Lunch with Some Co-workers

Two of my Cantonese co-workers took me out for lunch yesterday. When they asked what I wanted to eat, I told them anything local and authentic would be great. So off we went to a place that they described as serving Chinese fast food. Not fancy, but very good and very local. It was a three-story restaurant packed to the gills with local business folks. 

What was interesting was a few things that I observed that I hadn't seen previously at other, perhaps less local, restaurants:

1. The chopsticks are presumed to be at least somewhat dirty, so they bring you glasses of boiling hot tea for you to soak them to kill off any bacteria or germs before you use them.
2. It's not unusual to have someone stand right next to your table and wait patiently for you to finish so that they can take your seat. I'm not talking about hovering when the check comes. I mean staking out a place and standing guard while you're in mid-meal. It's kind of off-putting.
3. Dining alone? Not likely. If your table seats two they'll send another lone diner over to join you. If it seats four, you're gonna make three new friends. 
4. Napkins are surprisingly rare, so don't make a mess.

Of course the real highlight of the experience was my first encounter (on this trip) with a non-Western toilet! My last run-in with one of these guys was in Paris believe it or not.

She's a real beauty, ain't she? I didn't get to use her, but I'm sure I'll get my chance when I start traveling around Asia. Better start doing some squats to build up the old thigh muscles!