Dog and pig and gong wen bao followed by guitar and a very very late night

With nothing important to do I went for a walk in the afternoon again to get my steps in. It's not difficult here, and eats up a few calories that the evenings inevitably bring in. I got in contact with Lu zong who invited me to eat at his bar at Jiangbing Lu at 9pm, so that was the evening sorted. In fact even more sorted as Huang Lidan had got in contact with me to meet up to have a drink at 10.30pm after work. Even better.

So I didn't really bother with lunch or tea much. I had a few bits and pieces in the house to get on with. I also avoided having more than a couple of drinks before going out as it's just not necessary. I got to Lu zong's place soon after 9pm to find he was the only one there, with a huoguo of dog meat and a plate of pig penises as you do. Well it was great to catch up and I enjoyed the pig penises and dog more than I should have done, as more people turned up, and it ended up being a totally enjoyable evening with the lads.

Dog meat and pig penis as you do

But I was due to meet up with Huang Lidan, whom I'd not seen since well before the birth of her son. She now sells gong wen bao baijiu and was just over the river at the new place. It was great to catch up with her...she's one of the few people here who seem to have a fair degree of self-awareness, and it was good fun talking to her and her "meimei" who is literally not her little sister.

Catching up with Huang Lidan after quite a few years...she kindly gave me two bottles of gong wen bao

But I could hear guitar music and singing from another table, and when I went to the loo I was accosted by the bloke I've known for a few years now. I told him that I was talking to "beautiful women" - how sexist, but that excused me from having to play music. For a bit at least. Not that long though...Lidan and I drank the rest of the gong wen bao that was cooked with ginger and brown sugar and probably wasn't very healthy. But being with people is healthy, and I wished her and her friend a very good night around 12.30am.

Then of course I found myself at the table with the bloke I knew and lots of others I didn't. Of course the guitar was thrust into my arms and I had to do a couple of English songs which they appreciated. Jeez...I felt quite sober, but it wasn't hard to do a few ganbeis to catch up with them. I can't remember how long I stayed for but it was a great evening and I managed to drive back unscathed.

Except I stupidly stopped off to go for a walk at about 3.30am. Why? I'll never know...I guess I wanted to sup up a bit more of Pingguo. But I was a bit surprised when I heard my name called out from the other side of the street. Oh blimey, it was a bloke I'd just been singing with not an hour before, with a couple of women. Oh well..in for a penny...I ended up singing a few more songs with them and jeez if it wasn't 8am when I finally got back home. I love living here!