Hey folks,
For those of you that are following this blog, I apologize for the brief posts. This trip the internet has been sporadic at best so once I get home I will elaborate more.
Home in a little more than 24 hours!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Kunming/Qujing
September 18th, 2009
We got up this morning and headed out to the minority village of Yunnan Province. Yunnan Province has the largest minority population in China. There is a park, that resembles Epcot, that shows all of the minorities cultures.
We did get a chance to have our laundry done at this hotel. Unfortunately, when we got it back about 30 minuets before we left it was still damp but at least it was clean, I was running out of clothes.
We got on the bus and headed for Qujing which turned into a 3 hour trip because of the traffic.
We arrived at the hotel early for a change and had dinner with local county officials. After a great dinner we had the rest of the evening to ourselves. We stayed in this evening and sat and chatted with Allison and Barb.
Tomorrow we have a TV interview and our last concert.
Kunming
Today, I had the opportunity to speak to music students at Yunnan University. I basically talked about the history of country music and its influences that has made it what it is. Alli, Gary and I did a vocal demonstration and Alli and I did a fiddle song. There were several questions about the structure of country music and the forms that it takes.
Afterward, we had lunch with the Vice president of the school and the dean of the arts school.
That evening we had a great concert! The crowd was very energetic. I wish that I could bring home all the flowers that were brought to me on the stage. On the last song the crowd filled the front part of the stage and dancing it out! We were going to do an encore but JJ busted the head on his snare drum so we were done for the night.
Heading to Qujing on the morning!
Afterward, we had lunch with the Vice president of the school and the dean of the arts school.
That evening we had a great concert! The crowd was very energetic. I wish that I could bring home all the flowers that were brought to me on the stage. On the last song the crowd filled the front part of the stage and dancing it out! We were going to do an encore but JJ busted the head on his snare drum so we were done for the night.
Heading to Qujing on the morning!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Beijing/Kunming
September 16th, 2009
We got up this morning and headed out to the great wall. We first stopped at a jade carving factory where I have never seen so much jade in my life.
Once on the great wall I did not even try to climb up it. I know that was supposed to be my goal but unfortunately life got in the way and I didn't hit the weight or training goal that I wanted.
Cheryl can now see why I love this place so much.
After the great wall we went to a Cloisonne factory for lunch and shopping.
At the airport we got stiffed by the check in girl for over weight baggage. After Mr. Song did some serious butt chewing we were able to get it reduced by half. Everyone pitched in and we got it taken care of.
We got on the plane and, lucky me, I got a middle seat! They supposedly gave me a better seat with more room, I would have hated to see the original seat that they gave me!
We landed safely and headed to the hotel, which didn't have air conditioning. Welcome to China!
We got up this morning and headed out to the great wall. We first stopped at a jade carving factory where I have never seen so much jade in my life.
Once on the great wall I did not even try to climb up it. I know that was supposed to be my goal but unfortunately life got in the way and I didn't hit the weight or training goal that I wanted.
Cheryl can now see why I love this place so much.
After the great wall we went to a Cloisonne factory for lunch and shopping.
At the airport we got stiffed by the check in girl for over weight baggage. After Mr. Song did some serious butt chewing we were able to get it reduced by half. Everyone pitched in and we got it taken care of.
We got on the plane and, lucky me, I got a middle seat! They supposedly gave me a better seat with more room, I would have hated to see the original seat that they gave me!
We landed safely and headed to the hotel, which didn't have air conditioning. Welcome to China!
Shenyang/Beijing
September 15th, 2009
We got up this morning and headed to the train station for a four hour trip to Beijing. If you have not had the experience of trying to get through a train station in China you are missing an experience. After a four hour trip we arrived in Beijing.
We got on the bus and I noticed my back back was unzipped as I looked in the bag I saw that my IPod touch was gone. Someone had unzipped the back and reached in and grabbed it while it was on Cheryl's back.
We then went to the Forbidden City and spent the rest of the afternoon there. Even though this was my second time there I am still amazed by it's beauty and intricacies.
We then headed to a pearl factory where I finally got Cheryl to spend some money on herself. She picked out a set of black pearl earrings and a necklace.
Our tour guide hooked us all up with massages so Cheryl and I jumped at the chance! After dinner they came to our room and then we really had a great nights sleep!
We got up this morning and headed to the train station for a four hour trip to Beijing. If you have not had the experience of trying to get through a train station in China you are missing an experience. After a four hour trip we arrived in Beijing.
We got on the bus and I noticed my back back was unzipped as I looked in the bag I saw that my IPod touch was gone. Someone had unzipped the back and reached in and grabbed it while it was on Cheryl's back.
We then went to the Forbidden City and spent the rest of the afternoon there. Even though this was my second time there I am still amazed by it's beauty and intricacies.
We then headed to a pearl factory where I finally got Cheryl to spend some money on herself. She picked out a set of black pearl earrings and a necklace.
Our tour guide hooked us all up with massages so Cheryl and I jumped at the chance! After dinner they came to our room and then we really had a great nights sleep!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Shenyang
September 14th, 2009
This morning we headed out to Shenyang Technological University for an outdoor concert. The concert was a celebration for the freshman class that just finished 2 weeks of required military training.
We took a tour of the school given by the English club. They were very excited that we were there to play music for them.
We tried to do a sound check but the wind was blowing around 30 mph. It was knocking over JJ's cymbals and caught the big banner behind us and ripped it off it's stand. We then noticed that it was getting cloudy out when the rain drops started hitting us. We got all of our equipment out of the rain and put away then went to lunch and headed back to the hotel to change for the show.
The show tonight was CRAZY! There were somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 college students there at the show and they were all enjoying themselves.
Believe it or not, Cheryl even got in on the action. She was going out in the crowd and getting them to dance with her. She even got on stage and threw out the cowboy hats to the crowd!
After the show we ate dinner from food that was grown and prepared there at the college. It was a great honor to have that.
Heading to the train station again in the morning and heading to Beijing.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Changchun/Shenyang
September 13th, 2009
Well got up this morning and toured Jilin University Arts school. We walked through the pottery building and one of the teachers asked if any of us would like to make something, I jumped at the chance. I made a couple of bowls with the help of one of the teachers, I can't wait to get the bowls after they've been fired and painted.
There were some sculptures that were for sale and one stood out to me, it was a small ceramic cross. I immediately bought it and to my surprise the artist was there and I was able to thank him for it and tell him what the cross means to me.
From there we went to a German restaurant that served Brazilian BBQ with a buffet that had traditional Chinese food. So far the most surreal moment of the trip.
We then did a driving trip around the city of Changchun and saw Pu Yi's last palace when he was the puppet emperor for Japan during WWII. (Watch the movie “The Last Emperor” and you'll see what I'm talking about.)
We then took a bullet train to our next destination of Shenyang. When the train stopped we only had a short amount of time to get our luggage off before the doors automatically closed, but we made it!
Had a hour drive in a very small van to our hotel. Have a concert tomorrow, I wonder what that will bring?
Well got up this morning and toured Jilin University Arts school. We walked through the pottery building and one of the teachers asked if any of us would like to make something, I jumped at the chance. I made a couple of bowls with the help of one of the teachers, I can't wait to get the bowls after they've been fired and painted.
There were some sculptures that were for sale and one stood out to me, it was a small ceramic cross. I immediately bought it and to my surprise the artist was there and I was able to thank him for it and tell him what the cross means to me.
From there we went to a German restaurant that served Brazilian BBQ with a buffet that had traditional Chinese food. So far the most surreal moment of the trip.
We then did a driving trip around the city of Changchun and saw Pu Yi's last palace when he was the puppet emperor for Japan during WWII. (Watch the movie “The Last Emperor” and you'll see what I'm talking about.)
We then took a bullet train to our next destination of Shenyang. When the train stopped we only had a short amount of time to get our luggage off before the doors automatically closed, but we made it!
Had a hour drive in a very small van to our hotel. Have a concert tomorrow, I wonder what that will bring?
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