Apple on Ice: the Return of the UNO

(Ryan)

I have to say that weekends in Hangzhou are the most eventful weekends I have ever experienced.  I can't believe how much we can cram in into just a few days.  It makes me sad that we only have a few more weekends left.  There is so much to do here, and I'm afraid we wont be able to experience it all in our stay here.

Friday night was a fantastic way to end the week and start a fun-filled weekend.  Colin, Ray, Lizzy, Apple, Dawn, Steven (my host brother) and I met after school to go to a karaoke bar ...

Only Steven and I had bikes, so we decided to walk all the way from school to the karaoke bar.  We arrived after half an hour of walking to what seemed like the lobby of a fancy hotel.  There were gigantic crystal chandeliers, marble floors, leather couches, and gold trimming everywhere.  Everything was spotless and pristine.   I had no idea that karaoke was such a big deal in China!  After talking with the hostess, we were escorted down a circular corridor to our own private room.  The set up in the room was really cool.  There was a large U-shaped leather couch for us to sit in around a table.  Next to the couch was a touch-screen that could control not only which song played, but what part was heard and what subtitles were seen on the flat screen TV in the front of the room.  We quickly situated ourselves around the couch.  Before the singing could begin, we were asked what we wanted to eat and drink and given menus.  After ordering and receiving several smoothies, spring rolls, juices, and other tasty goodies, the song selection began.  The variety of songs was surprising.  They had several hundred songs in many different languages.  We all got to punch in the songs that we knew to add them to the playlist.  In the end, we had classic rock, Michael Jackson, punk, pop, modern Chinese songs, Chinese nursery rhymes, and one Japanese song that I managed to sneak in.  I think my favorite part was the music videos that displayed while the songs played.  Some of the displays were the music videos that corresponded to the songs, but others were like something out of an 80's sitcom opening.  We stopped singing halfway through some of the songs because we were laughing so hard.  After a few hours, Apple decided to pull out the dreaded UNO cards for a friendly game.  Luckily the games didn't go on as long as dumpling night.  Once we had our fill of karaoke, we headed for our next destination: Italian food!

Dawn had found an Italian restaurant nearby with authentic Italian food.  Apparently, the chef of the restaurant studied and honed his culinary skills in Italy (so naturally the Italian in me was very exited for some familiar food).  My host brother had never had any Italian food, so he was very anxious to try some.  The restaurant was only a few blocks from the karaoke bar.  We met up with Chris on our way over and proceeded into the restaurant (which was surprisingly cozy).  While ordering, we had a sense of deja vu when many of our requests were answered with “no.”  After deciphering what items on the menu were actually available, we placed our orders.  The pleasant aroma of Italian food wafted across the room.   I couldn't wait to taste Italian pasta again.  But I would have to wait.  My food came second to last.  I think that waiting made it all the more delicious.  I missed the taste of tomato sauce, cheese, and pesto.  I wasn't the only one who was enjoying his meal.  Everyone but Chris (who was feeling slightly ill) finished their food  (with some assistance).  Very satisfied with our meals, we each headed home to end our days.

On to day two of a fantastic Hangzhou Weekend!  We (what are we now the “the Sarcastic Four”?) rendezvoused with Dawn and a few teachers at school and piled into a school van to start our day.  Our first destination was a park that was manufactured to look like a large Bagua (Eight Trigrams) from above.  The center was made of an elevated osmanthus grove whereas the eight trigrams surrounding it were made of vegetable gardens (which were being actively used and apparently rotate with the seasons!)  After the Bagua park, we went to a pottery museum.  Not only did we see pottery on display, but we also got to visit the excavated ruins of an ancient kiln dating back 800 years ago when the area was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty.  The most fun part of the pottery museum was at the end, when we got to make our own pottery.  Out of the six people who tried, only Lizzy's survived the process.  Mine tragically died when being separated from the wheel, and the others perished in similar ways.  After the pottery museum, we were taken to yet another fancy lunch (which, as expected, was fantastic).  To end the day, we went to a market near where Colin lives at West Lake.  The markets are certainly something to experience in China.  It is a lot of fun to barter, and it is also fun just to look around and see what people are selling (paper cuttings, carvings,candy sculptures, clothes, decorations, weapons, 30 minute busts of yourself, you name it!).  It was great to end the day experiencing the bustling energy of a market again.

The last day of the weekend was one to be remembered. Lizzy's host sister, Apple, had invited us to go ice skating at 12:30.  Before going ice skating, I made noodles with my host family for lunch.  I taught my host brother how to make spaghetti (he really liked the Italian food and couldn't wait to experience more!)  and they taught me how to make hand made noodles.  The dough was made from scratch, and I kneaded it myself.  I also helped flatten it out and then cut off some noodles.  The rest was done by my host family.  In the end both pastas were delicious.  After we had our fill, we headed out to go skating.  After a short car ride we arrived at our destination (a shopping mall???).  Never before in my life have I seen a mall that was as shiny as this one.  Every surface was sparkling clean and reflective.  Steven and I met up with Lizzy, Apple, and some of her friends (I don't know why Colin and Ray didn't come) on the third floor in front of the ice rink.  We got our skates, laced up (some helmeted up) and headed out on the ice.  It has been years since I was out on the ice, but the skills from my elementary school hockey career eventually came back to me.  I tried to teach Steven as much as I knew about skating, as it was his first time.  By the end of our time in the rink, he was getting good at skating.  It was fun to see the different kind of people who came to the skating rink.  Some were stumbling and falling over, while others were completing perfect pirouettes through the air and moving with expert precision.  I only wish we could have stayed on the ice longer.  After a few hours, we decided to call it a day.  One of Apple's friends recommended that we go to the movies.  The mall happened to have an IMAX on the 5^th floor.  We ended up watching I am Number Four, which none of us had ever heard about, but apparently was an American movie.  What was funny is that we were able to use our DS Student IDs to get half price tickets.  The movie was.......entertaining (Lizzy fell asleep withing the first five minutes).  After the movie, Steven and I navigated our way out of the mall and to the nearest bus station to head home.  Back at home, my host father wanted to show me an old Kung Fu movie, which was really good.  The choreography was really impressive for a movie so old.  Many of the actors could easily manage difficult acrobatics and it seemed more realistic than many of the movies out now (Though the movie did have its wire moments).  I can't believe this is my last week before I switch host families.  Time flies when you're experiencing a weekend in Hangzhou!