My Adventures Everywhere

UPDATE on the Valley Golf Incident

2009-01-12T02:41:00.001+08:00

After investigation, the elder Dela Paz was judged to have instigated the fight at the Valley Golf Course, and was expelled from the golf club for disorderly conduct. Meanwhile, Sec. Pangandaman was suspended for two years, and his sons banned for life from ever entering Valley Golf Club.

Amazing how a very emotional posting can sway public opinion... and how important it is to get all the facts first before handing down judgment. Turns out the victim wasn't such a victim after all.

Now that this matter has been put to bed, we can all focus on other, more important things...

In the interest of fair play...

2009-01-10T00:17:00.002+08:00

Here's a link to 3 versions of the Valley Golf mauling incident:

http://gangbadoy.multiply.com/journal/item/288/Three_Versions_of_the_Valley_Golf_Mess

It's now starting to dawn on me that perhaps there is much more to this than just one account, and I for one apologize for my part in fanning the flames without objectivity and the open ear to hear all sides of the story. Now my mind is mired in doubt. Since my own eyes didn't witness the crime, I'll have to depend on eyewitness accounts and results from whatever investigations are taking place on the matter.

It's very, very possible that everyone had a hand in the violence that took place in this, a presumably peaceful location of civility: the golf course. As one that has grown up around the sport (my brother himself was a junior golfer, participating in his share of tournaments back in the day), it's appalling that any sort of altercation would take place here. Golf is NOT a contact sport (save of course for a golf club coming into swift and strong smacking contact with a golf ball).

Now that all sides seem to be amply represented, read away.

Maybe everyone was a little right... and a little wrong. It's been said, there are 3 sides to every story: side A, side B, and the truth.

By Armida Siguion-Reyna: Let us be afraid of thoughtless censorship

2008-10-18T01:37:00.006+08:00

This is a piece written by Armida Siguion-Reyna... the link to the original column is at the end of this article (I got this from Girlie Rodis' site).

Read on...

------------------------------------------

NO HOLDS BARRED

Armida Siguion-Reyna

Regardless of the motive

10/14/08

Mulling over the possibility of watching as much could possibly be seen in one sitting of Lav Diaz's nine-hour "Kadaganan sa Banwaan Ning Mga Engkanto" (English title: "Death in the Land of Encantos")" I hear it's been rated "X" by the First Review Committee of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), courtesy of members Amalia Fuentes, Ros Olgado and Fr. Nick Cruz.

Apparently not caring about the rights of the Filipino movie-viewing public — the little that's left — to see what won the Special Mention prize in the 2007 Venice International Film Festival's Orizzonti (Horizons) section, the MTRCB banned it from screening because "The scene where the woman was shown in bed naked with her breasts and vagina (genitalia) are exposed is against the rules and regulations of the board — No exhibition of the genitals."

Seriously.

A worldwide recession is looming. The once-mighty American economy is struggling its way past a fractious presidential elections. China is trying to recover from the melamine milk-scandal. And here in the Philippines, we're still focused on breasts and vagina in a film that's clearly nothing close to pornography.

As former chairman of the MTRCB, I know that PD 1986, the law that created the board, requires that all movies, barring none, be viewed before a decision can be reached regarding approval or disapproval, before a screening permit is issued. Even so I am able to judge this particular Diaz piece sight unseen, based on Diaz's track record, his persona and the fact that there's no international buzz about how salacious it is. It cannot be malaswa.

I mean, come on. A porno flick running close to half-a-day is bound to get talked about by a global media increasingly on the look-out for news to cushion horrific stories of crashing stock markets, ineffective bailouts and bankruptcies. Imagine just how many shots of insertions and pumping and close-ups of ejaculations can fit into nine hours, pag hindi naman nagkagulo ang buong mundo diyan. Except, 'yon na nga, that's not what "Encantos" is all about, as can immediately be gleaned from the first two paragraphs of the Variety's International Film Festival review section last year, written by Ronnie Schieb:

"Lav Diaz's latest black-and-white digital marathon, 'Death in the Land of Encantos' (clocking in at nine hours), unfolds in the devastated landscape left in the wake of Super Typhoon 'Durian,' the worst storm to hit the Philippines in living memory. Placing a threesome of fictional characters amid the rubble, Diaz measures the aftermath of this natural disaster within the larger trauma of the islands' history. Plunging the viewer into an alternate time zone where distinctions between documentary and fiction, stasis and action slowly dissolve, pic confirms helmer's status as a brilliant but consummately non-commercial artist.

"Unlike Diaz's other works, which were carefully constructed over time ('Evolution of a Filipino Family' was nine years in the making — and 10 hours in the viewing), 'Death' sprang fully grown from the ravages of the typhoon in Bicol, where Diaz had lensed several previous films. Thus, the documentary elements could not be described as "interpolated," but rather form the very clay from which the drama (if such slight strands of narrative can be so termed) is molded."

Nothing there to foreshadow extreme close-ups of vulvas, arcs of semen spray and turgid penises, so why did it get an "X"? Just how completely awake the members of the Review Committee were when they "X-ed" it, is another factor to consider, but hala, sige, for the sake of the argument, I will presume they were wide awake and in full possession of their faculties.

Fr. Cruz is a Jesuit, like Gerald Healy, SJ, Professor of Moral Theology Emeritus, who had forwarded to us the Vatican position on context, manner of presentation, (filmmaker's) intention and culture, as standards for film review and analysis, and which we forthrightly included in our Implementing Rules and Regulations during our tenure. Fr. Cruz was a member of the Estrada MTRCB. How could he have agreed to the "X-ing" of the Diaz movie?

Which brings me now to reminding all about the dangers of pending House Bill (HB) 3305, and known in the Senate as Senate Bill (SB) 2464: "An Act Prohibiting and Penalizing the Production, Printing, Publication, Importation, Sale, Distribution and Exhibition of Obscene and Pornographic Materials, and the Exhibition of Live Sexual Acts, Amending for the Purpose Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code, as Amended."

I saw Tarlac Rep. Nikki Prieto Teodoro and lawyer Eric Mallonga of the MTRCB on cable TV the other day, lauding the bill and supporting its passage into law, failing to see that while it purports to "protect women and children from the pernicious effects of pornography," it more dangerously seeks to strangle all forms of creativity with the operative phrase "regardless of the motive."

"'Obscene' refers to anything that is indecent or offensive or contrary to good customs or religious beliefs, principles or doctrines, or tends to corrupt or deprave the human mind, or is calculated to excite impure thoughts or arouse prurient interest, or violates the proprieties of language and human behavior, regardless of the motive of the producer, printer, publisher, writer, importer, seller, distributor or exhibitor.

"'Pornographic or pornography' refers to objects or subjects of film, television shows, photography, illustrations, music, games, paintings, drawings, illustrations, advertisements, writings, literature or narratives contained in any format, whether audio or visual, still or moving pictures, in all forms of film, print, electronic, outdoor or broadcast mass media, or whatever future technologies to be developed, which are calculated to excite, stimulate or arouse impure thoughts and prurient interest, regardless of the motive of the author thereof."

This bill becomes law and we completely slay the creative energies of the few remaining Lav Diazes. This bill gets passed, and gems where "…stark black-and-white digital compositions frame a landscape so bleak and boulder-strewn, so empty of habitation that it is hard to believe the land was not barren from time primordial. Painful flashbacks to the region's past resurrect a lost Eden. The only thing more shocking than the extent of the damage is the ages-deep acceptance in the eyes of the survivors…" is forever judged in terms of breast and genital exposure, and filmmaking be damned.

I wonder what Amalia Fuentes feels, helping kill the industry that made her? The sell-outs of the movie bill we were lobbying for in the Ramos and Estrada presidencies willfully dropped the provision on censorship exemption, believing that only monies earned from tax rebates mattered. I wonder what they feel, now that major films cannot be screened?

Death in the land of the encantos, indeed. HB 3305 and SB 2464 is murder, regardless of the motives of its sponsors. It cannot be allowed to pass.

(For comments, write to: armida114@yahoo.com)

http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/20081014com5.html

Back to work...

2008-10-15T01:45:00.001+08:00

My time of rest in Manila is over... time for me to head back on
tour. May I say, with utmost happiness, that I can't wait to return!

It's always bittersweet every time I leave home though... my daughter
will remain here, as will my husband, mother, brother, and dear, dear
friends. However, I do have another home with my family on tour, and
am looking forward to seeing them and working with them again.

It's funny... it's a rare and beautiful thing when you have a cast
that just gels together in a great way, both on stage and off. That
camaraderie does translate and is obvious in performance. I am very,
very transparent, and when I don't like someone, it's painfully
obvious. Not fun at all.

So... here's to more late night poker games (in the name of Aaron
Galligan-Stierle)... more leg pain from those blasted heels and
stairs... to the hunt for a Starbucks that's actually walking distance
from the hotel and/or theater... to more culinary and gustatory
adventures... to doing a show with people I have the pleasure and
honor of calling my friends.

Here's to more fun! I have only 6 months left on this Asian tour...
if you think about it, it's really not a very long time. Yeehaaaaaaah!

THE THEATRICAL SOCIAL EVENT OF THE SEASON IS HERE!!!

2008-10-04T14:45:00.001+08:00

By Congressman Ruffy Biazon

2008-10-04T14:27:00.004+08:00

This is Congressman Ruffy Biazon's Multiply posting regarding this take on the Reproductive Health Bill. He serves the city of Muntinlupa. This is his unique perspective as a public servant that has to face these issues day in and day out.

I want the RH Bill passed in this congress. Yes, I support the RH Bill.

---------------------------

For the first time in so many years and congresses, the debate on the Reproductive Health Bill has finally reached the Plenary. The debates are now raging, not just in the session hall but even in the media, with particular emphasis in print through the successive paid ads by the opposing groups.

In previous congresses, the bill did not make it beyond the committee hearings. On hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise, since it gave the bill time to be refined so as to become more palatable to a wider social spectrum. The bill in its present form is far from what the original bill used to be, which could be said to have been crude in present terms. All the debates over the years have contributed to revisions and inputs that addressed the concerns from various sectors.

In all these discussions on the proposed measure, legislators are asked one basic and compelling question----"Where do you stand on Reproductive Health?"

I was in a forum with students of the Ateneo de Naga last month, and during the open forum, I was asked that question. Immediately, the thought that came to my mind was the fact that only a couple of weeks before, the university held a rally against Reproductive Health. Of course, that thought was quickly followed by a question to myself…How should I answer?

I answered the students' question with a story. I related to them my grassroots experience, particularly with my constituents whom I deal with in the everyday performance of my job.

I told them the story of Grace, a constituent of mine who lives along the railroad tracks, one of thousands of informal settlers along the stretch of the right of way of the Philippine National Railways which cuts through 8 of the 9 barangays of Muntinlupa City.

Grace is 25 years old, and pregnant. I met Grace during one of my community visits and when I saw her bulging stomach, I asked her if it was her first baby, as is my habit whenever I see a pregnant woman during my rounds in the city. She said no, it is her fifth child, with the first one born when she was 18. Her husband is employed as a laborer, but only has work every now and then.

Asked if it was their desire to have that much children, she said if she had her way, she would have stopped having kids after the second. But they didn't practice any family planning method since they didn't know anything about it. She also said that when her husband comes home intoxicated with liquor, she has no way to turn down his advances. Lest he gets mad and violent. Obviously, Natural Family Planning will not work for her.

Other stories of my constituents include that of Marissa, a first time mother who was eight months pregnant when she availed of the free pre-natal medical mission that my office conducted. Marissa and her husband live with her mother in law in one of the urban poor communities in Muntinlupa. While she was waiting in line, one of the barangay health workers assisting us requested me to let Marissa go in front of the line, since she wasn't feeling well and was bloated. I took a look at her and indeed, saw that her ankles were swollen, indicative of edema and pre-eclampsia.

I let her go in front of the line to see the OB-GYN and have an ultra-sound of her belly. The image revealed that Marissa's baby was being compressed by an enlarged placenta and what appeared to be a myoma. The placenta also had dark blotches, indicative of an internal bleeding.

We immediately sent Marissa to the hospital, since it was determined that hers was an emergency medical condition. When we interviewed her, she admitted that it was the first time she had a pre-natal check up, since she did not have the money to go to a doctor, even in a government hospital. She said instead of spending for the fare going to the clinic, she just saves it up for their daily needs and saving for the baby's needs when the baby is born.

Another story is that of Vilma, a utility worker in one of the Muntinlupa elementary schools. Aged 27, she has 3 children and her husband is a construction worker. Together, they earn around 10,000 pesos a month. After her third child, she decided to have a ligation because she felt that with three children to take care of, they wouldn't be able to afford having an additional child without having to sacrifice some needs of the kids they already have. I asked her why she chose to have a ligation. Slightly embarrassed, she said she wanted to stop having children while at the same time fulfill her "marital obligations" to her husband. With a giggle, said it's better than her husband find satisfaction elsewhere.

In a similar mindset is Rhodora, a school teacher who had a ligation after her second child, which was a special child. After her second kid, she wanted to have enough time and resources to attend to the needs of her special child, not to mention her first child as well. So she consulted her gynecologist and requested that the she undergo the procedure.

Her doctor refused, saying it is against his beliefs to do the procedure. Rhodora asked for a referral, and she was referred to a colleague of the doctor. But just like the first doctor, the second one also refused, trying to convince her not to proceed, citing that it is immoral. In the end, Rhodora had to look again for another doctor, since it she felt that the service she is looking for is being denied her on the grounds of personal beliefs of the doctors.

These are just some of the stories that I commonly encounter among my constituents. Such situations are most common in the poorer communities, resulting in high incidence of malnutrition, school drop-outs, maternal and infant death, birth complications and scarcity of family resources.

Since I regularly hold medical missions in my district, I get first hand experience and information on the health conditions in the communities. Hygiene is often a problem, especially that families live in confined spaces in the urban poor communities, so the spread of disease is more likely. One of my regular activities is the conduct of prenatal medical missions, There is not a mission where we do not encounter pregnant teenagers, the youngest of which has been 14 years old.

For example, not many people know that cervical cancer may be spread through sexual contact. Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, the cause of the common wart, which may be passed from male to female. Not many people know that hygiene plays an important part in preventing the spread and cause of cervical cancer, as well as prudent sexual practices. More importantly, not many know that cervical cancer is easy to detect and cure if diagnosed early. This is because there is no policy on reproductive health.

The fact of the matter is that many of the health problems encountered in the grassroots may be attributed to the lack of reproductive health services available to the people. While some limit themselves to the issue of population and birth control in the discussions about RH, the bill is not only about population and sex. It is more about the delivery of services to the people who are in need of it. The absence of a policy opens people up to medical risks and leaves them nowhere to go but to unreliable, ineffective and sometimes life threatening remedies.

A case in point is the proliferation of vendors right beside the Quiapo church who openly sell concoctions labeled "Pang-pa Regla". It is common knowledge that many of those who patronize those vendors do so with the intention of getting rid of unwanted pregnancies. Even if they weren't pregnant and just wanted to have regular menstruation, it is still the wrong place to go for treatment or service.

This is not to say that having Reproductive Health services will enable the availability of abortion. The bill expressly maintains that abortion continues to be illegal in the country. To say that the bill legalizes abortion is an outright lie and deception. My point in citing the "pang-pa regla" vendors is the fact that the absence of reproductive health services and information leads to people's ignorance about reproductive health issues and their body's reproductive systems. If they had the right information and services available, they would know that availing of the products sold by those vendors would not only be ineffective, it may even be harmful.

The intentions of the bill's authors and supporters are not to legalize abortion, spread a culture of promiscuity or destroy the family. It is the intention of the bill's authors and supporters to meet the needs of a significant portion of the population for reproductive health services and information. There is absolutely no intention to impose on couples particular methods that they should employ in planning their families. It is the intention of the bill to provide information to people about responsible parenthood, family planning, avoiding unwanted pregnancies and an informed choice on which method best fits their beliefs, convictions and needs.

To continuously insist that there are other ulterior motives other than the welfare of Filipino couples and families is to deny the existence of the problems faced daily by the people. To stop the adoption of a public policy on reproductive health is a denial of service to those who seek reproductive health care.

Some make it seem that the bill if passed into law will force people to use contraceptives. Even without the bill, contraceptives are available in the commercial market. What is not available in the present regime is the correct information about contraceptives and reproductive health. What the bill will provide if passed into law, is reliable and uniform information and services which people may avail of if they so desired. Whether it is modern or natural family planning method, the couple is left to decide after being properly informed.

Why do I support the bill?

Because there are those who have signified the need to have the correct information and reliable reproductive health services .

Because I have seen first hand during my service to my constituents the consequences of the continued denial of information and service to the people.

Because there are women whose bodies have been ravaged by multiple consecutive pregnancies even if they had not planned it.

Because there are women who have been physically abused by their husbands because they refused to indulge their spouses because "it is not the right time".

Because I have seen too many teenage pregnancies which could have been avoided had these young women been informed about their adolescent reproductive system.

Because I have seen too many complications in pregnancies and births from the poor constituents that come to my office for medical assistance.

Because I have seen too many infant and maternal deaths, orphaned children, bereaved husbands.

Because I have seen children dropping out of school because their parents cannot afford to send all their children to school at the same time.

Because there are many malnourished children whose ability to learn has been impaired.

Because I have constituents who have acquired diseases that could have been prevented if only there was appropriate information and service available to them.

Some might say that instead of supporting the proposed measure, we should just allocate enough resources to other services such as education, housing and the eradication of corruption. There is no doubt to that. We should do those things. We are trying to do those things. But at the present situation, even if we are able to provide the right number of classrooms, the right number of teachers and all the books that the students need, the ability of poor families to send their children to school is hampered by their absolute lack of resources to provide for the cost of sending the kids to school ----- transportation, snack, uniforms, other miscellaneous requirements, etc.

Statistics show that of 10 children who enter elementary school, only 6 go on to high school, and only 2 finish high school. And based on actual experience in my district, it is not due to the lack of classrooms or teachers. It is the day to day difficulty of surviving through life with the severely limited resources of poor families. Bottomline is, how can a child who does not finish studies lead the ideal productive life?

The intention is not to prescribe a limit on the number of children but to enable couples to decide their family size based on correct information and according to their desired number of children and capability to provide support.

Those who oppose the bill cite various statistics and studies all done abroad. I'm taking a position that is based on what I see with my own eyes as I perform my duties. I see the living conditions of my constituents on a daily basis, especially many of them come to my office to seek assistance for various reasons---health, education, livelihood, etc. On the other hand, I also see what government is trying to do with the little it has to serve the needs of the people.

It is unfair to those who support the bill to be labeled "anti-life", "anti-family", "pro-abortion" and many other monickers on the basis of a pre-conceived notions. If there is anyone who desires the best for the Filipino family, that would be the one who is most familiar to the daily struggles of the poor families. The question should not only be whether you are pro-life or not (because there is absolutely no one who is anti-life), but also if the people deserve quality of life.

This is a test blog...

2008-09-18T19:56:00.001+08:00

This is a test... this is only a test...

We've now just arrived in Guangzhou... Peter, Sheilla and I are here
for an overnight trip... we have a press event tomorrow, and then
afterwards are off to Zhengzhou for our short run. We only have 3
shows in that city.

How you're all doing well!

The weekend is all over... thank goodness

2008-09-15T00:20:00.007+08:00

Well, it's Sunday night... as I wait for room service to bring me my dinner (for some reason I'm craving Chinese style green beans tonight), I figured it was as good a time as any to blog about the weekend. So far I've written about walking in the rain in Shu Yuan Men (Book Garden Gate)... now time to write a little about work.

In Beijing, our musical director Michael Duff gave Peter and me the heads-up on what could have potentially been a disaster... because of visa problems, our touring musicians from Canada and the Ukraine were going to arrive later than expected. The Xi'an presentor had to then hire local musicians to cover for the missing players. At first, it seemed like something out of a musical director's worst nightmare: one player wouldn't produce the best sound, but read music like a demon... another would make the most hauntingly beautiful tones, but can barely read. Michael said that it would take a ton of work, and that he himself didn't know how things would turn out. Peter (God bless him) kept calm and cool and said, "It'll be fine, no worries." Michael had been working with them, and said that this young group (very, very young... a bulk of them are in the local conservatory, still in training, I think) was incredibly hardworking. I'll be honest... there was a part of me that was very doubtful of how opening night would be... and then there was another that would work with whatever we were given, and hope for the best. I just had to trust that it would all be fine...

And thankfully, it was.

Here's Michael working with the orchestra in the lobby of the theater.

(l-r) Brandy Zarle, Peter Saide, Charlie Parker

Sheilla Habab (my adopted sister, personal assistant and dresser)
and Lynn Zhang, my translator

Rehearsing "Loneliness of Evening"

(l-r) Priscilla Duff, who was subbing for our Keyboard 2 player,
and Janet Roma, our associate musical director and Keyboard 1 player

Peter Saide and Steve Gagliastro,
who would be playing the King on opening night in Xi'an

Jen Bechter and Brandy Zarle rehearsing "Stepsisters' Lament"

At our sitzprobe on September 10, for the most part, we heard the sounds that we were used to hearing in Manila. It was evident at this music rehearsal just how much work Michael had put into making this orchestra sound good. Sure, there would be a few bad notes here and there, or one player would go ahead of everyone else, but this was going to be one invaluable experience for these young musicians. Michael pointed out that these kids had probably never seen the inside of an orchestra pit before... which, if you think about it, was an exciting prospect. This was going to be a time in their lives that they won't soon forget. We were rooting for them. Sure, I was angry at the problems that the visa hullabaloo was causing, but I couldn't think about that at this moment... we had work to do.

Only the principals were called at this sitzprobe... the ensemble would get to hear them on our adjustment day on September 11, which was the date of our opening night. After getting the rundown of what our stage adjustments would be (here's a partial list: no palace terrace drop [the red set], no kitchen railing on the bridge, no blue drop in the prologue [we used the bedroom doors instead, and they floated upstage of the bridge and were therefore unusable], no ballroom drop [the purple drop]). Plus, because of the where the scrim would be hung, so much had to be adjusted upstage of their original spike marks that were set in Manila. Plus, because of how the fly system works at this theater, there were sacrifices that had to be made. The speed at which the drops rise and fall is incredibly slow... as in, it would take the better part of one scene to complete a set change. Interesting.

The new merchandising set-up in the lobby

Our theatre, the Grand Theatre in Renmin Square, Xi'an

Doing stage adjustments for the opening number

Looking up at me is Amy Nelson, our 1st trumpet player

Michael, looking like he's got a migraine coming on...

This is the house...

Jen Jenkins (Dance Captain) adjusting choreography for the theater

Jefferson Slinkard (who watched opening night and enjoyed it),
and Peter with his goofy grin

We also had to get acquainted with dressers and backstage crew that spoke very little to no English... there are interpreters stationed on each side of the stage to help the American crew give quick instructions for set moves and whatever else (our head props person brings along her electronic English-Chinese dictionary with her everywhere to communicate)... plus a few more for the hairdressers and dressers. To be sure, this has been a very interesting as well as educational experience for all of us, and we're having a pretty good time. (The only downer for me is going past the very -- ahem -- "fragrant" men's room when I need to go to the wardrobe room or to stage left. Phew!)

The audiences here in Xi'an have been really, really great. We were told to expect a conservative, polite crowd that only really erupts at the very end during curtain call... that possibly there wouldn't be applause after song numbers because, it was explained to us, that the audience doesn't want to interrupt the show as it's going. That's really sweet! So we go in not expecting anything, but being pleasantly surprised when applause arrives. It's all good. And yes, they really go full out at curtain call. It's really wonderful.

Yes, we've all been learning some functional Mandarin... I can now say "Hello," "I'm sorry," "Excuse me, let me pass," "Thank you," "bathroom," and "What's your name?" It's not much, but it's something! We all try with our very Western (and in my case, Pinoy) accents to learn more and more vocabulary and phrases... it does send our "teachers" (the interpreters and wardrobe department heads) into fits of laughter when we say things with the wrong tone or inflection. But it's been fun!

Our run in Xi'an so far has been really fantastic, despite the challenges that have come our way. The challenges turned out to not be insurmountable, thankfully... all the hard work that everyone in the company is putting in is really paying off. The crew is doing a great job, the dressers and hairdressers as well, and the show is running like a machine once again.

Next stop for me: the Terra Cotta Warriors. I have been waiting for this field trip for so long!!!

A Rainy Day in Xi'an

2008-09-10T13:23:00.007+08:00

The very first thing that struck me when we touched down in Xi'an a few days ago was the smell.

Rather... the fragrance.

I took a deep breath upon exiting the airport, and it was... so... mmmmm... clean! The air smelled so fresh and fragrant, I couldn't get over it! And take note, this was the airport... what more when we travelled further from here?

The car ride into the city was long, but it really didn't matter... since our company manager Jamey was in the car with me, the work-related conversation kept us mentally busy enough... but once we entered the city proper, I found it to be well planned, well laid out, and very beautiful. And this was at night. A lovely, fragrant, clear night.

The next day was our press day in Xi'an to promote Cinderella in the city before we open on Thursday... thank goodness we weren't going to be in costume. The last two cities we visited for press (Shanghai and Beijing), we had to wear our ball finery. Beautiful, but not always the most comfortable. So the news that we could just wear our own clothing (I chose a Cinderella t-shirt with diamantes and a pair of jeans) was very welcome. The press conference was held in the in-progress Land of Lotus. I didn't get a tour or a description of the complex, but from the looks of it, it's a residential community being built by one of our presentors in Xi'an. It's not far from the Tang Paradise (where the Emperor of China resided in the Tang dynasty) and the Great Wild Goose Pagoda... and we spied this billboard on our way home:

This is somewhere in Tang Paradise
And this one was on the adjacent corner. Sorry about that car...

Yesterday morning, we visited the Immigration Office to get our photos taken for what's going to be our temporary residence certificates... it took all of 5 minutes to do. Go in, sit down, check all your info to make sure it's correct, take a digital photo, and leave. A representative from the presentor's office as well as our associate company manager were there to help with translating. I had my own translator with me as well (her name is Lynn), so there were enough English-Mandarin speakers there. It was a bit early in the morning to be awake, so my whole day was spent somewhat bleary-eyed. Two other members of the touring group (our trumpet player Amy and one of the backstage guys Noah) were at immigrations with us too, so we dropped them off at their hotel first.

Since the cast was staying at that same hotel, I thought to alight and see who was milling around in the lobby... jackpot! I found quite a few people going online (there was free wi-fi in the lobby) so we decided to stay and hang out for a nice long while. I got the update from Kristin on what was going on in the company... Jefferson's run-in with a bike pedal on the city walls... the hotel peacocks being unafraid of the human visitors... expensive laundry and package sending... and going around and about in Xi'an, complete with Mandarin cheat sheets and plenty of pointing.

We had lunch with two cast members, Brandy and Kristin at a Malaysian restaurant called Melaka. And yes, authentic Malaysian food! I had myself some Nasi Lemak... Brandy ordered the most beautiful eggplant and prawn dish I've ever eaten in my life, ever, and the rest ordered some really tasty fare. Yummy!

After lunch, we dropped Brandy and Kristin off at their hotel, and we then headed to a place whose name translates to "book garden gate". According to Lynn, it was formerly a school or collection of schools. Now, it's a place of shopping... stalls that sell all kinds of jewelry, souvenirs and trinkets, and the main stores sell art supplies, tea cups, jade, artifacts, copies of the Terra Cotta warriors, and jewelry. Here are a few pictures:

And here's a view of part of the City Walls from where we were parked:

Yeah, we'll definitely have to visit that site too...

Today, I finally will get some work done at the theatre... there's a sitzprobe scheduled with our orchestra and musical director, and then I don't know what I'll be doing! Perhaps I'll ask my translator what would be a good place to visit in the evening.

My stay in China has unfolded another purpose... my husband's great-grandfather was a general in World War II (his name is Chien Ta-chun, or Qian Dajun) so I'm trying to find as much as I can in whatever non-working time I have. I just found out he had an office here in Xi'an, close to the hot springs, so I'm going to make time to go see it and take some pictures. I'm sad that Rob isn't here to see this with me, I'm sure he would have really enjoyed this trip.

Oh goodness, it's time for me to get ready! I've got work this afternoon! Bye for now!

Wow... amazing what technology can do

2008-09-08T18:44:00.001+08:00

RSS feeds ROCK!!!

I've just linked my brand-spanking new Blogger site to Facebook... whatever entries I write there get cross-posted here. Cool... no one will have to try and search long and hard for the new site.

Oh... Xi'an is very beautiful! I'm looking forward to seeing more of the city (in the few free days that I have here). There are some immigration-related errands that I'll have to run (accompanied by my handy dandy interpreter named Ling), and then a visit to the Tang Paradise. According to Ling, that was the home of the emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD)... there's much to research on in China's incredibly colorful history. Makes me wish I paid far better attention in Asian History class... if I knew then what I'm discovering now...

TIme to bury my face in my Terra Cotta Army book by John Man. It's a very interesting read so far, talking of how the Terra Cotta Warriors were discovered... how they came to be... I'm seeing them on Monday, and I'm going to make sure my camera is fully charged and my memory card empty.

My stomach has been undergoing an "adjustment period" since arriving in China... I haven't quite pinpointed exactly what's causing the slight upset, but I'm thanking my mother's paranoia for making sure I had Imodium in my bag of medicines. Speaking of which, I've got a great supply of meds and other pills to get me through the run: cough meds, cold meds, vitamins, antacids, anti-reflux meds, acetaminophen/paracetamol, antihistamines... plus arnica cream and muscle balm for when my feet and legs are crying for help. I have a list of other supplies as well: Kleenex travel packs (a LOT of them), toilet paper, my favorite shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, bath soap, facial soap, make-up to last me the entire tour (and most probably beyond... way beyond), medical tape for the backs of my ankles (to prevent blisters), bath towels for when the hotel bathrooms are... well... lacking in towel quality, facial moisturizer and body lotion.

I know that many hotels (regardless of the number of stars attached to them) carry these basic toiletry items, prominently displayed near the bathroom sink. That's not the point. More often than not I've needed to carry my own personal supply because the shampoo does some funky thing to my hair, or the conditioner isn't more effective than plain water. My mother does enjoy collecting the little bottles though, when she likes the product (Crabtree & Evelyn's Le Spa collection is a favorite of hers). I guess she keeps them for her house guests.

Anyway...

So here you go!

To the West Side people, CONGRATULATIONS on a fantastic opening weekend! I've been hearing nothing but raves about your performances. Keep it up!

To the Cinderella people, I'M HERE IN XI'AN!!! I guess I'll see you all on Thursday... or before if a rehearsal/stage adjustment is called.

And that's it for right now... keep in touch and tell me please what's going on with you.

I am in China

2008-09-06T03:51:00.008+08:00

At last, I have arrived in China.

You may be wondering why I've returned to Blogspot... well... Multiply cannot be accessed from here. Believe me, I've tried every way that I could find to get to my site. So for the next 2 months, I won't be able to post or view anything over there. I guess that's just fine... so, here I am, back on Blogspot... at least until I get back to Manila or Hong Kong, where I can check Multiply again.

Anyway... it's been a busy few days... Cinderella has me running around China for a different reason, other than being ordered around onstage by the lovely trio of Julia, Brandy and Jen... I've been doing publicity work. Interviews (print and TV), and press conferences in my lovely golden press gown singing a song or two from the show. In Hong Kong I did my press stuff solo; in China, I'm doing press with Peter Saide, our lovely Prince Charming. So far, the press tour has hit Hong Kong and Shanghai... we have just Beijing and Xi'an left. I'm looking forward to arriving in Xi'an, so that I can properly unpack my suitcase and settle my self somewhere. It'll also be nice to not ride a plane for a few weeks... the flights have been short, but the packing and checking in and security... well, you get the idea. It's not been fun doing it every single day.

So far, what I've observed of China is beautiful. I haven't yet had the time to explore the country, since I've needed to be on call for work, but I know that I'll have the time in which to do all this. There's the Terra Cotta Army, City Walls and Great Mosque in Xi'an... the Great Wall, Tianenmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing... and the shopping district in Shanghai which looks very, very dangerous... to my wallet.

The press here has been really sweet and nice, as have been the people from Broadway Asia taking care of us. There was one little glitch (the check-in person at the airport in Hong Kong was asking if I have this Alien Certification of Employment... picture me with a glazed look in my eye, with no knowledge of what he's talking about since I have no such document in my possession... only a Z visa which, from what I've been told, should suffice, and actually did)... but the rest has been smooth sailing.

Here are a few things I've found amusing since my arrival:

- a little console on the left hand side of the immigration officer's booth... it lights up when he/she is almost done examining your travel documents... it asks you to rate the level of service, ranging from Very Satisfactory to Poor. I pressed the Very Satisfactory button, only because it was midnight, and her efficiency at the time of day was admirable. She didn't smile, but she did her job right.

- the labels on two of the light switches in my hotel room in Beijing... I've posted them here so you see what I mean.

This was the light switch for the toilet.
And this was for the light over the bar area.

- students studying English get to pick their English name... one of the marketing people's name is Barney. It's a name he picked out for himself while a student. At first he picked the name Chieftain, but since that wasn't a real name, he went for Barney instead, as inspired by Neil Patrick Harris' character on How I Met Your Mother. Cute. And Barney was very cute.

- the brand new Beijing airport looks like the Hong Kong airport on steroids. Seriously. See the photos below.

- Shanghai was first described to me as a city where you have old buildings and new buildings side by side... or one in front of the other. I didn't quite understand that, until I got there and looked outside my bedroom window after waking up. By golly, he was right!

- the infrastructure here is MARVELOUS!!! Wide streets, fabulous airports (the Shanghai Pudong airport is another one to behold)... as always, when I see airports that nice only a few hours from home, it gives me major penis envy.

So far, that's it. I'll keep posting more as my travels continue... but for now, I have to sleep. I have another long day before we finally fly to Xi'an. Good night!