Oct 11 Saturday Afternoon with Ken

After our really fun time with the pandas, we walked back to the metro station where we were meeting Ken. He is the son of another physicist and his mother has been introduced as part of the Mumbai 7. Luckily, he really looks like his mom, so was easy to spot in the masses of people on the platform. (The fact that we were probably the only 3 foreigners may have helped, too.)

When I say masses, I am not kidding. We couldn't get on the first train that came because it was so crowded. The second wasn't much better, but we managed to shove our way on. We all knew the exit station, so were planning to meet there, if we were separated.

Chuck and I were both given seats. The Chinese are wonderful this way. I have been given a seat more in 1 week than in years in Paris.

We went back to Liulichang. Neither Chuck nor Ken had ever been there. Because of my bright red coat, I am really familiar to the vendors. They all greeted me and brought out things that they thought that I was looking for.

Ken was enormously patient with my shopping. I am looking for a seal for Branwen, so had to look in every shop. I finally found a really great one for Jef, but am not showing it so that she will be surprised.

Ken has been here teaching English for 6 years, so was my negotiating translator. When we started getting down to the serious stuff, he was offered 300 RMB to get me to take the full offer. He was whispering this to me. We were both wondering how they were going to pass him the money. I managed to get them below this price, since I knew that they were willing to go at least 300 less.

Chuck had more shopping than he can stand, and sometimes waited outside. When we came to the one I really liked, he came in and approved. (I had coached him on saying - On that's too much!)

Ken took us to his local Hot Pot restaurant.

The pot is divided into 2. The spicy side and the bland side. You put your ingrediants in to cook in either side and then fish them out. We even were given slotted spoons to make the fishing easier.

Here is the pot with fish balls and mushrooms:
and meat and greens.
We had a lovely time with much talking and laughing.

Chuck and I took a cab home and again, right to bed. We are really going to bed early here and not getting up now until 8.