Hey Hey and a big G'Day toya

Today after breakfast we boarded another bus and headed to Pingguo.

We had to stop in at Tianyang (home) to grab Mandy's teaching plans as she has to sit an exam for no reason other than the fact that the government want all teachers to sit an exam.

When we arrived at Pingguo we had a big family dinner at her Aunties place.

Mandy grew up with her Aunt's family as her family was too poor to raise her. Their daughter Jenny was home for the Holidays. I had met here before at the Baise Teachers college where a friend teaches and in fact he is her teacher for English. It was hot afternoon and once again, there was sooooooo much food.

We then took a walk around the town and headed to her Uncles place for dinner and more beer. He is high up in the Agricultural Bank of China. His daughter won the English award for her age group in the area BUT that doesn't mean too much when it comes to talking as they never get to talk or use English. So it's mostly reading and text book stuff. She couldn't really understand me and found it hard to communicate.

She didn't have an English name either so I named her Emily or Emma...dunno why, she just looked like an Emma or Emily.

Afterwards we went for a walk to the little square where a heap of people set up speakers each night and dance and Karaoke. They do this in most towns but usually it's the older generation singing their songs from the revolution etc but this one was a mixture of old and young, both dancing to a disco beat.

Was great to watch and listen to.

Thursday, 5th May 2005 - the morning was spent at the Local Market buying food, fruit and vegies for Mandy's family. It was then a bus trip to their village. Tiny and very poor. Another hut/house type thing with dirt floors and wood burner and gaps in the wood and basically nothing but a table, some little chairs and chickens and dogs running in and out. Here for the guest (me) they sacrificed three chickens and for the next 5 hours cooked up the biggest feast. Their house is set amongst rice fields and beside a river, it is just beautiful.

The toilet is set in with the pigs but luckily above them, unlike some of the places I have visited out the back of Tianyang where you actually sit in with the pigs!

During the 5 hours preparation time I thought I'd take a walk. I thought Mandy had gone for noon nap and every one was so busy. I knew if I had tried to tell someone they would all stop what they were doing and come with me to make sure I was alright. So off I went out into the hills for an hour or so and on my way back I could hear people yelling and beeping and yep, they were all out searching for the lost foreigner who wasn't lost but trying to come to terms with days of feasts in his name by people whom can barely afford to live each day.

They were so happy I was ok. Mandy was pretty angry for awhile but understood what would have happened if I had said anything about going for a walk. The rest of the family came and others from around the joining villages. We began eating at 4:00 and were still going at 10:00.

Oh so much beer and food.

We began eating outside and then a storm flew in so we moved everything inside and then moved the little tables back outside to sit and watch the lightening storm that danced around us for another 2 hours. Finally grandma and grandpa were helped walk up and didn't grandpa have a laugh when we met. He sat with his wine and before each sip he'd cheers or 'Gumbey' me and laugh so hard.

I thought he'd keel over from a heart attack the way he was laughing.

Mandy and I then went to Pingguo's square...WOW...it was so big.

Not as big as Tiananmen Square in Beijing but it has the Music Fountains like the little ones we have at the Melbourne Casino and the tiny one in the Gold Coast Mall where the water squirts up in time with the music from little holes in different patterns and shapes. Well, the square was ALL like one big music fountain. I just stood and said WOW for an hour or more. Everywhere you looked there were fountains near and far and all in time with the music. It becomes like the local pool.

It was so hot that I think half the town were there under the fountains.

Friday, 6th May 2005 - Pingguo - just stuff, never you mind!

Saturday, 7th May 2005 - Pingguo - just stuff, never you mind!

Beers N Noodles Toya...shane