Day 7: Hakka Houses and a Special Dinner

Tuesday, January 26. A really magical day. touring Hakka houses (this was amazing - huge round earth buildings that are home to all the members of one extended family (100-150 people) but I'm too tired to write about it now) and then having dinner with Jennifer and her parents at their home on Gulang Yu. talk about a privileged experience! her father used to own a restaurant and he is an amazing cook. here's what we had for dinner:

sea worm jelly (OK, so maybe this wasn't my favorite thing!)
fried pork
squid
fried oysters (these were maybe the best fried oysters i have had in my life).
razor shell clams
greens
a whole fish

see photos. afterward, we all walked back to my hotel along the coastline of Gulang Yu, listening to the waves. peaceful and beautiful.

up at 6:30 a.m. in order to meet Jennifer at 8. ferry over to mainland. drive to Nanjing (Fujian) and Longding. Tour hakka houses in 3 different locations. mountainous roads.

things to remember: yao yao huang huang (means very curvy, hairpin roads!)

I asked jennifer if her parents work now that they have closed the restaurant, she says "no, now they just work for me!" her mother goes food shopping every day and her father cooks dinner! :) her parents are beautiful and very sweet.

see notebook for other comments and photos.