Sunday, July 31, 2011

Shijiazhuang

Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you...my final post on May's trip to China!

I feel like all I've been doing for the past weeks is uploading photos and videos of China to my blog...which couldn't really be further from the truth, but it's a feeling nonetheless. There's just something so daunting about embarking on a set of posts I know will be difficult to compose (especially the first two on culture). I must say that I'm quite glad to be rounding the corner. Now, I just have to write a few more and I'll be up-to-date!

In other news, I'm currently in Charleston, South Carolina, attending the very first Mark O'Connor Method Camp! I was trained in the first two books of his method a few months ago, and am here to receive training for Book III, which is being released this week at the camp. I've been looking forward to visiting Charleston, but am even more excited about spending the week hanging out with string players and music educators who are interested in the same types of music as I am!

It looks to be an incredible week.

But now, back to China.

We spent two weeks in downtown Shijiazhuang rehearsing for our performances in Italy, working on some new material, and cleaning up the show. 

It's hard to describe exactly what Shijiazhuang feels like because it's a very much a city in transition. 

I guess it was most like what happens when you clean a messy room: Shijiazhuang was at that strange phase where the cleaning has started but parts of the room somehow end up looking messier before they look cleaner. In one moment, we basked in the opulence of a giant mall adorned with recognizable faces, and just two blocks later we came upon the debris of a building recently imploded to make way for new housing.

Here are some photos I took around Shijiazhuang. All of these places, with the exception of the university, were within a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

The library, with sidewalk parking next to the building.
Please don't throw banana peels from your car.
The People's Park of Shijiazhuang.
Mao Zedong.
Bicycle parking on the sidewalk.
With our translator, Eric, and our technical assistant, Ja Wei. Eric, who graduated from university while we were in Shijiazhuang, gave us a tour of his campus before he moved out.
Hebei Normal University. (By the way, Shijiazhuang is the capital of Hebei province.)
Housing.
Going to Eric's room. Each room has three bunk beds, six desks, and six guys.
The building where students get hot water. All of those colored thermoses on the ground are communal: pick one up, fill it, take it.
Eric and Tim play ping pong near the recreation center. The residence halls are in the background.
The gang with Eric.
Eating late into the night at the Aegean Sea, our favorite restaurant in town.
NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts were a great form of entertainment while in China (available as a free podcast through iTunes). After seeing one with concert violinist Charlie Siem and learning of his modeling career, I spotted his face just down the street the next day.
Natalie Portman.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Pandamonium!

When we were in Chengdu, we took the morning to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the biggest conservation center for pandas in the world!

On our way in the cab!
Eric (our awesome translator), Kristina, Kiana, me, Daniel and Phil.
I wanted to think the red pandas were looking at me...
...but then I realized the woman standing behind me was getting ready to feed them.
"This area is home to many wild birds."
Mei Lan, the official Panda Ambassador for Earth Hour 2010, and, from what we overheard on a nearby tour, the most photographed panda on the planet.
This is definitely my favorite photo.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

The Great Wall & The Temple of Heaven: Great Craic!

After the tour's final performance in Beijing, we had a few free days before we went to Shijiazhuang for rehearsals.

Coincidentally, our promoter was also coordinating a tour in China with Ireland's National Choir, Anúna, known for their work with Riverdance. We spent two days hanging out with them in Beijing, and joined them on their trip to the Juyongguan Pass at the Great Wall.

Tara from Anúna.
People attach locks along a chain on a small portion of the wall to symbolize their love. Crazily enough, this lock I found had my mom's name, Mindy, on it.
The dead end at the top.
Daniel, Kristina, Phil (our new guitarist!) and me at the top of the Great Wall! (Thanks to Shane from Anúna for hiking all the way to the top with us and taking this photo!)
Climbing down the stairs. Literally.
This photo, taken level, shows just how steep parts of the wall can be.

The next day, a group of us who had not previously visited the Temple of Heaven went to check it out.

At the southern entrance to the temple grounds.
Jade bricks.
Circular Mound Altar.
Waiting in line to have my picture taken on Heaven's Heart Stone at the top of the Circular Mound Altar, where the emperor would pray for rain and good fortune.
On Heaven's Heart Stone!
The Imperial Vault of Heaven.
Random Chinese men really like to take photos with Kiana.
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the most iconic part of the Temple of Heaven.
Phil, Lindy, Kiana, Daniel and me at the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
You guessed correctly: that's the sun.
The attention to detail on the tile work is mind-numbing. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

After visiting the Temple of Heaven, we all attended Anúna's amazing concert that night. It was such an incredible experience getting to spend time with touring musicians from Ireland while hanging out in Beijing. We traded stories from the road, bonded over cultural struggles, learned some Gaelic, and just generally had great craic with new friends! 

Thanks, Anúna! Hopefully we'll run into you somewhere around the world soon again!

With Anúna after their concert in Beijing.