As an organizational freak, (and yes, I readily admit this…ask my senior year college roommate about the line of demarcation down the center of our room) there’s little I adore more than lists. Likewise, as a high school teacher, I’m quite familiar with the superlatives that are given to seniors each year—I always enjoy hearing the buzz about who has been deemed “best dressed,” or as having the “best car,” etc. So, then, it seems to make sense to compose a list of superlatives—China style.
Best Food:
This is hard. So hard. I’ve eaten some incredible stuff here in China, as well as some dishes that were, well, shall we say unique? It’s tempting to simply list dumplings (boiled, steamed, pan-fried, soup-filled) as the best food item I’ve had, as I truly love them, and could happily eat them at every meal. Likewise, the spicily fragrant handmade breakfast noodles topped with scallions, cabbage, etc, in Shaxi Village were incredible. However, I think I’m going to have to give top honors to the beggar’s chicken that we all had the other night in Hangzhou. Beggar’s chicken is a specialty dish, one that takes SIX HOURS to prepare. As such, we almost didn’t have the opportunity to try it—we were on a waiting list (a waiting list!!) for the chicken at a local restaurant. Luckily, a patron who had pre-ordered and pre-requested the chicken failed to arrive, and we shot to the top of the list.
In any case, beggar’s chicken is a young spring chicken that is stuffed with pork, bacon bits, onion, and other savory items, and then wrapped in lotus leaves and smothered in clay or mud. The chicken is then cooked for hours in a kiln type oven, and, when unwrapped, releases the most ethereal aroma one could imagine. The meat is also incredibly tender, and is buttery, velvety, and utterly delicious.
Move over, Thanksgiving turkeys. I might just try this in November…
Best Habit:
Because China is SO crowded, and there are SO many people here, traffic is atrocious, and it can take eons to go short distances in a car. Thus, many, many, many people ride bicycles, and bicycle usage is widespread, accepted, and encouraged. (Hangzhou even has a multitude of convenient, well-located, and cheap bicycle rental kiosks—the bikes are well-maintained, too).
As such, I’m going to award “frequent and encouraged bicycle usage” the best habit superlative—it’s logical, green, and planet Earth friendly. I do, wish, however, that more people, or any people really, wore helmets.
A close second is the Chinese preference for tea, and subsequent wish to offer it to you at all times.
Best City:
I’ve written myself into a hole, haven’t I? Ugh—this was MY idea for a blog post in the first place!
In any case, I’m going to be a coward, or a diplomat—your choice—and categorically state that EVERY city we’ve visited has been unique, distinctive, and fascinating in its own way. Hong Kong was Western and modern, and a comfortable, soothing site for easing into the trip. Xi’an exuded history and art from every pore, and Shanghai was glitzy, brilliant, and fun. The smaller towns and cities, of course, all had their own charms, whether scenic landscapes or ethnic marketplaces. Hangzhou, of course, has been our home for over a month now, and the school and the community have welcomed us with open arms and open hearts—we couldn’t be more grateful.
Most Beautiful City:
Hangzhou—West Lake is stunning, until you see it at night, and realize that you haven’t really seen it at all!
Lijiang comes a close second. The Jade Dragon Mountain was breathtaking (if the cable cars were a bit rickety).
Most Beautiful Location:
Note, here, that I’m distinguishing between city and location. While Hangzhou has been the most beautiful city, the limestone karsts surrounded by the Li River in Guilin and Yangshuo, the Jade Dragon Mountain, and the stone carvings/grottoes on Stone Bell Mountain in Shaxi are all top of the list. Quite honestly, I still have a vivid picture in my mind of being on the Li River cruise, looking out at a blue sky and lush, green, limestone karst, and then seeing both a water-buffalo at the river’s edge and a floating fruit vendor selling mandarin oranges on a precarious bamboo raft. That singular image is perhaps the most colorful and comprehensively beautiful and traditional I’ve seen throughout China.
Best Shopping/Souvenir:
SILK. Scarves, dresses, pajamas, robes, etc. See my post about shopping with Helen!
Also nifty and quite incredible are the glass beads, teapots, and vases that are painted from inside using the tiniest and most delicate of brushes.
Best New Skill:
Dodging mopeds and scooters. (I’ve also gained some ability at haggling, though I know prices are still inflated due to my foreign status).
Best Amenity:
Every hotel has complimentary slippers. Every. Single. One. Some are plushier than others, but, hey, I’m not complaining.
Additionally, every hotel has had lovely tea sets/tea making materials. Each time I walk into a new hotel room, I’m struck by the beauty of the porcelain cups, the intricate and colorful floral or blue willow designs, and the aesthetic appeal of the whole ensemble.
Best Moment:
Oh my. Too many to choose from, really. Perhaps watching all the kids hoist up and pose with cormorants in Yangshuo, or witnessing Timmy, Dareus, and Max eat hornet larvae in Lijiang. Then, of course, there’s the sheer pleasure of watching facial expressions as any of us try new foods, and the joy of seeing an entire basket of dumplings arrive at the table. There was the hysterically humorous moment in Xi’an when Timmy mistook our guide for a waitress, as she’d removed her distinctive blue coat, and the enjoyment of watching Dareus try to do a somersault in Chinese gymnastics/aerobics class. There was happiness and immense pleasure at arriving at Hangzhuo High School, and seeing Kay, Cindy, and Didi again, and amusement at watching all the kids here whisper about Max’s beard. I’ll always have the image of Caitlin eating an entire meal with a cat on her lap in Shanghai, and the memory of Dareus REALLY perfecting his Chinese when it comes to ordering bubble tea.
I can’t choose one. I’m sorry.
Best False Feeling:
Going to the ATM, and taking out hundreds of yuan—you temporarily feel rich, and like you can, in a Gatsby-esque manner, RULE THE WORLD thanks to your newfound vast wealth. (Then, unfortunately, the mental math regarding the actual exchange rate and the actual sum of money in U.S. dollars kicks in).
Best Item in Luggage:
I guarantee that the answer I’m about to give is completely unexpected and unanticipated. Are you ready? Really? Okay. The most useful thing that I brought to China in my luggage was…
Nail Clippers.
I know, I know. Honestly, though, other than the necessities I brought—clothes, Advil, laptop, etc—the nail clippers have been most versatile. I’ve used them for trimming my nails, of course, but also for clipping tags off purchases, creating tears and rips in stubborn packages I needed to open, cutting ribbon to wrap gifts, and extricating goo from a crevice on my keyboard (this last action used the emery board attachment).
And to think, I almost forgot to toss them into my toiletry kit.
Best Decision:
This is easy—coming to China!
A close second—bringing long underwear and a raincoat. Consider yourself warned, readers and future travelers to China!
This is hard. So hard. I’ve eaten some incredible stuff here in China, as well as some dishes that were, well, shall we say unique? It’s tempting to simply list dumplings (boiled, steamed, pan-fried, soup-filled) as the best food item I’ve had, as I truly love them, and could happily eat them at every meal. Likewise, the spicily fragrant handmade breakfast noodles topped with scallions, cabbage, etc, in Shaxi Village were incredible. However, I think I’m going to have to give top honors to the beggar’s chicken that we all had the other night in Hangzhou. Beggar’s chicken is a specialty dish, one that takes SIX HOURS to prepare. As such, we almost didn’t have the opportunity to try it—we were on a waiting list (a waiting list!!) for the chicken at a local restaurant. Luckily, a patron who had pre-ordered and pre-requested the chicken failed to arrive, and we shot to the top of the list.
In any case, beggar’s chicken is a young spring chicken that is stuffed with pork, bacon bits, onion, and other savory items, and then wrapped in lotus leaves and smothered in clay or mud. The chicken is then cooked for hours in a kiln type oven, and, when unwrapped, releases the most ethereal aroma one could imagine. The meat is also incredibly tender, and is buttery, velvety, and utterly delicious.
Move over, Thanksgiving turkeys. I might just try this in November…
Best Habit:
Because China is SO crowded, and there are SO many people here, traffic is atrocious, and it can take eons to go short distances in a car. Thus, many, many, many people ride bicycles, and bicycle usage is widespread, accepted, and encouraged. (Hangzhou even has a multitude of convenient, well-located, and cheap bicycle rental kiosks—the bikes are well-maintained, too).
As such, I’m going to award “frequent and encouraged bicycle usage” the best habit superlative—it’s logical, green, and planet Earth friendly. I do, wish, however, that more people, or any people really, wore helmets.
A close second is the Chinese preference for tea, and subsequent wish to offer it to you at all times.
Best City:
I’ve written myself into a hole, haven’t I? Ugh—this was MY idea for a blog post in the first place!
In any case, I’m going to be a coward, or a diplomat—your choice—and categorically state that EVERY city we’ve visited has been unique, distinctive, and fascinating in its own way. Hong Kong was Western and modern, and a comfortable, soothing site for easing into the trip. Xi’an exuded history and art from every pore, and Shanghai was glitzy, brilliant, and fun. The smaller towns and cities, of course, all had their own charms, whether scenic landscapes or ethnic marketplaces. Hangzhou, of course, has been our home for over a month now, and the school and the community have welcomed us with open arms and open hearts—we couldn’t be more grateful.
Most Beautiful City:
Hangzhou—West Lake is stunning, until you see it at night, and realize that you haven’t really seen it at all!
Lijiang comes a close second. The Jade Dragon Mountain was breathtaking (if the cable cars were a bit rickety).
Most Beautiful Location:
Note, here, that I’m distinguishing between city and location. While Hangzhou has been the most beautiful city, the limestone karsts surrounded by the Li River in Guilin and Yangshuo, the Jade Dragon Mountain, and the stone carvings/grottoes on Stone Bell Mountain in Shaxi are all top of the list. Quite honestly, I still have a vivid picture in my mind of being on the Li River cruise, looking out at a blue sky and lush, green, limestone karst, and then seeing both a water-buffalo at the river’s edge and a floating fruit vendor selling mandarin oranges on a precarious bamboo raft. That singular image is perhaps the most colorful and comprehensively beautiful and traditional I’ve seen throughout China.
Best Shopping/Souvenir:
SILK. Scarves, dresses, pajamas, robes, etc. See my post about shopping with Helen!
Also nifty and quite incredible are the glass beads, teapots, and vases that are painted from inside using the tiniest and most delicate of brushes.
Best New Skill:
Dodging mopeds and scooters. (I’ve also gained some ability at haggling, though I know prices are still inflated due to my foreign status).
Best Amenity:
Every hotel has complimentary slippers. Every. Single. One. Some are plushier than others, but, hey, I’m not complaining.
Additionally, every hotel has had lovely tea sets/tea making materials. Each time I walk into a new hotel room, I’m struck by the beauty of the porcelain cups, the intricate and colorful floral or blue willow designs, and the aesthetic appeal of the whole ensemble.
Best Moment:
Oh my. Too many to choose from, really. Perhaps watching all the kids hoist up and pose with cormorants in Yangshuo, or witnessing Timmy, Dareus, and Max eat hornet larvae in Lijiang. Then, of course, there’s the sheer pleasure of watching facial expressions as any of us try new foods, and the joy of seeing an entire basket of dumplings arrive at the table. There was the hysterically humorous moment in Xi’an when Timmy mistook our guide for a waitress, as she’d removed her distinctive blue coat, and the enjoyment of watching Dareus try to do a somersault in Chinese gymnastics/aerobics class. There was happiness and immense pleasure at arriving at Hangzhuo High School, and seeing Kay, Cindy, and Didi again, and amusement at watching all the kids here whisper about Max’s beard. I’ll always have the image of Caitlin eating an entire meal with a cat on her lap in Shanghai, and the memory of Dareus REALLY perfecting his Chinese when it comes to ordering bubble tea.
I can’t choose one. I’m sorry.
Best False Feeling:
Going to the ATM, and taking out hundreds of yuan—you temporarily feel rich, and like you can, in a Gatsby-esque manner, RULE THE WORLD thanks to your newfound vast wealth. (Then, unfortunately, the mental math regarding the actual exchange rate and the actual sum of money in U.S. dollars kicks in).
Best Item in Luggage:
I guarantee that the answer I’m about to give is completely unexpected and unanticipated. Are you ready? Really? Okay. The most useful thing that I brought to China in my luggage was…
Nail Clippers.
I know, I know. Honestly, though, other than the necessities I brought—clothes, Advil, laptop, etc—the nail clippers have been most versatile. I’ve used them for trimming my nails, of course, but also for clipping tags off purchases, creating tears and rips in stubborn packages I needed to open, cutting ribbon to wrap gifts, and extricating goo from a crevice on my keyboard (this last action used the emery board attachment).
And to think, I almost forgot to toss them into my toiletry kit.
Best Decision:
This is easy—coming to China!
A close second—bringing long underwear and a raincoat. Consider yourself warned, readers and future travelers to China!
The list above comprises much of the good about China, and is much of what I’ll miss about being here. To be brutally honest, there are aspects of China I will not miss—the public expectoration, for one, and squat toilets, for another. (Yes, I’m used to them. Yes, I’ve read that they’re supposedly better for your digestive and intestinal health. Yes, I can deal with them and culturally adapt. No, I still don’t like them). All things said and done, however, it’s been a fantastic seven weeks—I can’t believe we’re leaving Hangzhou so soon, and that Beijing is the last stop on our adventure.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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