Ah, more questions pour in from the viewing public. I love it! But first, some questions for you:
1. I've been getting reports of an RSS error message when some people try to set it up. If any of you are successfully employing the feed and can recommend a good reader/site/utility for RSS novices, please let me know.
2. Feedback: now's your chance! Too many words, not enough pictures, or not enough words, and too-small pictures? More about food, or too much about food already? What do you want to see/read about? I can't promise to deliver, but I like happy readers, so I will try.
3. Less a question than a note: I sent out my address here before I left, but I've just discovered that the postal code was wrong. Oops. If you care (either because of your own OCD tendencies or because you have high hopes of writing real mail at some point), let me know and I'll send you the correct one. I won't be offended if you don't care, I promise. After all, I haven't written to you, either. :) And now for Q&A the other way...
What are your favorite and least favorite things so far?
This might sound odd, but my current favorite is the little loaves of bread. They're the perfect size for one person (or 2 who don't eat it too often), and it seems like no matter what time of day I go to the bakery, they've been taken out of the oven recently enough that you can see the condensation from the steam in the little bag (the bags aren't tied tightly until they cool down). At home I could never get through an entire loaf, of either the sandwich slices or the artisan breads, while it was still good, much less fresh. They don't have pumpernickel or sourdough here, though, which makes me a little sad. The funny thing is that the bread isn't even all that tasty (it's not bad, just not remarkable -- good for toast and sandwiches), but I love that none of it goes to waste. Only one end piece, too.
It took me a while to come up with my least favorite thing, but now that I've thought about it a bit, I can definitively say that it would have to be the squat toilet. More modern places have migrated to the Western toilet, but in many public places the squat toilet is still prevalent. I can do the Asian squat and all; that's not the issue -- it's just that given my druthers, I prefer the direction the Japanese have gone with this.
Speaking of Japan, are you wearing a face mask? Is everyone else?
No. Not that many people here do, although there are some. If I rode a bike or motorcycle on the streets here, I would want one (heck, I always wanted one if I landed behind a bus or a taxi in DC on my bike), but most people aren't all that paranoid.
So can you, say, have a conversation with people on the street now? Do people try to talk to you in English or Chinese?
A limited one, sure. I mean, I'm not ready to talk politics, car engines, or heart surgery. But I can do everyday shopping and small talk; I can bargain, order food, ask directions, and complain about the weather. Which, frankly, is all I've had to do so far, so it works for me. As for the choice of language, I default to Chinese unless I think there's a good chance someone speaks English and I think I might need to describe something for which I don't have the Chinese vocabulary; then I'll ask (in Chinese) if they speak English. Not surprisingly, places like banks and post offices, especially in locations where they get more Westerners, are more likely to have someone who can answer in the affirmative. On the shopkeepers' end, they mostly seem to assume I speak Chinese unless and until I prove otherwise. I think in my area, at least (not so touristy and not overly expat), though, this might be true even if I were tall and blonde. In the more touristy parts of town, if you look remotely non-Chinese (and I include Japanese, Singaporean, etc.), you're more likely to be approached with a smattering of English or some other language.
What's wrong with you? I love eating ice cream when it's cold out.
Boy, it appears that nothing gets people going like insulting their ice cream eating habits. First of all, I know you people, and for at least one of you, I don't even know when you were last *in* weather below 40 degrees, so I'm skeptical. Second, sure, you eat ice cream in the winter, but really, are you standing around OUTSIDE eating it? Because going inside and savoring it while the frozen rain and wind is not whipping across your face and your fingers aren't in danger of falling off doesn't count. Anyway, if the answer is still yes, fine, I think you're crazy too. Harumph.
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