In the last entry, I left off with the end of tomb sweeping. Usually everyone would leave after lunch service, but it seems that many have decided to visit the ancestral home of our great grandfathers. Four years ago I wanted to visit the ancestral home, but there was no one to take me there. I was alone and there was really no reason for me to represent my family. I had no obligation to. Maybe it was the right thing to do after all.
It was another long drive to the ancestral home. From what I heard back in the day when there was no dam, the waters would flood every year. The house was right there next to the river. Once this place flooded, it was over. The waters would always reach the rooftop where the family would keep a boat for escape. That's right. The two floored building would be flooded entirely. When I walked into the ancestral home, I understood what they meant when they said they didn't need AC. Made of solid stone and wood, the house was extremely cool, but also extremely dark. Even after so many years of flooding, none of the building material has rotted and it stood so sturdily. At night I heard, it would get cold enough for blankets even in 90 degree weather. Soon I heard that the house will be demolished because of urban planning. It seemed like a shame to see old architecture destroyed, but no one is living here anymore. It's a ghostly place.
Uncle decided that my mom and I will leave early. They began to burn joss paper again and this time the smoke will fill up the room. It was a waste of time so we paid our respects quickly and left. Uncle and Aunt had thought about meeting up with my grandparents because they haven't seen each other in a while. So they reserved a room at E Gong Cun. It's a funny name, "goose village", but it doesn't lie. They had the best roast goose you can have in all of Guangzhou. I was told it's extremely hard to get a seat, never mind a room. We got ourselves a grand room. When you walk past the lobby and main dining hall, you go outside and see many individual glass houses above waters. Each glass house has AC and a dining table.
Our appetizers were the usual pickled radish, but I didn't know steamed sweet potatoes and purple yams could be one as well. Uncle ordered some really good dishes that night. There was one called 水鬼重, a very peculiar name. I don't even know how it should be translated. It is a very delicate silken tofu deep fried and then lightly braised, very hard to make. For the first time, I got to try alligator meat that I have dying to try for so long. Gator meat, how should I describe it, is like snake. The slivers of meat come apart like fish when cooked, but since it is game, it is tougher. To make it easier to eat, it is often fried and then braised with spices.
By the end of the night, I was really full. I felt filthy from a day's worth of burning incense and sweat. I was tired from all that hiking and I was glad that I got a chance to see Qingyuan. Maybe next time, I can visit other places in Qingyuan.
Uncle decided that my mom and I will leave early. They began to burn joss paper again and this time the smoke will fill up the room. It was a waste of time so we paid our respects quickly and left. Uncle and Aunt had thought about meeting up with my grandparents because they haven't seen each other in a while. So they reserved a room at E Gong Cun. It's a funny name, "goose village", but it doesn't lie. They had the best roast goose you can have in all of Guangzhou. I was told it's extremely hard to get a seat, never mind a room. We got ourselves a grand room. When you walk past the lobby and main dining hall, you go outside and see many individual glass houses above waters. Each glass house has AC and a dining table.
Our appetizers were the usual pickled radish, but I didn't know steamed sweet potatoes and purple yams could be one as well. Uncle ordered some really good dishes that night. There was one called 水鬼重, a very peculiar name. I don't even know how it should be translated. It is a very delicate silken tofu deep fried and then lightly braised, very hard to make. For the first time, I got to try alligator meat that I have dying to try for so long. Gator meat, how should I describe it, is like snake. The slivers of meat come apart like fish when cooked, but since it is game, it is tougher. To make it easier to eat, it is often fried and then braised with spices.
By the end of the night, I was really full. I felt filthy from a day's worth of burning incense and sweat. I was tired from all that hiking and I was glad that I got a chance to see Qingyuan. Maybe next time, I can visit other places in Qingyuan.
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