Up here in Shandong Province there isn't a great deal to keep the locals occupied. After strolling the two short main streets, selling discount T-shirts and steamed dumplings, we found it hard to believe that the city had the advertised population of over one million people. Turns out that this is incorrect as one of the locals was forced to admit under duress over lunch today - it's actually about 100,000. 
Disraeli had it right with his types of lies and one can't help but wonder if 12% economic growth doesn't also fall into this grouping. There is, however, a lot of growth - not so much in the populous or in nature, which are probably being stunted by the ever increasing pollution, but with the buildings. The shot you see from my hotel room shows such growth along with the clear blue Shandong sky and the fine landscaping near the hotel.
Disraeli had it right with his types of lies and one can't help but wonder if 12% economic growth doesn't also fall into this grouping. There is, however, a lot of growth - not so much in the populous or in nature, which are probably being stunted by the ever increasing pollution, but with the buildings. The shot you see from my hotel room shows such growth along with the clear blue Shandong sky and the fine landscaping near the hotel.The hotel, it must be said, is the best one we've stayed at so far. Probably because it's actually a hotel and not a motel of sorts. The beds are comfy and there's bread at breakfast. The breakfast restaurant is well-kitted out with tables and all the usual stuff you'd expect along with teapots. Yes, nothing strange there. Tea goes in teapots, as any good charwoman will tell you. Except here in China, where people, er... drink lots of tea. Or at least the exception is here in the hotel. Each breakfast table has a lovely, sparklingly clean teapot with some lovely china cups and saucers. With such presentation I could barely wait for a good brew of the local green / red stuff. After my poor Chinese and cronic mimes brought no results, our Chinese assistant (Judy) asked for me, only to find that there was no tea. Obviously I was confused but after trying for two days in a row, it's confirmed, there is no tea. Lots of hot water if it should've interested us, but no tea. So the next time someone goes on about 'all the tea in China', just make sure there's not a little sub-clause about hotels in Zhiangqiu. It's no wonder the teapots are so clean.
Nick (big boss trainer) used his superior language skills to get a fried egg this morning. Good work, I thought. Upon asking for tomato ketchup he was brought strawberry jam. Our Chinese administrator followed up with the ketchup request and back came the jam. Glad to know it's not just us who have the communication problems.
On the communication front, there are some interesting signs in the hotel. The one on the bathroom door (pictured) does take a bit of working out as it seems to contradict itself
a bit. One for the glasses if you're near / long-sighted. This is worth the effort for the confusion alone. Couldn't quite get the idea about the 'tooth brash', though.
a bit. One for the glasses if you're near / long-sighted. This is worth the effort for the confusion alone. Couldn't quite get the idea about the 'tooth brash', though.Anyways, another day and another year for me as I turned a year older today and a treat was had by going to the only non-Chinese restaurant in town - a Japanese one. Not to say that I don't like Chinese food, not at all, no. Just that Japanese food sits a little better with the stomach.
On the food front, at lunch today we were treated to a provincial speciality - roasted sweet potato in toffee. 
The picture gives you the idea and it's not as bad as you might think. Certainly one for those cold winter nights, so just perfect around now. Why not try it with friends and family and see if it doesn't catch on. Perhaps try some vegetables in toffee. Carrots? Peas? Even beetroot. It's one for The Great British Menu, surely.
The picture gives you the idea and it's not as bad as you might think. Certainly one for those cold winter nights, so just perfect around now. Why not try it with friends and family and see if it doesn't catch on. Perhaps try some vegetables in toffee. Carrots? Peas? Even beetroot. It's one for The Great British Menu, surely.In a final note, this time about the weather, it's been gloriously hot recently, even if we haven't been able to see blue skies. 36 degrees today and 38 yesterday. Trouble was, it was so hot in the training room today that the data projector overheated and wouldn't start again. Oh the joys of powerpoint. Chalkboard anyone?
