This week has been slightly more interesting than most. Once you think you’re nice in comfortable in China the rug gets pulled out from under you.
This week really started Saturday night with the birthday party for my friend Elvis. He has lived in Huaihua for a few years and has always been a good friend and an unbeatable source of knowledge about the city. I am by no means his only friend and for his birthday dinner a group of about 20 Chinese and foreign friends gathered in a really luxurious room to dine on 27 dishes. The number of dishes is very important when eating out in China, but as I see it this is mostly used as an excuse to order more than one needs. Regardless the food was fantastic, as a proper Chinese banquet should be. Also my American friend Nicole who lives an hour north of me in Chenxi visited for the night and joined in the festivities.
As the long and well-lubricated meal wound down my English friend and I got out some party favors we had bought while shopping for fireworks. There is an unbelievably huge market complex near the train station in Huaihua that seems to sell every manufactured good made in China. It is the best place to buy school supplies, posters of Stalin, Chinese lanterns, shampoo, portable heaters, fake guns, and a gazillion types of party favors. So after everyone was done eating we whipped out our best party favor: cheap plastic masks.
