First Cultural Impressions

Kareeoke is a national favorite leisure activity of the Chinese people, nothing like the style back home where you go to a large pub and everyone has a chance to sing, but more of a private affair consisting of one to a party affair, held in private rooms. Pubs, restaurants or coffee hangouts will double up in the evening to host small to large private rooms, encased with the most up to date
equipment, songs of every kind and in all languages available for your use. Dinner is provided at
cost, from the simple snack to the full 'do' - prices will vary according to day, availability, size of party etc..

A close second is Poker, this is played by men and women alike and poker clubs are as common
as Bridge clubs in the rest of the world, in fact the Bridge club that I did find specializes in teaching Chinese!

The next popular activity is not table tennis as we are always led to believe, that may be found in the poorer localities, as a basketball court or football pitch is to the rest of the world, or at a recreation centre - a form of Chinese Chequers, complicated and intricate is taught from almost babyhood and played by all ages (not Chess).

Rice as I have always understood is not the stable diet for all of China, but more for those in the
South. In Northern China noodles is the name of the game. A large bowl of noodles, varying in size
from skinny to large, long fat versions is the stable diet of all, how they stay so skinny can only be put down to a different metabolism! If rice is served at the meal, it will be as an accompaniment
and not the main dish. Brown rice, or stir-fry is considered an expense and not chosen by the locals unless a large party is partaking in the meal.

Meat, duck, pork or chicken courses are served as an extra and shared between all, this both keeps down the cost and allows for greater variety. Each particiapant is given a small bowl plus chopsticks and a spoon in the dish keeps down the transfer of germs from plate to plate. Eating at a local hangout is hot, crowded and noisy, you will probably be the only westerner sitting there and a point of curiosity as they watch you handling your chopsticks, or in my case losing more between the sticks than what entered my mouth (unfortunately not doing any difference at present to the state of my shape), but cheap is the word!! A meal of noodles, rice and dumplings (which I shall talk
about in a moment) will cost (no tips given) around 3.50 sterling, 24nis or $5.

Dumplings, what a Jewish Eastern European mother would call 'kreplach' are a pastry made of flour, rolled out thinly and enveloped over meat or vegetables. They are then boiled and served in a basket woven steamer of two layers with soya or spicy sauce. These are the national diet and though cheap, not to my taste.

A version of these dumplings known as Dim Sum, are bought for breakfast at either the local 7 - 11 store or stand on the street, or hole in the window of the local restaurant establishment. Bought in quantities of 1 - 3, they are sold in plastic nylon bags or paper cups, with a spoon or two of soup added if so wished. They are so inexpensive that no one seems to bring them from home, but a constant stream of people are seen buying them on their way to work.

Egg rolls if served are part of the main course and corn, sweet and sour, won ton soup is a meal on its own and not served often. It was more of a case of 'what's that' when asked for. Contrary to
all TV programmes that show the people eating all kinds of sea food, here in the north it is considered expensive and bought in the better class restaurants.

Well, now that hopefully I have made you hungry to go out and buy your local traditional so called chinese food, enjoy and more tomorrow.