Multiple Taiping meals

I went out to a neighbouring village Taiping to visit the family of one of Xiao Li’s friends. Six of us went in a minivan that fortunately had air conditioning as it was already in the 30s by 11am. I was told it would take half an hour to get there, but it was nearer 2 hours as they didn’t take into account the dirt track we’d have to negotiate for the last leg of the journey. We had to get out of the van at some stages – why don’t they use Jeeps?

On the way we stopped off to get some water and I snapped a bull. There is something funny in this picture - can you spot what it is? Answer at the bottom.

Anyway we finally arrived, as had another vanload of people and beer and fruit. This area is pretty isolated and it doesn’t look like they have any shops for miles. They do have beautiful scenery in abundance though. Unfortunately the place stank of shit and decaying matter, and it was very dirty.

I was introduced to grandmothers and fathers, wives and other assorted relatives, then we sat down to eat the speciality – chicken. It’s meant to be the best because they run around the mountainside with fresh air and eat well. Personally I preferred the horse meat.

First meal with some of the family we ate with in Taiping

Half way through the meal I was told not to eat too much as we were going for another meal straight after. Oh no. I’d already had a late breakfast and was stuffed. They then told me we were to have a third meal straight after the second!

They weren’t joking. The second meal was in a neighbour’s house, but first I had to visit the toilet. I am just so grateful that I didn’t need a number 2. I nearly vomited when I saw what passed for a toilet in this place. I’ll leave a photo. I don’t want to think about it anymore.

Toilet in Taiping - e xin

I only had a mouthful of chicken and some pork in the second meal.

Second meal in Taiping (Tan calling me to ask why so long)

They were having a fun time teaching me the local language, which differs from Pingguonese significantly despite being only 20 miles away. Duck is bek, pork is mo, horse is still ma, chicken is gai. See, I didn’t drink so much I couldn’t remember anything. I did try though, in order to not have to think about the smell. During the third meal, which was probably the best, the beer flowed more freely. Usually the blokes don’t drink just before or during the first few minutes of a meal because it hinders their eating, and stops them being so hungry. Well by the third meal stomachs weren’t empty so we starting playing the cai ma drinking game and although I felt like a couple of drinks I kept winning, much to the amusement of the onlookers. One bloke even had to start playing in Mandarin as he couldn’t really grasp the Cantonese numbers!

Third meal in Taiping (ladies enjoying a joke)

We then went back to the first meal’s house to catch up with those who hadn’t made it past the first hurdle. This may have had something to do with the fact that they were drinking homemade white spirits. In order not to appear rude I accepted a bit – from a porcelain spoon that they all shared – and I could quite happily live the rest of my life without another. It quite possibly could be used if you ran out of petrol but your car would stink for months.

Trying to get drunk but I keep winning (still got full glass)

We got home about 5pm, as Tan’s cousin Ling Ming (a bloke) was preparing for supper. He is a cook, so the food was pretty good although I didn’t manage to eat too much of it.

After the meal I put Leilei to sleep and stayed in to look after him while Tan and Xiao Wei went out to play. They came back at midnight, which gave me enough time to write some stuff down and consume a couple of beers when some more friends from earlier in the day came round to eat ye xiao – an evening snack. This time it was duck throats, peanuts, pig ligaments and pig penises again. Stuffed.

Funny photo answer:

Yes, the bloke is picking his nose! They often leave one little fingernail to grow. Now I know why.