China - take a break

Having gone out Saturday night (Noah's) and having an eventful first week, getting used to China and being ill, we decided Sunday was time for a break. After a week of strange food that all began to taste the same (rice+msg) we went to McDonalds for lunch. In England I hate McDonalds and protest about anyone who goes in. However in China, after a week of full of unfamiliarity it tasted AMAZING! Not that Chinese food was bad - I miss it now - but it was a whole novel environment and it was just good to have something that I could recognise.

                                                                   Dumpling making

That evening we went to the house of a local family to make dumplings. Chinese dumplings are a completely different thing to the ones you find in stews here. Our family consisted only of a mother and a daughter, as the father worked away a lot. The mother seemed to think we'd expect Chinese kitchens to be really basic. I didn't at all, but I was expecting something more traditional than a swanky, ultra modern flat! When we sat down to dinner it was official - I love dumplings! They're a really thin sort of pastry with meat inside. We made pork and shrimp ones and beef and spring onion but you can put anything in! In my opinion they're like a Chinese version of little pasties! Om nom nom...