A lazy weekend a few days late

So, I'm not as punctual at updating my blog as Jess is.  We now have a joke that we really only have one blog, as we're often in the same place at the same time, taking similar pictures.  Another side-joke is that people in the department keep getting us mixed up.  We're both petite white girls, so I can see how the mix-up happens. :)  Just call us "Jeth" and "Bess."  Anyway, if you wanted to know about my last weekend, all you had to do is look at Jess' blog.

We had a relaxing Friday night.  It started off with Jess, Angie and me meeting a colleague, Chris, and walking over to Senado Square (in the historic center of Macau).  We met some more friends and had a delicious dinner at a restaurant known for its wontons (I had the wontons).  Then we went to the ruins of St. Paul's cathedral for a light / music show.  It could have been really tacky, but was actually tastefully done. 

As the mid-Autumn festival is coming up, there have been lanterns popping up all over town.  Some are really beautiful, some cartoon-like, and some just strange.  I'll take a few more photos of them in the next couple of days.  The ones below were decorating the square. 

We had dessert at a milk-pudding place and wandered slowly home.  Nice.

Thanks to Chris for some of the more beautiful, artistic photos below.

Wontons

St. Paul's

Mid-autumn Lanterns in Senado Square

Karen, Me, Yeow Tong

Saturday night was a stay-at-home night, but we still had fun.  Amanda (our officemate who is a research assistant), kindly offered to cook for us since our cooking skills are lacking.  After a trip to the market, she prepared fish, chicken wings and potates, and spinach for us.  We also had rice and salted pork.

I watched Amanda as much as I could, trying to learn some of the Chinese-cooking techinques.  The key to the fish is to steam it on the plate, which holds in all the flavors (it's stuffed with cilantro).  You eat it by picking off the meat (skin and all) and spitting out the bones.  The chicken wings and potates are prepared bit by bit:  heat oil, add marinated chicken, add soy sauce+sugar mixture, add more sugar, add potates, stir, stir, wait.  Amanda is a good cook.  Another colleague, Miranda joined us for dinner, and we had a fun time with cards (and a little bit of Bailey's!) afterwards.

Chef Amanda

The fish

The feast

So, the weekend is over now, and I talked with Carrie yesterday.  She commented that I must be much happier here because she barely ever hears from me, when in Beijing she heard from me every other day.  I guess that must be true, though I didn't consciously realize it.  The smallness of Macau (like Chattanooga) compared to the bigness of Beijing (like New York City), the closeness of roommates, the relaxed city life, the "green-ness" and parks--have all added up to a happier Beth.  But when I see pictures like this (below), I still feel homesick for Beijing.  I'm glad to be happy here, and I'm glad to have a fond place in my heart for Beijing.  I still plan on getting back up that way sometime.  

Here's to a good week!