New Years Banquet

This evening I was invited to a traditional Chinese New Year banquet hosted by a district of the city. It began with several loud speeches which were followed by several courses of dinner, traditional music, numerous toasts, and a sudden disbanding. It is customary for the hosts to walk from table to table toasting each table in turn. Since there were about 60 tables of 10 people each I think they must have had to prop the hosts up by the time they hit 40+ tables.

The hosts were gracious and exceedingly friendly. The lady seated next to me had been to the US once - visiting New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Hawaii with a delegation of city officials. I've met so many Chinese officials who have done this route through America that I think it could be considered their version of the Haj. If you are a Vice Mayor (a bit like being a bank vice president in the US - there are many) in a Chinese city and haven't take this route through the US at taxpayer's expense then you aren't doing something right.

The end of a banquet such as this comes suddenly. When the fruit hits the table the attendees jump up and leave in unison. I missed the signal and, aware of the sudden silence, turned to find every other table empty and a couple of hundred people trying to get into the elevators at the same time.

Then I came home and ate a burrito.