Flavour of Harbin

To get away from the group and campus and feel that I'm in China I plan to disappear for a few hours every weekend. Just get on a random bus and get off somewhere and wander around. Yesterday I found myself on the 209 and jumped off at Heilongjiang University campus and was invited to go bungee jumping with a group of fun-loving students from various local universities. Don't worry, it wasn't just the 8.30am on Sunday start that put me off. Simone was astounded "they asked you? Didn't they know you were 44?" That's why I love her! Say it how it is! No couching of the truth in British bush beating circumnavigation of the harsh truth.

Last night we went out for an amazing Korean meal in a restaurant that was like someone's living room. An upturned wok was lifted to reveal the fluffiest omelette, wonderful spinach and peanuts, bulgogi beef (bulldogee was on the menu - not these puppies or any other poor old dog for me!). The fermented tofu soup was a bit much too, but I'm still waiting to sample the "stinky tofu" and to suck marrow from bone soup with a straw... not!

Yesterday after clinic at 12.30 the weekend began. I joined the Chinese girlies in my group who were going for lunch with their Malaysian "boyfriend" for Harbin hotpot. I had already said no after the first BBQ poisoning but I thought it would be rude not to... (see pics). Plates of raw lamb, pork and veg fried at our table. I followed Guye and placed a glass of vinegar in front of me to dip the food into to drain off the globules of fat! Afterwards I felt rather "bu shu fu" (uncomfortable) and my afternoon of writing up case studies went out the window.