Hey Hey and a Big Freaky G'Day toya

This evening was a rather strange and yummy experience of the feline kind!

I spent the day in Baise with my friend Mandy (I won't use Chinese names). We walked and talked and walked and talked and talked and walked and walked and talked. Around midday we headed to a little village to visit Evie. I had chatted to Evie on the phone a few times and we got along well as we both loved cats. So it was nice to finally meet her. When we arrived her parents were home preparing dinner and Evie was still at school teaching.
We sat for a tea and chat with her parents...well Mandy did, I just listened and made up my own story as to what they were talking about.

An hour or so later Evie arrived home and we said our happy hello's etc. After getting changed, Evie was walking around the house saying the same word over and over. I had no idea what she was saying so I asked Mandy. Oh, she was calling her cat.

Oh cool, the cat, now I could meet the cat too.
She went from room to room with no luck.
Her father said something and the mood in the room changed.

Evie kinda just stood there like she didn't know what to say. In the local dialect you would say, Bu urgh, kinda like butter with without the t's and with a British accent. It means open mouthed...in wonder, shock, tired, dazed etc etc..you know, mouth half open, tongue half hanging out. I asked Mandy what was happening and she looked at the pot that had been boiling infront of us on the table for over an hour. Evie's Mum came over and quickly began talking to Mandy about something.

My mind ticked over and over and I had my own version of what was in the pot!

Finally dinner arrived and we all began eating. Evie was still not talking to her father. I went from dish to dish sampling a little of each until I came across a meat dish that tasted a bit different. HHHhhhhmmmm! I think I know what this is! The parents looked at me and Mandy and Evie were trying not to laugh.

Then I found an ear...Argh!
MEOW I said.

Everyone burst out laughing. So I dipped it into the lemon sauce and down it went. It seems her parents hated the cat as it sat around and Meow'd all day. Her father, I was told, had continually threatened to make the cat disappear and when he got news that they were to receive their first visit from a foreigner, he had found his excuse.

Evie was none too happy, but together we found the funny side and with our chop sticks, we sat side by side and dipped Felix into a lemon grass sauce and gave him a wothy burial!

(this paragraph is being written on the 10th September 2005 as I load this diary entry onto my Travelogue).

Don't get all RSPCAish on me. I'm in China not Australia or England. How do you think the people from India would feel about us in Australia, especially if they are visiting and pass a truck full the 'sacred cow' on their way to the slaughter yards. We do and eat strange things in Australia and the Western World just as those in the East eat and do strange and wonderful things.

Here there are no restrictions, but this is slowly changing. It will take time before Fido the family dog remains 'just the family dog' and doesn't have the nick name 'Lunch or Dinner'. But it is happening. Around me families have pets. Many cute puppies are being carried around and spoilt like little chindren. Many kittens are being walked around town like puppies by children.

It wasn't like this at all five years ago, it wasn't like this AT ALL! Most cats and dogs had the nick names Lunch or Dinner! On my daily walks I stop to pat many spoilt kittens and puppies. They are very well loved and looked after. But China could use a ship load full of flea collars. I'm not saying that what happened above doesn't happen as obviously it does, but I'm sure over a period of time their way of thinking will change as will their menu.

But until then, I'll happily eat my way around China, just as they do.

Beers N Noodles toya..shane
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The soundtrack to this entry was Prince
The album was 'The Hits - Disk 2'
She's a peach mate!
MeoW!