Lost Horizons

Just too busy

The lack of posts last week was due to overindulgence of work, food, wine and ... Well let's not go there. The band at the shangri-la in Dalian turned out to be very mediocre, indeed with a limitted repertoire, and aloofness that did not endear them to the customers and a penchant for free drinks from the bar. Somehow I think that their contract will not be renewed when it expires.
One evening, our translator, Wendy asks if I want to go out with her for a drink. Knowing that she is married, I wonder what is going on, but accept her invitation. She takes me for a tour to see the sights of the city at night. Dalian hasn't many great sites and it doesn't help that its a foggy evening so you can hardly see anything. Then we head to this bar in town, that seems to be decorated as a skilodge with a palm tree and a glitter ball in the middle. The palm tree and the glitter ball marks the area of the stage where the band plays, and the bar staff go to sing their songs. Wendy, as usual is drinking water, whilst I try some dark beer called, Haida. Its a little bit sweet, but goes down OK. We listen to a few songs, half chinese, half english songs whose original singers have now died or been killed in plane crashes, etc. It turns out that Wendy wants to apologise for some imagined mistake with the Malaysian visas of our staff that she was trying to arrange. I had already told her that it wasn't her fault so just told her it wasn't a big problem. After a couple of beers I let her get home to her husband and her dog.
The next night was the big banquet type meal that we always do when we are there. The usual unimaginable food like drunken prawns, sea slug, etc Toasts going round ther table with rice wine, etc. Not too bad I must be getting used to them!
Got back into Hong Kong yesterday, and it was great to be back. I was too tired to go out, but will probably head out this evening.

posted by Luke @ 4:10 PM