We chatted all the way to the roundabout by carrefour and rode on the 75 bus for about 30 mins, past her house and then got off, popped in to say hi to her mum and dad (mum is same age as mine but hasn't had the travelling to keep her youthful). She squeezed my arm and asked me a heap of questions when I sat next to her on her bed where she and her husband were watching tele. At some stage she turned the volume up and soon after we left.
We picked up a bao mian = corn on the cob at a street corner and then marched on to a big building with a few groups of men or women standing around. Horror! Speed daring Chinese styley??? After a gaggle if gruff or Beijing opera screechy schoolfriends gathered we entered the building and queued for the list. By this stage there were enough visual cues to ascertain that I was attending a wedding...
...not mine I hope!!!
It was a loud drama that lasted just over an hour comprising a KTV - karaoke-singing groom walking back down the aisle singing 'wo ai ni' = I love you to his beautiful bride waiting under a heart-shaped pink paper flower arch. Only in China. How did Confucianism convert to kitch?
The mistress of ceremonies lined up the respective parents and poured red champagne into a cascade of flutes before a hug-the-in-law ceremony. Dinner of local delicacies and beer for about 50 large round tables of noisy guest lasted long enough for the wedding couple to make a toast at each table with lethal local bai jiu (white liquor).
I was lagging by this stage and relieved I had the excuse to return (for my afternoon nap and) of translating for the student hoping to go to America and also a trip with Guye's friend to get an ear model and ear seeds.
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