Click for a smattering of new pictures.
July 30, 2008
New Video and a Proper Post
So here’s my newest video for current. Look for an essay about the band somewhere shortly hopefully.
Now, for a proper post.
This past weekend we did the first really post worthy thing since I’ve been here. We went to Hong Kong. I would say it was like going to a completely different country, but that’s mostly true (it’s a special administrative region, if you care). What was most remarkable, to me at least, was how diverse it was.
Especially where we were staying. Chunking Mansions is a run-down tenement block in the middle of all the ritz, popularized by Won Kar Wai’s early film Chunking Express. The bottom two floors were full of shops, internet cafes, restaurants, and peopled by a mix of Indians, Africans, HK Cantonese, and tourists. It was like being in a western city. One of the things about Beijing is that if you’re not a foreigner, you’re Han Chinese, and that’s pretty much it. So diversity was exciting, as was Indian food.
We spent our time in HK seeing sites, staying out late, visiting with Kyle’s cousin Nick, and seeing Batman. Another cool aspect of the city was the level to which it wasn’t built in enclaves. Expensive boutiques were next to oldish apartment complexes, and outside of the central business district, everything seemed pretty mixed in.
One of the things I enjoyed most was riding the Tram on HK island. We weren’t really going anywhere, but it was a great way to get a look around, and the breeze from the second floor was simply fantastic. DimSum was good too. And did I mention Indian food? Otherwise, everything was pretty great, and the harbor was a great place to relax at night and have a beer. I would go back.
Now we’re back in Beijing, I’m busy working on a couple projects, and I have a JOB INTERVIEW tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes. I know I promised pictures soon, and I’ll say it again. Soon, there will be new pictures.
Love from the Big Dumpling,
Martin
Now, for a proper post.
This past weekend we did the first really post worthy thing since I’ve been here. We went to Hong Kong. I would say it was like going to a completely different country, but that’s mostly true (it’s a special administrative region, if you care). What was most remarkable, to me at least, was how diverse it was.
Especially where we were staying. Chunking Mansions is a run-down tenement block in the middle of all the ritz, popularized by Won Kar Wai’s early film Chunking Express. The bottom two floors were full of shops, internet cafes, restaurants, and peopled by a mix of Indians, Africans, HK Cantonese, and tourists. It was like being in a western city. One of the things about Beijing is that if you’re not a foreigner, you’re Han Chinese, and that’s pretty much it. So diversity was exciting, as was Indian food.
We spent our time in HK seeing sites, staying out late, visiting with Kyle’s cousin Nick, and seeing Batman. Another cool aspect of the city was the level to which it wasn’t built in enclaves. Expensive boutiques were next to oldish apartment complexes, and outside of the central business district, everything seemed pretty mixed in.
One of the things I enjoyed most was riding the Tram on HK island. We weren’t really going anywhere, but it was a great way to get a look around, and the breeze from the second floor was simply fantastic. DimSum was good too. And did I mention Indian food? Otherwise, everything was pretty great, and the harbor was a great place to relax at night and have a beer. I would go back.
Now we’re back in Beijing, I’m busy working on a couple projects, and I have a JOB INTERVIEW tomorrow. We’ll see how that goes. I know I promised pictures soon, and I’ll say it again. Soon, there will be new pictures.
Love from the Big Dumpling,
Martin
July 21, 2008
July 17, 2008
just an update
So it’s been about a week I guess, and I can’t complain. China continues to be China, and the summer continues being hot. Lots of touring with Louis and his gang, a rainy trip to the great wall, and a couple of kickass concerts, and now I’m heading south to the city on the sea, Shanghai, for the weekend.
I’ve started working as a freelance consultant, polishing interviews. It’s fairly mindless work and the pay isn’t too bad. I’m still trying to be a journalist, and doing a little better than before. A new podcast is up by the way. Last night I went to my first expat dinner party of this trip. I never cease to be impressed with how smart and cool a lot of the people living here are. Others are less so, but there are enough people in Beijing that you don’t have to be friends with someone purely based on shared heritage.
Because louis was here, we’ve been treated to some truly fantastic meals by friends of the family. Heaping dishes, groaning tables. It’s a big change from the street food I’ve been eating on a pretty regular basis. We even went to an old Beijing style restaurant, which serves my favorite dish, a kind of fermented doufu resembling brains. The dish is grey, spreadable, and undeniably delicious. Kind of like cottage cheese mixed with….something else. Other highlights included a foot and a half tall leaning tower of fried potato sticks, a delicious (and fancy) round of peking duck, and a plate (ordered by accident) of bitter melon which we finished in spite of its rather terrible taste.
For day to day account’s look to Kyle’s blog. I’ll be putting a new batch of pictures up soon.
Heart. Martin.
I’ve started working as a freelance consultant, polishing interviews. It’s fairly mindless work and the pay isn’t too bad. I’m still trying to be a journalist, and doing a little better than before. A new podcast is up by the way. Last night I went to my first expat dinner party of this trip. I never cease to be impressed with how smart and cool a lot of the people living here are. Others are less so, but there are enough people in Beijing that you don’t have to be friends with someone purely based on shared heritage.
Because louis was here, we’ve been treated to some truly fantastic meals by friends of the family. Heaping dishes, groaning tables. It’s a big change from the street food I’ve been eating on a pretty regular basis. We even went to an old Beijing style restaurant, which serves my favorite dish, a kind of fermented doufu resembling brains. The dish is grey, spreadable, and undeniably delicious. Kind of like cottage cheese mixed with….something else. Other highlights included a foot and a half tall leaning tower of fried potato sticks, a delicious (and fancy) round of peking duck, and a plate (ordered by accident) of bitter melon which we finished in spite of its rather terrible taste.
For day to day account’s look to Kyle’s blog. I’ll be putting a new batch of pictures up soon.
Heart. Martin.
July 10, 2008
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