Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Tuesday, was again a nice sunny day - maybe 45 for a high. Thankfully went for a nice traditional Chinese lunch with some of the test team. We had fish balls, lamb, beef, deep dish sweet bread, mushrooms, veggies - all on the traditional round lazy-Susan table that I like so much.

After work, Winson took me back for another massage. This time, with a focus on the back and neck. I have to admit, although I was much more confident this time, it ended up being a bit painful - especially right under the shoulder blade - ouch. Also, on the neck part, I really had a bit of fear as a very strong person had my neck firmly in their hands - actually felt like he could have just snapped it in an instant. I must have been tense, because the guy told Winson to relay a message to me to "relax" - which I couldn't quite pull off. As I managed to get through that session, Winson ended up extending it for 30 minutes to add arms and legs - that actually felt great.

We then took a taxi back to a restaurant I had actually hoped to never visit again. It was located near the hotel, and had a sign out front called "The Fisherman's Wharf". This was the scene where I had my most unfortunate run-in with raw oysters on my first or second trip to China. This place was known to the locals as "Spicy Hot Pot". As we arrived, it didn't look all that familiar, however, I soon felt the twinge of familiarity as I smashed my knees on a hidden rain on the bottom side of the table. I immediately remembered doing this on my first visit to this restaurant about 4 years prior.

We had some meat, shrimp, mushrooms, and fish. The table had two different hot pot sections in it. One side was a red spicy side, while the other was a much more mellow white colored side. I found the spicy side a bit too spicy for me, and the mellow side not all that tasty. We made it though dinner and all I could think about was "I hope I do not get sick tonight" as I would have to reschedule my flight back as I know I wouldn't be able to move if I was again struck with food poisoning.

Anyway, after finishing up dinner, I took a short taxi ride back to the hotel, said my goodbyes to Winson and spent the rest of the evening packing up my belongings for the long trip home the next day.