It’s November and the bitter-cold winds are now blowing in from Siberia. Put on your gloves, coats and hats and buy yourself a pair of long johns because you’ll need them.
I want to apologize for the delay in updating this blog. As you know, the Chinese government censors the internet by denying access to certain websites. Some of these sites have included Wikipedia, BBC, The New York Times, MSN and now most recently Blogspot. Though some of these sites are now accessible to the public, there’s still no way to tell how long they will be available. Known as “the Great Firewall of China” dealing with banned internet sites have been frustrating to say the least.
On a happier note, I’ve found that with the change of seasons there’s a whole lot of new and interesting snacks to discover. One of my favorite things to do while walking down the streets here has been to check out what the street vendors are selling these days. So far my favorite snacks have included sweet popcorn, Mandarin oranges, and the biggest yams I’ve ever seen (they are sold piping hot and they smell fantastic!) Another popular choice are freshly roasted chestnuts which also smell very delightful!
Better than Kettlecorn! Freshly popped popcorn that’s perfectly sweet and sold by the bag fulls!
Candied fruits…shish kebab style! You can get an assortment of seasonal fruits or even a whole banana in a crystallized caramel glaze.
Mallow pops and candy:
Tsinghua University cafeteria food changes with the seasons:
This woman sells a popular variety of beans, dried fruits and veggies:
