圣诞节晚会 - Christmas Party

It's been a while since the last update but our activities continue apace. Rather than an indication of things slowing down, the lack of updates has actually been due to a combination of VPN issues (now resolved, fingers crossed) and new business ventures occupying most of my time. But rest assured, we're still here...

To bring you up to date, I introduce out biggest event yet and, as far as I've been told, the city's first traditional Christmas party! This event was on a different scale to what we've peviously organised and was so popular that we had to limit the amount of attendees; we actually ended up with a waiting list in double figures. It was a great night and, hopefully, we can build on this success and make an event big enough for everyone to attend next year.

With traditional Christmas snacks and drinks, including home made mince pies, mulled wine and cider, peppermint creams, chocolate drops, garlic breadsticks and many more treats, this was many attendees first experience of an English taste of Christmas. The food and drink was prepared over the course of two days by six group members and their efforts were very much appreciated. The mulled wine was a particular success, ensuring evereyone returned home with a merry heart and rosey cheeks.

To add to the Christmas spirit, we spent hours decorating our regular haunt, turning it into an image of Christmas that the locals present couldn't believe. Again, the support of regular group members was essential to making this happen. Throw in a selection of Christmas tunes, including classics like Stay Another Day by East17, All I Want for Christmas is You by Marah Carey and that really odd song by Bowie and Bing Crosby, and the scene was set.

For many, the highlight of the night was some festive themed games, including 'Dress the Santa' and 'Shaving Santa's Beard'. Games were requested by many of our Chinese members, for whom the idealised image of Christmas extends beyond drinking and eating excessively before passing out in front of the Queeen's speech. Dress the santa lead to some spectacular failures and, thus, the best picture from the night, with poor father Christmas looking like he's been subject to an Extraordinary Rendition by the US Government.

We hope to welcome even more people to next Christmas' follow up so, as ever, if you're in Liuzhou for a visit or a longer stay, contact us via email to get involved in future events. And if you fancy a change of scenery, there are plenty of jobs available in the city now at competitive salaries - get in touch!

Comments

烧烤 - BBQ

Whilst Brits tend towards pubs and bars for their evening socialising, the locals in Liuzhou go to the 烧烤 BBQ to chat and drink late into the night. These restaurants are on roadsides throughout the city and, given the great weather in summer here, provide the best opportunity for some al fresco dining with Chinese characteristics. By all means go to the BBQ for your main meal but many locals, after having dinner at home or elsewhere, descend on these restaurants for 宵夜, which roughly translates as a "midnight snack". Sitting outside on benches or yellow plastic chairs, you'll see dozens of tables packed with people eating 烤鱼 BBQ fish, 串 skewers of meat and veg, 炒米粉 fried rice noodles and other specialities. As well as the regular BBQ stalls, there are also some speciality places, including our favourite Mongolian style restaurant which serves up the most amazing lamb legs and ribs. Sitting in 30 degree heat at 11pm, eating amazing food, drinking cold, cheap, wate...

国庆节 - National Day

Famous for being the busiest travel week of the year, when foreign residents who've spent any period of time in China will tell you to stay at home to avoid the crowds, 国庆节 National Day, or 黄金周 Golden Week, is a public holiday where seemingly the entire country leaves their villages and crowds into the cities and popular travel destinations. I experienced the holiday last year and, as such, decided to stay in Liuzhou this time, to avoid (not entirely successfully) being jostled and gawped at by tens of thousands of farmers. Besides, one of our members at Liuzhou Meet & Learn has some connections within the local tourism department and wanted some foreign volunteers to be taken around the city to attend the various events taking place. So, four members from our group set off to be photographed doing everything from walking around, to eating noodles, to being force fed tea by members of the local ethnic minority groups. One thing that is so seductive about living in a sm...

啤酒在中国－ Beer in China

Summers in Guangxi are long and hot so you're going to need to keep your fluids up; beer is scientifically proven to be the best way to do this. Besides, spirits and wine are best avoided in Chinese bars and I highly recommend staying away from the local poison of choice, 白酒 white alcohol, the taste of which could generously be described as somewhere between vodka and paint stripper. So here's a quick guide about what to drink when you're in Liuzhou... As well as better known Chinese mass produced beers such as 青岛 Qingdao and 雪花 Snow, the most popular brand in Liuzhou is 漓泉啤酒 LiQ Beer from nearby Guilin. They have a few types available, including 漓泉1998 and 漓泉新1代纯生, which are their premier offerings. The 1998 variety appears to celebrate a visit to the province 20 years ago by ex US president Bill Clinton and includes a patently false quote from the man himself (I'm fairly sure Clinton didn't speak Chinglish). Whilst the taste is definitely not on a par wit...

Liuzhou Meet & Learn

Search This Blog