Central China

We spent last week in Wuhan (central China), visiting J's grandparents and family.

It was a lovely few days staying with Yeye (grandpa) and Nainai (grandma) and consisted of lots of thumbs-up and sign language, as well as a few nights out on the town with J's cousin Tom. 

We walked along the Yangtze River, released lanterns into the night sky, and tried out the pubs in Wuhan (surprisingly many, but we only tried two).  Of course - most importantly? - we also got to experience the local food. A lot of the local food! 

Lanterns and the night skyline along the Yangtze River

Tom took us to eat dai pai dong ("where the locals eat, usually with bad, cheap decor and plastic tables and chairs, but excellent, cheap food and open well into the early morning hours"). The restaurant was packed to the brim, with locals spilling out onto the street waiting their turn ("in China, when a place is crazy busy, that's how you know it's good").  

Inside, in a haze of cigarette smoke (people smoke everywhere, both indoors and out; this was the one thing I had a really hard time with in China) and the smell of cooking food, we ate crab noodle and tried the soy + conventional milk drink served in glass bottles with colourful straws, which this particular dai pai dong is particularly well-known for. As always, everything was absolutely delicious.

Our time in Wuhan went by quickly, and soon we were headed to the train station to catch our train back to Shanghai. But, not before one two last breakfasts (our time here was most definitely characterized by eating, it was a rare day that we only ate one lunch or one breakfast or one supper).  On our last morning Yeye bought us traditional breakfast of deep fried dough, covered with sticky rice, and sweet black sesame sugar, typically eaten with a bowl of soy milk.  

Then, a short while later, on our way to the station, J's Jojo (uncle) took us to another local spot for Wuhan's famous spicy beef noodle (well, for J, not for me). The line snaked through the building, people eager for their daily noodle fix. We got in line and the boys eagerly waited for a bowl. Standing room only, the men (J, Tom, and Jojo) had to take their food outside where they chowed down on the sidewalk (while I unsuccessfully avoided the locals' inquisitive stares - not too many westerners in these parts). It was fun to be a part of such a truly local tradition, even if only for a moment.

All in all, it was a fun, food-filled adventure!