We had all of our classes this week, meaning (for everyone) the addition of the Silk Road class on Monday and (for the four of us who elected to take it) the literature class on Thursday. On top of that, I worked through another couple of lessons in Chinese class, got through a bout of sickness, and took my first big exam.
Gao Laoshi gave me some advice to help me get better. No cold water, only hot. No spicy food, no caffeine, no wasting energy, no white sugar.
I followed her advice and felt better the next day.
Today, after our respective tests (which I think went really well!), we went to the Muslim Quarter.
The Bell Tower marks the center of town. It was on the way.
We toured the Great Mosque, which was founded around 740 CE. It's lovely (although it was hot out!) and we were there for a nice time of day for the light.
Arabic written as if it were Chinese.
The blue roof tiles were from Persian influence.
It's still amazing to me how architecture is an art here. Few buildings in the US take the time to be beautiful. Now, newer Chinese buildings tend toward the efficient, but there are exceptions. (See the last picture in this post!)
After the tour, we wandered off and tried the street foods of the surrounding Muslim Quarter area. I finally found a lot of the things I had heard about. Persimmon cakes, which have dough actually made from persimmons and were filled with something that I think might have been date. Rou jia mo, a sandwich that turned out to be lamb, as pork is not served in the Muslim Quarter.
We also saw this:
They hit the nut mixture with sledgehammers until it was flat, and then they folded it up and did it again. I'm told it's something like a Butterfinger. It's on my list of things to try.
This area had a lot of colors and food and crafts. Mary, Shelby, Emily, and I went off in search of prizes. It had been a long week, and we owed ourselves.
This was the main street. Food EVERYWHERE.
No comment.
We went down some of the side streets, which I unfortunately have no pictures of. I didn't really want to look touristy or tip my hand. Perhaps next time!
Each of us had a different technique. Emily, with the firm line, was by far the most effective and even got complimented by a vendor for being so stubborn about the price of that scarf. I did well enough for myself, considering that it was my first attempt. I just really wanted a qipao for the Mid-Autumn festival, which is coming up on Thursday. I paid less than half of his starting price, which was probably higher than normal because I'm an American. It's a smart tactic.
The best part of the experience was watching the merchants work. Their jobs really had little to do with what they were selling - it was the art of selling itself. How much "Come on, friend - I'll get a very good price for you!" and how much "That price is so low; you must be joking!" and how much "You're really twisting my arm, but I'll go lower." and how many times to say, "Bottom price!" before giving in.
The most effective thing is to start low, remain firm, and try to walk away. It isn't easy to do. So many of the merchants come across as beautifully genuine, and there's probably some truth in that.
Expect a lot of updates next week! We get our roommates on Tuesday, and Thursday is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I also have a few extra photos and reflections to share, here and there.
Until next time!
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