It’s been a busy couple of days and indeed for the coming week I think it will be more of the same.
Saturday as I said I went and helped judge the kids in their competition, not something I enjoy - not least of all because the other competitors and their parents in the audience won’t shut up so I can hear the kid who’s actually performing. On several occasions I found myself reinforcing the female compere’s exhortations to shut the hell up.
Once finished, I went to the Tsingtao restaurant to meet Angela. I had suggested the place because it is inexpensive and seeing as her folks are picking up the tag I didn’t want to take the Mickey. Unbeknown to me, Dad had tagged along and he thought it wasn’t posh enough. It was suggested we go to the Lotus Bloom instead but I then offered an alternative just down the road - a little place I often just go and have a beer in but at which I had never eaten. That’s where we ended up and without wishing to be rude, I really hope he gets bored very quickly of being her chaperone, seeing as he can’t speak a word of English.
Today was a little eventful. I spent the whole morning testing Helen’s entire school (I estimate 80 kids) and then was taken for lunch. As it was 40C and I had left my bike parked in the sun Helen told her husband to go and move it into the shade, for which he needed my keys. The food itself was memorable for a dish of sweet pork which was particularly nice but the occasion was momentous because when they asked at the end if I was ok to ride my bike back home I was suddenly stumped.
I looked at my bunch of keys and noticed that my four day old remote alarm fob was missing! I wasn’t overly concerned at that point as I thought the ignition key would override the alarm system and immobiliser, so we all retraced Hubby’s steps searching but to no avail. Worse, the key was useless, the alarm sounded and the rear wheel locked. Great. You can’t just get a spare one from the bike shop (I suspect you have to buy two and have the bike reprogrammed) so I was stranded. Fair play to Helen, she was most upset and ended up getting a taxi in which I went accompanied by her, Hubby and their lawyer friend to campus to get my spare fob. I did eventually get home on my own wheels.
I had time for a quick siesta before heading back to town again to meet Sonya and her colleague Amy at the Japanese place. They were rather taken with sitting around the chef and among other things they ordered what the chef proudly informs everyone who goes there is the most expensive egg fried rice in the city. Although I never tried any of it, the girls both declared it was extremely good. A married couple came in to eat at a nearby table with their twin daughters, who at a guess were about seven. They were chatting with the cook and suddenly they became quite excited, squealing and clapping their hands. Sonya explained they were going to be given “fire ice cream” for dessert. All I could think of was bombe Alaska and so I was, as indeed were my two companions, intrigued as to what it might be. It turned out to be banana fritter lightly fried, a dollop of ice cream put on top and before serving, a ring of brandy poured on the hotplate and set alight. Sonya and Amy retired to a safe distance with their phone cameras at the ready for the detonation, I risked singed eyebrows by remaining seated. When the brandy was lit I have to say the ensuing inferno was most impressive, eliciting further squeals from the twins.
I happened to mention to Sonya that as I was now becoming a bit of a regular and was introducing new people to the restaurant (this morning’s school want to take me there in a week or so - and I won’t let anyone touch my keys next time!) they should really give me a VIP discount card. Well she asked and they do one but with a slight difference. You put money on it first so it’s a bit like a PAYG “credit” card. The more money you load the bigger the amount they add, so I paid 300y (didn’t have any more on me) which they turned into 335y. I got my discount in the end. Of course I can’t see any way of using it tomorrow evening when Angela takes me there because it would be far too complicated to take money from her, work out the discount and give her change.
Anyway, yesterday on the way to the competition I did stop by the “ship” to take snaps of the bike, which seeing as it has shaved 3 minutes off the previous 23 minute ride from school to town, has been nicknamed the silver streak. You may also note the disparate colour schemes on the ship’s funnels and deckhouse - I don’t think anyone gave much thought to aesthetic appeal.
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