Duck Soup and a New Ride

MAN IT'S HOT OUT THERE!!

The heat here in China is like the heat in Mississippi.
Because of the heat I haven't been getting out as much.
So the other day I told David...(the owner of the school) that I was ready for that bike that the school was supposed to provide me.

He told me he would pick me up at 1:00 after lunch and we would go buy me one.
We drove down the street from my place and stopped at a second hand bike store.
The bikes were complete junk. I took one for a test ride and found out that the brakes didn't work. It was only $9.00...you get what you pay for!
After a few other places that had similar bikes I told David that I would pay the extra myself to get a decent bike.

I asked him to go to a new bike store so I could look around a bit.
They had a nice assortment of bikes and varied in price.
David had his eye on a bike for me that cost 250 yuan ($31.25) It was ok but it wasn't really what I was looking for. I took it for a test ride and it just didn't feel right. I didn't care for the little basket in the front either.

I had my eye on a mid priced street, mountain bike hybrid. It only cost $11.25 more.
I could tell that David wasn't wanting to spend much money on the bike because of the first few places we went to.

Guilt got me and I told David that I was going to get the bike I wanted and that I would pay for it myself. We agreed that he would pay for part of it so he gave me 150 yuan $18.75.
So I ended up getting a nice new bike for $35. I've spent more than that on dinner back in America.
As a matter of fact...The same bike back home would easily cost $150.

So I should be out and about a lot more in the future....(yes mom this means more pictures)

On another note I had lunch at Bills yesterday and talked with Angela about our trip to Xian.
We will leave around Oct. 14 and take a sleeper train to Xian and spend a few days sightseeing.

Bills wife's parent were in town so I joined them for lunch.
Here are some pictures from lunch.

Ewen's parents and Bill working some watermelon.


Duck soup...I'm surprised they even plucked it...LOL



Fish ...With the head still attached...Of course.



Some fried fish.



Green beans, salted chicken and some potatoes. They even had chicken stomach...It wasn't too bad. I think it was gizzards and livers and stuff. I didn't get a picture of that.



That was yesterday....Today I had lunch with my friend Jin Qi Chen and his family.
I'm helping his son with his English in my spare time.
Na Na (grandmother) fixing lunch.

Kevins father goes to Japan about once a month for business. We talked about travel and I told them of my plan to visit Xian...They had never been there before.
There is another city near Changxing called Hangzhou. It is supposed to be one of the most beautiful cities in China. It is next to a lake called West lake. I think it is like one our great lakes.
They said it was only an hour away and then chatted back and forth in Chinese for a few minutes and then asked me if I wanted to go there with them this Sunday. Hmmm....Another road trip in China...I am SO there.

Jim