We both got up early for our bus, we were both on the dawn buses firsts for the day. Wang's bus was headed back to school. The school she volunteers at was started by her mentor, her teacher to provide free education to rural children who could not afford typical school tuition. She was so moved by this cause that even against her family's wishes for her to spend a year or more of her precious youth in working for free in serving a compassionate cause. Although time with Wang was short, I got to peak at different sides of her that was interesting and dynamic hidden in the presence of men.
My bus was heading back to Zhong Dian bus terminal so I can catch another bus to Lijiang. On the ride out, the bus driver stopped at White Horse Mountain vista point where there was a spot for burning of incense and prayer over looking an incredible view of snowy mountain peaks. He stopped to burn incense and made a prayer for a safe journey. He was a safe driver who respected, nature, and the mountain roads.
At the Deqen downtown long distance bus terminal, I bought a ticket to Lijiang. I was told there is a bus each hour and I picked the next bus available. I was hungry and decided to go to a noodle stand right outside of the terminal where all the cab and bus drivers go to eat. I left my bags with a mother and a daughter to watch, I didn't know their names but just decided to trust them.
Food stand stall in China is typically simple. There is usually a tent like covering over the cooking area. Sometimes this includes the seating area too, sometimes not. Tables range from plastic to simple tiny folding ones. As for seating, it is usually plastic stools, sometimes folding ones and they are usually tiny, for Asian female bottoms. It is comfortable enough for you to sit and finish their food but not enough to linger for hours. On the table, you can find disposable chopsticks individually packaged. As for napkins, rarely will you see them and when you do, it's not what you think it would look or feel like. Sometimes there is a roll of toilet paper on the table to be passed around but usually you would have to ask for them. Yes, like Beijing, you will not find soy sauce on the table. I understand now why my friends would bring their own soy sauce to China. The food is often served in a metal bowl or plate covered in plastic bag. Hot food and plastic bag, hum.... have to learn to ignore the possible melting plastic bag factor.
At the stand, I noticed it was full of workers who drove taxi or the bus. I was the only tourist. I ordered noodles with vegetables and leaving everything else out. The lady chef insisted that it was not going to be tasty and decided to add a few ingredients that I couldn't eat. I told her that was not what I ordered, she told me I can just pick it out of my food if I was so insistent. I remained quiet and she ended up deciding to redo my order but by then she was unhappy. While she cooked, I looked for a seat, I noticed every table was taken but there were empty seats. I moved to a corner table and the people there all got up and went to another table. I sat down at this vacant table, made vacant for me, only me. It was like a movie scene where people all moved away from you but refused to acknowledge so and when they notice you noticed they turned their backs on you and tuck their heads into their food pretending not to notice that you noticed. It was just like that. I was pondering why that was so. My food came and I thanked the chef and dug into it. She stood over me, towering me and demanded to know if it was good. Everyone stopped eating and waited for my response. I told her it was and she crinkled her brows and pulled her face back, "good?" she questioned in disbelief.
Maybe this group of working class was waiting for me, this little tourist to be a pain to them, to put them down, to give them trouble? Maybe this is how they have been treated and was expecting trouble from me and was ready for a fight as they united? I don't know, I just wanted to eat a bowl of noodles that would be my meal for the day and not get sick, that's all, very simple, really, truly it is just that simple.
Back at the terminal I went for my bags and the mother-daughter pair had already left for their bus. My bags were unattended and still there. I moved it closer to the entrance door next to a westerner. I asked him to watch my bags while I used the restroom in preparation for my next 4-5 hour journey to Lijiang. I can't remember his name but he is an English teacher on a vacation break. He teaches in Guangzhou and has a standard $700. a month after housing etc...
On the bus I sat next to Jorn from Great Lakes, Canada. He is a retired looking man who enjoys working as a satellite consultant for a company in Hong Kong for $200. per hour. He represents China in global conferences. What does he actually do? He is a satellite legal lawyer. He makes sure his clients have proper rights at proper times, with the satellite pointing at proper degrees etc... And when there is conflict that involves the possible loss of millions of dollars he makes sure he can prove legitimacy with technicalities. On the bus he talked the whole way, for hours.
During a stop on the way to Lijiang, there was a tribal woman dressed in all colors who was not shy about having pictures taken of her. She didn't collect money for pictures taken of her, which meant she dresses like that all day and every day. This part of China still has many aboriginal tribes. Even the Chinese loves to travel to this part of the country.
