Of pandas and tea

Fujian: Typing this half drunk. Had too much brandy, but the night was topped off by a visit to a kungfu teahouse - highlight of this trip because I do love Chinese tea. While I am not a connoisseur, it is still an experience that is difficult to come by. The other highlights were the conversations during the meals - the first was a discussion revolving around the more cerebral matters from social studies, to what photos Pandas look best in (black & white! ha ha ha), and the second was about how this person's family was almost ruined because of the Cultural Revolution. My fascination with Mao has always been about how he was able to galvanise an entire country and drive it to the ground with everyone still treating him with godlike reverance.  

Mao statue in Fuzhou

And I have always wanted to ask the older generations of Chinese who had been through the Cultural Revolution, about how they felt and what exactly happened. It was a eye-opening discussion.  This person's famliy was previously above average, maybe just slightly above the peasants. But because of the Cultural Revolution, the family was reduced to having nothing. He then had to pick himself up and has since created an even larger empire but not without hardship. It is stories like these that make me really really really glad that we have had a stable life growing up. Our hardships were probably silly things like - darn, I kena police in catching again! or the occasional super siong exam. Not needing to live hand to mouth has been a real blessing. Reminder to thank God for putting me in Singapore.

Anyway, here are some photos of beautiful Fujian. I can't wait to get to the Tulous (Dawn! Are you reading this!)



taken during the train ride




bookmark in hotel room about Tulou

Here's the kungfu tea set up. I do wish I can have something like this in my home in Shanghai but it is a bit crazy to do 茶道for one person. So I'm gonna stick to my ceramic tea cup.... heh.

And, for some of you who wonder what a train station in China looks like, nah! Yes, it is a bump and squeeze and push situation, but the train itself is comfortable and clean. Who's game? 



waiting area - always difficult to find a seat



mad rush to the right cabin - and I do mean mad

 And finally, some uber random shots:

ginormous dining room - we had to use loudspeakers to talk to each other



have you seen so many goldfish!! we were in a seafood restaurant and I had a genuine noooooo!!!! moment
when I thought they were gonna order steamed goldfish. voms...

xoxo,
Tracy