I read this article on CNN.com that the local Shanghai dialect of Wu Chinese is disappearing and the government is trying to find native speakers in order to preserve the language, promote it and study it.
Continue reading “Shanghai struggles to save disappearing language”
A Chinese friend of mine came up with a mild tongue twister: Taking a taxi to Texas to pay taxes. I thought it was something from an English book like “Sally Sells Seashells by the Seashore”. But they said they made it up. I googled it and don’t see it anywhere on the web. I guess I’m a geek. I think it’s so cool that it’s original.
So play a stupid game with me and let’s see how much we can expand on it. The first version was “taxi to Texas”, then someone added “to pay taxes” and someone added “taking” so we have:
Continue reading “English Practice: Taking a Taxi to Texas to Pay Taxes”
This is a real email question I received:
hi were moving to macau this january 2011.. i would like to ask if how much
if were going to stay there in your apartment for two weeks?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFFRdtqqEVU
香港导游阿珍骂大陆游客购物不够多摄像录音_在线视频观看_土豆网视频 香港旅游 导游阿珍 导游骂人 大陆游客 港澳游.flv
Video is in Chinese. Hong Kong tour guide says “Spend more, you’ll be happier… don’t tell me you don’t need [to buy more], next you’ll be telling me you don’t need to eat at meal time. I will lock you out of your hotel rooms because you don’t need them [either].”
Continue reading “女導遊喪鬧大陸客 7分鐘 熱爆網 Hong Kong Tour Guide Pressures Tourists to Shop”
Finally got some pics from our recording session of the Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA soundtrack in Hong Kong – December 2008. Most of our tracks were recorded on location in Macau but we did string section and piano recordings in Hong Kong.
Continue reading “Conrad in Hong Kong piano recording session”
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPbvvRt5MoU
Usher performed in Macau at the Venetian Casino on July 13, 2010. Rumor has it he came over to our ZAIA theater to record some audio tracks for a project he’s working on.
I didn’t get to meet him and security was tight. So I posted a video with some Usher music you might enjoy. Assuming that Usher has a good sense of humor and won’t kick my butt. Did you know that many consider Usher to be the one to take the torch from Michael Jackson’s legacy? Read on for more info.
Wednesday June 16 is the 2010 Macau Dragonboat Festival. Macau is already starting to see lots of tourists coming in from Mainland China. At the Venetian Casino (where I currently work) we noticed a lot of activity Monday night. The official holiday is Wednesday but the entire week is a holiday period (does this qualify as a “golden week”, hmmm…..not sure about that.)
I’ve lived in Macau over two years now and I still haven’t seen the Dragonboat races! Because I work in entertainment, we’re always doing extra shows during the holiday periods so we don’t get to partake as much as we’d like.
The Dragonboat holiday, or Duanwu, is a very old one in China but was denied official recognition under the People’s Republic of China established in 1949. The Chinese government has re-adopted the holiday and it was officially recognized again starting in 2008.
The short story: a famous poet drowned in the water so people throw food to the fish so the fish will be fed and not eat the poet’s body. That’s the story I’ve heard from local Macanese. More details posted below.
Here’s more info on the Dragonboat festival and water races:
Continue reading “Macau Dragonboat Festival – 端午節 – Duānwǔ Jié – Tuen Ng Jit”
I had the chance to see Kelly Clarkson perform in Macau, China at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian casino on May 8, 2010. What an absolutely fantastic performer! I guess you could say I’m one of her fans now.
Of course I have heard her name for years and have seen bits of her performing on American Idol; and those many clips on YouTube. But to hear her live was really something. A great set of pipes. I marveled at her constant control between head and chest voice – her effortless floating up in the ether with light dancing turns, swooping down like the Red Baron to a beefy chest voice and back up again for some real gospel style runs up in the stars. Amazing.
Jerry Nadal (senior vice-president for resident shows of Cirque du Soleil): ‘We’re here for the long hall’ as reported April 7, 2010 in the Macau Daily Times. Full article posted here with link to original MDT article at end of post.
In central Guangzhou, China (about a 3 hour bus ride north of Macau where I currently, live) you can go to the Han River Dog Meat Restaurant and order dog soup, dog with tofu, dog steak and many more delicious recipes. You can even have spicy dog in your hot pot.
But the Chinese government is considering finally banning the eating of cats and dogs. One person spearheading the campaign to make eating dogs and cats illegal in China says: “Cats and dogs are loyal friends to humans. A ban on eating them would show China has reached a new level of civilization.”