A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 56 Arrival in London
The voyage was relatively long. In the first few days, Zai Zhen and Wang Daxie developed obvious symptoms of seasickness. They were dizzy and vomited for almost two days before they recovered.

On the contrary, Li Yu, Liang Cheng and others adapted faster.Needless to say, Li Yu is someone who has flown several times.Liang Cheng, Tang Wenzhi and others have traveled to foreign countries many times and taken many boats. The discomfort was obviously short-lived and mild.

The Palendini stopped in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Sri Lanka to replenish fresh water and food, then crossed the long Indian Ocean into the Red Sea, sailed through the Suez Canal into the Aegean Sea, and finally arrived in London after replenishing again in Marseille, France.

During the half-month journey, in addition to daily feeding of seagulls, playing cards, or staring at the vast sea, Li Yu and Huang Kaijia also told Zai Zhen a lot of knowledge about Europe.Anyway, he has no place to play, so he can only listen carefully.

Fortunately, Tang Wenzhi deliberately brought a well-made globe, and by the way explained a lot of geography knowledge to Zai Zhen, which can be regarded as a relief.Although the globe still has many details errors compared with modern globes, it has little effect on Zaizhen, after all, it is just popular science.

Such a long voyage is also boring. Li Yu brought a pen and paper. He observed a lot of data some time ago, and started to calculate when he was free on board.This time I came to London from a long distance, and I must not come in vain, I must make a big deal!

When the ship entered the Thames River, the blurred silhouette of the most core city in the world appeared in the distant mist, and everyone cheered in unison.

At this time, London had a population of more than 500 million, making it the most populous city in the world. Due to the massive use of coal as energy, the lingering fog covered the city of London with a veil of mystery.

Of course, this is just a nice way of saying it. When the smog is at its worst in winter, almost everyone has to wear a mask or cover their mouth and nose with a scarf.

But at this moment, it is a symbol of industrial strength.

Zai Zhen was shocked by the obvious Gothic and Victorian style buildings on the riverside. This obviously exaggerated and weird style is completely different from the Chinese style, which is more mellow and moderate.Moreover, due to technical and material reasons, the height of buildings in London is also relatively high.

Especially when passing the London landmark Tower Bridge, the bridge decks on both sides were slowly raised, which directly shocked a boatload of people, and they all lay on the edge of the deck to look at it.

"Look, Master Bei! This bridge can open its tail like a peacock!"

"Wonderful! It's like a dream."

"It's really ingenious, it's made in heaven!"

Only Li Yu is very calm. They must have never imagined that 100 years later, China will become an infrastructure madman, and Chongqing alone will be able to become a "world bridge museum".

Zai Zhen was like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden, asking about the various buildings on both sides of the strait from time to time, but Liang Cheng and the others had never been to England.Li Yu pointed to the Big Ben in the distance, "Have you seen it? That is the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben, the center of the English kingdom."

Tang Wenzhi asked in surprise, "How do you know? Haven't you never been abroad?"

Li Yu knew that he had missed the point, and quickly explained: "It's all said by foreigners in the former concession!"

The ship docked at the port of London, and the welcome crowd was waiting on the shore early.

Edward VII's younger brother, then Field Marshal Prince Arthur personally led the team to pick up the ship. He stepped forward and shook hands with Zai Zhen: "Welcome the distinguished mission of the Qing Dynasty to our country, as the new King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Emperor of India. Coronation of Edward VII."

Zai Zhen said: "It is a great honor for us to welcome Prince Arthur personally in his busy schedule."

It is definitely necessary to stay at the hotel today. After finishing the diplomatic rhetoric, Prince Arthur said: "The journey must be very tiring. I have prepared a hearty lunch for everyone."

A group of people sat in the prepared luxurious carriage and checked into the Sissel Hotel.The hotel is a high-end royal hotel, specially receiving foreign guests from various countries.

After everyone put down their belongings in their respective rooms, they came to the banquet hall.

In the UK, the formal banquet table is naturally long and the two sides sit opposite each other. The British envoy had already introduced Zai Zhen and others on the boat.

The sense of ritual of the banquet is indeed sufficient: the four courses of appetizers, meat dishes, desserts, and fruits are served by waiters in suits and ties with white gloves.Everyone also practiced their knives and forks on the boat, and it didn't feel too unfamiliar to eat.

But when it comes to taste, British food, as long as everyone knows it.

The most "magical" thing for the members of the mission was a haggis sausage with traditional Scottish characteristics.

In fact, it is a lamb stomach filled with lamb offal.The method is very rough. First, the sheep stomach is emptied, and the minced sheep offal, such as heart, liver, kidney, lung, oats, onion, beef and spicy seasoning are stuffed inside, and then made into bags, and boiled for 3 hours until puffy.

The production method sounds a bit similar to blood sausage, and it should not be unpalatable, but the appearance is really too similar to "dark cuisine": small black and gray particles, which look somewhat disgusting.

If you are a Chinese chef, you will definitely find a way to directly grind it into mud, and then make it better with some noodles and the like.The so-called good taste and taste, first of all, it must not look too unpalatable in terms of appearance.

Fortunately, this thing has the characteristics of stinky tofu, which smells stinky and tastes delicious; haggis sausage looks disgusting, but tastes really delicious.

Prince Arthur also proudly introduced Zai Zhen: "This is a long-standing delicacy handed down in memory of Burns, the great Scottish poet 100 years ago."

Zai Zhen wiped his mouth and took a big mouthful of mashed potatoes to suppress the strong smell of suet. "To commemorate the poet? We eat rice dumplings on the Dragon Boat Festival to commemorate Qu Yuan who was also a poet more than 2000 years ago."

"2000?" Prince Arthur exclaimed, "What an incredible history! Come, let's drink to the poet!"

Can he not be surprised that the Germanic people were still barbarians 2000 years ago, and Britain was still the homeland of the Celtics.It wasn't until the beginning of the fifth century that after the Celts drove off the Roman army, one of the Germanic people, the Anglo-Saxons, came to England and was the originator of the current British.

After several glasses of whiskey, Prince Arthur obviously began to lose his strength.When it comes to drinking, he is no match for Zaizhen, a veteran of wine shops.

By the time the last snack was eaten, it was already three o'clock in the afternoon.Prince Arthur left the hotel, leaving behind a special diplomatic etiquette staff to practice the ceremony of presenting credentials the day after tomorrow together with Zai Zhen and others.

But today I still need to rest a lot. Although the process of taking the boat has gradually adapted to the eight-hour time difference, it is hard to be able to step on the land and sleep on a stable bed that will not shake a little. This is what attracts them. The force is too great!

(End of this chapter)