Seaweed Soup

Today is Sunday.

And today, I had dinner at an especially unusual hour.

You see, after church, the members decided that they wanted to feed us all, thus creating a sort of buffet of mish mash American food (all very much appreciated) and I had eaten too much, again. So I wasn't hungry until about 9:30 tonight, and that was even pushing it for hungry.

But last night, we had gone to the street food alley next to our apartment.

And my roommate found these delicious roasted potatoes that makes the heavens and the earth cry in joy of the delciousness that they posess. As an Idahoan, I was thouroughly impressed.

And, to be honest, I haven't found a whole lot of potato things that I like. There is this burrito sort of thing with, like, hashbrowns inside of it. Nothing to truly satisfy my cravings for delicious potatoes but, definitely can tame it for the time being. However, that, I actually had for breakfast.

But tonight, I ran into my usual hunger pangs and craved those delicious potatoes and promptly left the apartment in search of them. Unfortunately, my roommates had already gone, and there would be no convincing them to leave again just so I could have those potatoes delight my tastebuds.

I got out on the street and was looking around for the stand with the potatoes, and I couldn't see it anywhere. I even went all the way down to the end of the alley where there were a few stray chickens bobbing about, giving me that weird sideways eye stare they do as if they could tell that I didn't belong there. Well, in that part of the street, but really just in China in general. I walked back down the street, sure that I just simply glanced over it, and I found the stand!!

They were parked right next to our favorite Chinese wrap guy, just like they were last night. And I looked for any signs of potatoes and there were none! Such a disappointment!! Nevertheless, there was nothing else on the street that I was particularly interested in, so I let her convince me in trying whatever bizarre dish that they would make me. Like I had literally no idea what kind of food stand they were. I mean, you can usually tell the barbeque guys from the dumpling and steamed buns guys; and you can tell the weird wrap people from the fried noodles people. But these people...

So what they had on their stand was a bunch of crepe looking things, lettuce, a wok, and a very large pot--both with lids on top. But I thought, what the heck, I'm in China! Might as well give it a shot.

Curious as to what they were going to make me, I carefully watched everything they did. The very cute lady grabbed a paper bowl and started putting--what I only will assume was--soy sauce, oil, vinegar, and a strange pulpy concoction of their own creation. After that she put green onions in the mix and then opened the very large pot and poured some kind of soup in the bowl. I'm not exactly sure how to describe it.

Then the man grabbed a crepe and chopped it up, after turning the hot plate on underneath the wok. When it was hot enough, he put the crepe and some lettuce in the wok and let it boil. At this point, I was still absolutely clueless as to what exactly was happening. I have never heard of this kind of thing before.

The lady forgot to put a few spices in and quickly added what I cannot guess at, but I've seen multiple street vendors have these spices. They put a little hot spicy stuff in as well and then the boiled crepe and lettuce. After that, he topped it off with what I will only assume is seaweed. They were putting the finishing touches to the meal (what every meal in china should have: a plastic bag around it and a pair of chopsticks to the side) when the chinese wrap guy hollared a friendly hullo! from the stand next door. All the stand owners started talking and laughing after I replied and I don't speak Chinese but I'm sure the conversation went a little something like this:

Cute lady: "Look, she came to our stand instead of yours this time!"

Chinese Wrap Man: "Whatever, she's come to my stand three times in the past week!"

Cute Lady: "What, did you convince her to come with your english?"

Chinese Wrap Man: *creates a dramatic culinary wave with the current wrap he is making* "No my delicious food!"

Cute Lady: "Oh sure, but do you even know any english besides hello?"

Chinese Wrap Man: "Yes, Good morning!"

*shop owners nearby all laugh hysterically, while the American girl laughs along, not really sure what is happening*

Chinese Wrap Man: "Maybe it is a good thing you are so close to my stand. You can learn how to create such good food and customer service!"

*everyone congregationally laughs again. The Chinese Wrap Man is very successful in all his affairs and confidently hands the freshly made wrap to an awaiting customer, who looks suspiciously like a Chinese version of Edward from Twilight*

When I took it home, I was trying to smell it, to get a guess as to what exactly I had just spent six RMB on, and all I could smell was the seaweed. Which didn't give a girl a lot of hope. Cuz it smelled nasty.

But I am here, happy to tell you that the seaweed was the worst part, and I'm just going to throw it away, because the rest of it is simply divine!

I mean, it's no delicious roasted potatoes that can make the heavens and the earth cry, but it definitely isn't simply just gross seaweed. I will probably visit that stand again.

You see, most of my affairs in China tend to go a little along that route. Everyone is just amazed that I am blonde. And tall. And blue-eyed. And as pale as a piece of paper. All the shop owners down street food alley notice when I arrive and are all curious as to which stand I am going to buy from today. And when I choose theirs, they get really excited and I'm pretty sure they make a little extra for me too. Like today, they double bagged my strange soup. And they put a super large handful of lettuce in my bowl. I mean, the lettuce is a little strange. I have never tried boiled lettuce before. Or boiled crepes for that matter. But it's actually pretty good.

These Chinese people are simply a blast and I love to spend time with them, even if it's just ordering food that I really can't do. Like really. I mean, I can say how much and I want one and then thank you, but after that I am clueless. They are like, "would you like it spicy hot?" and I can only tell by what the color is of the stuff they are asking me about. And I can't tell them a little so I have to make hand gestures. I mean, I actually kind of like the spice, so usually I just end up telling them when. Because some days are a little spicier than others. ;)

But I have my steamed bun guy who waves and laughs at me every time I see him. That's just because he knows I don't know a single word of Chinese and he thinks it is silly that I would come to China knowing nothing. I also think he is just a jolly old soul and likes to laugh. And also brag to other people that we are pals. Because we are totally pals.

And then I have my fried noodle lady. She is super cute and every time I stop by or walk by she gets all nervous and excited that an American girl likes her and her delicious food. I really want her to teach me how to make those fried noodles. And teach me what in the world the spices that everyone puts in their dishes are. Because I simply have to know.

And then my bread lady. At first she was a little grumpy and didn't look very happy. But the more we kept coming to her stand, the more she started to smile. And the more we smiled and were friendly to her, the bigger the smile she had.

It's amazing how much you can influence the people around you, and not even talk to them. I don't speak enough Chinese to even get by and yet I have managed to make friends with unbelieveable people. I have no idea what their story is or why they do what they do or how they have become who they have become but I love every single one of them for everything they are. They seem to know exactly what I want, even when I can't really get across very effectively exactly what it is that I want. They smile and wave and say hello all the time and I can tell that we are both hoping to get beyond the language barrier that keeps us from getting to know each other. But for now, I do believe that this is good.

These people are amazing. And Suzhou is my new home.

Over and out from Suzhou, China!!

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