Gross

I've taken about 300 pictures since I've been here. I reviewed them with Jack yesterday and I asked him which of the multitude he wanted to me to post and this is the one he picked. You are looking at a freshwater oyster (we went to the pearl factory). Each oyster holds close to twenty fresh water pearls. I didn't know this.

Also, congee has become my favorite breakfast. They present it in a big pot and you ladle out the size of serving you want. Next to it is a tray of condiments to chose from to flavor it. The first day I tried it, I added soy sauce and green onion. The second day, I added some interesting salty pickles, seaweed and tofu. Yesterday, the third day, I'd been eyeing these red, tofu-looking, cubes that seemed incredibly spicy. So I finally asked the chef (who could barely speak English,) what this was and he said, "Fried bean curd, not spicy." Fried bean curd = tofu = vegetable matter. So I plunk a cube into my congee. Taste it and it's delicious. I keep analysing the taste, thinking it's sort of like a veggie pate, kind of salty but yummy. I'm even thinking that I'll be adding that regularly to my congee while I'm in China and wondering if I can find this back home? I ask our guide while we are driving home last night what this was and his eyes go smiley big and he "oohs" appreciatively telling me that I've been enjoying FRIED DUCK BLOOD BEAN CURD. There's no bean curd in it. They just call it that because it looks like bean curd.

Pause.

I realize that twelve hours have gone by since I ate this and I cannot throw it up. Then he points out the window to a restaurant that serves Donkey, telling me it's very delicious.

No thanks, I'll take a pass on the ass.


Isabelle