Chinese Tea Culture: Tea Elegance in Guangzhou, China

Tea Culture and Tea Ceremonies in China are taken very seriously.  The Chinese have been sharing and drinking tea when welcoming visitors or holding important meetings for thousands of years (remember that documented Chinese history dates back at least 5,000 years!).  Tea Schools exist to teach students all about the different types of Chinese teas including choosing and understanding the various types, the proper brewing method and teapots to utilize, and the multiple steps involved in preparing and serving the tea to guests.  I was lucky enough to experience an actual Chinese Tea Ceremony recently at a Tea House in Guangzhou (very near the Sun Yat-sen University campus).  I am not sure of the name of the Tea House (I have the business card but it is written in Chinese!) but it was beautifully decorated and wonderfully peaceful additional Chinese music was played throughout the evening.  Here are some pictures from the room where the ceremony was held:

Here's the Tea Master, Ms. Zhou, who presided over the entire evening:

Ms. Zhou spoke no English yet the entire group (all Americans who spoke little to no Mandarin except for my wife Patti) all had little to no problem understanding all that she wanted to convey to us.  We did have a Chinese graduate student, Shu, who also studies Tea Culture and Ceremony under Ms. Zhou, who served as a translator but Ms. Zhou deftly used very fluid hand motions to clearly express all that we needed to know.  Her peaceful, positive, loving spirit emanated throughout the entire space.  She moved with the grace of a prima ballerina and with the exactness of Swiss watch.  She seemed to be one with the water, tea leaves, tea pots,, cups, and guests.  She made nearly no noise at all despite working with boiling hot water, a stainless steel water heater, and tea ware that was either completely ceramic or glass.  The only non-ceramic or glass items were the small bamboo slightly curved sleeve that held the tea prior to its brewing and the wooden spoon-like instrument that she used to move the tea off the bamboo holder and into the pot (always using EXACTLY three movements of the spoon to move the entire pile of tea into the pot).  Everything was done with flair and grace totally following the exact instructions as per Chinese traditions.  These include, but are not limited to, filling the stainless steel heater with fresh water in full view of her guests, using the initial batch of heated water to clean all of the tea ware (also in front of her guests), adding the tea into the pot with 3 (never 2, 4, or even 3.5) strokes, pouring the water into the pots from a good height (like a waterfall), allowing each guest to smell the tea leaves at several points during the process, allowing the heated water to cool to the proper temperature for the particular leaves, filling each cup only 70% of the way (the remaining 30% is to be filled by the friendship between her and her guests), and NEVER spilling even a single drop of the precious water or tea.  It is an indescribably challenging process yet she did it effortlessly as if it was the equivalent of tying her shoes or buttoning a blouse.  

We tasted a red tea first, followed by an special green tea that historically is only served on the most special occasions, and finally an amazing oolong tea.  She explained that each tea leaf variety creates a certain number of quality pots of tea.  As is customary, she brewed the correct number of pots for each tea (3 pots of red, 5 pots of green, 7 pots of oolong) and we happily sat for hours drinking tea and enjoying each others company until the last drop was consumed.  The evening was completed by the taking of photos to commemorate our amazing evening:

(My beautiful wife Patti is in the pink dress between Tea Master Zhou and our translator, Shu.  The other two women in the photo are professional colleagues of hers)

So when you get to China, be certain to visit an true Tea House and have a full Tea Ceremony experience.  You will love the tea, be amazed by the ceremony, and leave with a much better understanding of Chinese people and their culture.

Power to the Purple!

The USA and China: An Alphabetical Analysis of Their Similarities

As the number of Chinese cities I visit increases, some obvious facts become even more readily apparent.  Although China and the United States clearly have significant differences, these differences are dwarfed by the endless similarities between the two amazing countries.  While it is impossible to detail all of the common ground matters, I have utilized our alphabet to express many of them.  Both China and the United States have:

• Athletes and Amputees; Anxiety and Ambivalence; Artists and Audiences; Apples and Ancestors; Airplanes and Abalone
• Billionaires and Beggars; Beef and Booze; Balloons and Ballistic missiles; Bodyguards and Babies; Beaches and Backpacks
• Cabs and Crutches; Cash and Credit; Cities and Coffee shops; Coaches and Co-pilots; Cabbage and Cabernet Sauvignon; Cabinets and Cable Television
  
• Dogs and Drugs; Daydreamers and Death, Daughters and Distilleries; Digital Cameras and Da Vinci; Ducks and Dignitaries; Data and Disabilities
• Employees and Educators; Efficient Energy and Embarrassments; Ex-patriots and Ethnicity; Entourages and Entrepreneurs; Earmuffs and Earnings per Share
• Friends and Foes; Foods and Families; Fears and Flowers, Fetishes and Forgiveness; Face Creams and Flannel Shirts; Facts and Fictions
• Geometry and Galoshes; Gamers and Grandparents; Germs and Geniuses; Golfers and Gardeners; Gallantry and Ghost stories; Gestures and Gibberish
  
• Highways and High Rises; Hypocrites and Heroes; Humility and Honor; Hate and Happiness
• Insight and Insanity; Ignorance and Idealism; Internet and Insomnia; Infatuation and Irony
• Joys and Jails; Jacuzzis and Janitors; Jealousy and Justice; Joggers and Jugglers; Jack Hammers and Jock Straps Jack fruit and Jelly Beans 
• Kleenex and Karaoke; Kitchenware and Kayaks; Kinetic energy and Karma; Kittens and Kisses; Kinship and Kaleidoscopes
• Love and Laziness; Luxury and Lack; Leaders and Loners; Lies and Legends; Laboratories and Light Bulbs; Labyrinths and Lubricants
• Mopeds and Memorials; Marginalized and Marketable people; Minimalism and Materialism; Metropolises and Microbiology; Magazines and Microwaves
  
• Nature and Narcissism; Nationalism and Negotiation, Nerds and Neonates; Neighbors and Newlyweds
• Obedient and Oblivious people; Obstetricians and Officers; Oligarchs and Olympians; Obligations and Opulence
• Politicians and Prostitutes; Professors and Poor people;Passion and Pessimism; Parallelism and Perpendicularity (gotta sneak some Math in here!)
• Questions and Queues; Quizzes and Quotas; Quacks and Quakes; Quips and Quid Pro Quos
• Romance and Riots; Rivers and Rifts; Reputations and Reprisals; Referees and Rock slides; Redemption and Rock Bottom
  
• Supermarkets and Super Models; Social Media and Subway Trains; Snakes and Sniffles; Sea breezes and Snowstorms; Schools and Socio-economic Classes
• Tranquility and Traffic; Toilets and Trains; T-Cells and Teas; Taboos and Tattoos; Tactfulness and Tackiness; Tailors and Toenail Clippers
• Unity and Uncertainty; Umbrage and Uber; Ubiquity and Unawareness; Ultimate frisbee and Ultrasounds; Ulterior motives and Ultimate satisfactions
• Violins and Variables; Vanity and Valor; Vacation homes and Vacant lots; Vaccinations and Vacuums; Vagrants and Veterans
• Wonderment and White Lies; Wardrobes and Waiters; Waivers and Wake-Up Calls; Wallpaper and Walmart; Wallflowers and Wallets
• X-rays and Xeroxes; X Chromosomes and Xylophones; X-Axes and Xanthic Acid
• Yoga and Yelling; Yams and Yachts; Yawning and Yearning; Yin and Yang; Yogurt and Yolks; Youngsters and Yearbooks
• Zoos and Zealots; Zest and Zeal; Zippers and Zip Codes; Zeniths and Zeroes

Power to the Purple!

Guilin and Yangshuo Town, China: There's Paradise in Them There Hills!

If you happen to find yourself in southeastern China, definitely make your way to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and visit the cities of Guilin and Yangshuo Town.  As is the case with EVERY city I have visited in China thus far, the Chinese folks who I spoke with prior to visiting insisted that these were very small cities yet, upon arrival, I was once again shocked by the size and population of both.  I visited Guilin first and although it clearly is not as large as cities like Shanghai, Beijing, or even Guangzhou, it is a bustling, highly active, city filled with tourists and residents.  It lacks the sky-scraping office and apartment buildings but mid-sized buildings (up to approximately 30 floors) are present everywhere.  Its downtown area is filled with stores, restaurants, and other retail shops that all seem to be open at all times regardless of the day (Sundays, too).  Yangshuo Town, on the other hand, is truly a small city.  Here's a view from a local TV tower that clearly shows its small size:

It is filled mostly by tourists from other Chinese cities (especially during the summer months).  It has great walking or pedestrian only (with a few moped riders) areas where you will find wonderful crafts and other items from local vendors.  The Yangshuo area is home to many of the minority peoples from China so it is easy to find colorful remnants of their clothing and other items used in their daily lives.  Here's a shop on Yangshuo Town's famous West Street that sold many of these items:

But the most amazing thing about this area is the natural beauty of its landscape.  The topography is called Karst topography due to the manner in which it was formed thousands of years ago.  Basically it means that the land has THOUSANDS of mountains rising steeply out of very flat terrain.  You literally see mountains in every direction regardless of your location in this area.  They are all covered with lush green trees and plants and the contrast of their steep inclines with the perfectly flat land is breathtaking.  Many of the trees are Osmanthus trees, in fact, the name Guilin translates into Osmanthus tree forest.  These trees produce wonderfully fragrant flowers which make a delightful tea (definitely get some when you visit)!  Check out these views:

There are approximately 20,000 of these mountains rising from the Earth and they combine with its rivers to make this landscape as beautiful as any other.  In addition to the mountains, the area is home to more than 3,000 caves.  The most famous, and the largest, is the Silver Cave.  Tourists may meander through Silver Cave's 2 kilometer walkway enjoying its natural wonders.  Check out these pics (the cave does have some colorful lighting added to enhance the effect):

There's one more thing that you MUST do when visiting Guilin/Yangshuo Town.  Be sure to see the Impressions Liu Sanjie outdoor light show.  It plays at least twice per night (there were 3 times on the evening we went) at an outdoor theater in Yangshuo Town.  It was created by Zhang Yimou - the artistic genius who created the spectacular Opening Ceremonies show at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Ticket prices range from 120-350 yuan (about $20-$56) and the more expensive seats provide a more complete view of the show.  Trust me, you should spend the extra cash to get the better seat.  You will be happy that you did.  Here's a sneak peek video clip:

So that's my take on the Guilin/Yangshuo Town area.  Definitely earns a "must-see" score in my book!  It is truly a paradise on Earth!

Power to the Purple!  Happy Travels!

Macau, China: Las Vegas Blends with Chinese and Portuguese History and Culture

The modernity and scale of China's cities always amaze me.  In the States, we see and hear so little of the tremendous advances that China has made in the past 25-30 years that witnessing their growth in person can be shocking.  This is even true in the small island city of Macau (a small peninsula off the coast of Guangdong province).  First of all, the term "small" is relative.  Macau has a "small" population in Chinese terms and its land mass is not very large (Manhattan is more than 4 times larger than Macau) but a LOT of people live there.  Macau has somewhere between 600,000 - 700,000 inhabitants making it one of the most densely populated areas in China (no small feat).  Portuguese traders "discovered" Macau in 1550 and they loved it so much that Portugal "rented" Macau from China beginning in 1557.  That relationship remained intact until 1887 when Portugal colonized Macau.  Sovereignty over Macau was not returned to China until 1999 and Macau has functioned as one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China since that time (Hong Kong is the other one).

Examples of Portugal's presence abound in Macau.  Many of the buildings were constructed using Portuguese architectural styles and their mosaic tiles exist everywhere.  Although Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) is the main language Portuguese can be heard and seen throughout the city.  Portuguese restaurants and foods are prevalent everywhere ESPECIALLY its famous, and delicious, egg tarts:

These things are so AMAZING that I'll dedicate an entire post to them in the future.  Be on the lookout for that!

Despite all of the wonderful architecture, culture and food, Macau is likely best known for its casinos.  It has rapidly become known as the Las Vegas of the East.  The many casinos that are owned and operated by the Chinese government are joined by casinos opened (starting in 2004) by Las Vegas operators such as Wynn, the MGM Grand, The Sands, the Venetian, and many others.  These casinos in Macau dwarf their American counterparts in Vegas.  For example, at the time of its opening in 2007, the Venetian Macau was the second largest building in the world based on floor space (it is currently remains in the top ten).  Here are some pics from the Venetian:

  

The Venetian functions exactly as it does in Vegas but since EVERY tourist in the hotel is Chinese, the "feel" is interestingly different.  Having visited the Vegas Venetian previously, the juxtaposition of the Italian structures, gondolas, music, and canals with the fully Chinese population is wonderful!  Check it out:

The MGM Grand does not take a back seat to the Venetian in grandeur and style.  Check out these shots from inside its Grand Hall:

 
The Hotel Lisboa (where we stayed) and the Grand Lisboa Hotel are also amazing places that you should definitely consider when looking at hotels in Macau.  I'll cover them in more detail in a future post.

Have a great day!  Power to the Purple!

Another Birthday? Learning to Enjoy Aging!

As I believe the case is with anyone who is at least 30 years old, the approach of my birthday always generates some emotion and and a great deal of thought.  When this one arrives later this week, my age will move another step away from that half-century mark as I'll celebrate a Darryl Dawkins jersey number birthday (that's 53 for any non-Chocolate Thunder, Philadelphia 76er fans out there).  It is interesting how the way that you face your birthday changes as you age.  As a child, you eagerly await birthdays since they mean parties, celebrating with family and friends, cake, and new toys!  As a teenager, birthdays become signs of maturity and new access to previously forbidden arenas (getting a driver's license, graduation from middle or high school, having a job and earning money, the right to vote, and other new freedoms).  During your 20's your birthdays are propelling you into the real world as you celebrate graduating from college or graduate school, reach the legal drinking age, begin your professional career and seek out the perfect mate to start your family life with.  You really believe that you have it all figured out in your 20's but by the time you reach your 30's and 40's you realize that you knew little to nothing when you were younger.  Birthdays now become a time for reflection and adjustment.  You make moves of all sorts - professional, physical, and relational.  Child rearing changes your entire perspective on life and the world we live in.  You begin to better understand many of the things that your parents and other elders said or did to you when you were a child (you may not agree with them but you do understand them).  Now, as I celebrate my 50-something birthdays, I find myself pondering my accomplishments and legacy.  I am deeply concerned with serving mankind and positively affecting the course of life on Earth.  I find it much easier to stay focused in and enjoy the present moment than I could in my earlier years.  I realize and express my gratitude for the countless blessings in my life, especially for my wonderful and amazing wife and friend, Patti, and our beautiful children, Courtney and Brandon, as often as possible.  I try earnestly to not take anything for granted as I know now, at this age, exactly how special my experiences are and how easily they could end.  Therefore, this year I will demonstrate just how grateful I am for my life by celebrating my birthday with passion and gusto!  I will enjoy every minute of my day here in Guangzhou by eating my favorite Chinese foods, going for a great run through the streets and parks for exercise, capturing all of my thoughts either in writing or photos, and spend a wonderful evening with Patti celebrating over a wonderful dinner, drinks, and a celebratory cigar.  I hope that everyone else will do the same when their birthday rolls around regardless of their age and set of circumstances.  We all have reason to celebrate even when it seems that we may not.  Remember, every day above ground is a good day!

Enjoy the power of the purple and Happy Birthday to all!  

Tsukiji Fish Market: The Real Deal Sushi

Sushi has always been one of my favorite meals.  I've enjoyed it in countless places all across the States but after visiting Tokyo's famous, and humongous, Tsukiji Fish Market, I now know that I have been merely eating poor replicas of the real deal.  My wife had warned me that the sushi at Tsukiji was so amazing that it would make it impossible to eat sushi anywhere else.  We had to leave our hotel (a Ryokan, or traditional Japanese inn, actually) by 5 am in order to have the sushi since they use the fish that was just caught and delivered in the wee hours of the morning to the market.  We weren't alone as the market is buzzing with activity and people.  Check out the lines of folks waiting one this street inside the market to eat (this is only one of many streets of restaurants and shops in the market):

We had done some research online to help us decide which restaurant to visit and chose Daiwa-Zusi (5-2-1 Tsukiji Bldg 6).   Take the Oedo Subway line to the Tsukijishijo Station (Stop #18) and follow the crowds to the market (only a few minute walk).  Daiwa-Zusi is located on probably the most famous and popular block of restaurants since it also includes Sushi-Dai (another great spot but always the one with the longest line).  We jumped into the line and patiently waited as we inched slowly towards the small, completely full restaurant.  We were able to see the menu to whet our appetite as we waited.  Here it is:

Daiwa-Zusi, like all of the other restaurants at Tsukiji, is merely a counter space with about 10 seats and space for 3 or 4 sushi chefs (as I mentioned in an earlier posting, the Japanese are masters of space utilization:  Here's the scene inside of Daiwa-Zusi:

Don't let the small, diner-like venue fool you.  Those guys behind that counter are creating edible masterpieces!  Their sushi is the business!  We both ordered an single setting of their sushi special (top item on the menu - 3,500 yen or about $28).  You get miso soup and around 12 pieces (the divine flavor of the pieces made me lose count).  Here are some of the treats:

I did not get photos of every piece because I was enjoying eating the sushi much more than taking pictures of it...sorry.  But trust me on this, Daiwa-Zusi is a must visit site whenever you find yourself in Tokyo!

Safe travels and power to the purple!