I’m sitting in my office, jet lagged as can be, publishing the blog entries I scrawled in a notebook (NOT the computer called the” notebook”) two weeks ago…Looking to wrap my mind around the Enigma which is China 2012.

November 22, 2012

I’m on tour in China.  With the Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater of Chicago, Illinois.  We are a group of 12 dancers (6 men and 6 women), 2 guitarists/singer, violinist, and percussionist.  Also 2 techs.

Some Observations:

China is amazing.  A parallel universe.  Attractive people, many many ethnic groups, no one hassles you on the street.  Virtually no obesity.  I notice that the breakfasts have plenty of carbs:  breads, pastries, rice, noodles, potatoes.  Lunch and dinner are practically carb-free, with lots of protein:  fish, chicken, pork, seafood, dark green vegetables, mushrooms.

Today we’re in concert in Haikou city, on the tropical island of Hainan, sandwiched between the Bay of Tonkin and the South China Sea.  Near Vietnam;  a tropical paradise, rain forest, 90 degrees and humid.  I had a nice long walk through a huge park; saw plants, trees, and birds I haven’t seen since my 2 years in Kerala (South India) so many long years ago.  The air is thick, moist, fragrant—I poured sweat but it felt so clean and good!  Thousands of electric motor scooters, thousands and thousands, not making a sound.

NOTE! DIGRESSION: a recent rant of mine, the past few months, has been about “Minnesota-Nice” drivers.  They freely stop anywhere, waving pedestrians and other vehicles through, even as they clearly have the right-of-way.  I complain that they’re reinventing the rules of the road, thereby putting everyone at risk.  And all with this passive-aggressive Minnesota-Nice attitude.  I  drive everyone crazy with this daily rant.

Well, here, it is Every Man for Himself!  And Try Not to get Hit!  Or run over.  And pay attention to those silent motorized bicycles….