Who Cut the Tofu?
by Bernard Ablola
Sep 29, 2008 Bernard, China Study Tour 2008
On our way from Hangzhou to Suzhou we stopped at Wu Town, a water city. A small group of friends and I felt adventurous and tried the different foods from street vendors. So far on the trip we ate at restaurants and hotels, always avoiding the water or ice cubes. But this day we had some pan fried vegetables in a roll and stinky tofu.
Stinky tofu can be smelled from a distance. Its strong odor is not too appetizing and name is not too appealing, but we had to try it. The odor can resemble rotten garbage. However, the taste is surprisingly mild. It is a local Chinese snack usually found on a street vendor’s cart or at the night markets.
The Most Expensive Tea I Have Ever Bought - Tea Gardens, Beijing
by Bernard Ablola
Sep 29, 2008 Bernard, China Study Tour 2008
At the Tea Garden our class of 40+ students was given a lesson in selecting and preparing green tea. The Chinese have been drinking green tea for centuries because of its health benefits. The U.S. has recently adopted this trend.
Attached is a video of Grace, our tea guide, preparing and providing green tea tips.
A major part of learning about the Chinese culture is through food and drink. Learning the Chinese tea customs was an example of how this trip not only exposed me to stimulation of the mind but to that of the senses as well. As a group we shared and enjoyed the scents and tastes of the different teas. This is something I immediately brought home and shared with friends.
When in China - Karaoke?
by Bernard Ablola
Sep 29, 2008 Bernard, China Study Tour 2008
The night life in Hangzhou is filled with people, neon lights and of course, karaoke. Our first destination was Party World, an upscale karaoke club that local night goers frequent. The lobby and karaoke rooms reminded me of upscale hotel. Doors open and close as young Chinese partiers belt out the latest in U.S. and Chinese hits.
The room had a black leather sofa that covered the back room of the wall, while the large flat screen TV covered the other. I had a chance to belt out a Backstreet Boys song, subjecting my listeners to my off tune voice.
The Chinese late night crowd is quite the fashion show. Looking as if MTV was filming a next music video in Hangzhou, we saw Chinese fashions and Chinese hair styles. This generation was the “me generation” filled with a need for self expression.
We experienced a popular Chinese past time while bonding with students in my class. This included some of the Chinese students who are relatively quiet in the classroom but opened up when the microphone was in their hands. Music helped us bridged the cultural divide. Although most of the songs played that night were in Chinese, music is universal and we were all able to understand what was being expressed without understanding the lyrics.
Starbucks Hangzhou and Intellectual Property Rights
by Bernard Ablola
Sep 28, 2008 Bernard, China Study Tour 2008
Missing Seattle, I stopped by Starbucks to get a taste of home. As an avid coffee connoisseur I stopped by a Starbucks on the West Lake, the famous lake in Hangzhou. The coffee was a bit pricey for China and tasted a bit weak for my taste. The crème is also different in China, so I settled for a straight drip.
Waiting for my brew, I took a quick photo of the Starbucks Hangzhou mugs being sold in the coffee shop and was quickly stopped. The clerk jumped from behind the counter to stop me from capturing images of their merchandise. This was due to the Intellectual Property issues in China, where copyright issues and fake merchandise are mass produced. This happened several times during my trip as I took plenty of photos in many of the shops.