Wol and I decided to adjourn to the Soo Who bar for a few more beers before we went to Book Club. Wol was making his first appearance at Book Club that night, and the night was auspicious for another reason: we were testing a few venues to replace our long time friend, The Red Hut. We have been unceremoniously turfed out of our spiritual home, The Red Hut, after a long and very convenient association. They seem to have fallen prey to developers who no doubt see the value in putting up a multi story apartment complex instead of hosting some mildly inebriated foreign gentlemen once a month!
Saca House was the venue and it worked out just fine. Saca is a classic local character, known to many of us as a barman in various Tienmu establishments over the years. He and his wife have taken on their own venture, and they did a great job in the hosting. We were intending to travel down on the train to Classic Rocker and then to Orange Café (to see their famous fire dancing show: don’t ask, I’ll fill readers in on another occasion when we get there!), but after sharing books and relaxing, most of us just decided to stay put. It was a great night.
Cass and I went out to the new Pizzeria Oggi on Saturday night. It is just by the new SOGO, in the same street as Wendel’s Backerei. The co-owner explained all the food and specials at great length and I think he was just trying out his English, which was very good. They certainly serve up some authentic pizzas here, and they were almost exactly the same as the ones we had in Italy. The Roman variety of slightly crisper crust and the Napolitano variety a little doughier, all with super fresh ingredients. They import a lot of cheese and other things (including the gigantic pizza oven sitting pretty in the middle of the restaurant). It guarantees a very authentic and delicious experience.
Today was a glorious weather day. In fact, as we later discovered, it was just a little too hot! For mid December it was an unusually warm day, but the sunshine and clear skies beckoned us out for a good long walk. I got some sandwiches; we packed up a backpack with them and some water and ventured off down the river, all the way to the hospital, then through the grounds to negotiate the hill and tunnel beyond. By this time we were sweating up and already in need of our water: but the hike had just begun. Up and up we ventured, the steps blazing in the lack of shade. Eventually we made it to the top and the craggy sandstone bluff provided some great panoramas of the suburb and beyond.
Onwards and upwards, we eventually found a little wooden yurt to shield us from the sun for a while and we stopped to re-fuel. Then we ventured back along a very pretty track which led down all the way, eventually joining up to our original path near our starting point. The dappled sun, squirrels scampering up and down trunks, and birds calling and darting all made it a very pleasant afternoon. Previously we’ve gone over the hill and all the way to Qilian MRT station to catch the train back, but this felt like just about enough under the circumstances! Back through the hospital grounds then a stroll beside the river all the way home, it was very therapeutic to be out and about on such a sensational day.
Photos: Cass at Oggi, lots of us on our hike, including some stitched together panoramas with the new camera photo software. I’m reading a book about Australia’s elite soldiers. “The Amazing SAS” while Cass is discovering whether I’m a real man after all and analyzing “The New Manhood”!
