10/31/06 Trick or Treat

On the Rio: Bob Marley & the Wailers ~ Waiting in Vain (dub)

Happy Halloween! This holiday is not really celebrated in China, except by us expats, but I did get to meet the Great Pumpkin.

Here's the inside of a family's private garden from when I was in Hongcun. The pumpkin squash are tied with red ribbons to keep them from breaking off the vines.

Here is a sign that was over a store. I couldn't tell what they were selling and our guide never offered an explanation, but seems to fit well with the ghoulish spirit of the holiday.

Tonight I was invited to the The Shanghai Grand Theater for a modern ballet festival with stars from the New York City Ballet. There were 5 of us, 3 American and 2 Chinese women; a real "girls night" out. It was not traditional ballet as I am used to, but modern ballet dance routines set to American music, such as Gerswin, John Phillips Sousa and Ray Charles. Quite creative.

Before the ballet we went to Kaltheen's 5, a stunning restaurant atop the Shanghai Art Museum. We drank champagne and had a mushroom-leek soup, smoked salmon with jelly fish, scallops, and spicy beef tatare.

10/30/06 ~ No Daylight Savings Time in China

On the Rio: Rolling Stones ~ Tumbling Dice

I know that all of you are probably having a hard time adjusting to the new time (try changing 12 time zones sometime!) but just so you know, China does not change clocks, so I am now 13 hours ahead of the east coast, 14 from central time and 16 from the west coast.

This weekend I was able to watch the live webcasts from the 2-day Vegoose concert in Las Vegas. I watched the Black Crows, Rhythm Devils and Phil & Trey...It was almost better than being there! Hope all in attendance had a grand time.

Here is a mosaiculture of the South China Tiger. Also called the Xiaman Tiger, it is the anscestor of all other species of ancient tigers, and is designated as one of the most 10 endangered species in the world. This exhibit is a reminder to cherish what is still in possession in our earth -- our mutual homeland.

We also had our NBA fantasy basketball draft this weekend. My team name is the Shanghai China Cats. I drafted Yao Ming and Gilbert Arenas to stay true to my "home team". I am told that most Rockets games will be on tv here. Opening day is October 31st.

10/27/06 ~ Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

On the Rio: Santana ~ Wishing It Was

The other highlight of last weekends trip was a visit to the village Hongcun, where the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was filmed. I need to re-watch the video now. The city has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Here is the bridge leading into the village.

The village is arranged in the shape of an ox: a nearby hill (Leigang Hill) is interpreted as the head and two trees standing on it mark the horns. Four bridges across the Jiyin stream can be seen as the legs and the houses of the village form the body. Inside the "body", the Jiyin stream can be seen as the intestines and the lakes - such as the "South Lake" (Nanhu) - as the stomachs.

This is the South Lake. The buildings are where the fight scene in the movie occured.

Hongcun was built during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279). The architecture and carvings of the ca. 150 residences dating back to the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasties are said to be among the best of its kind in China. One can tell the difference between the architure, as told to us by our guide Lacey, is that the Ming woodwork is round and the Qing woodwork is square. This is Lacey.

As one wanders along the path of the village, painters can be seen everywhere. This is the South Lake Academy. Children of the Wang family used to be able to attend here for free. [Wang is one of the 8 most popular surnames in China, and happened to be Lacey's last name. I also work with 3 people with that last name, as well as 3 Chen's, 2 Zhang's and 2 Zheng's. ]

This academy was built in the reign of emporer Jia Qing in 1814 of the Qing Dynasty. It is a typical building consisting of the Hall of Zhidao (Learning), Pavilion of Wenchang (Refined Culture), Pavilion of Qimeng (Primary Learning), the Pavilion of Huiwen (Literacy), the Lake House and the Zhi Garden (Respect).

This is the Zhi Garden Room, where students would pay homage to Confucious.

And a closeup.

It's getting late, and I have to get up early for the fantasy basketball draft. Go Shanghai China Cats!

To Be Continued........

Oh, I'm back. I was checking CNN before I went to bed, and here was this posting link about going to HuangShan in October. Please tell me my posting was much more interesting than this! http://www.cnn.com/2006/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/10/27/china.mountains.ap/index.html

My next career will either be a travel writer or a bird pet store, I swear.

10/26/06 ~ All the Tea in China

On the Rio: UB40 ~ Sweet Sensation

Driving along the roadside in Huangshan there are green tea plants everywhere on the hills between the pine trees. Harvesting is in the spring.

Additionally, chrysanthemums (spelling?) are grown also for tea. These would be the white-topped flowers.

This is the old bridge in the city of Huangshan. I love how the Chinese use so many neon colors to outline buildings and bridges.

This is the old market street, where one can buy pretty much anything, from paper to wood carvings, to tea and dried mushrooms/fungi, paintings and trinkets. It was nice to wander here in the evening when the crowds were thinner.

The street also contains a traditional pharmacy.

The medicines are kept in the boxes for dispensing. Hopefully, there is a master list of the contents somewhere.

We ate snacks at a restaurant at the end of the street. We ordered a fried flat bread, a plate of fruit (melons and bananas), something like fried flat tortillas with a mashed red bean in the center, and vegetable dumplings.

10/24/06 ~ Roadside Restaurant

On the Rio: Van Morrison ~ Twilight Zone, 6/30/74 Montreaux Jazz Festival

After leaving HuangShan, we had lunch at a roadside restaurant.

Instead of a menu, you go up to a table that has a sample of the available food and tell the waitress (well, actually point at) what you want.

We ordered deep fried squash flowers and breaded bean curd with pork and hot peppers and a mushroom soup that had 8 different locally grown mushrooms. It was quite delicious!

Here is my travel partner PR under the "mushroom umbrellas" when we were still on Huangshan. Unfortunately it was raining really hard and I rushed the picture as to not get my camera wet, but I couldn't pass up a picture of the mushrooms.

We decided to stay away from the live fish in a bucket.

And there was no way I was going to order the turtle.

Even walking around the streets of Shanghai there are vendors selling baby turtles in a bucket. People will tell you they are for pets, but I'm having a hard time believing that.

10/23/06 ~ HuangShan (Yellow Mountain)

On the Rio: Delroy Wilson ~ So Long Jenny

I climbed part of HuangShan (Yellow Mountain) this weekend, and slept on the peak at the "Cloud-Dispelling Pavilion", where views are astonishing of small granite peaks prodding through clouds of mist.

We took the cable car part way up, and then hiked about 3.2 km (2 miles), often very steep and narrow pathways.

All the steps I went down, I eventually had to walk back up. My calf muscles are quite sore today. But I made it! Sometimes the steps weren't wide enough for my entire foot to fit on. And as you can see by the railing, if you fall, you could easily slip underneath, and often the otherside of the railing is a sheer dropoff. Quite stressful at times.

The total elevation of the mountain is 5178 feet.

These are sedan chairs, for those who really can't make the stairs. A person stands in front and in the rear with the bamboo poles on their shoulders.

The Chinese give places such poetic names. This next photo is a shot of "Flowers Springing from a Dreaming Writing Brush".

During the Qin dynasy, the mountain was called Qianshan (Black Mountain, because of the granite) but was renamed Huangshan in A.D. 747, in honor of the Yellow Emporor, Huangdi. I don't know when this bridge was constructed (but probably not that long ago).

It is said there are 5 "must-see" mountains in all of China. The following saying is from a famous Chinese poet, which says, "One must see all of the 5 beautiful mountains of China. But once you see Huangshan Mountain, there really is no reason to see the others, as it outshines all of their beauty."

Our guide told us to always be prepared to take pictures, as the clouds can change so quickly, that now you see a peak,

and now you don't.

It's so amazing how the pine trees grow out of the granite rock. One display placard explained that the unique pines to the region emit a CO2 that erodes the rock, providing more space for the roots to expand.

And the trip continues...

FYI...This posting took over an hour for me to create. I'm now listening to Steely Dan ~ Boston Rag, Live 3/20/74.

10/20/06 ~ Get Your Head out of the Sand

On the Rio: Yo-Yo Ma ~ Tango Remembrances

I will be gone this weekend to HaungShan (Yellow Mountain).

Here are more pictures from Century Park.

-An Ostrich Looking At The World: A frightened ostrich, in the exhibit, staring at the outside world with its neck buried into the desert, serves as a reminder to the viewers that animals are inhabitants of the earth and breath of life just like human beings are. Everyone, therefore, is obliged to protect the homeland we share and to show due respect to life.

-Produndity and Eternity: This exhibit lends the viewers a unique insight into the profundity of Chinese Tea culture. Being the crystalization of Chinese Tea culture, the pot has grown into a history, and a reminiscence of tradition. The hand holding fast to the handler shows the unwavering faith of the Chinese nation to keep a firm grip of the root of traditional culture.

-Strive for the Best: The exhibit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative region features a flock of the Chinese White Dolphins leaping towards the centre together from all sides, which shows tremendous vigor and vitality. It symbolizes that all the Hong Kong people are working together in concerted effort to strive for the best after the reunification with the motherland.

-Rodeo: Cowboy Style: Nothing conjures up the rough and tumble history and the fierce independence of the American West as the image of a cowboy on his horse. The exhibit celebrates steer wrestling, a wilder event that tests a cowboy's strength, speed and timing. Readding solutes the legacy of the cowboy with a popular annual rodeo drawing competitors from America and Canada.

10/17/06 ~ Hunting Season?

On the Rio: The Temptations ~ All I Need

Here are some plant sculptures that maybe all you hunters could actually hit. A Duck...

And a moose:

Here is an excerpt from the Shanghai Park Regulations posting at the Century Park Entrance I found amusing.

"Tourists entering the park shall obey the '7 prohibitions' norms for Shanghai residents. Prohibit relieving the bowels everywhere. Pasting advertisements and scribbling. Damaging the equipments. Prohibit barebacked or lying on the floor. Prohibit washing clothes. Prohibit gleaning and begging. Prohibit climbing the rockery. Other prohibiting activities also include swimming in the river, playing the soccer, and flying kites (except specific assigned zone).

Whew, thank goodness that was clarified.

There is also a fountain in the park, that only works certain times of the day, and I was lucky enough to approach the fountain right as it was spouting.

10/15/06 ~ Hangzhou

On the Rio: Dire Straits ~ So Far Away

I made it back from Hangzhou, but not without some drama. I was able to get my return train ticket, but it was from a different train station, so I went to the wrong one, rushed to get my departure, tripped and fell but only scrapped my elbow (V, have your friends send those knee & elbow pads!), but eventually made it on time.

Hangzhou is a virtual nature park that happens to be a city. It was so beautiful and peaceful walking around West Lake. I also spent a lot of time at Lingyin Temple area.

It's been a long weekend, and I'm exhausted, so I'm just posting a few pictures today. Details to follow.

10/14/06 ~ Century Park

On the Rio: Pink Floyd ~ A Pillow of Wind

It's a first! I said something in Mandarin to the metro card clerk and he understood me! Ok, I admit it, all I said was "wu shi" which means "fifty" after I handed him a 100RMB note, but at least he understood I only wanted to add 50RMB to my metro card.

I hope I have as much luck tomorrow. I am going to Hangzhou by train and I had the apartment receptionist get my ticket. But the train system only allows the purchase of one-way tickets, so I have to buy my return ticket by myself once I get there. Wish me luck! (No need to worry, mom, the receptionist has also written out in Mandarin what I need to get back.)

Today I went to Pudong ("new" Shanghai on the other side of the Huangpu River) to Century Park for the 2006 Shanghai International Mosaiculture. Eighty works of living, top notch avant garde horticultural art from 55 cities in 15 countries are displayed under this year's theme of "Earth, Home".

I took over 240 pictures with the Nikon. Boy, am I having fun, and the pictures turned out great! I was switching lenses back and forth, looking like a pro. The exhibit was really interesting. I spent over 4 hours at the park. I will be quite selective with what I post, and will do so in stages. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

(Note - the descriptions are taken directly from the park postings, but the wording was too small when I posted the picture, so I'm retyping it.)

1. Memory of the Descendant Barrel: The body of the exhibit, the descendant barrel, used to be a gift from the parents in traditional nuptual custom. Around the barrel there lies a set of window lattice in the pattern of doublie Xi (which means happiness in Chinese), eggs and peanuts, all of which serve as carriers of best wishes for the newlywed couple.

2. Dancing Phoenix: The exhibit unfolds to the viewers the magnificent phoenix in a lively dance. Phoenix is a legendary bird in Chinese folklore, which represents revival and invigoration. With the adoption of primary colors such as red, green and yellow, the exhibit fully reveals the beauty and splendors characteristic of this mystic bird.

3. The facial make-ups of Peking Opera: The facial make-ups of Peking Opera, with the adoption of vibrant colors and exaggerated patterns, fully display the disposition and traits of the characters in the operas, for example, red face represents courage and loyalty while black face stands for audacity (fearless/daring) and sagacity (I admit, I had to look this word up in the dictionary: the mental ability to understand and discriminate between relations). The facial Make-Ups, along with the Opera, have long been considered as the treasure of Chinese folk arts.

It was almost impossible to get a picture without lots of people in it, no matter how patient I was. But sometimes, the cutest picture can get captured. This is my favorite of the day (and it looks much better not on the blog).

10/13/06 ~ TGIF

On the Rio: Bob Marley & the Wailers ~ Sugar Sugar

I'm ready to be a tourist again. This week was hectic, getting over jet lag, back into the swing of work, and still fighting off this cough/cold.

My plan for tomorrow is to go out and about to play with my camera. I went to buy an extra camera battery tonight after work. I was unable to get one in the US before I left because they are on back order. They are hard to come by here as well, but they sold me one out of the display box. Unfortunately, the prices are identical to the US, even after bargaining. Who'd have thunk it, considering they are made in Asia.

I went out to dinner this week at Di Shui Dong, an authentic Hunan cuisine restaurant, that is frequented by a lot of locals. It was delicious! We had General Tsao Chicken, spicy ribs, brocolli, and hot peppers. I will go back there again.

Tonight for dinner I had bought some frozen vegetable spring rolls and came home to cook them. They were pretty good. I love the kitchen.

Here are some day time pictures taken from my balcony. I'm playing with the settings and the zoom. And thanks, Deep, for explaining the photo compression so I'm able to post the pictures.

This is the playground view.

This is the street I take to work. They are building a second metro line. The building on the left is the Gateway Mall. (This is below the lighted building that I work in I posted the other day). There is no escaping construction.

With a close-up of the KFC at the end of the street. This is the only KFC I've eaten at (and then only twice with the team). The zoom lens is great! And no, I am not using it to look into my neighbors apartments.

I'm even able to zoom into the church that was across from my hotel.

Hope all of you are staying warm as fall and snow approaches in some areas. The weather here is still in the mid-70s and no humidity. But that will change by about 20 degrees at the end of the month.

Oh, I saw an X-treme t-shirt today. The logo was "Pick A Straw".