Back in China

Well, I departed DFW on Monday the 16th and arrived in Chengdu on the 18th for my next adventure. This time I’ll be in China for ~ 4 weeks. This being my 4th or 5th trip to China this year, I can actually say the journey seems to be getting shorter. I think it’s all psychological, I now board the plane without thinking of the ~22 hours of travel time and just tell myself that I’ll get there when I get there. It actually helps!

First order of business was to check on the status of my office. The construction was just getting started, they had marked off the floor to reflect where the all walls & doors were going to be. I quickly realized that changes had to be made, ie… move a few walls to increase the size of the reception area and one of the offices; and eliminated another office.

While at the office on Wednesday, I had a chance meeting with two local district government officials. They asked if I would be available the next day to meet and have lunch with the “Mayor” of the Wuhou District Government. In Chinese government the hierarchy is Central Government, Provincial Government, City Government, District Government and finally Street Government. So, the next day I had a great “get to know you” meeting at the Wuhuo Government Offices. We sat around in large overstuffed chairs in a horse shoe configuration and discussed business. Cameras were clicking and a video camera spinning. I shared with them what I was doing in Chengdu and they expressed their desire to assist me in any services that I might need. They were extremely pleased that we selected Chengdu for our office and that we did not change our mind after the earthquake. After the meeting, they took me to one of the best Chinese restaurants in Chengdu. I was slightly outnumbered, 8 to 1! By the way, at the last minute, the “Mayor” had to cancel out of our meeting but the “Vice Mayor” filled in for him. Great group of folks!

I think we finally found our home for the next 2-4 years. It’s located in Luxehills and it’s a two story villa. The unit is not furnished so the landlord will allow us to pick the furniture. This will make Kim happy! I don’t think she was looking forward to living in a home decorated with mix & match décor.

Last night I had dinner at a traditional Sichuan “hot pot” restaurant. It’s exactly what it sounds like, the food is cooked in a large pot of boiling oil or broth with a lot of hot peppers. At this restaurant you’re able to select your food from a moving conveyor belt and then drop your selection into the “hot pot”, let cook and then eat! Remember Sichuan food is very hot & spicy! Some of the tasty selections included: rabbit parts (liver, heart, kidneys), fish skin, fish heads, congealed blood, eel, beef, bacon, spam, vienna sausages, tofu, and a variety of vegetables.

This morning I decided to take another shot at the Luxehills golf course. If you recall from a previous post, the course won, I lost. Well here’s a quick look at my improvement: lost balls: 11 vs 1, best 9: 53 vs. 43, score: 107 vs. 92. My score would have been a lot better if it weren’t for the sand traps. There are so many sand traps on this golf course. On one hole, I dove in to a trap, blasted out into another trap, and yes blasted yet into another one. I ended up scoring an 8 on a par 4. With the exception of this one bad hole, I think I held my own on this round. A 43 on the back 9 is outstanding for me! By the way, it helped having my own shoes, my own Calloway balls and a good set of rented Taylor Made clubs! Also, if you ever have the pleasure to play golf in China, trust your caddy when she lines up your putt. They know the greens and will show you the way to better scores!

Well, back to work tomorrow. Also, please leave a post if you read this entry, I enjoy your comments.

Joe