4/18/2009 Big Bamboo and the One That Got Away

Today we visited a farm. This was a recreational farm, and it was owned by Sun Xin, Claire’s old classmate. Customers stayed there mainly to fish, rest, play cards, and eat. Upon arriving we had tea, coffee, and watermelon. Rebecca tried some Kong Fu tea.

Sun Xin showed us around her farm. The kids chased the geese, which was fun to watch.

Miriam enjoyed picking and smelling flowers like the banana magnolia......and making leaf/flower arrangements.

Elizabeth liked posing among the bamboo and spending time with Ms. Liao.


We walked in the bamboo thicket and watched them dig up bamboo shoots to eat. This type of bamboo grows very tall and fast, and is extremely invasive. The bamboo Claire is standing next to is only two months old.

The kids also chased the chickens through the woods and picked wild strawberries near the abandoned pig buildings. For lunch we had another wonderful feast. I really liked the soup and mung bean sprouts. The kids had watermelon for dessert. The kids ate till they were full, and we all had a good time.

Next we went to the fishing pods. On the way I shot a video of a water buffalo being guided by its master.

Hanging out with the fisherman catching carp was a treat. I asked the man below if I could take a picture of him. He asked, "Why me, with all the other fisherman around?" It was the cool red hat, of course.

They were really enjoying themselves. One man kept talking about all his big fish. His catch was making the others look like amateurs. In the video, he is telling me, "The Biggest!"

I hung a big fish that broke the tip off my pole. I am not sure how big the one that got away was, but I am pretty sure it was a Jiangxi Province record for grass carp. Elizabeth was not impressed and preferred fishing with Ms. Liao.

Before I could let another one get away, it began to rain, so we sent went back to the city. We had coffee and dinner at a very nice restaurant in the new part of Xinyu on the river. We had Belgian coffee, sirloin steak, and pizza. It was a good time for all. We were surely getting tired, so we went home. This had been a very fun day.