February 5, 2007
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China Blog: Day 164. (Backpacking China: Day 25)
14:13 Beijing Time
Phrase Of The Day: Baijiu shi xie’e…(Baijiu is evil…)It’s not even 2:30 in the afternoon and I’m absolutely rat-arsed. I’ve finished the language camp, and now I’m visiting my friend Li Fan in Shandong province, where I’ve just been invited to a family wedding. Now, Chinese weddings are VERY different to ones back home: people have a big dinner, and get very, very drunk on a foul concoction by the name of Baijiu (Lit: White Alcohol). And so today I have consumed not one, nor two, but FOURTEEN shots of baijiu (Which is, on average, 35% ABV or more). I believe I’ve mentioned baijiu before, when me and Dennis got completely legless on the stuff. To all my readers who HAVEN’T been to China: Be very glad this stuff has not crossed your path. It is evil incarnate, and the Chinese insist on forcing it down your throat.
This wouldn’t be so bad if it tasted half-decent. However, the taste is indescribable. It’s sweet, but you can FEEL the potency as it burns its way down your oesophagus. Despite the baijiu, the wedding was a really fun experience and I was AMAZED at how much I was able to converse after the boot camp!
Point of interest: I’m writing this blog from inside a Chinese Government office. Li Fan’s parents and uncles all work for the government, and due to my attendance at the wedding I’m apparently a Guest of Shandong Province! How awesome is that?
Anyway, I have to make this short and sweet. Li Fan needs the computer. Next blog will probably be in SOng Shan, when I visit the ORIGINAL Shaolin temple!
Zai Jian, guys!
Comments (3)
It’s incredibly cool how quickly you’re picking up the language. That must be rewarding, right?
wow, hark at the chap creating diplomatic relations …
. it must be a wonderful experience to actually get to live amongst people of another culture and join in their lives instead of just sitting in the sidelines.
Drunk in a government building? Whatever next!