5/21/2007 ~ Dumplings & Dancing

On the Rio: Doobie Brothers ~ Takin' It To The Streets

Sorry for not posting in a while. Work got quite busy last week and I went away for the weekend.

So back to the dumplings. I went to a restaurant for an 18 course dumpling dinner. Thank goodness each course was only one sample of each dumpling since I was by myself (tour guides are not allowed to eat dinner with the guests).

I didn't know there could be so many varieties of steamed dumplings! They come stuffed with pork or mushrooms or chicken or shrimp or green in the shape of a tree leaf, or stuffed with duck and shaped like a gosling, or one stuffed with vegetables and red in color shaped like a rose...one was even stuffed with walnuts for dessert.

These were a special dumpling stuffed with a combo of pork & shrimp. On the plate was an appetizer serving of ham, olives and bbq pork.

The final course was called "Empress Cixi Hotpot". The cauldron has a vegetable broth with a few tomatoes, celery and spinach, and then 10 mini chicken dumplings are dropped in to cook. These mini dumplings are about the size of a Turkish manti (for those of you familiar with them).

The Qing Dynasty Empress Cixi escaped to Xi'an after the Eight-Allies occupied Beijing. Once the dumplings are cooked (only takes about 3 minutes) the waitress comes over and serves you one-ladel in your bowl. The number you are served is significant:

1 dumpling = you will have a pleasant trip

2 dumplings = you will receive double happiness

3 dumplings = you will get a promotion in the near future

4 dumplings = you will be wealthy all through the year

5 dumplings = you will reap a harvest and be successful in your career

6 dumplings = everything will be well-off

7 dumplings = you will be quite lucky and blessed

8 dumplings = you will make a fortune

9 dumplings = everlasting love

10 dumplings = perfection in everything in your life

Zero dumplings = you are the luckiest because there is nothing in your life to worry about.

Guess how many dumplings I was served? Three...promotion, huh? I'm out of work in 2 weeks and not even looking for a new job!

After the dinner I went to a Tang Dynasty dance show. The Tang Dynasty was prosperous from 618 to 907 AD. The costumes are supposedly taken from cave drawings found in the north of China. For more information on the show, and a sample of the music, the website is:

www.xiantandynasty.com

I got one free drink with the show, so I ordered a vodka martini -- and was served exactly one shot of vodka accompanied by a bowl of peanuts. I'll leave you today with some of the pictures I took at the show. Enjoy!