Another lack of appetite meant I forced down a tiny pao mian. These are becoming more and more of my diet and do nothing more than give me a few calories rather than beer as I've been pretty good about not drinking before the evening.
But today was to be the third and final Pingguo Haliao football match I'd be going to see this season. I didn't really fancy two hours of pre-match shouting and singing so turned up after 6pm to Wuming bar where we had some pre-match noodles and beef as you do, and went to check some loudspeakers. A few minutes later we were walking to the south gate and I had four of the bloody things about my person, but luckily there was not a big away contingent so nothing like the Chongqing match the other week. Rather we just stood about and Feng ge got me an iced coffee whether I wanted it or not. Well I had a carry-on of V and diet cola but it tasted horrible as that's what V does to cola. But I manfully finished it by the time Leilei turned up and we entered the ground well after 7pm for a change.
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| Feng ge standing in front of the stadium under the national flag |
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| Me and Leilei just after kickoff...still a sizable crowd if not from the away contingent |
For once we didn't stand right in the middle of the Wuming supporters' group, but to one side, and even Feng ge got a bit tired of shouting as he sometimes sat down. It was not a great match; Dalian took their chances and probably deserved the win as we seemed incapable of putting any shots on target despite a new Luxembourgish forward who may have Brazilian roots, and is on loan from Dynamo Kyiv till the end of the year.
This time we didn't even wait for the team to come round after the match to cheer them; Feng ge had booked two tables at...yeah...Xiao Bai de Tian, so for the fourth night in a row I was to go there for ye xiao. I dropped off Leilei at home as he'd walked over, and changed to last year's kit as I did the other week with Haiwei. It was more fun than the football; his wife was there, and a number of young nurses from her hospital were at the table drinking mostly cocktails. Feng ge ordered a dispenser of beer, which made sense but I couldn't check how strong it was. However, after a nearly dry two hours of football I didn't really care. Ma Yong was there too, and reminded me that we were to go to a meal in Tiandong at 4pm on Monday afternoon. Wow, another day+ notice before being invited out. Is something changing?
The ladies played a game where they stuck playing cards on their foreheads and had to bet each other who was higher or lower. I think there was one main person, and she was bet by the others, so by the time there were a couple of guesses she must have had an idea if she had a low or high card. I would have liked to join in but it seemed to be just a ladies' thing, and anyway I was chatting with Feng ge then ganbeiing with other people until 12.30 when Leilei pinged to go back home as they were leaving early tomorrow to go to Guangzhou. So it should have been an early night but for whatever reason I just couldn't sleep even after a couple more beers and I'm sure I remember it turning 6am.
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| A pitcher of beer and ladies with playing cards on their foreheads |
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