First Week in Victoria

It seems rather silly to post about our home-away-from-home on a travel blog but it always feels like we are on holiday here. We definitely eat out more and play more golf so I guess it could be considered a travel destination.

The drive to the coast was uneventful and because we travelled on a Wednesday, we experienced less traffic. We made the 5:00 ferry, being one of the last cars to board. We usually eat dinner either on the ferry or in the food court at the Tswwassen terminal. However, because we were so early, we decided to indulge in 'ferry' ice cream and have a late supper at Christies.

Glen was so disappointed when he discovered the ice cream machine was broken. He and another woman chatted about how good 'ferry' ice cream was and how one could best fill an ice cream tub. I bought ice cream sandwiches while the cashier just shook her head saying that ice cream was ice cream, one type no different from another. That brought a chorus of denials from Glen and his new friend.

The Spirit of Vancouver Island is one of the larger BC Ferries so we had to clamber up several decks to reach the upper observation one. The day was warm and sunny so we enjoyed the views of Mayne and Galiano Islands as we sailed past. Sometimes we see orcas or seals on our ferry rides but not on this crossing.

Since then the weather has been cloudy and rainy with the odd patch of sunshine. We took advantage of one sunny day to walk down to Willows Beach. We watched a young man try to impress his girlfriend by catching a crab but it pinched him. Two pre-teens scooped the creature up knowing exactly how to avoid its claws. It would have made a tasty treat for one of them but I think they returned it to the ocean.

We have played three rounds (9 holes) of golf this week. Once at the Ridge and twice at Mt. Doug. Each time the weather was threatening rain but we avoided getting wet. Bonus, the weather kept the crowds away so we were only paired up once. They were an elderly couple in their early 80s and matched us pretty evenly with their game. Glen did his personal best at Mt. Doug that day (Tuesday) while I did mine on Thursday. Since adopting a new stance, my drives have been straighter and longer which means I can keep up with Glen.

Tuesday evening we went out to dinner with our friends, Tony and Diane. Their favourite pub is Smuggler's Cove about half way between our two houses. I had chipotle mussels which were good but I must say I prefer my mussels without much more than wine or garlic. I ordered a veggie pizza but the server misheard me and I ended up with chicken bbq pizza. Diane had a piece and I brought a couple of pieces home. It was definitely not my favourite. Glen had fish and chips and a dark chocolate lava cake which he devoured with ease.

Thursday, we saw Diane and Tony again when we went to their house to pick up a queen sized headboard for our bed. It is a nice oak one and looks wonderful in our bedroom. Glen just shakes his head because we keep collecting stuff when we really should be downsizing.

Friday, I wanted to buy some SAS Shoes to replace the loafers I bought about 15 years ago. We made plans to go to a store in Oak Bay then have lunch at the PennyFarthing. However, after doing a search on-line I discovered a huge store on Douglas Street that only sold SAS shoes. We drove there, got my shoes (not much more expensive than my original pair), then walked to the pub for lunch. They had just undergone major renovations and it was the first time the patio had been open this summer. It was threatening rain so we sat under the glassed roof. They were in the process of changing their menu so I couldn't decide what I wanted. The waitress recommended tuna tacos (real tuna, not canned) and they were delicious. Glen had a veggie pizza which he raved about.

Since the condo is also our home, there are always things that need upgrading or fixing. This time we replaced our fridge. Glen measured the space where the old fridge sat so when we bought a new one, there would be no surprises. But, life never runs smoothly. Fortunately, the two guys delivering our new one had been in the building before and brought their tools with them. The space for the fridge was fine but the entrance to the kitchen proved to be too small. By removing its doors and the hinges, it slipped into the kitchen. They hauled the old one away, which was a blessing. Although the new one looks bigger, the fridge section is about the same as our old one but the freezer is bigger and colder so we can store food longer. My sister, Lynda, will be happy to know that I threw out all the bread, including one loaf marked as Best Before Nov 11/07!

We have also hung a few pictures and added a clock to my office. In the spring, we replaced all the light switches with modern, rocker-type ones and today we hunted the city for new thermostats. Since the apartment is heated with electric baseboards, we ended up going to 3 hardware stores before finding what we needed. We found them in our favourite Home Hardware store on Fairfield Road across from the Ross Bay Cemetery.

One thing we have noticed this year, other than the fact it has been unusually wet, is the number of deer. We had one wandering across our street and have seen a mother with twin fawns munching on the plants in someone's garden. There was a doe and fawn on the golf course along with a couple of rabbits so I guess you could say Victoria has a rural feel in an urban environment.

Glen cannot leave his work in Calgary so it follows him out here. He has begun writing a book chapter and did a half hour radio interview as well as a couple of conference calls. If this lets him relax, I can't complain about it.

NWMP at Fort Walsh

After a leisurely cabin breakfast (Norma, Randy, Don, and me) and french toast (Glen), we left Elkwater Lake Lodge to drive through to Fort Walsh. There were several lookouts along the way which we hoped to view should the rain stop. As we entered the park, we discovered the road to Fort Walsh was closed. The map I downloaded mentioned that sometimes roads were impassible if it were wet. Disappointed, we turned around and headed back to Maple Creek, Saskatchewan which was the alternate route to the fort.

After leaving this small town, Randy realized he should get gas as there were no services until the Canada/U.S. border. I suggested Glen do the same. The FasGas station had a Subway restaurant so we also picked up some sandwiches for lunch as we had no idea what was at the Fort (it does have a small snack bar). In the meantime, Randy discovered another route to the fort.

This turned out to be a scenic road with very few cars. It gave us a great view of the Cypress Hills rising above the rolling prairie (and no, not all of Saskatchewan is flat). A steep switchback took us up the side of the Cypress Hills plateau and reminded us of the harrowing trip up to Mount Edith Cavell in Jasper National Park done when we 'stomped' around western Alberta years ago.

Fort Walsh National Historic Site has two phases. The first is a modern interpretive centre, the second, a reconstructed fort. We were welcomed by a guide dressed in a North-West Mounted Police (later known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police) uniform and told the next 'tour' was at 2:30 (a cost of $9.80/person). We had our lunch outside on the deck since the rain had stopped. After a brief movie giving us a history of the fort, we piled on a bus to drive to the fort. A tour group of seniors joined us.

Fort Walsh began as a trading post set up by Abel Farwell in 1872-73. He and rival, Moses Solomon, traded European goods brought up the Old Forts Trail from Fort Benton, Montana with the natives (Nakoda or Assiniboine) for furs.

On June 1, 1873, there were also American bison hunters and wolfers (wolf hunters), illegal whiskey traders, and Metis freighters in the area. The wolfers had come north hunting natives whom they thought had stolen some horses. Alcohol flowed freely among all the traders and when one man's horse wandered off, the natives were accused of its theft. The hunters and Metis fired upon them and 24 died in the Cypress Hills Massacre.

This incident enraged Canadians who felt the Americans threatened their sovereignty over the west. Sir John A. MacDonald created the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) in response to this and established Fort Walsh, named for James Morrow Walsh who headed the force of fifty men. It served as their headquarters from 1878 to 1883.

Originally set up to deal with the whiskey trade, the NWMP soon became involved in an international incident in 1876. After the Battle of Little Big Horn, the Sioux nation fled to Canada, to settle in Saskatchewan. Among them was the famous holy man, Sitting Bull with whom Walsh developed a deep friendship. The Canadian government wanted these natives to return to America and Walsh was to persuade them to do so.

The fort was dismantled in 1883 to be rebuilt in the 1940s as a breeding centre for the Mounties' horses and now, it is a tourist attraction. In 2004, it was also designated a dark-sky preserve for those interested in astronomy.

During the tour, our guide set up court in one of the buildings and selected Glen to be one of the prisoners. He portrayed a native accused of horse theft in a mini-trial. There were lots of laughs and Randy was called as a witness to Glen's theft.

As we waited for the bus back to the parking lot, Glen wandered over to read a plaque (anyone who has ever toured with him will know this is typical). Norma and I joined him and she spotted a 13 lined ground squirrel. It is the first time I'd seen one alive (I'd studied skins at university).

Glen and I had wanted to see Fort Walsh and the Cypress Hills having read the book, The Englishman's Boy, by Guy Vanderhaeghe. Also, our road trip last year followed the Old Forts Trail and we had visited Little Big Horn (see July 2010 archives below) so it was good to bring the history of the area into prospective. For Glen's sister, Norma, the area had been on her 'bucket list'. When asked why, she said tales by Farley Mowat, especially, Owls in the Family, had evoked her interest. So, two Canadian authors had inspired us to visit the Cypress Hills, "Where Pines Touch Prairie Skies".

That evening, after enjoying some drinks in Norma and Randy's room, we had supper at Bugler's. The name arises from the sound male elk make during the fall mating season (rut) to establish their dominance over other males and to attract females. Listen.

Since it was still raining the next morning, Father's Day, we decided to head home. We had a big breakfast so didn't stop for lunch and got back to Calgary at 2:30. Just in time to mow the lawn, unpack, and prepare for the week ahead.

Stompin' Around Alberta (and Saskatchewan)

Thirty years ago, Travel Alberta ran a campaign encouraging Albertans to see their wonderful province. They sent everyone a passport and if you visited certain sites, you could have it stamped. It was call Stomp Around Alberta. I invited my in-laws to join us for my version of this tour and we saw a rodeo in Stettler, the Badlands around Drumheller and Lethbridge's Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens. So, when my sister-in-law suggested we tour the Cypress Hills together, it brought back memories of how much fun we had travelling with them. Bonus, they organized it so all we had to do was show up.

Geographically, the Cypress Hills are unique as the area never experienced the crushing ice of the last glaciation. It is a high plateau rising above the prairies and boasts the same elevation as Banff, in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. It got its name from a mistake made by Canadian Metis who thought the lodgepole pines were jack pines which in French translates as cypres. There are no cypress trees in the area.

We were to meet Norma and Randy Friday evening at the only hotel in the park, the Elkwater Lake Lodge. It is a three hour drive from Calgary, through Medicine Hat, to Elkwater so we decided to book a tee time for one o'clock at the Cypress Hills Golf Course. It is a nine hole course set in the pines of Cypress Hills. Little did we realize the park is unique in more ways than one.

First, it is the first interprovincial park in Canada (created in 1989) and straddles the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Second, it has three components--the Alberta park called Cypress Hills, Alberta and two Saskatchewan parts. Of these, the one that borders the Alberta park is called Cypress Hills Saskatchewan West Block. The other, south of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, is Cypress Hills Saskatchewan Centre Block. To add to the confusion, the Fort Walsh National Historic Site is Federal and is in the West Block park.

After Glen had booked our tee time, I hunted down the driving directions. That's when we learned the golf course was not close to the Elkwater townsite. It actually is situated in the Centre Block south of Maple Creek. We quickly added another hour onto our travel time, rose early, and headed out.

Just as we crossed the border, I remembered Saskatchewan never changes its time over the course of the year. Were we an hour early or late? As we passed through the bustling town of Maple Creek, I noticed that an outside clock read the same as my watch. Turns out Saskatchewan is on Central Standard Time but because it's in the Mountain time zone, it is essentially on Daylight Savings time year round.

As we drove south on highway 21 toward Cypress Hills park, the road followed the contours of the rolling prairie. I hunted in vain for pronghorns as it was a landscape reminiscent of Wyoming. Little did I know that Canadian antelope migrate south during the winter and their route back north this year was blocked by flooding due to a record snow pack in the mountains.

The road seemed to stretch forever but then a dark shadow fell across the horizon. The Cypress Hills loomed above us like an eerie shadow. The park gate was not far off the highway and after paying $7.50 for a day pass, we went through the main park area with its swimming pool, lodge, and small grocery store up into the hills where the golf course sat.

During our trip east, it had rained off and on and when we arrived the weather was iffy. We paid our fee ($28 for both of us plus two pull carts--a real bargain) then returned to the car to eat our lunch since we had 30 minutes before our tee time. It began to pour so our spirits sank. It is no fun playing golf in the rain.

But, as we finished eating, the clouds grew lighter and off we went. The course had broad fairways lined with pine trees which lulled us into a false sense of security. There were no water hazards and all the bunkers were grass. Fields of yellow dandelions divided some of the fairways adding colour to the dull day. It was the greens that provided the challenge of this course. Due to all the rain, they had become bumpy. This meant our balls never quite did what we expected of them.

The rain also kept other golfers off the course so we had the place to ourselves. This meant I didn't have to worry about someone creeping up behind us. During our game, we had some good drives and I got a feel for using my 3 wood on the fairway. Glen began using his hybrid clubs and of course, sent several balls sailing down the fairway with his driver.

Unlike the mountain park course we'd played on, we didn't have to watch out for elk or bears but there was a warning that cougars wandered this park. Fortunately, we didn't have to deal with this wild cat.

After our game, we had coffee in the tiny clubhouse and watched the U.S. Open. A couple of young boys came in 20 minutes later. The campground was close by and I'm sure their parents had sent them out to golf. The rain began again as we packed up the car.

We headed back to Alberta and arrived at the Elkwater Lake Lodge in time for dinner. The restaurant did not have an extensive menu but we enjoyed an appetizer of beef, bison, and pork meatballs with homemade garlic toast then Glen had their beef burger and I had their chicken one. The bread was what I would write home about. It was absolutely delicious, ranking up there with the best I've ever eaten.

About eight forty-five, Norma knocked on our door and invited us down to their room which had a couch, easy chairs, and a fireplace. We enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine and wonderful conversation before going to bed.

If You Go to China

Here are some tips to know before you go.

• Visas--you must have a valid passport (expiry date no later than 6 months prior to departure) and a visa. To obtain the latter, contact the nearest People's Republic of China consulate or their embassy (for Canada, click here). You will need two passport-like photos, information on where you are staying and if applicable, your host, $50.00 CAD, and if travelling on business, your letter of invitation.
• Vaccinations--none are required unless you are travelling to China via a country that has Yellow Fever. Consult your physician on whether or not you need an inoculation (rural areas might have typhoid or Japanese encephalitis). Hepatitis is a problem in China so you may wish to have the Hepatitis A or B vaccines (these require several inoculations so plan ahead). Glen and I had our Hep A&B shots when we visited Ecuador so didn't get any other inoculations to go to China.
• Money--take cash or traveller's cheques as few places accept credit cards. ATMs require 6 digit PINs which means adding zeros before your number but this may not work on all machines. Canadian banks only issue Yuans in denominations of 100 RMB which was worth $14.50 CAD when we visited.
• Baggage Tags--keep them handy as they will be checked as you exit the airport.
• Electricity--China's system is 220V so it is wise to carry a plug adapter. Our hotel and the university had no problem with North American plugs but it's always better to be safe than sorry. If you can't charge your camera batteries (remember to do so every night), then part of your holiday memories are lost.
• Tissues--carry several small packets of tissues to use as toilet paper or napkins. Often restaurants will provide sani-wipes but it doesn't hurt to carry a few in your purse or pocket.
• Water--do not drink tap water in China as it is unsafe. Most hotels offer bottled water or a kettle which you can use to boil it. I drank water from a fountain in the Beijing airport and didn't get ill but Glen figured it was probably treated. Bottled water is cheap but make sure the bottle is sealed and of clear plastic as street sellers often refill old bottles. Beer (always served at room temperature) and soft drinks are also inexpensive but even if the label says it is Pepsi, it's called Coke.
• Practice with chopsticks while in the privacy of your own home and if possible, use the plastic variety as they are challenging (and the better Chinese restaurants use them). Don't gesture with your chopsticks and never leave them stuck in a rice bowl. Basically, use them as you would a knife and fork. Glen saw a man eat a fried egg with chopsticks so it is possible but he wouldn't do so.
• If you have trouble breathing, consider wearing a face mask. You won't be the only one doing so. The air quality in China is bad and with all the construction, dust mixes with whatever else is in the air. Please, don't forget any medication that might make breathing easier.

If you have anything you'd like to add to this list, please comment below and I'll modify this post.

Leaving the East

I find it funny we still refer to China as the Far East. Living in Western Canada, China is really Further West. Does crossing the International Dateline change the compass? Do the Chinese view Canada as the Far East? I know these are silly questions but food for thought.

Our last day (Wednesday) in Harbin was a morning really. We were up and had breakfast the minute the dinning room opened at 7:00. The staff had Glen's toast in the toaster as soon as he walked in. Talk about good service. I knew my next breakfast would not be as tasty or as fresh.

Chun-Xiao and Siyao were waiting as we finished and Chun-Xiao gave us a gift thanking us for coming to China. We gave her the pin we'd bought telling her we wished we'd brought something for all our translators, guides, and drivers.

A car service took us to the airport with Chun-Xiao, Siyao and me in the back seat while Glen chewed his nails in the front. He told me later the driver drove up the exit ramp of a major highway (while cars flashed their lights), did a u-turn, and pulled in front of a line of speeding cars. He saw his whole life pass before his eyes.

It took us an hour to get to the airport and during that time we again thanked the girls for a wonderful visit. I told Chun-Xiao to thank David especially for the time he spent with me. Siyao didn't know who I was talking about until Chun-Xiao explained that David was really Zhen Hong. I told them that Chinese in Canada often take Western names. They were intrigued with the idea so they asked me to choose one for them. That was an honour but I felt it best if they picked their own. They both watch popular American TV (Lost, Desperate Housewives) so know many Western names. I suggested they begin with what their Chinese names meant. Xiao means morning and Chun can be spring or early. I told Chun-Xiao that a popular girl's name meaning the same was Dawn. Siyao said hers meant beautiful jewel. When she checked the Chinese-English dictionary on her phone, it said it meant jade which I said was a girl's name in Canada. They then went through some of the names they liked trying to say them and giggling while doing so. Chun-Xiao has since written to tell me she has chosen Aurora as her Western name which can mean beautiful dawn.

They dropped us off at the airport and we headed inside. From Harbin to Beijing we were slated to fly Air China but after our agent discussed our ticket with the first class agent, the latter explained our flight was cancelled. The next one would mean too tight a connection time. He escorted Glen to a ticket desk and they spent 10 minutes issuing us tickets for a Hainan Airlines flight that left 30 minutes after our original flight did (no money exchanged hands). We felt this would work as we'd still have 3 hours in Beijing to make our connection. The only problem was the Hainan plane landed at Terminal 1 and Air Canada flew from Terminal 3. Still, our helpful agent felt we could make the connection easily so we booked that flight.

We returned and again tried to get our boarding passes. Only Glen's ticket was honoured so we were waved aside so others in line could be helped. The next couple was from Calgary and they had the same problem. She could speak Chinese and we explained how we solved the problem. They figured that would work for them as well. Meanwhile, my boarding pass appeared so we were good to go. We said goodbye to our new friends telling them we'd talk to them at the gate. The wife was an MD who graduated from Harbin Medical University so she wanted to know what Glen's conference had been about. However, we were never to see them again.

As we waited at the gate, I told Glen I had three wishes. One that a plane would appear, two that we'd arrive in Beijing in time, and three we'd board the flight to Vancouver. I was not worried about myself but knew he had a full day of meetings on Thursday and would be leaving for New Orleans on Saturday. He told me I worried too much.

I know worrying doesn't change anything but it's what I do. Our Hainan plane was 30 minutes late landing so we left an hour later than planned but leave we did. It is a two hour flight to Beijing and partway through, they served lunch. It was beef-flavoured noodles. We were the only Caucasians on the flight but no one got chopsticks. Eating noodles with a plastic fork is not easy.

As we flew over the mountains, it was like we were looking down at a Chinese black-ink painting with the clouds shrouding them with watery brushstrokes. Very eerie.

We landed in Beijing to temps around 30ºC and the air the colour of bronze. No wonder the athletes at the 2008 Olympics worried about air quality. However, we didn't have time to think about it as we had to retrieve our luggage and catch a shuttle bus to Terminal 3. I was all for walking but then the bus came and we hopped on board. It was jammed packed and we had to stand but it was much better than dragging our suitcases.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the International Terminal. It is not connected to Terminal 1 so walking was never an option. We got checked it, went through customs and security and found our gate. We arrived with an hour to spare so decided to check out the duty free shops. Each one (and there are many) offers one type of item for sale. We passed one devoted to handbags, one for perfume, another for alcohol, a tea shop, and a tobacco place. The latter drew Glen and he bought his favourite Cuban cigars for half the price he'd pay in Canada.

I wanted some jade jewellery but not expensive stuff so went to a store that seemed to offer a variety of souvenirs. Here I found some pieces I liked. The girl spoke English and we quickly made our transaction (all cash). They did not require my passport (see the No Passport, No Purchase blog entry) but Glen was asked for his. We returned to the gate, sat down and they called us to board. It was 45 minutes before the flight was due to leave so the man in the Harbin airport had been right.

The flight home was long but it being night, we slept except for the two hours when a one year old boy cried. His parents finally walked the aisles with him until he fell asleep and so did everyone else in our section. We arrived in Vancouver and did a route march to our domestic gate. We went through customs, picked up our luggage, passed into the transition area, put our luggage on a belt and then went through security (I guess they don't trust foreign airport security). Our plane was delayed so again we waited but it was worth it as we had a beautiful view of Mt. Baker (above photo) as we took off. Seeing it had us wishing we were flying to Victoria rather than Calgary.

To the Lab and Beyond!

A scheduled part of the conference involved seeing Shu-Lin's Genomics Lab in the Harbin Medical University's First Hospital. I was less than enthused as a lab is a lab as far as I'm concerned but it was a point of pride for Shu-Lin and Glen wanted to see his set-up. So, on Tuesday morning we were up early to catch the bus at 8am. We waited in the lobby checking our email (it had a WiFi signal which is very unusual in China) and chatting with Chun-Xiao. The bus finally arrived at 8:45. We piled on then sat for another fifteen minutes. Without warning, everyone began leaving. All talk was in Chinese so we had no clue why.

We returned to the lobby only to be told to re-board the bus. I asked a gentleman who had spoken to me at coffee break the day before what was going on. Apparently because the bus was late, those checking out of the hotel would miss the noon deadline and could miss their flights home. This did not bode well for the length of our bus ride to the genomics lab. Sure enough, it took an hour to get there.

The lab was in an older hospital tucked in a neighbourhood of tiny streets. Much honking of horns happened before the driver finally parked in the cramped lot. Glen figured he'd never get out but he'd forgotten the skill of Harbin drivers. We were then ushered through the hospital's emergency department. Glen has done a similar walk at the Foothills Hospital and said it was nice that no one was being treated in the hallways like they are in Calgary.

I almost laughed out loud when I saw people in striped pajamas wandering the halls. I guess the pajamas were better than the gowns given to Canadian patients but it reminded me of old prison uniforms (last seen in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?).

A trainee of Shu-Lin's was our guide and he pretty much ignored the others, focussing on Glen. Of course, Glen hasn't worked in a lab for many years so wasn't sure how impressive this one was. He did explain one machine to me so wasn't completely ignorant but confessed later that he wouldn't know how to use it. These days, his 'labbies' bring him results so he doesn't have to know how the machines produce them. I took lots of pictures so he can show them what the place looked like.

After the tour, we piled into the bus again. It stopped once to let a group off at the train station and again on a major highway. Chun-Xiao and another student whose name I never learned, beckonned us to get off the bus. We were at the Forest Botanical Gardens. By this time, the lilacs had burst forth and the park was heady with their perfume. It is called a national forest park but I've never seen pine trees growing so evenly spaced; a tree at each corner of an invisible grid. However, it was a lovely peaceful place and we spent two hours wandering around it. Neither of our guides had ever been before and we think they clamored to join us as it gave them a holiday from their labwork.

This became obvious when one bought a bottle of bubbles and proceeded to 'play' with them. We all laughed when Glen got involved. It was nice to relax and have a little fun.

The forest garden also had a medicinal herb garden, multiple beds of tulips, a restricted zone for endangered plants, and a whole hill devoted to peonies (which had not yet bloomed). The tulips were wonderful and I had fun trying to capture their bright colours with my camera. A scruffy looking man was photographing his well-drssed wife. She insisted he take a picture of her with Glen and me. That's when I noticed his camera was an expensive, high-end Nikon. So much for the clothes defining the man.

The forest was also alive with school children on field trips. We found most were among the statues depicting the Chinese calendar or catching tadpoles in the bog garden. We'd just left the bog garden when a gust of wind whirled around us. I got hit in the head with a branch which scratched Glen as he grabbed for it. Of course, he bled but it wasn't a bad cut. We'd forgotten that Chun-Xiao's first degree was in medicine. As soon as we came to a kiosk selling drinks, she bought bandages and sani-wipes. While I took photos of a dragon mural, she tended to Glen's 'wound'. He did protest that it was minor but she'd hear nothing of that.

The Forest Botanical Gardens are more than just forest and flowers, they also have an amusement park, a climbing wall, and a zipline. We saw a man using the latter and the girls said they'd never do it. Glen told them I had done one and they found that hard to believe. Come to think of it, I find it hard to believe, too!

There was also a wedding pavilion and we saw two brides, one in traditional red, the other in white. As we passed the one in red, the new husband said hi so Glen told him how beautiful his bride was. She replied 'Thank you'. It's amazing how many Chinese in this town, not on the American tourist map, can speak English.

By this time we were all hungry so met up with a resident of the Second Harbin Medical University Hospital who drove us to lunch. He took a short cut through the hospital grounds and that's when I realized the market we passed on our way to the conference was for those wishing to buy gifts for patients inside. Not sure our hospitals would permit the fruits and vegetables from an outdoor market inside their walls but this was China.

After much discussion among the students, we ended up having lunch at one of their favourite haunts. We were honoured to be taken into a private room of the restaurant they called The King of the Dumplings. We had many dumpling dishes, all for under $3.00. One style had corn inside and another tomatoes (a taste sensation) as well as the usual pork. We also enjoyed what they referred to as eggplant sandwiches--small zucchini-sized eggplant stuffed with finely ground pork. Another plate was piled high with grilled beans and garlic. The tofu dish they called Japanese tofu looked like marshmallows with onions and green peppers (not sweet) but were soft and creamy when you bit into them. The salad course had unroasted peanuts in soy sauce which Glen loved. I told him that David taught his 3 year old daughter how to use chopsticks by having her pick up peanuts. One of the students asked if this were our first time in China and when we said yes, she complimented us on our use of chopsticks. She didn't realize we use them in the many Chinese restaurants in Canada.

We asked them if they ate pizza like other grad students do and they all said yes. We'd seen PizzaHut restaurants as well as KFC and McDonald's in Harbin. There were also wannabe versions where the logos were almost identical but they were all noodle houses.

Again we enjoyed Harbin beer while the students drank green tea. The girls kept Glen's glass full and at one point chastised the boy when he didn't do the same for me. I suppressed a smile when he quickly realized his mistake. Times are changing among Chinese youth where equality of the sexes is making headway.

After lunch, we returned to the hotel to pack. Although all the attention we received as honoured guests of the conference was nice, it was also good to have a quiet afternoon together. We had dinner in the hotel enjoying a plate of something Glen pointed to on the menu. It turned out to be deep fried hot peppers and breaded pork. We each drank two large bottles of beer to wash it down. The bill came to $12.00. There is no tipping in China.

Dinner

Here is a picture of the restaurant where we ate the authentic peasant food. I don't know its name in English.

Below is a video Glen took while we enjoyed the entertainment. Unfortunately, the table closest to the stage had a gentleman also taking a movie. It is kind of neat seeing a movie within a movie.

Oops! I had problems uploading the video so please click here and it should take you to the YouTube version. I apologize that I don't know the names of the performers or what they are singing about but I'm sure you'll enjoy a taste of what we saw.