Lingering around
(A cheery interloper in the Lingering garden: Suzhou, China)
Yesterday I decided it was time to visit a world famous Suzhou Garden, but no sooner had we crossed the threshold when we were approached by this fellow. He approached us with a grin and enquired if he might have a photograph with us. For a split second I thought he might mean that he wanted us to take a picture of him, but I was mistaken. Three ‘wei guo ren’ (foreigners) were apparently a rare novelty for him so we posed as his girlfriend took the shot. Afterwards, we asked the same and he became suddenly very shy – however we managed to get the shot and I was thrilled – it captures the merriment of the situation perfectly.
Before you hear it elsewhere, so much has happened since the ‘goofball sisters’ arrived; the shipping (numbering thirteen huge boxes) arrived a mere five minutes ago after almost ten months of waiting on news. To compound the domestic disturbance, the children upstairs have taken up (what sounds like) rollerskating and the final straw, it is colder here now than in the UK and our heating is broken. I am deeply disappointed about this and my fingers are pale and freezing as I type this. Last week I wore shorts and this week I am back in my stripy winter jumper, my mum has borrowed a ski jacket and Jane is wearing Ying’s hoodie. The pair are probably considering mutiny at any moment, so I have resigned myself to allowing them a day in Pearl City. I had hoped to forgo this trip, but duty to my family beckons. Far from the dazzling technicolour dreaminess of Oz’s Emerald City, Pearl City is more a warehouse of jewellery than anything else. I imagine I will have to spend even longer there than I did with Ying’s mum; the prospect chills me more than this nippy weather.
you and your ma have exactly the same bewildered yet amused expression! lurverly… have fun with the ladies! mx
brilliant!