Vacation in Beijing

Yes, it was great to spend my vacation this year in Beijing (北京), the extraordinary capital of the great Middle Empire, 中国.

The reason I went whas to improve my Mandarin skills, which worked out excellently. Two weeks of intensive, high pressure classes broke down the remaining walls of hesitation to use the spoken language.

Thanks to the excellent Sprachcaffe Beijing staff who made me sweat and still have fun! OK, the hotel was somewhat primitive, but staff was very nice.

I was fortunate to meet many new friends. In stark contrast with Europe, people are friendly and open minded, especially when you are open for a chat in their own language. And for all English speaking Chinese friends who read this just to answer these most common questions: No, I am not married, and yes, I am a Dutchman (and not American or Spaniard, as was guessed in most cases...)

Riding my bike in Beijing was fun but also straining, because of obvious dangers in the traffic, but mainly because of the common air pollution which does not allow reasonable biking beyond the hour.

And yes, I became eventually sick, as almost all my classmates, with very opaque symptoms. I had to entrust myself to the care to Beijing's most famous hospital, the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital (中日友好医院) ...
A very special experience, from which I learned that the Chinese health system is excellent and very efficient, despite the initial impression of bureaucracy.



The key to all services is the ticket or piao (票) that opens all doors...
Pay first and then everything runs smoothly, including taking urine samples and taking the friendly and competent lady doctor's advice...

The most funny part is to "eat" (as the Chinese say) Chinese Traditional medicine called Zhong Yao (中药). I think it works, due to my regained health...

All Westerners end up in Da Shan Zi (大山子) art district, which still is quite fascinating as it is located in a semi-industrial complex which is inhabited by galleries and other small businesses, restaurants and other shops that seem not to be bothered by the artistic and fashionable outbursts of people who are altogether ignored by the innate inhabitants...
It won't take long and Da Shan Zi will be either dismantled or commecialized, I am afraid. So let's enjoy as long as it feels authentic.

Will be back in China soon. I like it too much.

Fighting Korea!

Last month I had the privilege to visit Korea for a business trip.
Yes, a privilege. What a country! Unknown to most people, this country has a lot to offer. First and foremost it's funny, somewhat crazy people. These guys are humorous, direct, stern and soft at the same time!

The Koreans are probably the most accessible and direct people in Asia. Very enthousiastic, nationalistic and still very open to foreigners. A real treat. Not rude at all, as often is supposed. Except when kicked out of a Soccer World Championship Tournament...

But there is more. First the incredible Korean cuisine which is lean, fresh and... hot! Pinnacle of taste is of course the endless varieties of Kimchi, the famous cabbage dish that goes with all dishes.

Moreover, speaking of tastes: the Koreans are famous for their weird and strong toothpaste. I had the joy of discovering the famous Song Yum toothpaste that is composed of Sea Salt and ingredients from the Pine Tree...
A real sensation, brushing your teeth with this green stuff that mixes well with the aftertastes of a long day filled with extremely spicy food.

As usual on my travels, I tried to discover the national taste in music. Although I deem the Korean movie production better (and not only aiming at the notorious Kim Ki Duk), there is some fun especially from the older days.

On a night market in Seoul, I discovered this cd of this Korean legend singer Baeho. I was intriged by the shere campness of the picture and was pleasantly startled when listing to the howling, growling and moaning voice of this man that had his glory days in the Fifties...

Korea: to be recommended and visiting. Somewhat costly, few English speakers, but extremely interesting, a real challenge to body and mind!

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Aimez-vouz Brahms?

The famous book of Françoise Sagan provides the ideal title for another of my passions: to play the piano! And Johannes Brahms really is one of my favourite composers. Just wanted you to know, especially since I picked up rehearsing again this week...

Brahms was a quiet man from Northern Germany who loved to reside in the lovely Alpine countrysides of Austria and Switzerland. The guy is most depicted in photographs from his later days. I like this picture of Brahms as a young man still at the conservatory.

His music combines romanticism with virility. Brahms was an excellent pianist who was able to express himself in virtuoso and still very intimate piano pieces, especially in the ones he wrote shortly before his death.

The pinnacle of his later efforts are his piano pieces opp. 117 and 118. Brahms himself called his Intermezzi opus 117 "Lullabies of my sorrows". Especially the second of the three pieces is incredibly intimate and craving and one of my all-time favourites. In the twenty years I know and play this piece, it gave me a lot of comfort in good and bad days.

The athmosphere of this Intermezzo is already set in the description chosen by the composer: Andante non troppo e con molta espressione. The music consists of a steady flow af a sweet and somewhat resignant melody that is woven into a cascade of notes sparkling through all registers in the piano. After a seemingly more optimistic middle section, the melancholy returns only to dissolve in slow chords... A masterpiece!

Why Learning Chinese? 你为什么学汉语？

Just unfolding my life in a sequence seems too boring... Therefore here on the day of Chinese New Year an intermezzo to give some (if any) ideas about my fascination for the East.

It all started in 2003 when I for professional reasons I first visited Asia in Hong Kong (香港). This city overwhelmed me with it's bustling energy.
First, I perceived this as noisy and irritating, later as incredibly energizing and refreshing, especially coming from Good Old Europe that might be very picturesque, but also rather stuffy...

Moreover, I really started to discover and appreciate the Chinese people. First as business partners, which takes a long time of investement in trust and good faith, later also in my private life. Getting acquainted with Chinese habits and ways of thinking was one of these moments in my life that gave me a boost for years...

What a discovery, these in business shrewd and tough, in private on the other hand very friendly, humourous, romantic and sometimes really passionate people! Not to mention the pleasant suprisal of the Asian physique...

Back home in Holland I decided to explore the Chinese mind by trying to master the common language of the country, Mandarin or Pu tōng huà. The confrontation with the Chinese characters was less shocking then the pronounciation. Since the characters are used in all Chinese dialects and (partly) als in the Japanese and Korean languages, there is no clue from the characters how to pronounce a character...

Even worse, the same character might have multiple meanings and therefore pronounciations. Not to mention the other way around that same sounds are assigned to several characters with all different meanings... Pronouncing Mandarin is a challenge, mastering five tones, and the best way is to just see it as a music or singing.

Still, learning Chinese is very rewarding: The language has a beautifully logical structure full with ancient wisdom. Furthermore, once you speak Chinese somewhat and the Chinese DO understand you (which is the ultimate Proof of the Pudding, leaving the Chinese in Shock and Awe...) you make new friends on a daily basis! In this respect I will write up my experiences in Beijing soon...

For now, home in Holland, I am happy working my second year with lovely classmates on the Amsterdam Chinese School and my wonderfully funny private teacher Brenda...
(cont'd)

The Gouda Years

Gouda (“好大”）
... is the Dutch town were I was born in the summer of 1965.

The place is famous for it's cheese (a personal favourite, highly addictive) Stroopwafels (so-so, nice once half a year with a cup of fine Yunnan tea), stained glass in the cathedral (three *** in the Guide Michelin, therefore a must for French tourists) and... the famous gallery of my (in)famous dad.
He made good reputation as jeweller and artist in sculptures in steel. A vibrant man, claiming to be of some far Chinese origin, magnetic to ladies, but whom I better let tell his own story on his own weblink...

Personally, I deem the story of my mum more worthwile mentioning here. She is from Austria (奥地利）where she was born of Slovenian born parents in Graz, in my opinion the most lovely city of Austria full of first class restaurants, romantic parks and flirty students...

She had a hard time adjusting in Holland, only to return later to marry her second husband. They live now happy together in the mountains of Styria in our home in a tiny village called Tauplitz. About that place I might elaborate later...

I guess the Gouda years were reasonably happy, although some people told me otherwise afterwards...

I was a neat boy, no siblings, always kind, but there were some unexplainable inclinations that made my parents somewhat suspicious: I played classical records and collected sugar sachets stolen from restaurants and cafés...

(cont'd)

Let Us Begin...

This blog is my attempt to share with you some of the startling events of last years I experienced. My life changed a lot and I am happy about it. All these events made me a better and happier person. It will take some time to make this ongoing story sort of "complete". I intend to make the whole thing exciting by making episodes that deal with a certain topic. All your posts are welcome. Share your thoughts!

Well... Let's get started... And begin where it all began...

Harold
中国名字：古老王