China Trip, Summer 2004
Taishan - 08/01/04
Well, we lost the suite and was moved into a standard room with an added bed because the A/C was going to be turned off in our building. Our whole family went to the village my dad's side of the family grew up in to bai san (pay respect to our ancestors). An old lady there tried to marry her granddaughter off to David since he was the son of the oldest son of the family.
"My mom told her I was too young. If I come to China again in the future, I'm screwed."
Oh man, it was so hot and humid, yet we had to climb the mountain to get to graves of our ancestors. Let's just put it this way: high vegetation, no clear walking path. The view was really pretty, but I think I spent more time watching my step, making sure I don't trip or get stuck. At night, all of the cousins (9 of us) got together in one of the suites and played games. The age ranged from 6-21, but we all got along well.
Taishan - 08/02/04
This day was pretty much the same as the previous. We went to another village to climb the mountains to bai san. Afterwards, we went to a hot springs. I'm sure it would have felt nice in the winter, but this is summer. It's hot. I don't want to be in hot water. I spent more time in the cold pool than the hot ones.
At night, the cousins got together again until about midnight when we all retired. Well, not all. Andy, David, Kevin, and I went downstairs to the cafe for "late night tea," a popular thing in that city. Well, the four of us entered the cafe speaking English so the waitress assumed we didn't know Chinese. While Kevin and David went to make a phone call, Andy and I sat at the table as three waitresses began talking about us in Chinese, within hearing distance of our table.
I wonder how they felt when we ordered in Chinese after the waitress asked us what we wanted in English.
Taishan and Guangzhou - 08/03/04
In the morning, my (immediate) family and I went to my mom's village to bai san while the others went to Guangzhou ahead of us. We arrived there later at 1PM and went to my mom's cousin's apartment. After talking for a bit, we went shopping. At night, I stayed in our hotel room while everyone else ditched me for the pool. They back later though and Kevin, David, Andy, and I gambled while playing some good ol' Big 2 (card game).
