Hi everyone
I Promised to finish this Hangzhou story for you. This just shows the way we have so much difficulty with the language. But remember there are 1.4 billion of them and they dont really care what we think, I am sure. The pic's are of a boat on the west lake and me obviously at the island of 3 lakes mirroring the moon.
Ok to continue the Hangzhou story ... I got up to the part where we left the food place without food & unsatisfied. Ok so now we go and get on the baot to take us out on the West Lake. And it's as cold as ice and the wind is blowing so there are not so many people. Only crazy ones like us. The lake thing is very impressive but it is a shitty day so not so enjoyable. But there were 2 European guys and chinese girls together and we see at various place on the lake. When we get back to the dock, they get off same as us, we start to talk a bit (I am thinking that if we have lunch, the chinese girl can translate for us). So yes we agree to all have lunch together, excellent. Now we go to a restaurant and start to order. And sure enough, what I order is not available that day. So I have to order again. Also the Danish guy has ordered aro dishes because one is only small. So the food starts to come out, good, everyone has food, except me. Then a small dish comes out and is placed in front of me. I ordered a rice dish so figure this is mine and start eating it. Then 5 minutes later another rice dish comes out and it is the one I ordered. Turns out I am eating the second dish the Danish guy ordered... oops. So I offer my dish to him. No, he doesnt like it or want it. Dam, so now I have 2 dishes to eat and pay for. Second time today I am screwed on the food. Anyway we get thru and the company is good. Interesting characters and business they are in (sourcing product in China for Danish companies). Then we have to leave, to get the bus back to Shaoxing.
So we get a taxi and somehow convince him to take us to the South bus station. Even though we got off at the East bus station this morning, we think the ticket girl gave us the incorrect ticket. Our friends told us the South bus station is right.
Anyway, we take the taxi to the south bus station and fight thru the traffic and people to the ticket booth. No english is spoken but we say Shaoxing and are met with a shake of the head and "no Shaoxing". I say yes Shaoxing, they say no Shaoxing and then again. This is not working, so we head toward to the Information booth. She sees us coming and says no Yingwen(english). Again the Shaoxing thing and again no Shaoxing. Just then a chinese man appears at the same booth and says in fine english that he also has made a mistake and come here buy a ticket to Shaoxing. But apparently the bus only goes from the East bus station. So he has to take a taxi there as well. So he kindly agrees to go with us in the same taxi (thank god someone who can speak english). From then on we have a smooth trip home even if it is Sunday night and everyone in China is travelling. The earliest bus we can get on is a 1.5 hr wait. Eventually we get home after the bus ride and waiting again at the local bus stop in Shaoxing for the bus to get home, which did not turn up, so we took a taxi again back to the college.
Wow that is a mouthful but so typical of the everyday situations. I am trying hard to learn some chinese but a ways to go yet. At the moment I can understand some words so I can guess a conversations context sometimes
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