Go Bananas: June 2007

It was Dirk's birthday last weekend. He had a royal surprise thanks to his extremely competent wife-to-be and a bunch of scheming friends who plotted for weeks to ensure that this birthday would be one that Dirk would never forget.

First, the stake out at Goose 'n' Duck Pub at Chaoyang Park West Gate where Dionne lured the unsuspecting Dirk into a trap of confetti...

The birthday boy still reeling from shock (excellent! Mission accomplished)

We then hopped on the bus for the Goose 'n' Duck Ranch out in Huairou, about an hour's drive away from downtown Beijing. The Ranch is popular with the Beijing folk, both local and expat, because there are loads of fun things to do, such as:

Water strolling...

...aptly demonstrated by this weekend warrior

There was also a respectable enough looking swimming pool at the far end of the Ranch. Just mind the surly swimming pool lingdao and his besotted group of pool attendants. When will the Chinese ever understand that being hospitable is a pre-requisite of working in the tourism industry and switching off music playing at reasonable levels at 3pm is only going to piss people off?

Swimming pool at the Goose 'n' Duck Ranch

Lazy, hazy days by the pool

Of course, there was fun to be had on dry land as well. Some of us released our inner Schumacher at the go-kart track.

Martin holding court with his adoring audience while getting a final check from Ofer

Ofer giving Martin tips on cheating to win. And I learnt this weekend also that Ruud is the only white guy I know who can squat properly.

In the meantime, I was starting to fall in love with a not so little guy called Arthur, a curious 5 month old Pit Bull Terrier.

"Mmm... that Schnauzer would make a great snack"

Look at that wee face!

Arthur and I

Time passes quickly when you're having a good time and before long it was dinnertime. Food at the Ranch was like that of a mess hall at best and its whole pig on a spit satisfied the most voracious of meat eaters.