us as . Paloma confessed that he did not like his Chinese name, especially because "goat" much of its age. He was born in times of Mao and his parents, like many others since then, he had Red name. Of course, many of the lucky children who were born on August 8, 2008 have been registered under the name of Olympics. Within a few years, dominate the world and to commemorate the event.
Guilin Our guide also told us the story of his name. & Ea
Along Suzhou, Hangzhou received the title of "paradise on earth" and the truth is that it is justified.
(As always, with full screen option is better.)
Unlike other large Chinese cities, Hangzhou, which has six million inhabitants, has grown quite smooth, apparently because the former mayor had prohibited build homes high altitude to preserve its beautiful environment. Unfortunately with the change of mayor, has also changed estto regulation and, so far in the suburbs, also in Hangzhou start growing skyscrapers.
The jewel is the unique Hangzhou West Lake, a place of ensueñoe romantic stories, with four small islands, two dams, bridges such as the emblematic Puente Roto and beautiful gardens fifteen kilometers bordering its perimeter. Embellished by a poet to whom the emperor ordered the construction of one of its banks, "the city of love" is the scene of many legends among which the Lady White Snake. (With many variations, the story is a typical cSOURCES OF siren, which has shifted to the romantic: The White Snake longed to become human. Whether he got it and took the form of a beautiful woman. A rainy day in the Broken Bridge saw a handsome young man who offered his umbrella and fell in love with him. They married and lived happily until a monk suspected the true nature of the girl and persuaded her husband to give him a potion that devolveríaa its first form. This was the case and, seeing her in the form of a snake, her husband died in shock. The White Snake then began a pilgrimage in search of magic medicineas they could resurrect it, until finally a god took pity on her and gave her life for her beloved. The two young men were still in love despite their different nature, but the monk was also committed to ending the Snake. She begged to be allowed to live until the birth of the child she was expecting. Finally, when the child was born, was condemned to eternal captivity under the Leifeng pagoda. So the story ends, but other times he gives a happy ending with the reunion of two lovers. In fact, we heard that a few years ago suffered Leifeng pagoda collapses and the people of Hangzhou said the White Snake ibe) attend at night to show
Impressions of West Lake, directed by filmmaker Zhang Yimou, with music by Kitaro. A marvel of color, light, music and beauty in which some three hundred people move on a huge stage a few inches below the surface of the lake, so that they seem to walk on water. (In youtube there are some fragments of the show, like this: Tents and lotuses. After most of the morning touring the West Lake, we went to the Temple of Hidden Soul, a mountain with hundreds of Buddha sculptures crowned by a spectacular temple, but by then I was too dead even to take pictures. One of the most important Buddhist temples in China and, although surprising, it seems that hosts a large number of young monks even today opting for this kind of life of austerity and meditation . despuésy Some recovered a bit in the afternoon
Jose told us, tour guide, and Johnny, the local guide in Shanghai. It turns out that the Chinese are superstitious as you can imagine. So, in Spain some are reluctant to black cats or Tuesday 13, but in China these issues reach economic significance.
For starters there is the issue of numbers. The 4 is bad luck (I think it is phonetically similar to the word for "death") and 8 is the luckiest number. Conclusion: to buildios integer which eliminates the fourth floor, with many four phones are practically reserved for foreigners (and then are surprised that no one calls them, lol), a plate with four reduces the value the car and it increases if you have eight ... etc. We go slowly with the issue of tuition, which brings them. Given the huge escalation in the demand for cars in China, the government has limited the number of registrations, which gives rise to a competition first to register the car and second, get a license plate "desirable." In Hong Kong can directly bid on certain fees. In other places, are given in strictorder, but then those with greater economic capacity to buy their place in the other expected to have before your car or to grab a lucky number, ie with eight. And if not, there is another easy solution that allow some millionaires buy their own cars to eight, then "pull" the car and stay with registration with eight for supercochazo. It's the sweet deal he made a friend of our guide that he bought a new car with the money from selling his battered pileup that looked, however, a full enrollment of eight. (Incidentally, note that there is little utility in China, almost all cars arehigh range. I guess because only the new rich class and urban areas can access this right. People in rural or urban underemployment continues to go on foot or by bike. "Girls with mask, sleeves or umbrella, to keep them out of the sun, and brown is considered to be typical of rural and white skin is only permissible talking about feminine beauty. Another peculiarity of the Chinese fleet is that as recently as its economic takeoff, filling the roads of novice drivers. An additional factor to enhance its traffic chaos. In large cities like Beijing to reduce pollution, circular prohibiting certain daysXC
I said that the four da bad luck because it suggests death, but in Dazu, a village stuck in the past, we saw miniature coffins are sold as amulets because the name that designates it seems phonetic cally to the word fortune. Something similar occurs with the word "bat" and as a result of this animal figures appear in many old buildings whose tiles have inevitably this "brand."
Then there is the Feng Shui, we in the West may seem an exotic decorative, but in China is taken very, very seriously. Up
Tambiéna banks of the Yangtze River, Suzhou is a small town ("only" two million inhabitants) which was quite important in the past. The old city is crisscrossed by canals, which is called the "Venice of East." Suzhou is located in a privileged area for agriculture that produces two or three crops per year, strategically located on the trade routes for its proximity to Grand Canal that ran from north to south China to carry silk and raw materials rich delta of the Yangtze to Beijing. For the fertility of their crops, climate
visits In Suzhou, the highlights were two gardens: Tigre Hill and Fisherman's Garden. The first is supposed to be buried the founding king of the city and its name (no tigers in China) comes from a legend that says that some farmers dying king saw a white tiger prowling around her grave and believed he was the soul of the deceased monarch. Highlights the large area devoted to bonsai garden, granted mostly by individuals and some of great value both to prevent theft that have established an effective security system: at night let dogs loose on campus wild. This will ensurethat thieves can not bribe the guards. There is also a pagoda and an enclosure with another funny story about Sun Tzu, the author of
For its part, the Fisherman's Garden is more of a mansion, in addition to the house, including the gardens with classical elements ; musicians: rock, water, flags and plants. El Pescador (or Master of the Nets, which is another name for the garden) was apparently a friend of the homeowner, a senior officialor government subsequently withdrew its birthplace. Parentheses to explain how this ruling class was chosen. In all villages of the country made "tests." The best for going to town to face another "victorious phase of peoples." Finally, the brightest young people were discussed at the Board of Harmony No-know-what from the very Forbidden City and the top three are immediately incorporated into the imperial government. That is, regardless of class and wealth, any subject of the emperor could amount to
not object, unless that the future is already here. Shanghai is a frenetic megalopolis, which launches fierce capitalism enthusiast and boasts of its record numbers. With over twenty million peopleits population is so clearly disadvantaged as the constant demolition is thrown the city to build on these solar compulsively collapse. As a beast to devour continuously need to maintain their excessive growth in Shanghai buildings of 15 or 20 years are considered old and ruthlessly demolished to build towers higher or expand its highway lanes as they intersect in the heart of the city.
Shanghai reminds me of a bratty rich, powerful, spectacular and a bit stupid. Queen looks like a splendid night and close your eyes to-day miseries. In a vortex with no apparent purpose to overcome even herself, Shanghai Acrobat metróploi is harder still: the fastest growing in the world, that of the tallest skyscrapers, the most expensive square meter, which claims to have overtaken HongKong as a financial center is embarking on a mammoth and race against the Expo to return to have the tallest skyscraper in the world ... (an honor that has seized the moment Dubai, the city even though China has at least three buildings thatplaced in the highest positions in the list: Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Finance Center Tower and Shanghai)
Shanghai A custom see Johnny, the young guide / service to join us in our stay there. Friendly, pretentious, somewhat cocky, full of confidence, security and indifference of youth to all that is not himself. Shanghai, as Johnny said with ease and a little fun, consider that, outside, all are "peasants" (and that includes people in the much nicer PekiN)
Despite looking spectacular at times, Shanghai is the last thing I liked about this trip. Too big and too dehumanizing to me.
If Shanghai is the new China, I must confess that I get a little scary.
As Marco Polo I would have no price. I go to another part of the world, with infinite laziness, almost reluctantly, and I just feel really comfortable when I'm back in house. Not that I have enjoyed the trip. Instead, it has been a great experience for those who can not miss. It was the sweltering heat, it is that fatigue and the number of flights and weighing just'm still not convinced that being a tourist ("organized") is the same as being the traveler, but the set was worth . So the journey well, it's me is that I have drawn well. Boringly home, devoted to the inertia and over (my) people that the poppy
Anyway, I'm back.
's yes girls ), characteristic of a century as rational what is almost unknown creative writing and in general can be considered a wasteland for imaginacióny feeling. As for looking over your shoulder probably best playwright of all ages! I, therefore, to despair a bit cumbersome with some pieces especially the translation of Morat & iacp, desktop search, PUBLIC is recreated, but now sounds a little like Chinese, why fool. I think a wise move, for example, have eliminated most of the Fortinbras subplot that, frankly, I think it was pretty spare. (Fortinbras is a foreign prince that threatens the borders of Denmark by a land dispute and at the end of the original work, arrives to take the throne vacant) Then there n the merciful supports English, apart from the dictionary (Wordreference.com is earning my eternal gratitude), two pages with the original text superbly annotated: CHTMLbecause, ladies and gentlemen, we must recognize that Don Guillermo knew what it was when he wrote. It will be a classic, is a virtuoso of language, is a leading figure of art, but above all a passionate creator of stories and characters. (The character is full stop.) And that's what matters. Surely that was what mattered to him, because do not forget that what matters today seems dusty books in his time was passion, life, humanity streaming popular entertainment on all four sides. The theater in the seventeenth century was what today would be the cinema, but much more. Just something likeANGUAGE blaze that folds perfectly to the dialogue between friends, lovers or criticisms of the confrontation between enemies. And especially in the case of Hamlet, which shines like a torture but incredibly smart that makes sense ironíay doubled its most dangerous weapons to expose to those around him and throw terrible truths hidden behind his feigned madness. Shakespeare was talking to the seventeenth-century English, but that English was the English of the common people of his time, "the mob winy and coarse"Moratín criticizing. So it's no wonder that, faced with sublime passages, there are others in which no reference back to the erotic or the most brazen rudeness, often untranslatable. For example, a silly phrase that took me too long to not get any acceptable solution. Announces the arrival of the comic and Hamlet says: " Then Came Each actor on his ass." All translations repeat: "Each actor is on his donkey." Okay, but one that is already somewhat familiar with the swearing and the most flower plugsEnglish television is gone mosque and see if
ass (in other versions
) does not mean what it means in current colloquial English: "Every actor is on his ass." Yes. After much searching, it appears that
ass C HTMLXC is polysemous word and what it means
donkey, donkey, donkey
that ass . And that Mr. Shakespeare and his audience either immediately caught the pun, quite naive on the other. After thinking a lot about and unable to maintain two-way, I also left the same meaning as the chasteLXC souls, it touches us not. Let the galled jade winch; CHTMby evil and baseness of his actions, but especially for his performance as Machiavellian. Always a hypocrite and never repented, Claudio is covered with the mask of kindness (like Hamlet with the madness) and uses constantly engañoy betrayal. In contrast him, all the other characters are less heinous and no understanding for them, even for the enemies of Hamlet, Polonius is a fool, just over an old fool, the queen, deluded and really loves his son, Laertes is a prisoner of his duty as a son, sir, and brother, but keeps remordimientI and some shade of nobility, Horatio is a good and faithful friend and even Guildernstern Rosencratz, servile and unscrupulous, most are a little sad because they are no match for Hamlet, but merely expendable parts in the play of Claudio. And all this before seeing this version, I will not enjoy until September, because I want to able. That is, large-screen monitor, not a laptop or a small TV that Ten is due.
Demon Speaking yesterday told me he had never seen Appaloosa, a film that we love them both, and I said that once I made a post that never hung up. As she wanted to write their impressions, I searched my hard drive, and it is this:
That the western is a genre that "it is not" we all know. There is no doubt that its heyday has passed and that in all probability no not recover the splendor of the past. (Incidentally, I wonder if the decline of the western, the quintessential American movie genre, it also will hand the decline of American cinema in general). But probably by the character of outmoded, westerns from time to time on the screens tend to have a quality not abundant in other movies. They are like the last echo of a melodíaa verge of extinction, a final beautiful and delicate eco-tasting failure and turn off lights. Sometimes they are sad memories of a vanishing world (CHT MLXC Dances with Wolves ). Sometimes a powerful and rough line that puts an end to a story without horizon possible. ( Unforgiven ). Appaloosa is the first type. An intimate story, almost as though the great outdoors, with a very slow tempo, despite its share of chases, gunshots and duels, made of silences, glances and barely hondísimos feelings show through in short sentences and blunt as its two protagonists.
The argument is less important and it seems a collection of moles of the genre: A rancher Disp ; tico and powerful Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) has frightened the people of Appaloosa. Engage citizens while the "agent" Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his friend Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) to impose the law. They get it but then comes Allison, a widow who dazzles Virgil. And of course, Randall Bragg is not satisfied and plans his revenge. Nothing we have not seen a hundred times, including persecution and mourning in dusty streetsiexcl that they are bought glasses and non-3D, as is so-so film "modeln" - which distorts your vision!
