Freezing and Malling

Chinese and their (non) use of heat.
The weather here in Jingmen is closely matching the deep freeze in South Carolina.  For the last 3 days, the daytime high temps have struggled to get to 32 deg F.   In this area of China, if you're not sitting in the room continuously, you can assume it's not heated.  For example, the hallways, lobby and other common areas of the hotel are not heated.  The hotel receptionists have their winter coats on all day.  Keep in mind, these buildings are concrete block style with little (or no) insulation.  With the company cook, Mol, on a break, I took breakfast this weekend at the hotel restaurant, a free standing building next door which is completely unheated right now. 

Since it's obviously not tourist season, I've dined alone (everyone feel bad for me now - ready...go), with the poor cook dressed like an Eskimo prepping food in the back.  The goal is to eat before your hands freeze.   The factory, which has been shut down all week is the same way.  Only the offices are heated.  The hallways and factory work areas are not - I feel bad for the production guys!  It's kinda nice for ping pong though, since you can play without getting sweaty :-)

Painting the town
When the going gets tough, the tough go to the mall.  After lunch on Saturday, my driver Sam deemed the roads to be passable for a trip to the Walmart, and the mall it resides under.  I needed some supplies as well as to pick up the laundry.  A couple of young guys tagged along with us.  Maybe they felt bad for the old foreigner, but more likely they just wanted something to do. 

Sam (driver), Mol (cook) and Peng Chong at the Mall

Most of them live in 1 room apartments near the factory.  At least a couple I've met have their families in other cities.  Since this is a startup company (and high risk), they haven't made the complete move until the company really gets established.   When the weather is like this, there is not much to do in the immediate area which is several miles away from downtown Jingmen.  Several of the guys come to the factory and just hang out during off days.

Tofu Pudding - don't knock it till you try...ok, just don't knock it.
After picking up some random supplies at Walmart for my room, we explored the entire 5 level mall.  Of course, I was most interested in the food court level, so we spent more time there.  I noticed a couple of booths serving some kind of sweet so I took a close look to check it out.  I thought it was ice cream.  However, when I got closer, I noticed it clearly wasn't. 

Tofu pudding station

The Chinese generally do not eat rich, heavy sweet stuff like the USA and other western countries.  Maybe in the big cities like Shanghai where there is more western influence (I have yet to see another non-Chinese besides myself anywhere), but not here in the heartland. 

My concoction - I saved time and let the guys choose for me.

At the tofu pudding station, you chose from 3 or 4 different colors of tofu.  Then you add toppings, which include fruit, nuts, seeds and I think some beans.  Since I had no idea what many of the toppings were, I let the guys pick mine for me.  Then they add...yes...hot water.  The hot water begins to melt the tofu and you get a kind of soup that is warm and sweet, but not near as sweet as a typical desert of ice cream or gelato. 

Movie and Dinner
So we finished up the afternoon at the top level which contains the movie theater.  I asked if they had The Last Jedi (I had yet to see it) out of curiosity, and the next showing started in 10 minutes.  So, we made a snap decision to go watch it in 3D.  The cost for the movie was 23 RMB (about $3.50 USD).  The movie was in English with Chinese subtitles.  I have a feeling Dana and I will take in more movies than we normally do while we're here.

Finally, we headed out for Dinner.  Sam drove us to a dumpling restaurant somewhere in Jingmen.  I couldn't find it again if my life depended on it, but it was great.

Dumpling assembly line!

Dumplings have become one of my favorite foods here and they have many different kinds.  Some stuffed with meat, some stuffed with veggies, some fried, etc etc.   The restaurant had plenty of other stuff too. 

For the record, pig tails are not that bad - they're not that good either

So, if dumplings aren't enough, and you're really craving a couple of pig tails or chicken feet, you can get those too. 

The biggest slippers I could find at Walmart, fit my big feet just barely

Well, that's all for now.  I just enjoyed a relaxing Sunday mostly at the hotel keeping warm, venturing out only for meals, a run and to play some ping pong at the factory.  My first real work week is about to begin.