today was day 200, and day 198 was maybe half of my trip
(I only will know when I am back in Vienna)
Today, Mr.G and I had no disputes, I could comprehend his, and he could accept my decisions. The morning in Huidong was silent, except some bursts of crackers here and there, but there were more people awake than I had expected.The weather was again nice, sometimes the surroundings, too, and so where the people. Until 11, there was only little traffic, but one car stopped, because they wanted to take a selfie with me, another one slowed down, because they wanted to wave and exchange New Years wishes and the first in that list, when I was not prepared for so much friendliness, made me regret my reactions the whole day. A car came from the other side of the street to my side and stopped. The driver smiled and waved to me and I waved back. He made a gesture and I thought he wants to express that it is great that I cycle (as many people did before and after him today) and I said thank you and passed by. And only when I was behind him, I realized that he had had a bottle with water in his hand and that his gesture apparently was offering it to me. But it was too late, and I felt sorry that I had not reacted properly to this nice offer.
Many more people than usually were friendly or looking at me or smiled. Around 11, the traffic became more and more, and I guess that was because of family gatherings around lunch time. But at that time, I was near Haifeng and then between Haifeng and Lufeng, two bigger cities, so the traffic could also have other reasons.
On my way, I could not only see the traces of yesterday’s celebrations, I saw people at temples (but I didn’t see many temples!)
and smaller worship places (did I see more on my way from West to East, I am not sure, but maybe yes!) and even a group of boys performing a dance with drum accompaniment.
I have to put another untaken photo on my list of missed chances: It was a place of worship, quite tidy and directly on the opposite side of the street piles of garbage, showing me the superficiality of worship. Instead of that sharp contrast I later found two neighbouring trees, one with trash around, one with offerings and incense sticks.
And later, I nearly missed something similar: for some hundred meters, you could find special decoration elements thrown away after use. I have no photo of the most impressing accumulations and the biggest parts, because I was too slow in my decision to stop for a photo, but at least I have something.
At 2p.m., I arrived at the hotel that not only was near to the given location but good to see, at least when you know, where to look. Later in the afternoon, I wanted to buy bananas for tomorrow’s muesli and at the reception, I got the directions to a nearby shopping center with a supermarket. In the last shops, where I found bananas, they were from the Philippines or even Nicaragua but at least I found some older once sold off, something that I allow myself to buy, if I do not find local ones. In this supermarket, you also could find those imported fruits and I didn’t see bananas in the sale, but I found local, small ones. The mall was crowded, all shops and restaurants were open, also around this place, many shops were open, so I guess, I gradually can reduce my holiday-stocks of cookies and nuts to normal.
