Street Food

I haven't tried too much street food here in China.  A lot of it acutally looks good but I either am not close toa vendor when I want some or when I find a vendor I'm not hungry.  The sweet potatoes that they cook on the street are really, really good!  A lot of places make this other thing called Jian Bing.  It is like a crepe with an egg mixed in it and then they spread a bean paste, chili something or other, add scallions, and then lettuce and crispy wontons.  They fold it up like a burrito when they serve it.  I really like it - yum!  I'm also a fan of the sweet potatoes they roast on the street too!

CHINESE SOAP OPERAS

So I've been reading in the news about how networks are cancelling American soap operas. I've never really been into soaps with the exception of a short period in college which have no explanation for except that it probably had to do with my roommates.  Here in China, television is regulated by the government.  You can get cable service to allow for some additional channels but I just have regular Chinese TV.  When I lived in Honduras, people were completey engrossed in their Spanish soap operas.  Here in China, I haven't noticed that they are as big of a deal even though there are hundreds of them on tv every day.  So after being here for several months I have determined there are 3 types of  Chinese soap operas.  
1.  The "Ancient Fantastical Poorly Filmed With Bad Makeup, Acting, and Special Effects" type of soap opera is the first kind.  These usually involve a setting in ancient China with the characters wearing traditional costumes.  The stories usually center around Chinese legends and involve characters flying or posessing some type of mystical power.  I've never watched a complete one because they are so ridiculously bad and have only been able to endure a couple of minutes of this type of entertainment.  Here is a clip of an example of what I''m talking about.  It is really long so I don't expect you to watch the whole thing but at least wait until you see the lady breathe fire! 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDp6SsmTlcU
2.  The other type of soap is the "Military Cultural Revolution" style soap.  This usually involves a cast of mostly men playing parts of military men or officers and plots are usually centered around the various wars and battles that have involved the Chinese in the last 100 years.  Even though I can't understand what is being said, I believe it is safe to say that the story lines and so forth center around consequences for those that refused to support military and government efforts.  Here is an example. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ44IqdobdY
3.  The "Modern Day Predictable Amateur Dramatics" soap opera is the third kind here.  I would compare it more to Latin American style soaps than I would to American style soaps.  There are so many of them and again, I don't watch them but catch bits and pieces as I go between music channels.  They usually involve love triangles and social class of course is always an issue - the poor girl in love with the rich man from Shanghai or wherever and blah, blah, blah.  There are a lot more elderly people and characters in soaps here too which is obviously reflective of the culture.  Enjoy this final clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izvhAZCp7U

CHRISTIAN WOODCARVER

Last week my friend Sherri took me this cute little street in Beijing with all sorts of fun shops full of antiques, calligraphy, kites, etc...  She took me to store that had a small room in an attic where there are these amazing items made by a man known as "The Christian Woodcarver."  It was really a great little shop - lots of scrolls with scriptures in Chinese, Chinese finger paintings, Nativities, etc... I loved the Noah's Ark that had the ark as a dragon boat!  There was this brilliant carving along the back wall that as close to the size of a door.  The carving was of The Garden of Eden and was absolutely beautiful.  I bought a few gifts for people and one for myself as well!  After we left we stopped by a calligraphy shop that had the biggest brushes I had ever seen!  See the pic below!

THE BENSFIELDS

My first weekend in China, I went to a church Christmas party where I knew absolutely no one.  But as  I sat at a table that had a few empty seats, I met the most fabulous couple, Dave and Sherri Bensfield!  I can say that God placed The Bensfields in my path because they have been absolutely amazing and helpful to me in so many ways!  We became fast friends and I am sooooo grateful.  Sherri is the one who helps me find my way around the bus, let's me use her oven, gives me her pots and pans to use, and helped me get signed up for Chinese class.  She has shown me where all sorts of fabulous places are and she and her husband have fed me on occassion too!  I am soooooo grateful to know them and will miss them terribly since they are moving back to the States on Friday :( .  Tonight I took them out for a goodbye dinner.  We went to Dave's favorite noodle place! I am going to miss The Bensfields sooooooo much!  I wish them well on their next assignment!

Chinese Tea

I'm a fan (decaf of course)!  So I'm kind of new at this tea thing but I am finding that I like it.  I like how natural it is and I think some of it can be an acquired taste but I think it's definitely possible to find something to please any set of taste buds.  One of my co-workers from China was constantly walking around with her tea bottle all the time. She always had flowers, plants, and other unidentifiable items in her water so I asked her about it and then she took me to the store and showed me some things I could buy t make my own.  I bought roses, chrysanthemum, some sugar rocks, and some fruit thing that I don't know what it is.  I've had a sore throat the last few days so my other friend bought me some lemon and this other swee something or other plant thing to drink in hot water too.  so far it seems to be helping.  A few weeks ago, my friend Sherri and I went to a park where there were all these vendors selling clothes, shoes, food, etc... and there were several booths of people selling flowers, leaves, herbs, and other things for tea.  The bins and canisters were huge.  The Chinese love their tea and I'm now the proud owner of a tea bottle!

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NCPA - CARMEN

Last night I went to the National Center for Performing Arts Beijing Opera production fo Bizet's Carmen.  After a disappointing production of La Traviata in February, I wasn't sure how this would be but it was SUPER FABULOUS!!  Not at all a disappointment!  Set and costumes were extremely well done and the stage direction was soooooooo much better than La Traviata which made a huge difference. It was a traditional performance and everything was bright and colorful.  They even had some small children from an acrobat troop do a few summersaults - totally cute!  The singers were all fabulous although I was slightly disappointed in the baritone who played Escamillio.  A woman named Viktoria Vizin played Carmen and I really loved her.  She just performed the role at The Met so it was great to see her here in Beijing. Great voice and I enjoyed her portrayal of the character.  I think Carmen would be such a fun and exciting role to play because she is so distinct and different than many other female opera characters.  She is so much of what I am not - super fiery, passionate, seductive, and she can be a total witch too!  Don Jose was played by Brandon Jovanovich and I was really looking forward to hearing him for the first time.  I had heard of him before and he was wonderful!  I'm a fan!  
 
My friends that came with me had never seen Carmen before.  My friend Joseph had never been to an opera.  I was very grateful it was such a great production so they could all have a good experience.  I would have to say that Carmen is one of the best operas to take someone to who has never experienced opera.  Most people are familiar with the music and don't even know it.  The story is easy to follow and the music is outstanding. The company has a several more productions in the next few months so I look forward to attending those as well.  

PROSTITUTE NEIGHBORS

I have prostitute neighbors.  I noticed a few weeks ago that one of the apartments in the building next door had lights up in the windows.  One window had the number of the apartment and the other window had a Chinese character in blue lights.  So of course I had my suspicions but then a friend suggested that maybe the apartment was for rent and they were advertising.  So I took a picture of the window and asked my Chinese co-worker what the symbol meant and apparantly they offer "foot massages".  So then I joked around about what would happen if I showed up at their door after work wanting an actual foot massage and not their version of a "foot massage."  Ha ha!  
 
Then a few days ago and I left my apartment to get on the elevator and there was a girl in the hallway dressed in a total hooker outfit - super short leopard print dress and outrageous heels, the hair and makeup totally overdone.  I haven't figured out if she actually lives in the apartment nearby or if she was you know, there on business. I don't want to know really.  But seriously, it's crazy how these prostitute girls just walk around all day and night like normal people.  It's disturbing and sad.  Whether the woman chooses that option or is forced into it, it makes me sad that they are living this way.  I wish they realized their true value and meaning as women.