Ho Ho Ho!!

It's Christmas time in Shanghai. I didn't know that they celebrated Christmas in China, but they do… at least he shops and restaurants do. Myh first exposure was last weekend when I went to get a pizza from Pizza Hut. I know, I know, all these great places to eat and I end up in Pizza Hut – well, it's close, I was tired, and I like the pizzas. Anyway, all the staff were dressed up in Santa outfits and there was Christmas music playing – there was even a Christmas pizza! I've been out and about in Shanghai today and was amazed by the number of Christmas trees in public places – some of them very high tech, as you would expect here. Christine and her boyfriend came round last weekend, and I put them to work putting up my Christmas tree – first time they'd decorated a tree!!! It's on full view of all the skyscrapers round about – and of course the cathedral!!

Last Friday night I was out being sociable. Angie had signed me up with a membership of the Australian Women's Social Group, and they were having a get-together last Friday. I walked in and looked around trying to work out who were the Australian women. I got it wrong, but got invited to join a birthday party anyway. I said I would if I didn't find the Australians – but I did find them in the end. I met some nice folks – including a couple who'd just come back from an adventure-filled trip to Tibet. Sounds like a challenging place to go. The bloke had been all over Asia, and this was the first time he'd got ill. He must have eaten something that didn't agree with him (yak, probably, as that was all there was to eat!) and the altitude didn't help. Lhasa is fine for backpacking, but there's nothing posher than that! After a couple of glasses of wine they invited me to join them for something to eat. We ended up in a pub! A real genuine-looking Irish pub! The food was good, the décor traditional-pub-like and a good atmosphere. Yes, I went to the pub on a Friday night – I've not done that in a long, long time! I'll be back! It did mean I was out late though – I was in the taxi home at 10:45 (which is really late when you get up before 6!) and we drove past a hairdresser's – they were still open. In fact, all of the hairdresser's we passed were still open! Not like Scotland then…

I had a go at cooking Chinese this week. I got out my wok (which I'd bought in Scotland, then taken to Russia and is now in China) and had a go with some of the ingredients I'd found in the supermarket. I had some pork in chilli black bean sauce. I tasted the sauce before I cooked it, and it was so hot my lips swelled up! It was fine after I'd cooked it though – thankfully! Then I did some vegetables in oyster sauce with garlic and ginger. Yum!! The greatest thing is my cooker. The gas rings are so much more powerful than back home. There are 2 sets of jets, and the pressure seems much higher. The stuff cooked in no time at all – just like proper stir-fry should be. There are a quite a few ingredients that I can't read. I'll wait until next year to give them a go.

I was heading off to the metro the other morning, and saw a moped drive by. There was half a pig draped over the back of the seat, as casual as you like. I had to look a few times – it wasn't even 7 o'clock yet, and I wasn't sure my eyes were open, but yes, it was there. Shame I was too slow to get my camera out though!

I went out Christmas shopping today, but before I could buy anything for anybody else, a dragon jumped into my bag and demanded that I take him home. So the dragon collection has started … Shame I can't do the photo thing – but look back next week for lots of photos!!