Nanjing, day 2

So, before I get started I think that until I solve the photo problem I am having, I am going to separate my photos from the text I write. I have also posted a link to my flickr page to the right where you can find all the photos I have taken, instead of just the select few to illustrate what I'm talking about in the blog. Ok, so text first and pictures later, so you know what you're looking at.

Today was an unexpected day of rest and orientation, as we arrived at the beginning of the full moon festival, a two day holiday here in China. We didn't put pomelo rinds on our heads, or carry brightly colored lanterns, but I did eat my fair share of moon cake over the last two days. So, you might be thinking of those little debbie things, but they are like nothing I have had in the states. It's sort of akin to a fig newton, but instead of a fig middle there is a sweet bean paste in the middle (or lamb, or chicken, or lord knows what--I had bean), and it's inside a little cake/dumpling/rugala type pastry. So, after breakfast a few of us wandered over to the bank where we exchanged money. This should have been a fairly simple transaction, but it took about 2.5 hours for the 7 of us to exchange our various forms of currency. It may or may not have taken less time were it not pension day. The bank looked like the DMV with about 10 older Chinese men sitting waiting for their number to be called. We ended up going to another bank just down the street where we witnessed an arrest. I was unfortunately still inside the bank, but I heard the man was being accused of stealing a turtle. I ended up signing my travelers checks on the wrong line (of course), and the bank teller came to find me at the hotel at the end of the day. I'm not sure if I should go back there to exchange the rest of them or not, but considering how long the transaction took, I might just use my atm card for cash from now on.
After the bank-stravaganza, then an awesome lunch on "noodle street", was a trip to the herb shop where in a hilarious display of shirades, my friends and I tried to explain what we wanted pills for. Along with our broken chinese pronunciation of the chinese formulas we knew, everyone left with the things we needed. Though the first ingredient in mine is translated to "a little bit of red", I have the utmost confidence that I will be feeling tip-top in a matter of days.
Then it was onto the outdoor/indoor market, where they sold lots of veggies and fruits, as well as other sundries and live fowl. I assume that they kill it for you in the market, but between the fish floating belly-up in the tanks at the stall next door, and the exquisite grief I was feeling for these poor animals, I didn't stick around to check it out.

My friend Diane and I haggled for some shoes and teacups, and then back to the hotel to meet for dinner. We went to this restaurant not far from the hotel by 'happy bike'. I don't know what it was called, but it was ironically themed to make fun of socialism, with pictures of happy workers on the wall and wait staff in uniform. The food was good, and again shared family style with a big lazy susan in the middle of the table and the waiters bringing dish after dish. We had steamed pumpkin, long beans, tofu with egg and chili, mung bean noodles, shrimp, and so much more.

A few of us decided to go out to "Nail jazz bar" where we got some drinks and a hookah and listened to what maybe wasn't jazz, but was certainly familiar renditions of "Girl from Ipanema" and "Strangers in the night". Then the lazy bike ride home, and here I am, waiting for the melatonin to kick in and get me to bed.

Tomorrow is our first day in clinic, and I have an acupuncture shift with Dr. Xu (pronounced choo, I think) who may speak English. After we prove ourselves able to find common acupuncture points and maybe a little bit of technique, we should get to needle. When we first got here, going back to clinic was the last thing on my mind, but now I'm glad to have that little bit of structure to keep me from wandering the streets haggling and eating noodles all day.

Ok, here goes the pictures...enjoy!!