker sign is on – it is safe to walk. It still isn’t. The taxi drivers, motorbikes, and bicyclists see that as the golden opportunity to turn left or right. So sometimes it is actually safer to walk when the walker light is still red.
I have figured out why not many people get robbed over here – you always have to be so aware of your surroundings, traffic, bikes, foot placement and other people that a purse snatcher would never have that absentminded moment of opportunity that we so often give them in the states.
Well if I failed at tour guide-men-ship then Paula fails in chopstick skills. Above is a picture of her attempting to eat a baozi. Honest, it really is eaten with a chopstick. If you buy it off the streets it is wrapped in a super thin piece of plastic. You leave the baozi inside as you hold it and eat it. Not many Chinese use their fingers to eat food. It is either wrapped or you use a chopstick. You know you are good when you can hold a big piece of meat with your chopsticks and tear it with your teeth (remember there are no knifes here) without throwing the remainder across the floor or dropping it in your lap.
