Tag Archives: China

Food

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A friend of mine asked me to write about food I have eaten in China. This is not a post to scare everyone, this is just my experiences and I have enjoyed all of these.

About food culture in Guangdong (Canton area for English speaking readers) one might say that it follows the following old wisdom you hear quite often:

You can eat anything, which is not quick enough to escape you. Especially good are everything, which has four legs. Except the table. You can eat everything, which flies except a kite or airplane. And you can eat everything living in the sea.

That quote can be found in the Internet quite easily and kind of describes the Guangdong food culture quite well. Of course it is humorous thing to say but there is some wisdom inside it.

Comparing the culture between Western and Chinese is sometimes very easy but understanding it, is sometimes very difficult. When you are comparing the food culture you should keep your mind open and be adventurous. I have tried to follow that principle and I have been positively surprised. I have learned that in China most of the people I have talked to are preferring to eat something, which has taste. What does have taste? We often prefer ordinary steaks and pieces of meat, which is common and have been known to be easy to eat. Does it have taste? Is ordinary steak too easy to eat and does it have a little bit mild taste?

On my last trip to Guangzhou, I was quite open minded and I for example came across with cow stomach, pig tongue, pig pancreas and fish swim-bladder. For a Finnish person those are pretty extraordinary and most of the people would skip the opportunity to eat those. My first experience with Chinese style cooking was in Shanghai in September 2006 when I boldly tried Pidan and a cake made out of Durian. Pidan is still one of my favorites and I rarely pass the opportunity to enjoy it. Durian has been my favorite since I tried it and I am pretty sure all the people around me hate me for that … or the smell coming from that. I don’t care, I love the taste.

So, how I liked the “odd” new things I tried last time? Well, I realized that the idea of enjoying something, which doesn’t have mild and ordinary taste is actually quite fascinating. Those things had an unique taste and they are different from ordinary “boring” meat. There is an idea behind it, maybe we are sometimes too scared to try new things and maybe we Western waste perfectly good food.

I don’t know about you and I respect everyone’s opinions but I recommend to keep your mind open and try the new things. You never know, you might like those. And if you travel to China, visit Guangdong area, it is truly a fascinating area regarding the food culture.

Flight interruption

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Once again there was a flight interruption in place. Already during the check-in in Guangzhou there was something going on but in Beijing it was already a fact that my flight to Stockholm with Air China would be delayed at least five hours. After a brief discussion with Air China, we agreed that re-routing would be the best option in this situation. As I was already in the international area and had gone through immigration I was officially already departed from China, so the first step was to get the depart stamp cancelled and an access to check-in area granted. Air China friendly assigned me a personal helper who took me through the immigration (cancellation requires manager approval and cannot be done in ordinary desk) and then guided me to the Air China check-in duty managers who started the process to get me into some other flight.

As Air China flights to Europe were already been closed then my option was Scandinavian Airlines to Copenhagen and soon I had new tickets and routing to there and then to Tampere. Quite smooth operation even including that I needed to re-check my luggage again with SAS.

Time for coffee

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Mocha Frappuccino is the same in China and in the USA. Not a surprise though but it is really nice to get a refreshing beverage in the middle of a hot (for a Finn) day.

In China again

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Here I am back in China again. And it has changed during the time I was away! :D They got rid off the mandatory customs declaration form – oh, now I don’t have to fill two forms but only one. Now I miss filling the forms. So now China is more modern than USA with the formalities when arriving to the country.

The flight to China with Air China from Stockholm was actually very good, the plane itself isn’t anything big compared to Finnair or SAS but still everything worked very well and service is just much better compared to the Nordic competitors.

Currently waiting for my flight to Guangzhou in Beijing, having morning tea at the same time. Weather seems to be typically cloudy and hazy in Beijing but that is nothing new.

So here I am

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Indeed, I am once again in China. And again this is rather short visit but it is refreshing to have a holiday and spend it in China. This time I have been able to see two new cities, Beijing and Guangzhou – of course it would take much longer time to actually see and experience them completely but even a short time will give you a nice view for those two cities. So different when you compare them to each other; Beijing is traditional, historical and much more “serious” city compared to Guangzhou or Shanghai. Guangzhou is then following much more the style Shanghai has already shown me, glorious, sparkling city full of lights and action. What is missing is the numerous high-rising buildings across the city, which you come familiar in Shanghai.

When boarding the plane in Beijing, the weather was just like in Finland – windy and cold; a real Autumn weather, beginning of the Winter. Three hours later you walk out of the airport in Guangzhou to the evening weather and experience something warmer than Finnish Summer. In the Southern parts of the China, it is feeling like people are much happier and joyful – the service is given with a wide smile compared to the Beijing. Must be the weather? Service is always very punctual and perfect in China but in the South, it has the additional joy in it. Makes a Finnish person to smile widely too. ;)

It is amazing how you get used to the little things, how you will be remembered when you return to the lobby the next day to have again some tea while you will read the emails. How they remember which kind of tea you liked – maybe it is uncommon for a foreigner to drink traditional Chinese tea or maybe foreigners are still a little bit rare in here. Or then it is my ability to surprise people by being able to say Xiexie (Thank you) – at least I surprised someone at the breakfast who wasn’t expecting that from me. :)

Fangfang is giving a lecture at her college, she is teaching Mandarin for exchange students. And me. :) I will take a taxi from the hotel to meet her at the college when her classes are over, it should be in one hour – I am well prepared as I have the address written in Chinese, I shouldn’t find myself in some other city for example.

There is always the same peaceful feeling coming to me when I return to China; when you are in the environment where you are truly a foreigner, where you cannot understand any written text or spoken language. When you can experience everything as new and learn new things all the time.

Guangzhou

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Yesterday evening we flew from Beijing to Guangzhou. Air China did the job very well and compared to many Western airlines, which are today concentrating to cost-cutting then it is still nice to see flights like they used to be. Airline food is always airline food but I had nothing to complain with the service and food.

When I am traveling then there is usually always something happening but this time there hasn’t been much difficulties – just couple of delays with the flights but nothing major at all. Hotel in Guangzhou missed us for some reason as they were supposed to pick us from the airport but instead they put us into the taxi but then they had everything ready at the hotel and someone waiting for us in the front of the hotel. So no harm done. :D

Traveling in China is getting easier and easier for me when I learn more about the culture and the interaction with the people. And of course learn new words. It makes a life a bit easier to be able to speak at least something. I have a long way to go still but I have learned some new sentences.