Hot Pot

Two days and counting! Can't wait to get home. How many times have I and will I say this? A ton. We're trying to do everything that we wanted to do before we left. So, last night we went to eat at a restaurant whose cuisine is from Sichuan/Szechuan province. It's called "hot pot". There is a burner in the middle of the table and they place a bowl of broth with spices and bring to a boil. Sort-of like fondue. Our pot, was two sided, one with ginger, garlic and various other spices and one side that was very hot with peppers and other hot things. And I mean hot as in smelling it burns your nose. My stomach doesn't do hot well, usually not staying very long. So, I tried it and then decided to stear clear. We had thinly sliced beef and lamb, along with spinach, cabbage, and potatoes. It was all really good. The kids did good. I've been afraid to go with the kids, worried they'd burn themself.
Just another funny story from the China Daily. A young woman was brought into the emergency room by her boyfriend, complaining of ear pain. I guess they'd been having a "passionate" make-out session when the pain started. Come to find out, she somehow ruptured her eardrum in the process. The doctor was quoted to say something along the lines of kissing is not a harmful thing, but you should "proceed with caution." How they accomplished rupturing her eardrum is beyond me. Any ideas?