Tuesday, August 30, 2005
The Sea Lions Are Back
Today, while jogging along the waterfront, I heard a loud barking sound. But it wasn’t a dog. It was a sea lion! I work near a wide strait where the Sacramento River (fresh water) flows into the San Francisco Bay (salt water). Each year around this time, the sea lions swim into this area, and I can hear their barking as I ride my bike or jog near the water. I don’t know what brings the sea lions into this area for a few days each year, but it probably is the fish, which start to run upstream about this time. In Cantonese, seal is 海 狗 hoi2 gau2 (literally, sea dog), and sea lion evidently is 海 獅 hoi2 si1 (sea lion).
I have been wondering lately what it would be like for me to get my first haircut in Hong Kong. Would I have any trouble describing what style I want? Would I be able to keep up a conversation during the haircut? On Sunday, I had an experience that gave me a preview. When I went to my local hair salon, I noticed that the young woman cutting my hair looked like she might be from HK. So I took a chance and asked her. It turns out that she comes from 廣 州 gong2 jau1 Guangzhou and loves to speak Cantonese. I ended up speaking nothing but Cantonese with her the whole time, talking about food, family, houses, and everything else under the sun. What a fun time and a confidence builder for me. I should have no trouble with haircuts in HK.
Although I'm not sure, I think that the hair stylist from Guangzhou probably came to the U.S. as a "mail order bride." She's married to an American-born Chinese who does not speak any Chinese. Believe it or not, that kind of marriage still happens in this day and age. Last December, when I was flying back from HK, the young woman in the seat next to me was traveling from HK to the U.S. to get married. She had never been to the U.S. before and seemed a little uneasy about what awaited her in this new country. She looked so young and innocent to me, but when I thought about her situation, it seemed strangely romantic.
If I don't start blogging some more about food, they're going to take away my 為 食 鬼 title. For some reason, many Westerners do not like to eat fish or seafood at Chinese restaurants. That's not the case with me. Ever since I was a boy growing up in Canada eating fish 'n chips, I have loved fish and seafood. Chinese food is no exception. Here are some of my favorite fish and seafood items:
蠔 hou4 oyster(s) 豉 汁 蒸 殼 蠔 steamed oysters on the half shell with black bean sauce or 薑 蔥 生 蠔 煲 oyster clay pot with ginger and scallions
蜆 hin2 clam(s) 豉 汁 炒 蜆 stir-fried clams with black bean sauce
鮑 魚 baau1 yu2 abalone
魷 魚 yau4 yu2 squid 蝦 醬 鮮 魷 squid in shrimp sauce
墨 魚 mak6 yu2 octopus 墨 魚 丸 octopus balls
[to be continued] ¶ 8:21 PM
I have been wondering lately what it would be like for me to get my first haircut in Hong Kong. Would I have any trouble describing what style I want? Would I be able to keep up a conversation during the haircut? On Sunday, I had an experience that gave me a preview. When I went to my local hair salon, I noticed that the young woman cutting my hair looked like she might be from HK. So I took a chance and asked her. It turns out that she comes from 廣 州 gong2 jau1 Guangzhou and loves to speak Cantonese. I ended up speaking nothing but Cantonese with her the whole time, talking about food, family, houses, and everything else under the sun. What a fun time and a confidence builder for me. I should have no trouble with haircuts in HK.
Although I'm not sure, I think that the hair stylist from Guangzhou probably came to the U.S. as a "mail order bride." She's married to an American-born Chinese who does not speak any Chinese. Believe it or not, that kind of marriage still happens in this day and age. Last December, when I was flying back from HK, the young woman in the seat next to me was traveling from HK to the U.S. to get married. She had never been to the U.S. before and seemed a little uneasy about what awaited her in this new country. She looked so young and innocent to me, but when I thought about her situation, it seemed strangely romantic.
If I don't start blogging some more about food, they're going to take away my 為 食 鬼 title. For some reason, many Westerners do not like to eat fish or seafood at Chinese restaurants. That's not the case with me. Ever since I was a boy growing up in Canada eating fish 'n chips, I have loved fish and seafood. Chinese food is no exception. Here are some of my favorite fish and seafood items:
蠔 hou4 oyster(s) 豉 汁 蒸 殼 蠔 steamed oysters on the half shell with black bean sauce or 薑 蔥 生 蠔 煲 oyster clay pot with ginger and scallions
蜆 hin2 clam(s) 豉 汁 炒 蜆 stir-fried clams with black bean sauce
鮑 魚 baau1 yu2 abalone
魷 魚 yau4 yu2 squid 蝦 醬 鮮 魷 squid in shrimp sauce
墨 魚 mak6 yu2 octopus 墨 魚 丸 octopus balls
[to be continued] ¶ 8:21 PM
