Ni Hao Once More

QUANZHOU CITY. This is my second but then again, this is for work. So I really owe my employer big since I'm getting the opportunity to travel to this part of China. I would never have made it as part of my regular travels. After 14 months, it has been improving once more like it obviously has the first time I went there. Buildings in construction, roads under renovation. I'm lucky to have witnessed this period of a thriving city.

One proof of the City's progress is an amazing sewerage system. They merged beautification and function and made it work as one. I didn't even realize it at first. Brilliant idea in having the sewer pass through the main highways of the city and not being noticed at all. And just because it was covered by landscapes and art. The water seem to have been treated already since it's almost like just an ordinary river flowing along the roads of Quanzhou.

Marker of the sewerage (behind).

Nothing much happened during the first day, other than meeting of course, new faces in the person of 3 colleagues from the office. Although I knew before hand that my co-auditor and I would be in the same flight with two others from our operations division, in the name of Kenneth and Mikel. I have no face to associate it with. Zero. I learned later too that there's three (Erwin included) and they were the ones we've been guessing to be while we were at NAIA. I was just glad they are nice persons. At least, when I went to approach them due to a badly needed help of contacting our transport from the airport to the office or hotel, I was lucky to have been greeted with smiles and affirmations. I was lucky they weren't the snob ones. We've had the luxury too of being treated by them in a simple dinner party in their pad. Which, favor we returned as well, before we finally returned to the Philippines. Dinner at Sichuan Grilled Fish was sumptuous. I didn't know the exact name if the dish we ordered but what was certain is that the large serving dish was left empty (even the fish bones was in our plates) in minutes. The boys had to order extra rice. Yum!

Dinner served at home by our generous hosts

The restaurant where we treated our hosts for dinner too.

And well of course, there's that meeting with the new personnel (eight of them already) in our office. Oh if I could remember them all, I'm afraid I won't. I could only recall 2 English names, Sam and Darwin. And there's Lili, there's the accountant, the HR, the Treasury and the driver. Again, I could only say ni hao and xiexie  in greeting and thanking them. But at least, my knowledge of basic simplified Chinese improved in the next days, adding shi, meiyou, zao an, xiawu hao, bu keqi, cha, mi fan, bing shui, and of course I could count from, yi, er, san, si, wu  already. Thanks to a tip fro Erwin that Google translate does help a lot. And it did!

Because the weather was just the right cold for any stroll, we did that most often. Walk around. Of course, that is on the occasional breaks from work - to buy our merienda or to eat out for lunch. All of which we enjoy doing because of the side trip - sightseeing and picture-taking!

Shoalin monk crossing

 And on the streets, there's just too many to see and to take photographs of:

Fruit stands on the go.

Their version of our pedicab.

KFC's delivery car - China's hari ng kalsada.

This trip was more work than leisure as compared to last year's when we visited at least three of Quanzhou's attractions: Kaiyuan Temple, Shoalin Temple and the Monument to Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) or we call it Mount Success. And where we went to at least four malls or shopping centers if I'm not mistaken. And where we'd practically go out most of the nights (and day) if we'd have the chance. Perhaps it was understandable for first timers. In this trip, I spent most of my time if not in the office, in the hotel. Work is taken home for the night. Or work is imported from the Philippines (laughs) and done at night.

But this has its moments too. And of course, it's the trying-a-new-food-challenge that would top it all. Where do I start I don't know, but all of which, I may say is just over-the-top great and not bad at all. First on the list is the special sea worm soup served in a dinner sponsored for us. I remembered sitting at the dinner table and taking that first bite while all eyes were on me. I thought I was growing to throw up, because I wasn't really adventurous when it comes to food but I made it - with everybody's support, which later I realize I don't need because the worm didn't taste like one after all (as if I tasted one). The persimmon we bought in the streets, that one-of-a-kind dumpling during one late lunch, the seafood soup and other seafood dishes we had for lunch in Masters restaurant in the newly-opened Wanda Mall in Quanzhou...and the list goes on.

Kamatis in the outside, santol in the inside but tastes chico - Persimmon.

Dumpling

Noodles and Chili Chicken

Bonus: Newly-opened franchise of international brand, BreadTalk.

I didn't miss the chance to try my favorites again - the juiciest and tastiest siopao I have ever tried and the home-made beef noodles. Both of which, was perfect for lunch plus my favorite bottled milk tea. We had to go back twice to that siopao store, since it was already closed the first time. I learned later that it opens thrice daily - 6-8, 10-12, 4-6 (or around those times). Good thing it didn't closed operations. I would have felt really bad. If I'd be given one food to eat for a day, I'd choose that siopao. How ironic because I'm not a fan, but it earned my liking.

The siopao store.

Over all...streets and food filled this trip, not to mention the persons I had casual conversations with, learned from and ultimately made friends.

Xiexie.