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Nanjing is a rather interesting city designated as the UNESCO City of Literature in 2019. However, among the other cities of my traveling career, it does not deserve to be revisited for a fourth blog post. Yet last night, a peculiar thought crossed my mind. What amazing flash of enlightenment entered my head? Well, I need to tell you how my night went first.

Ever since my arrival, my stomach has felt the pressure to constantly work through meals. Even late into the late night, something appealing always intrigued my appetite. But two days of this lifestyle are more than enough. Leading into last night's dinner, I really did not feel like swallowing another bite of anything.

Of course, Grandma’s friends invite us to Nanjing Impressions in the Confucius Temple area, perhaps the most popular sport in the city. While walking past the restaurant, a line snaked out the door into the sidewalk and street. Luckily, Uncle Li in our party exhibited great foresight and arrived an hour and a half before the service resumed, reserved a seat, and desperately held on to the table against the waiters and waitresses trying to free up space. To his happiness, we arrive and buy some time -- it's much harder to kick out a group of three.

Soon, the rest of the dinner guests arrived. We order and chat, both of which I am challenged with. Eventually, the food begins to flow, and things get simpler. Food is good, but nothing significantly different than other experiences. The dishes were greasy: a perfect fit for the noisy drinking restaurant. I felt a bit out of my comfort zone, but it is expected of any country I visit. At one point a leak appeared above our table, dripping water from an air cooling system over an empty seat next to me.

At the end of the meal, I reflected upon my vivid experience and concluded that the food was a bit underwhelming for the massive line outside. It was a bit greasy for my taste, which is saying something coming from an American cuisine lover. I've always been a firm believer that the method is more important than the ingredients, and this dinner's methods were extraordinary by my standards. The atmosphere was of a tastier flavor. The shouting of men, the clacking of chopsticks, and the sucking of lobster shells -- all staples in Chinese cuisine -- made strong appearances in the restaurant, as they should. The informal culture of Chinese dining is vital to the experience. It's not an authentic experience if there isn't an obnoxious "waiter!" or “waitress!” call from the depths of the tables.

So what was my epiphany? When I walked out of the restaurant, filled with food and empty of energy, I realized something extremely important. I wanted a burger.

【红霞译文】

南京是一个非常好玩的地方，2019年被联合国科教文组织命名为“文学城”，与我所走过的城市相比，其实并不至于第四次出现在本人博客里。可昨晚我突发异想，到底是怎样的美轮美奂映入了我的脑海？还是先让我来瞎白活一下今晚是如何度过的。

自从回国以来，我的胃囊一直超负荷运载食物，即便夜半三更，仍少不了糖衣炮弹勾起肚子里的馋虫，但这种生活方式顶多消受两天，硬撑过昨天晚宴，我真觉得多一口都咽不下去。

明摆着，外婆的朋友家邀请我们去见识全城最叫座的热点──夫子庙南京大排档。当穿过门厅，只见等候入座的长龙九曲十八弯径直朝楼外人行道乃至大马路上伸去，多亏好客的李叔高瞻远瞩，早在营业之前一个半钟头便奔赴饭店站队领号，接下来不仅亲自坚守要地以确保聚餐万无一失，同时还须想方设法与那些试图轰他让位的男女服务生周旋，我们闻讯急忙到场声援──鼎足三分可以坐实天下，这才让他长舒了口气。

不久，全班人马集结完毕，大家边点菜边聊天，我犹如“高音喇叭掉井里”──哇啦不上来，一旦开始按程序上菜，才觉得自在起来。食材配料不错，但与其它地方鉴赏的东西大同小异；菜肴鲜香油腻，难怪酒馆人声鼎沸，虽说肠胃有点吃不消，但我尝过的多国名膳也清爽不到哪里去。餐桌顶上的天花板一度漏水不止，从空调机渗出的冷凝水偏巧滴在我身旁空座上。

吃罢晚餐，脑海里重又闪现出鲜活的画面，我触景生情：为了尝鲜而不惜忍受门外罚站考验实在有点不值；大排档美食偏腻，这次终于让推崇美国料理的傻冒大开眼界。我一向坚信烹饪方法要比食材组成重要，由此看来，这顿晚餐厨技水平高超，氛围热闹喜庆，食客的喧哗声、筷子的噼啪声、龙虾的吮吸声──全然中餐标配──交织在一起，让我领略了中国民间饮食文化，如果不隔着几个桌子以远冲着服务生招呼“帅哥！”“美女”（当下国内时髦叫法），你算白来了。

到头来我顿悟出什么呢？当走出餐馆已撑得挪不动步，我才意识到特别重要的东西。我想吃汉堡包。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2018: Livorno Port, Italy(意大利里窝那港)

2018: Florence—Ponte Vecchio over River Arno, Italy(意大利佛罗伦萨—阿诺河老桥)

2018: Florence the City of Lillies, IT(意大利佛罗—翡冷翠)

2018: Florence—Public Arts, Italy(意大利佛罗伦萨—公共艺术)

2018: Florence—Piazza della Signoria & Bargello Natl Museum, Italy(意大利佛罗伦萨—领主广场与巴杰罗美术馆)

2018: Florence—Piazza del Duomo, Italy(意大利佛罗伦萨—圣母百花大教堂广场)

2018: Florence—Santa Croce, Italy(意大利佛罗伦萨—圣十字大教堂)

2018: Pisa—Home to Galileo, Italy(意大利比萨—伽利略故乡)

2018: Pisa the Leaning Tower, Italy(意大利比萨斜塔)

2017: Best of the Rhine, Germany(德国莱茵河—美味佳肴)