Well, it could have been painful but wasn't only a little bit of embarrassment. I was at home in my usual state of dress (none) with Rose out, there was a knock at the door, I thought she had forgotten her keys so go over to the door, and just in case it wasn't here I just stuck my head round and low and behold two Chinese police officers are there who immediately start asking question in Chinese. So I ask them to wait (yes I know how to say wait in Chinese) while I grab a towel and the phone to ring Rose, well as usual when I ring... No answer... the cops then come in and keep speaking, me not understanding when one then comes over to me and points to a line in his little book. and on the line is..... my name..... he points at me and says 'You?", I say "Yes", so I then think they need to see my passport to prove who I am, I go to get it but when I return they are halfway out the door already end of encounter. I still don't really know what they wanted, I can only assume that they were doing an alien check to see if I was where I was recorded as being. Something the UK doesn't sound like its doing at the moment. At least they were friendly and didn't beat me up or drug me. Still, I have found them to be quite polite here in this town anyway. As regular readers will know, we do have some Police friends anyway.
I met a Dutchman yesterday on his bike (of all things) When I realised he was from the Netherlands I spoke to him in his own language (I lived there for 2 and half years a long time ago!) (everything s a long time ago now!) He also lives here married to a Chinese national and said it sounded quite odd now to hear his own language again. Not many folk speak Dutch here!
The rainy season has started again and its been tipping down, we get in one day what you would get in about a month. Luckily they are used to it and the drains cope, well in this city anyway, they have gone from drought to floods in some parts of the country.
Everywhere here is being 'done up' at the moment in preparation for the Universiade that is occurring later in the year, most of the roads are being relaid, all the pavements around us are being replaced and the traffic is in total chaos, driving at the moment is quicker to walk. We have dust everywhere while all this is going on, so hopefully it will soon be over and at least we wont be tripping over the old holes in the pavement we had before. The city is also painting lots of buildings which is starting to confuse Rose, when we drive anywhere she says turn by the green building, well its now a yellow building so her sense of direction is now worse till she gets used to the colour change. I think she is a bit colour blind anyway, she is always telling me something is green when its blue and she is due to renew her driving licence soon as well. Mine is due up here next year as they only last 6 years here. The good thing we have is that Road Tax is no in the petrol. which is cheap (so far) anyway. Gradually prices are starting to rise and will soon be equal to the rest of the world.
And finally, Rose is well on the mend and being back to her old self again.
I met a Dutchman yesterday on his bike (of all things) When I realised he was from the Netherlands I spoke to him in his own language (I lived there for 2 and half years a long time ago!) (everything s a long time ago now!) He also lives here married to a Chinese national and said it sounded quite odd now to hear his own language again. Not many folk speak Dutch here!
The rainy season has started again and its been tipping down, we get in one day what you would get in about a month. Luckily they are used to it and the drains cope, well in this city anyway, they have gone from drought to floods in some parts of the country.
Everywhere here is being 'done up' at the moment in preparation for the Universiade that is occurring later in the year, most of the roads are being relaid, all the pavements around us are being replaced and the traffic is in total chaos, driving at the moment is quicker to walk. We have dust everywhere while all this is going on, so hopefully it will soon be over and at least we wont be tripping over the old holes in the pavement we had before. The city is also painting lots of buildings which is starting to confuse Rose, when we drive anywhere she says turn by the green building, well its now a yellow building so her sense of direction is now worse till she gets used to the colour change. I think she is a bit colour blind anyway, she is always telling me something is green when its blue and she is due to renew her driving licence soon as well. Mine is due up here next year as they only last 6 years here. The good thing we have is that Road Tax is no in the petrol. which is cheap (so far) anyway. Gradually prices are starting to rise and will soon be equal to the rest of the world.
And finally, Rose is well on the mend and being back to her old self again.
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