The town, Anren, is old and has retained it's ancient character for tourists and parts of it feel like a Hollywood version of China - and I love it!
So I have been here just over 3 weeks and I'm just about catching up with myself and have set aside a little time while I sit in The Shamrock drinking Stella Artois having my first taste of the West for three weeks!
There is way to much to tell, I could share about the two old men on the bus who couldn't stop laughing at everything I said, for about 20 minutes! Or the family who put a child on my knee to take photos of the Yangren (foreigner!) or the makeup girls who demand selflies in the supermarket! It's like being Robbie Williams Dad, not famous at all but worth having a photo to show to friends and family!
I could tell you about food, and that no Chinese take away can prepare you - it is almost completely divine!
I could tell you about Digital City - 10 stories of IT stuff from MacBooks and laptops right up to ripped off DVDs and Software and everything in between.
But I won't!
I want to just talk a little about Chinese people - in case you are thinking of coming! Those of you who know me will know that generally I like everyone I meet - or at least I try to. In China, to a man, woman and child, everyone I have met or had an interaction with has been an absolute delight and not only a great ambassador for their country but a great ambassador for the human race.
Of course I'm western and therefore a bit of a novelty, particularly in Anren, but people can not do enough to help you, whether it is food, and helping me pick things to eat and learning their names (to be forgotten about 20 seconds later - more on language another time!) or getting off the bus, buying any manner of things - you name it - they can not do enough and I love them for it!
I feel on a little personal mission to convince the Chinese I meet that Westerners are also decent and friendly and welcoming - I don't want to think of these delightful people ever experiencing some of the xenophobia that exists in England - these people are just fabulous so if you meet anyone from China - please be kind to them.
I am writing this on a nearly new Macbook Air that I just bought from a dubious woman in Digital City for 3000 RMB, about 300 GBP so I have no photos to add to this post apart from:
So, now I have the means to write my blog I will try to be a little more regular!
Suffice to say, I love China, Love it, Love it, Love it! Loads of things odd and crazy and occasionally frustrating but so worth it!
再见，祝你好运
Zàijiàn, zhù nǐ hǎo yùn
Look it up on Google - I did!
