Wednesday, 26 September 2007

"Dog hot-pot anyone?"

Hi everybody, just a quick mail but a LOT of photos showcasing our first couple of weeks in China. We started this leg of The Trip in Nanning, a nice-but-kinda-non-descript city just over the border from Vietnam. Here the local delicacy was dog hot-pot, snake hot-pot and just-about-anything-else-hot-pot, but we managed to stick to good ol' boiled rice. Phew!!

From Nanning we travelled into lush, green Guillin and Yangshuo. Famous for their rock formations and rivers, we spent about a week being 'tres sportifs' and putting our newly purchased bikes to good use. Although both of us have since vowed NEVER AGAIN will we cycle 30k in one go!!! But check out the gorg scenery from Marty's snaps, nice. Also had fun watching some very smart cormorant birds catching fish for their handlers, strange but interesting.

Certainly the highlight of the past few weeks has been Hong Kong. This city/country/island (and to an extent, its neighbour Macao) is shockingly modern and has everything any Westerner far from home could wish for. That said, its hard to believe sometimes that this is in fact Asia and not some flashy European city. But much fun was had here, despite the awful result for the Irish against France in the World Cup...
From Hong Kong, we boarded the train on Sunday and 20 hours later arrived in Shanghai!! Staying at Le Tour Hostel, which is possibly the best place we've found so far, and enjoying the many sights of this ultra-modern and sleek city. Attended a formal tea drinking ceremony yesterday, which also happened to be the Mid-Autumn Festival Day - did you know you should rub the hot (and empty) tea cup over your face to keep those nasty wrinkles at bay??

Next steps? Em, not really sure at the moment as all the trains are booked up cos of the Mid-Autumn shenanigans but we'll keep you posted!! Love Susie and Marty xoxox

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks lovely Marty and Slink, Marty you look slightly gay but thats ok be who you want to be, the pictures are tremendous and I am glas you are having fun, lottie started school today and is such a wee pet who misses Marty. Susie I am glad you havent killed my brother yet!!. Enjoy yourselves and see you when you arrive back. BigJ

Anonymous said...

Hi guys, I recieved your postcard today from Hong Kong! Thanks & what a lovely surprise!! Both of you look great on the pictures, it must be quite a change to be in a big city again. Looking fwrd to your next episode! Love Sophie

Olga Pollock said...

Hello guys. Glad to hear you're still having a ball. Tried to post a comment there so if you get a similar message twice it's cause I'm a numpty! Thanks for the lovely postcard. You both look amazing and it's clear you're having the time of your lives. Just thought you'd like to know we're expecting a baby Pollock in February (4th) so life will soon change forever! Mum and bump are well xx Catch you both soon, Olg

Anonymous said...

Good words.