All-Male Ballet in Beijing? What a drag!

We all know how Western culture has been more and more accepted in China in recent years. You only have to look at the forthcoming events for this month alone at many venues -the National Opera House, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Poly Theatre, 21st Century Theatre to name a few musical venues - to see the variety on offer: Mamma Mia! (in Chinese), Charles Dutoit and the China Philharmonic, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011 Beiing International Movie Festival, 14th Beijing Music Festival, Itzhak Perlman concert, La Boheme...the list goes on, and I haven't even included the art scene and the Beijing International Design Week!

However, one show that may have made Mao turn in his grave is the recent 3-day run of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (All-Male Comic Ballet. Founded in 1974, they are based in New York and this is their second visit to Beijing after a 2 year absence. I went to see their performance and it was a good mix of serious and humorous. There were thin men, fat men, smooth skinned and hairy, butch ballerinas and macho princes, but no effeminate or camp roles. They were in different costumes and heavy make-up, some made up as men but more often as not as women. There were familiar scenes from Swan Lake, with classical elements as well as comedy. If you are a serious ballet lover, then this maybe is not for you!

There was plenty of local press coverage of the show.

The show took place at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre. Some of you may have heard this name before - Mei is the most famous Beijing Opera singer of the last century. Beijing Opera also has males playing female roles, and this was Mei's speciality, so this theatre was a very suitable choice. Western ballet in drag is just a variation of Eastern opera in drag! Perhaps this was one reason the Ministry of Culture gave approval again to the Group's appearance. A Beijing Opera show was being put on on the same night as the ballet. In the dressing rooms, there were plenty of cross-cultural exchanges going on as the westerners marvelled at the complicated make-up of the opera singers and the Chinese smiled at the skimpy dress of the ballet dancers.

The mainly Chinese audience loved the humour, though some older members of the audience were a bit puzzled at some of the antics. How could ballet dancers who had had years of training bump into each other, or lose their place or fall over each other? Those who had paid prices of over 120 USD per ticket must have resented the people who had bought cheaper seats and who filled up the seats beside them, a rather unique Chinese custom. The loudest applause was given to the final encore where the Group performed a traditional Chinese folk dance, yang ge, complete with bright costumes and colourful handkerchiefs.

That was a treat for the 62nd birthday of China - that's right, PRC was founded 62 years ago today! It's sunny with clear blue skies, that's a real treat for the citizens - and tourists - in Beijing. Wish you were here to see for yourself!

Timeout Beijing's preview is here:

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Performing_Arts/12976/Les-Ballets-Trockadero-de-Monte-Carlo.html
Homepage of the Trocks:
http://www.trockadero.org/

Mooncakes, mooncakes - Mid-Autumn Festival

Today it's the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on the Chinese calendar, when there is a full moon (yes, look outside and see, you may see more than we can in cloudy Beijing). It is the second most important festival in China after Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and the Chinese have been celebrating this day for moon worship for over 2,000 years. Various events, lantern shows, sacrifical ceremonies, family reunions and gala shows are held, and all accompanied by mooncakes.

Mooncakes used to be a very unhealthy mixture of oily pastry on the outside, a bit like a pork pie, and with a sweet filling of lotus paste, lard and salted duck egg yolk. Actually they were very tasty and very rich.... but full of cholesterol. Various other fillings and outside crusts have developed to suit different tastes and local raw materials, such as red bean paste, mashed dates, and 5 kernels (fruit and nut).......

And now not only are there healthy varieties, and green varieties, but also ice cream ones and chocolate ones, yummy!

However, with inflation reaching China as well, the price has shot up over the years. It really got a bit over the top with expensive fillings such as abalone and sharks fin, and a bottle of wine or other gifts included in the box, which could cost up to 150 US Dollars for a box of 4. And since they are a gift item, packaging gets fancier and fancier.

Employers even bought boxes of mooncakes to show appreciation to their employees. With the property and stock markets cooling, however, people and companies are not so extravagant, and 80% now cost less than 30 US Dollars. I'm not sure how much this large mooncake costs, over 80 cm in diameter and 75 kgs (150 lbs) in weight, and made from 40 kgs of flour (photo from China Daily)!

Of course there are smaller ones, especially if made of gold, or made to look like Chinese chess pieces.

Of course if you are well connected or in a position of power, you don't need to buy any mooncakes, since all sorts of people will be giving you boxes of mooncakes to keep in your good books or to get you to do a favour or to thank you for a favour already done.....yes bribery and corruption packaged in a beautiful box. It is amazing how the traffic on the roads increased in the days leading up to the Festival, as people personally deliver boxes of mooncakes to their 'friends'.

Even the pandas get a special treat at this time of year.

This year I spent the holiday with my mother and since I am not in a position of power, I had to buy mooncakes myself. Actually we ate so many in past years, we don't really like eating too many now. It seems many others also are getting a bit fed up. My friend who works in foreign company said their employer gave them gift vouchers for Wal-Mart this year, which could be exchanged for any goods. And if you didn't want the vouchers, there are touts buying and selling all kinds of surplus vouchers at a discount. Of course for the wealthy and well-connected VIPs, giving (or if you are lucky, receiving) vouchers for the expensive 'hairy crab', a delicacy in season at this time of year, would enable you to get one up on everyone else. It's become a real business for everyone! Thank goodness my mum doesn't like seafood!

Taking A Train in China

Taking a train in China is a bit different than other countries. You can only buy a train ticket 3 to 5 days before the departure date. You can only buy a ticket from where you are departing from to your first destination. When you get to your first destination, the same rule applies for on going destinations. You can not buy train tickets at one place for your entire tour by train. Many trains are over night. Take only First class Sleepers as second class is very noisy and the car is all open only separated by metal mesh and are three bunks high. First class has two uppers and two lowers and closed compartments. If you are less than four people you may share the compartment with others of mixed sex. The people who have the upper bunks have the right to sit on the lower bunks until it is time to sleep. The toilet facilities can be both western and Chinese depending on the age of the train cars. Some only have the hole in the floor in the more remote areas. Dining cars usually have poor food so plan on taking food or snacks with you. Vendors come through the cars on a regular basis with snacks, noodles etc. too. If you are being met by a guide, they will know which car you are in and will usually be waiting outside your car on the platform. Sometimes because of Security, guides are not allowed on the platforms so you must exit with the crowd and the guide will be at the exit holding up a sign with your name on it. For more information on train travel in China, please contact us at interlak@eskimo.com    Today  there are also the special  fast trains between many cities that are ultra modern and take less time going 184 miles per hour....but of course cost more too.

Arriving At Airports in China

Before you arrive on your international air flight to China, your airline will hand out an Arrival card and a Health card. The health card asks simple questions wanting to know if you have a fever, where you came from and where you will be staying. You will drop this card off at a collection station as you arrive. The Arrival Card will ask your Airline, fight number, date of arrival and where you will be staying the first night. Keep this card with your passport. Upon your arrival follow the crowd which will take you to the Security counters. There you will present your passport and the Arrival Card. You then go to the luggage area where you will see your flight listed on a board in English and the luggage carrier number. After you pick up your luggage you may exit the luggage area (there is no customs check) through double doors (once you exit you can not return to the luggage area) There you will find a crowd of people with many of them holding up signs with names on them. If you have a guide meeting you, your name will be held up by your guide. If you need a taxi to take you to your hotel, DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION to anyone asking you if you would like a taxi. (they are rip off artists) Exit out the doors and watch for the sign that directs you to taxis which will be written in English. Taxi drivers never speak English, but there is a "Starter" at the head of the line who does speak English and he will advise the taxi driver where you want to go. They run the meter although if a toll way is used, you must pay the toll fee in addition to the taxi fare. No tip is required but just round off the fare to the next highest yuan. For more questions answered, contact us at interlak@eskimo.com

A quiet corner in an ancient temple

After walking around the numerous sights in Beijing, it's sometimes necessary to rest your feet and have a cup of coffee or tea (Chinese of course!) in a relaxing and interesting environment. I found one such place recently, located on the site of an an ancient temple in a small hutong right next to the Bell and Drum Towers.

As soon as you enter the courtyard, you are met by a goldfish pond, an old rickshaw and bamboo trees.

The old temple structure is evident outside but unfortunately large parts of the interior have been converted into a market ( 'to serve the people')

As you move in from the coffee shop outside, you enter an inner courtyard which has been converted into a small drinks area and meeting/conference area.

David Cameron even used this room to receive VIPs during his visit to China.

Outside in the hutong, there are still some genuine old courtyard houses.

The hutong is also quite popular with tourists, but they don't stay long!