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Saturday, April 5, 2014

The Best Soup In Town


Before I have to revise my incredibly painful essay about trade in Xishuangbanna I wanted to write something that does not give me a massive headache.


This morning I woke up and was craving Mixian (my noodle soup). Fridays through Sunday are usually my Western breakfast days, whereas I eat Mixian on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, because I have to eat early and the Western restaurant is not open yet.
In celebration of taking my last antibiotics yesterday I wanted to treat my stomach to a good Western breakfast, but when I woke up this morning Western breakfast was the furthest from my mind. I wanted Noodle Soup and there was nothing I would be able to change about that.
So I took a shower, got dressed, packed my computer and left my dorm. I did not want to eat at my usual garage, because I always eat there so I went to a new place a 10 minute walk away.

Similarly to any other place that I am attracted to it screamed “DIARRHEA!”, but I have learned to not let my European senses trick me. The key in China is too look at the seating. Are there a lot? Are there a lot of people eating? What kind of people are they? Does the staff look tired (if yes that is a good sign).

The place was insanely busy


So while my European senses were telling me to run back to Switzerland my Chinese senses gave me the okay. The fact that there even was seating in the kitchen convinced me. I ordered my Mi xian and paid USD1.25. I went to the kitchen and got my bowl with chicken, blood pudding, noodles and broth. I proceeded to the additives and added pickled vegetables with chilly, scallions, and some mysterious stuff.

WITH PEANUTS


I sat down and happily slurped my noodles. The art here is that nothing is ever touching the table. Basically the opposite of everything my mom taught me about table manners. Your left hand is on your lap or in case you have long hair the hand holds back the hair. I always like to sit sideways to the table, because this way I can get my mouth as close to the bowl as possible. This allows maximum noodles without the danger of getting your clothes dirty.
You see. It is an art that has to be perfected. I am not there yet. It is truly impressive what Chinese can do with their chopsticks. They way they can whisk eggs, mix noodles, pick up things. amazing.

How to properly Slurp


So why on earth have I started to like Chinese breakfast so much? The truth is that when I eat Western breakfast I usually hit a low point at around 10.30/11 am. This is when I would buy a coffee in Europe or the US, but with Mi Xian this does not happen. Right now I am also munching on my Host dad’s Mantou, which as you know is truly delicious.

Okay. After this point I think everything will just be a way for me to procrastinate on work. I really have become to dislike one of my teachers, which you may know is more or less fatal for me. After discussing my topic with my teacher and writing 13 pages about mono cropping rubber trees in Xishuangbanna she told me there there is no mono cropping in Xishuangbanna. She couldn’t have told me this two months earlier though when I decided on the topic. 

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