Isn't It a Great Pleasure to Have Friends Visiting From Afar?
Making friends over the Internet is fun, but meeting with some you think are worthwhile in this real world is even more exciting and adventurous. They claim on the cyber nobody knows even if you were a dog. That's right -- what does he or
she look like? Is he handsome or is she pretty?
My meeting with Tim and James was exciting but not that adventurous, though, and we certainly didn't bother with above questions. In fact, we had seen each other's photoes long before we met, and the moment Yinning (a charming Hanzhou local, also a net friend) and I saw them at the airport, I felt as if we had known
each other for many many years. Though it was raining cats and dogs, I could feel the warmth and joy that pervaded in the air.
James looked a bit tired, but his father looked amazingly energetic. Yinning left after we arrived and checked in at the hotel as she had to go to work that afternoon, and James decided to have a rest first. That gave a good opportunity for Tim and I to have a good conversation. I was quite excited about having my first western meal; you know those knives, spoons and forks; and for a moment I had thought that Tim was the host and I a guest! Having heard of the famous Italian noodles for so many times, I ordered that ... spurkiti (spaghetti is the right
spelling). Talk about a jawbreaker! And that little thing actually cost 48 yuan
, and it tasted ... just as how James felt about most Chinese food I'm afraid. We talked about whatever that came to our minds, and Tim was sure a good talker.
I didn't have big difficulty understanding him, but sometimes his ideas just came around one after another and I had to request for a pause from time to time so
that I could catch up. Tim was obviously a very easy-going person and with his
vivid jokes and insightful knowledge, an interesting person to be with. It was such a nice afternoon.
He is not a true man unless he reaches the Great Wall, they say. Well, in the
case of Hanzhou, the most symbolic attraction is the world renowned Xizi Lake. Having rained the whole day the day before, the whether next day was just perfect
for a boat ride within the lake. After a good night's rest, Tim and James looked fairly refreshed and they certainly seemed to enjoy the classical scenery of the south of the ChangJiang River. A foggy day could be disconcerting, but not for Xizi Lake. Fogginess made it look as if it were drizzling, which it was actually not, and everything appeared as if it were shrouded in some thin, soft, and
semi-transparent veil. With fewer visitors than it sees in high-season, and with occasionally friendly greetings from other boats, we just wished the on-water
expedition could last for ever. Having this famous LongJin Tea in hand, we enjoyed a delightful journey as well as a pleasant conversation. I'd like to thank Yinning here, who was charming not only for her smiles, but for her broad knowledge about Hanzhou's history and culture, and her witty answers to Tim's, sometimes
tough, questions.
The meal at noon was also remarkable. Having been born in this land which is considered to be home to Chinese tofu, I was tremendously amazed at the tastiness
of tofu that Yinning ordered. DongPo Meat and Hanzhou Perch were also the specialty of the house, and it was definitely my turn to say "I could have swallowed
down my tongue!" Tim seemed to enjoy the meal pretty much, and one joke from this lovely chubby American cowboy certainly made both Yinning and I had the best laugh of our lives: I was very thin when I first got to China!
I was pleased to learn that it was Tim's first trip to a Chinese Buddhism temple. After this wonderful lunch, we proceeded to saw the ZheJiang museum and then
to one of the Hanzhou's most famous tourist attractions, LinYin Temple. Not a believer myself in any religion, the tranquil site and its fresh air appealed more to me than did its gigantic clay statues. Tim, however, was deeply attracted to them, shooting at almost everything he saw with his decent Digital Single Lens
Reflex Nikon.
How much one can see within a day-and-a-half trip in Hanzhou? Too little, I would say. But taking home some of the best silk products in the world is a good idea. Thanks to Yinning again, who not only showed us Hanzhou's biggest silk prodcuts market, but did a wonderful job in negotiating with the shop owers when Tim
bought some fond souvenirs for his son and daughter. "Your people will immediately recognize them being from China, Tim," I said. Hearing this, James decided to buy something for his future girlfriend as a nice gift, and he did. Exquisite
as these colorful yet cultural clothes might look, they were far more inexpensive than I had expected.
Too bad I couldn't stay any longer with them though I'd very much love to. Farewell, my dear friend, and welcome to come to China sometime again! May this peace-loving, friendly, and hospitable people leave you a fond remembrance for your
lifetime, and may more Americans will come to visit China and learn more about
this "exotic yet mysterious" land! This is how you reveal a real China and a real Chinese people.
Panpanpan.
