Meet what you eat in Putoshan

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We are up at the crackof dawn again to adhere to the schedule of the day.Actually we have been rising early everyday, often turning the alarm off before it sounds.Slinky has given us our timetable and there is little to waste before she shows up with bag in hand to take us on our next leg, to the island of Putoshan. Taxi to the train station then a soft seater for a couple of hours to Nimbo on the coast.The train is a double decker and quite comfortable.Nimbo is really not where we needed to be though it was the port which was a long taxi ride away(about 170 RMB ride!!!!)Along the way it is clear we are passing through more of China's transition with the whole arer being built up as an economic/trade zone with new factories and the ever expanding port.Lots of bill boards with a definate propaganda look and feel exorting the population to work together and show the world what China can do.We arrive at a ferry terminal and have a meal while waiting for the boat.Sort of a buffet but ou point out what you want and it is served on a metal tray. Fish with lots of bones and some bean thing as well as rice and a beer. yum yum.The ferries come and go from here to a string of islands off the coast.Ours leaves on time with a full load of about 70 perhaps.These are fast boats with passengers on seats in the port holed boat.Lots of shiping going by as we shoot across the sea for about an hour.
We are met at the dock by our local guide.Putoshan is an island of about 4000 and they mostly al seem to be dedicated to the tourist trade in one way or another.The only other resident we saw were monks who live ,study and chant here and have done so for many many years.The National Holiday or Golden week as I have learned it to be called is still in full vigour and as a result no vehicles allowed at the dock which meant a walk with our suitcases in tow to our hotel.Not a bad walk and some interest for us and others along the way.The hotel is another 3 star variety and we have a fair room though a bit musty.There is a balcony however. We unpack and went for a walk.There is a small village near by and we found the market full of unnamed meats and fish and vegetables.It is probably not a good idea to dwell for long in markets before going to super but this is what we were doing,though not before we walked through a pedestrian tunnel through a mountain and back again.Always a curiousity we are greeted with 'hello's'.Wwe meet slinky for supper and go to a restaurant near by.There are the usual 'prospectors' roaming around trying to find customers to come to their place and we fall under the spell of one who steers us to his place.
The restaurants are all exclusively seafood and are quite unique in that every customer must go and pick out his supper.The floors are covered with plastic tubs of water reminisent of the baby bath my brother used to splace around in.Bubbling air livens them up and fish of all sort and size swim around unaware of the next steps.There are big fish small fish,shell fish,lumps of something fish,crabs and rays,shrimps and oysters,octopi? and urchins.The deal is you choose and they sell it to you by the pound or a plate full or whatever deal you can come up with.your fish is then dispatched to fish heaven and you sit down and await its reincarnation with a black bean sauce or whatever is appropriate.The choice of vegetables also is part of the process and you sit down to the meal you havw met and built with your own two hands.
The ambiance in these places is cheerful but fishy and I can only imagine the summer with heat and humidity at add to the dining experience.During our meal a dog wandered through and pee'd in the middle of the floor.It did not arouse much attention!!!After supper we are off to bed and perhaps the chance of finding an english movie ion TV.Chinese TV is melodramatic and they seem to enjoy costume dramas.Good for a while but loses something on a westerner.The english Chinese TV station CCTV channel 9 is state run and interesting in its own way with propaganda and regular programming neatly melted together.
Night all

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