So here I am, somewhere between Tianjin and Shanghai, looking at the internet. Yesterday was one of those days which will not come into clear focus until I’m farther away from it – it’s too much, too big. I climbed a section of The Great Wall of China. I touched part of history that in large part predates our religions, our countries, pretty much anything save the pyramids. I had a very similar lack of focus in regard to seeing them, I remember. I know I haven’t been the worlds most faithful blogger lately, but little has been happening due to our prolonged install/handover period. Thanks to a few badly timed injuries combined with insensitive scheduling in the first place, we’ve basically been in rehearsal nonstop since we arrive February 9. That doesn’t even take into account the (increasingly superfluous) LA rehearsal period which began January 14. The singers such as myself have had a significantly higher amount of free time than the dancers in the ensemble, and even we have missed a number of important ports. That’s death to morale, so I thank heaven that we have a mostly wonderful team whose attitudes have rarely betrayed their true feelings toward our prolonged process while at work. That said, there have been some great adventures.
Like yesterday, when we visited the Great Wall of China.
The section of the wall we climbed is level and then becomes VERY steep. It’s a trial and you feel like a hero for getting through it. Then, you descend back into the little village desperate for tourist dollars/yuan/yen/anything at the bottom. It’s not “touristy” per se but the abject poverty that is obvious puts your experience at the wall into perspective. These aren’t unhappy people, but they are poor rural people in a small village which just happens to be located next to part of one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Increasingly, they see their little town play host to the kinds of people whose income or situation allows them to roam the world, and that provides opportunity to graft whatever they can.Tourism is a growing industry in China, and with the Great Wall so far off the beaten path not much “growth” is visible here other than signs on a few teahouse in English promising “Icebeer” and “Coffee.” Our experiences in two of these teahouses were a bit tragic and I think I was nearly killed by a clear local “cognac” which smelled and tasted like someone had found a way to sweeten kerosene.
The above is a menu, from which I stuck with the easy and fairly safe “egg fried rice” option for something under $2, while avoid things like “sparrow” and “pungent curd.”
Also present, as ever, was Godzilla.
In other news, I visited Okinawa some time ago, venturing out on my own. I bought Marina a beautiful kimono set because she was stuck on IPM (another story of its own which is a shitty mess and, for most people I work with, another push in a new direction) and spent a lot of time wondering why my primary knowledge of any place could come from KARATE KID 2. Also, I was terrified by a mammoth, nightmarish waving cat.
There is a barista/bartender on the ship who makes the best vanilla lattes I have ever experienced. His name? Morphin. Yes, like the Mighty Power Rangers. Eventually, one assumes, he’ll be finished “Morphin” and be something else entirely.
Marina and I had an AMAZING Hong Kong experience when the cast was released for an overnight in Hong Kong. We were all very close to mutiny at that point, and it was a great pressure relief for the team. We had booked a nice harborview room at the BP International and found that due to overbooking they’d had to upgrade us into a suite. No complaints here, whatsoever at all.
More to come… A lot to catch up on. VERY excited about Shanghai and a return to Tao Bao Market, one of my favorite markets into the world.
Random pics:
Searching for a memory in Hong Kong
Marina eating at Temple Spice Crab in the Night Market
A stitched together photo of the view from our suite
Finally, a little animal exploitation in Thailand.
More to come!
