Goodbyes
I have nearly a week left in China, but today is Nina’s last day so we spent it saying good bye and thanking the people we have met along the way. Nina completed her activity at the river bank by taking bags of fruit to the people who live by the river and who have helped her over the last few weeks. We then had a tea party in the gallery for all the students who have helped us during the exhibiton process.
Finally we took 17 people out for hot pot. Hot pot is what Chongqing in famous for in China, it is a very social practice which involves people sitting round a bubbling pan of spicy broth. What makes Chongqing hot pot special is the huge amounts of chilli and Sichuan pepper which is added to the soup. The experience of eating Sichuan Pepper, a friend of mine described as being like having a disco going on, on your tongue. It makes your whole mouth pulsate and then leaves it almost completely numb.
Lots of ingredients are brought to the table to be added to the hotpot. Today this included pig’s brains, cubes of congealed blood, chicken intestines, headless fish still wriggling on the plate and slices of tripe that look like a carved up leather bag. It is perfectly possible to be a vegetarian in China, but you need to prepare yourself for what, alongside your tofu and vegetables, may also be occupying the table. I had prepared myself very well, but I’m quite relieved I won’t have to go through this too many more times.
Jessica Longmore
Tuesday 7th December
