Two years on and still so much to learn in Nanning - Sausage making

Yep, as this year draws to a close I am in my second of continuous living here in Nanning China.

2009 will be my third.

Just like Frank, Regrets, I've had a few but overall my experience has been A-OK.

Of course, I miss those back home like crazy.

 

My wife's shop does make living here a little more bearable.

Having something to do, something worthwhile, somewhere to go eases the boredom.

How much longer though - that's the question!

 

Sausage craving! - would there be an ology or an enia or ania for that so that I could pigeon hole myself easily? A place for everything and everything in it's place…

 

Bangers, what is it about them, I suppose most English (am I allowed to refer to myself as English anymore or will some 'group' take offence)  have been brought up on them in varying amounts.

For me, once a week Banger night, sometimes grilled, sometimes fried and sometimes casseroled, Bangers and Mash, Toad in the hole, cold in a sandwich with Branston Pickle - Oooo, scrumptious.

So it came as no real surprise to me that suddenly a few weeks ago the craving started. My sausagenia, My Bangerology, My sausagania.

 

Ok, I know we have a Walmart here in Nanning, but come on, it's an American shop...in China and I doubt they would know a proper sausage if it turned up in their trousers, either of them, nationality that is.

 

So, a couple of days ago I set off on my quest - To make my own bangers. Yeah…

Today, Christmas day as I write this, I am on my second batch…Yummy

 

It ain't bin easy.

 

Firstly, the skins, sausage skins were probably the most difficult to find here in Nanning but after a little lateral thinking, find them we did.

Easy, just go to a Chinese sausage maker, as you do, and make them an offer they cannot refuse for four skins…Steady…!

 

My wife had worked out that for our first couple of experimental batches using about 2Kgs of pork we needed four skins - it's a length thing…

 

What a joy to behold, all my Christmases came at once this year, sausages, almost proper sausages on Christmas day here in Nanning. Mmmm….sizzle sizzle.

 

We are still in the experimental stages, you know the sort of thing, ingredients, quantities, herbs etc, but the good thing is, it don't really matter, cos they all taste good, not a spoonful of sugar, anywhere.

Those in China or that have visited will know what I mean.

 

And just to raise the temperature still further, you should try making sausages with your love partner, I defy anyone to actually make them without ending up aching from the raucous laughter…

 

http://www.sausagemaking.co.uk/ 

http://www.sausagelinks.co.uk/Recipe_Making.asp

Guangxi Museum of Nationalities AND Guangxi Science and Technology Museum

At last, more good news for those already here and those planning to visit Nanning, the capital of Guangxi. 

Both Museums are now OPEN.

Firstly I must apologise as today on my first visit to the Guangxi Museum of Nationalities I forgot to take my camera, I will visit again though in the next couple of days and post some pictures here.

It's another fine architectural building and along with the modern looking glazed Guangxi Science and Technology Museum we now have a brace of very large pleasing on the eye and enjoyable venues to visit and enjoy whilst here in Nanning. 

Both very well laid out, spacious and interesting from several points of view. Not to mention, air conditioned. - say no more...

 

The Guangxi Science and Technology Museum is located on Minzu Dadao as I have already explained in one of the earlier posts. Easy to get to, serviced by many buses and any taxi driver worth his salt will know of it's existence.

 

The elegantly designed Guangxi Museum of Nationalities is a little more tricky to get to at this moment in time. Situated on the new road and market area 青山下琅农贸市场旁边 (sorry at the moment I have no English name for the road and market area)

It is situated in what I would call the new Qingxiushan Yongjiang river area. Directly behind Qingxiushan scenic park and alongside the Yongjiang river.

Today I saw a number 33 bus and a number 57 bus outside the Museum.

The 33 used to terminate at Qingxiushan but it seems it now continues on the Museum.

Taxis were about and bikes and Vanettes were numerous. They were charging 3 RMB from Qingxiushan each way. 

We are lucky as my wife has her shop at Qingxiushan so it's only a 5/10 minute electric bike ride away for us.

 

This is a newly developing area, very nice I might add, and I am sure in the next few years a further delightful place for strolling and playing.

 

And more importantly the new Nanning Bridge in the process of being built is in the same area and you actually pass by it from Qingxiushan, take it from me, you bridge anoraks, this is a bridge, a real bridge. I have watched it take shape this past 18 months and even today we stopped to look in awe at it under construction - Amazing, I'll say no more but if here in Nanning, you must see it.

If you want to see it in it's raw state, best be quick, it is due for completion soon.

For those that struggle to find the area, call in the shop, either myself or my wife will be happy to point you in the right direction. 

The Oxford English Dictionary in Nanning

Reading is a pastime that I have taken to (nitwit) quite readily since my arrival here in my Nanning Guangxi China. BUT the eyes, they say that youth is wasted on the young - what about good eyesight...

In the main my reading takes place mostly online but hand held reading matter (Books) figure strongly also.
Isn't it strange, I find myself explaining my reading matter carrier.
Was not that long ago when hand held was the only option…oops, senior moment.

English language conversations are normally a hot topic here in Nanning.
Not only from the English practice standpoint but also there are a few native English here and in England that insist the fact, England and the English have the monopoly on spoken, written English.
Wrongly in my opinion.

The book, my latest read, gives a fascinating insight into the development, compilation and making of what has become a major part of the bedrock of spoken and written English, worldwide - The Oxford English Dictionary.

The Professor and the Madman written by Simon Winchester ISBN 0-06-083978-3.

Dr William Chester Minor, a somewhat, in later life, less penile endowed insane American murderer, being the greater protagonist (from my English point of view) and Professor James Augustus Henry Murray, a Scotsman, the lesser protagonist (can you have two protagonists? an interesting point seized upon within the book)

Wot, no English man…but…

Coincidentally, the book was recommended to me by a lovely American lady living here in Nanning, do you think she is trying to tell me something…?

Life in Nanning - Chinese women labourers

It has been said, hard manual labour is good for the soul…
The mind and body would benefit also.
I would most certainly agree with that.
By a landslide, the most likable people I have met, throughout my life, have in one way or another, been involved in some way in manual things.
The practical side of life.
The academics and the like, well, there can be no denying, they are essential.
Least said…

Of late and not for the first time in my life, a few months back my days were filled with a little light landscaping activity and at times, more akin to civil engineering.

But not without a little help…Thank You.
Chinese women labourers are some of the hardest working people I have had the pleasure to meet here in Nanning China.
Friendly, happy and a joy to engage.
And for the record, I have to admit, at times, way ahead of me in both stamina and strength.
My excuse, I am 57 years old, way past my sell by date in the physical sense and they, for the most part, in their prime. Although I have seen some in there 60's doing unimaginable hard manual labour tasks, from the western viewpoint.
There can be no denying, they are amazing. A National treasure.

Seasons in Nanning China

It's on the way! Winter that is.
This week, trousers on again, it's been about six months of shorts and Tee shirts but alas the seasons come around, even in this lovely city, Nanning.

Once again in the past week or so, more flooding in and around Gaungxi. Very unusual to have this much rain in November in Nanning.
One of my wife's relatives lives a little distance out of Nanning. They were hit by the floods a couple of months ago and had just managed to clear up, only to find yet again, the rains coming last week resulting in more flooding.
I know the local and national government is working hard to alleviate this rural flooding problem, the relative has now been given a new home in a much less likely to flood location.

I was fortunate a few days ago to be in attendance at a meeting regarding the work that is now, and also work that is going to be carried out in the Nanning area on the tributaries coming down from the mountains and joining the main river artery flowing through Nanning, the Yongjiang river. My involvement, a secret...Watch this space.

With trousers on, the mornings don't feel quite so cold, strangely, it's not that cold about 20 degree's.
What I don't fully understand is why it feels cold to me as 20 degree's back in the UK is near tropical.

Around 6 am is still the best time to be out and about in Nanning, in both Summer and Winter. In the summer at this particular time of day it is cooler and far fewer people about making any jaunt a lot more enjoyable.

I am fortunate, as with the plants in my wife's garden centre requiring regular watering I have good reason to be out at this time, actually, mostly, I don't really need to water this early, I just prefer this time of day here in Nanning China.

The bus ride of about 40 minutes has provided and still does provide my early morning entertainment. Plenty to see as we travel along and with the bus passing through the awakening, almost deserted city centre anything occurring is easy to spot.
Like the bench sleepers, waking up, the street cleaners in their droves shuffling about with their besoms, the even more crazier than usual, because they think no one is seeing, drivers of cars, bikes and what have you doing their U turns and such like.
Every day, there is so much to see. All going to make the journey thoroughly enjoyable. I am one lucky Ex pat in Nanning.

It is on this journey that I often compose this journal, in my head of course, transferring from mind to keyboard later on in the day.

Another China Nanning Forum Message Discussion Help Group

I have been asked to promote this new, for anything China Nanning related help group forum and as most other forums still appear to be bogged down in the usual 'no interest to anyone other than themselves' nonsense I thought I should comply - Good luck.

Links above and to the right.

Welcome to the Anything China Nanning Help Group.

Help pages, How to post etc.

A new style discussion group
Members create the topics - Only members can post - Anyone can read
Safe and secure environment
View and post either onsite or by email - You choose
Create your own Web Page or pages facility - Edit and add to as often as you like, images and video allowed - You choose who can view, members or anyone - Comments facility included
Upload and download files - Docs, Spreadsheets, Images etc - A great way for members to share information

Adoption in China Guangxi Nanning

Adoption, Nanning appears to be a popular choice for adopting.
One explanation might be that as the capital of Guangxi, a mainly rural area, it is best placed for visiting adopters of Chinese children as Guangxi Autonomous Region has many orphanages.

An interesting conversation recently with one such visiting adopting American couple, enlightened me in respect of certain issues faced by the, in my opinion, very special adopting people.

From China with Love: A Long Road to Motherhood by Emily Buchanan is a must read for any Adopter and most certainly for those considering adoption. (Link on the right)

"...extraordinarily brave and honest, and written with great clarity. I can’t remember reading anything on the subject that was as open,...or done with as much dignity...neither of us could put it down, and we were both very moved by it."—John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor.


Apparently China limits the number of children available each year for adoption to foreigners.
A huge amount of paperwork is required to complete and be accepted in their home country before any Chinese child can be adopted and taken back, not to mention, paperwork the Chinese end.

I had wondered why in most cases the adopters come over in groups, many couples together. So far, I have no clear cut answer to this. It could be just to keep costs to a minimum.
Some visiting adopters do not know which child they are going to adopt and are here to 'select'.

I am slightly bewildered when it comes to adoption. It is something that fits uneasily into my mindset having no experiences in the subject to base my thoughts on.
But I admire those that adopt, kind, generous and caring people.

It strikes me as somewhat unfair when I heard of the selection procedures these adopters face in their own countries.
To do it following official channels must be an arduous task and it is this that appears a tad contradictory.
Not on the child that is waiting to be adopted, as all possible avenues need exploring to ensure suitability. I can understand that.

No, it is the 'marriage to parenting' route that causes me some concern, those that marry and automatically find themselves acting as parent to a child. With many Nanning to Westerner marriages acting as a catalyst.
In one case I know of, the new husband has never fathered or parented a child before.
No form filling, no vetting, no checks, no waiting, no procedures to protect the innocent.
Are they suitable? - No one appears to care... Mmmm…It's a strange, sometimes illogical world we live in.
But then, I suppose it's the same for any new biological parent.

China Adoption Resources
http://www.theadoptionguide.com/options/adoption-from-china
http://www.chinaadoptionresources.com/

Domestic adoption versus International
http://knol.google.com/k/patricia-bennett/domestic-verses-international-adoption/1dvvr0v0v2cje/2#

Babies in China article
http://www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Jan/117348.htm

Glossary
http://www.forever-families.org/foreverfamilies.asp?page=57

This Yahoo group is for families who have adopted, or are adopting, children from Guangxi Province, PRC
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/guangxifamilies/

Yahoo Email group for parents that adopted (or going to adopt) children from one of the orphanages located in the city of Nanning, Guangxi, Peoples Republic of China
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NanningKids/

Yahoo Community and forum for parents who adopted children from China, mainly Guangxi.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RaisingChinaChildren/links/Orphanage_Yahoo__Gro_000983302609/Guangxi_Province_001137704382/

And a list of resources from the same group as above.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RaisingChinaChildren/links/General_China_Adopti_000990106945/

List of Orphanages in Guangxi
http://www.redthreadmaps.com/guangxi_o.html

Adoption Agencies
http://www.chinesechildren.org/
http://www.allforchildren.org/zachchina.html

ASEAN CAEXPO 2008 My way.

That's it for us for another year and unless I forget the usual registration fiasco by this time next year then, it is very likely WE will give it a miss in 2009.
We went this year on the 22nd , the first day open to trade visitors.
There were a few more interesting exhibitors this year, so it is growing but in turn there must have been at least twice to thrice as many people as last year.

The main centre aisle last year was a pleasure to stroll along whilst deciding which hall looked best to peruse.
This year that same centre aisle was a motorway on steroids and each hall, although attractively laid out and full of interest, the crowds made it a mite uncomfortable for me, too many visitors…great for the organisers but not so great for a visitor.

First stage registration with so many more eager viewers was completely overloaded and inevitably collapsed, some said they had been waiting for over two hours for the registration form.
We waited about 45 minutes.
As a westerner, it is free to enter and once your through the security check and into the main registration area where your badge is issued then you are whisked through quite quickly, about 5 minutes in my case.

As a Chinese national, the story is a little different, with so many in the Chinese queue probably a wait of about 45 minutes or more. Luckily, my wife quickly put on her 'Chinese hat' and basically pushed her way to the front, like just about everyone else was trying to do - as they do, but with her being of slight build and much closer to the ground she was able to duck and dive the flailing arms and legs, bags, rucksacks, suitcases and everything else the Chinese take to such events. She got through in about 20 minutes.

Was it all worth it?…we won't be going next year if I have MY way.

The 5th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning

It's nearly here again, the ASEAN Expo.
The 5th China-ASEAN Expo will be held from October 22nd - 25th 2008
at the Exhibition centre.
A huge event for Nanning with somewhere approaching 100,000 visitors.

How do I know - because the Oranges are very nearly at their scrumptious best.
Still a little green and if your really unlucky very sour but everyday now they should be a little more orange and a little sweeter. Can't wait.

It's not only the Oranges that remind me that ASEAN - CAEXPO is imminent.
It's also the clean up and the colour up, with plants of course providing the latter.
Nanning prides itself as being the host of this event and no expense is spared in creating the prettiest of pictures for such a prestigious event.

'The Hotel' (famous for its class act) and all roads leading to and from it have been a hive of activity this past month with lots of marble pavement and black marble kerbstone re-laying going on. It's gotta look good...
The flooding of a few weeks back have also caused much reworking and tidying up along the prominent river banks.

Working like billyo, it looks like a massive attempt is being made to have the Super Duper NEW Science and technology museum 科技馆 - Celestial phenomenon hall 天象馆 finished also for the start of the EXPO. Hope all goes well.
I must admit, I have watched with great interest this place taking shape over the past year or so as the bus I catch to my wife's plant centre passes right alongside this impressive structure.
This will become another 'must do' in Nanning...

If we go to the EXPO this year, it will be our third time. Still not sure if we should go, my wife says yes, I say - Why?
Seen it, Been there, Got the Tee-shirt.
For the past two years the exhibitors have mainly remained the same.
Seen one, as with most exhibitions, seen them all.
I'm not saying, it will no doubt be the same as the last two times but my guess is - it will be. After all, it is a trade show.
Some stands offer goods for sale at reduced prices (tongue in cheek)
A lot of business is conducted and for this reason alone, it is an essential event.

We try to go on the first day as this is the most interesting, press day, lots of 'celebrities' and the like.

The downside of all this pomp and ceremony is, if you are unlucky, you may find yourself suddenly stopped along a road whilst some important person is whisked past in a motor cavalcade, escorted by numerous police vehicles and sometimes motorcycle outriders.
It can be more than a little irritating, waiting around for up to 30 minutes and sometimes longer until the road is reopened.
Hey-Ho life in Nanning.

Onwards and Upwards in China

Basic housekeeping...

More from Bloomberg...
China's trade surplus widened to a record in September, boosting the currency reserves that may shield the world's fourth-biggest economy from the global crisis.

Exports rose 21.5 percent from a year earlier to $136.4 billion after gaining 21.1 percent in August, the customs bureau said on its Web site. The trade surplus climbed to $29.3 billion, a figure derived by deducting the value of imports from the number for exports.>>>MORE

Uh Oh! London 2012 Olympics already needs a helping hand from China

BoJo has a vision and China is in the picture...

THE mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is planning to go cap-in-hand to the Chinese government after the credit crunch and falling house prices left a £250m hole in funding for the 2012 Olympics...>>>MORE

What the!...Soon, a new I-card for immigrants in UK

The United Kingdom is soon going to adopt a new identity cards for the non-European Union immigrants to prove their identity and legal status in the country.
Right now, the immigrants just have to carry a visa stamped on the passport.
The Home Office in Britain has unveiled the new card and hopes to register everyone living in Britain by 2014-15, starting with foreign nationals.
This ID card with the immigrant's visa status and fingerprints encoded in a chip will soon replace the passport sticker.
Students and those on a marriage visa wanting to extend their stay in Britain will be the first ones to get this card beginning November. MORE>>>

Typhoon in Guangxi Nanning ?

Well, a typhoon!, my first in Nanning, A typhoon? - I don't think so!
OK, it might have started off as one, this weather system that came to Guangxi Nanning yesterday ending that prolonged spell of very hot, humid weather rather abruptly, but, I would not call it a typhoon by any stretch of the imagination.
Yes, we had a heck of a lot of rain, and yes, it was windy.
I suppose one must define 'violent'. Isn't that a typhoon, a violent tropical storm?
A few shallow rooting tree's overturned and a few heavily leaf laden branches snapped off, quite normal with winds gusting at 40 mph, Oh, and a few poorly constructed hoardings etc in tatters, but a violent tropical storm, a typhoon…?

It reminds me of that time back in 1987 in the UK - "It's a hurricane" every one was saying - Erh, NO, its not, it's a storm.
I had plenty good reason back then to quibble.
We were living in a caravan on our nearly acquired plant nursery of about 5 acres whilst we were in the process of building our house about 20 yards away, our two very large glasshouse blocks protecting the caravan from the worst of the storm but with little protection themselves resulting, with winds gusting in excess of 90mph in most of the glass roofs and some sides panes being ripped out, hurled through the air and smashed - 5ft x 2ft x 5mm glass sheets that is, around 400 sheets, scattered, in bits across a quarter of our nursery. Some sheets travelling over 100 yards from the glasshouse - It does not bear thinking about, had we been foolish enough to have ventured outside.

We were to some extent protected in our aluminium covered shelter, the caravan, in which we stayed most of the night, no electric, nothing but the howling wind and the sound of smashing glass all about with some shards actually piercing the caravan walls, until the worst was over.
Most certainly the most frightening night of my life and without doubt, the most costly in financial terms - We had no storm insurance cover…
But, it was not a hurricane, it was a storm.

Interestingly, the following January, another far less severe storm occurred in which we lost further glass, no where near as much this time and the house we were building had the brick gable ends that had been erected the day previous blown down - Hey Ho, life goes on.
Luckily, we had taken out storm insurance in the interim, at a very good price I might add as the insurance companies had felt that with a once in a hundred years storm only 3 months past, the likelihood of another was highly unlikely.

Did I mention? - In the August before the October storm we experienced a hailstone storm with hailstones the size of golf balls lasting some 30 minutes - this of course was our first encounter with breaking glass, all the roofs in the glasshouses were smashed to smithereens. About 550 sheets.
The good news, no where near as many lost and damaged plants as we had only been trading a few months and we had managed to replace and clear the site of all broken glass sheets before the October storm hit. Mmmm.

Who said it would be plain sailing?…On a more positive note, I'm very good at getting up, dusting myself off and merrily going on my way…Keep smiling.

Chinese ladies away from Nanning

Great News - More and more westerners, both male and female, young and old are arriving here in Nanning every day, it must be the season. All thankfully, appear to be normal and not a obnoxious, predatory western Old Pervert or twisted TWAT type amongst them, they, no doubt, have crawled back under their slimy rocks to continue festering in their own particular invidious, insidious and incongruous way. Away…away...

More important matters...
It's been almost two weeks since our last rain.
34/36 degrees most day times and around 25/27 at night - Phew.
Me, I love it, I've been in shorts and tee shirts since March, that’s around 6 months and at least another month or two to go…and those easy peel, deliciously sweet and more-ish oranges/tangerines will be arriving in copious quantities soon. For now, I'll just have to settle for the beautifully sweet and seedless white grapes - yummy.

It must be difficult for all those home sick Chinese ladies that thought marrying a westerner and returning with their newly acquired husband back to his home country would make them happy - They must know what they are missing...China, and especially Nanning is a great place to be and its getting better all the time.

Life is just a bowl of Albran, you wake up every morning and it's there!

With China subsidising the USA, which of course, it has been for last 25 years.
Some savvy Americans already know this but few speak of it and not only the USA I might add, other western societies also, the UK included.
The trade surpluses and deficits speak volumes.
I saw an article recently mentioning that every person in the perceived rich United States has borrowed around $4000 dollars in the last decade from the perceived not so rich Chinese.
Of course, I do not mean each and every American has taken out a personal loan from a Chinese person but as a result of China's buying US treasury bonds with some of the budget surpluses, year after year, which is a quick fix for America, giving them all a wad on the hip to gaily spend on this or that as they do…ideally on more Chinese 'goods'.

The bad news - That wad will need to be returned with interest…later on !

Me, I have often wondered why so many have such trouble with understanding the basics - A simple housekeeping rule - If a household spends more than it earns then in no time at all that household builds up a debt that left unchecked will undoubtedly bring it tumbling down.

Always tons of remedies in the process, cut spending, increase earnings, spend you savings, sell your furniture or borrow, the longer the term the better, put off the inevitable until later, much later, hopefully after your long gone but if the issue remains - 'your spending more than you earn (produce)' - All will be to no avail.

Ya gonna come a cropper!