Sunday 5th May, 2013        1900

Didn’t really want to blog today seeing as between the “hectic” weekend and the banging and drilling from downstairs I am absolutely all in. However here I am.

My friend’s driver (yes, he has a car and driver at his disposal) made good time on the journey from Hefei and he was ensconced in our newest 5 star hotel before ten yesterday.  We stuck to the plan whereby Kevin and I went to meet him at 1045, at which point my mate presented me with a case of beer, some unidentified Chinese liqueur, the two bottles of Thai chilli sauce I had requested, some DVDs and some decent cigars. Although much appreciated, the point of asking him to come here was to repay his previous generosity to me and the ladies (particularly Qing) I have taken to the Hilton - not for him to come bearing gifts. Aside from a very genuine desire to show him our tiny city (1.65 million as opposed to Hefei’s 7 million and 100 times cleaner air) he was also fully aware that my hope was that both Kevin and Ollivier would receive a nice welcome should they have occasion to visit Hefei - which I am sure they will find reason to do at some point - not for him to fork out. He even attempted to pay for part of lunch at the sweet pork place but was firmly told no by yours truly, quoting his own comment to me at the Hilton  which was “You won’t pay for anything in my hotel”. This was our patch.

And what a great weekend it has been. Seven people lunched and had dinner yesterday followed by lunch today and it was the best food we could think of to take him for. He loved my two favourite dishes and even requested another plate of prawns. Once finished Kevin and I gave him a tour of the school - he was impressed by the immensity - and then a trip around the city, where we were lucky enough to find a Yangtse cruise ferry docked and embarking passengers and photo opportunities for him. The plan had been to then take him to his hotel to relax for a couple of hours, me to cook for the pets and then pick him up later to go for dinner. Best laid plans? After the docks we went for “one” at a teahouse which also sold ale and we were undone. Aside from staying late we attracted the attention of a Chinese property developer who spoke no English but eventually we found someone who could translate and discovered his interest was trying to sell us houses. His interest waned somewhat when he learnt we were simply teachers! The animals ate after ten last night.

In the evening we went for a prawn hotpot (great concern was shown by the three students that I wasn’t eating much but I was still full from lunch)  where we thought we had booked a table but had to wait. That can be laid firmly at the door of the French contingent as apparently when no discount was offered, unbeknown to us, the call was terminated! As it happens I still got 15% off with the card Joanna got for me AND a stamp in the loyalty thing which may give us a completely free meal after another two visits. A big bonus was a free bottle of baijiu as we were spending over 200y - the contents are probably awful but the “vase” it comes in is very Chinese. My friend wanted us to drink it together, meaning he and I seeing as the girls wouldn’t and my two colleagues were both driving. I hate baijiu and convinced him to take it home for his Mum. Sadly he forgot to take it last night and even when we dropped him off to his driver this afternoon he forgot it. Doubtless I will be blamed for being a bad influence. I now have to remember to take it to him in July.

This morning I had arranged to go biking with him so he could ride Kevin’s bike back to campus. I went to bed late-ish last night so I could sleep until 0830 but the sodding builders started just after seven yet again. If they don’t finish soon I am going to end up committing murder. We had a good ride and I got worn out riding my e-bike watching him pedal but he is weird, he enjoyed it!

Lunch was opposite the place we had dinner last night. Ollivier had booked a barbecue restaurant we have been to before, all you can eat for 43y a head. Fine, but Joanna pointed out to me that where we ended up in the end was one of the places my card worked, so last night she went and asked. Normally 48y a person including drinks - with the card it was reduced to 37y! No contest.

All in all yes, a tiring weekend, but a really good one which I think my friend genuinely enjoyed and one on which many locals saw an extremely rare sight, four laoweis together! Absolutely marvellous and seven people had no expenses spared lunch, dinner and lunch with drinks for a grand total of £72, which split between three of us was £24 apiece. Absolutely marvellous and all will be welcome at the Hefei Hilton as long as my old pal is the guv’nor. I will see him in just over two months for a weekend (Happy Panda restaurant here I come!) and in a most magnanimous gesture he has said that when I leave for my flight his car and driver will take me to the airport. If I have sufficient pet care (at this moment it may be Joanna) I may well tarry awhile there when I return as well.

Sadly my camera settings changed and I only realised this morning so some of the pictures are a trifle blurred and some I deleted but there are pictures from all three meals.