Today’s sightseeing brought us some great views of Dalian.  We spent some time walking on the beach, which has sections of imported sand but is mostly smoothed stones (perfect for skipping in the ocean). From there we drove to a different district and wound our way up a mountain, walking the last mile or so.   Along the path we came across a monument made from the barrel of a late 1800’s cannon that had been manufactured by the Germans and used by the Chinese to fight the Japanese. At the summit we came to an excellent view of the coast, overlooking a bay that has been used as a naval base for the past hundred years.  Docked naval and patrol ships, gigantic cranes, and covered docks pepper this section of the coast, along with various other buildings under the control of the Chinese navy.  These, along with an array of high-powered guns we passed on our ride along the coast, were a sharp reminder that China is a military force not to be reckoned with.

The coast of the naval base

The summit also holds a tower, named Baiyushan Mountain Tower, which was built by Chinese soldiers while under Japanese rule in the latter’s attempt to foster unity. Most of the stone used in its construction was imported from Japan.  The Tower does not seem to have succeeded in its mission–the plaque on the tower indicated that the Chinese soldiers did not enjoy the forced labor.  Then again, the English translation of the plaque was full of grammatical errors and phrases that amounted to nonsense, so it’s possible that we received the wrong impression.  Issues with English translation, even at government buildings and beautifully crafted museums, have been numerous and often hilarious. 

For lunch we were given the option of McDonalds, KFC, or a Chinese restaurant.  Desperate for some cheese (almost never consumed by the Chinese) most of us went to McDonalds, where the food tasted more or less the same as it does in the United States. 

The night’s big event was again dinner with Xinli’s millionaire classmate.  His wife, and son (who I had sat with for the previous dinner) were also in attendance.  The meal took place at one of Dalian’s most famous restaurants, and marked the first time that our group has sat around the same table at once.  The circular table was the largest lazy susan I have ever seen, and fit all 40 of us comfortably.  The surface upon which dozens of courses sat was slowly rotated by hidden machinery.  Our skills with chopsticks are still developing, which sometimes left us chasing pieces of food across our space as their platters drifted by.   The dishes was astoundingly good, and again emphasized Dalian’s seafood tradition. 

Also carried over from the previous night was the necessity of social drinking.  Toasts aplenty were made, but most of us were fortunate enough to avoid the rice wine (Chinese firewater) that was making its way around the table.  This leads me to an interesting kind of paradox.  Our host certainly supplied enough alcohol to ensure that all were sure to have a good time, but the pressure that fell on his shoulders to drink with his guests at every toast led him to consume far beyond the comfort level of most.  This is an accepted aspect of Chinese culture, especially among businessmen.

As soon as our host learned that one of our group, Matt, was to turn 19 years old the next day, he ordered the restaurant staff to bring out, buy, or make a birthday cake.  This kind of swagger impressed us all, and the cake that came was delicious. It tasted most like angel cake, with whipped cream for icing.  A single candle at the top of a closed plastic flower burned several feet high when initially lit.  After a few seconds of burning, the flower opened and the flame was transferred to the tip of each petal.  The mechanism also quietly played the happy birthday song with altissimo bell chimes.  Our host ordered for Matt a long, continuous noodle in keeping with a Chinese tradition that represents longevity of life.

Tomorrow we spend one final day in Dalian, and in the evening board a plane for a brief flight to Chonqing.  

Location: Dalian, China