Hong Kong: Arrival

The school year has just turned over in Japan.  There was a short week and a half long break between terms.  Just enough time to squeeze in a trip.  After all, when you are living in this part of the world, it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity of proximity to great travels. 

So off we went.  This time, to Hong Kong.

We began planning our trip to Hong Kong this past January.  Two years ago, we had a trip to Hong Kong all ironed out, but the big earthquake put the brakes on our plans.  We instead took the time to travel back home to put our family and friends’ minds at ease. 

I am used to horribly long flights from Tokyo to the American mid west-typically lasting somewhere between eleven to fourteen hours.  Ugh.  The flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong was a mere four hours, give or take thirty minutes.  A breeze. 

After researching our accommodation options that fell within our budget, we booked a room at USA Hostel.  If you are planning on traveling to Hong Kong, do not let these pictures fool you.  The hostel-though not the most awful place at which I have ever stayed-was pretty…adventurous. (I did not take pictures-sorry.)

Our flight touched down an hour late.  We tried not to panic as we rushed through the airport.  We had one hour to make it to our Hostel before forfeiting our booking.  Fortunately, we had done enough research to know exactly how to get there.  After a very fast train ride and a reasonable taxi fare, we made it-with fifteen minutes to spare.

Whew. 

We fell into bed, ready to recharge our tired bodies for our first day in Hong Kong. 

One Year Passed

March 11, 2012

One year passed. 

The bassoonist swayed lyrically to and fro as his part soared from his instrument.  The texture he created deftly joined the other timbres of the orchestra, creating a most intricate musical lace.  Each individual voice perfectly matched and blended.  

The orchestra breathed together.  They created an aural ecstasy that swelled through the air in waves of crescendos and decrescendos.  But despite the perfection and bliss of the music itself, I was particularly moved by the perfect silences. 

The second movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony is one of the most sublime pieces of music ever written.  Emotions course through piece to the climax, not in a tremendous swell of the entire orchestra as in the final movement of the symphony, but rather in gentle, tender silences amidst a quartet of strings.

As I sat in the auditorium, bathing in the aural bliss of the Prague Philharmonic last Saturday, I could not help but let my mind wander back…back to a year ago this very weekend.

A year ago, this weekend found Karl and I cuddled up in our apartment permanently attached to the internet talking to family and friends.  Desperately reading the news.  The massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster had just occurred.   

As I listened to the orchestra, I reflected on the past year.  How quickly time has passed.  Mozart, Beethoven, and Dvorak accompanied my thoughts…creating a kind of tangibility to my feelings.  The delights of Beethoven’s Pastoral symphony reminded me of the beauty of the Japanese spring.  That despite the tragedies of those events, Japan still sprung into a stunningly beautiful season-full of blossoms. 

The people of Japan have remained strong and hopeful.  One year passed finds the disaster areas well on their way to recovery.  And still, we remember those lost and those who lost...homes, loved ones, lives. 

In the perfect silence, we remember, reflect, rebuild.

Playing to Help

So I have a degree in music.  You would think that I might actually try to perform once in a while. 

But I don’t.  In fact, I avoid it. 

I am talking about solo piano performing here.  While in college, I never played an actual recital.  I did a lecture recital, which was great fun.  But I have never really loved performing solo.

So you might imagine my thrilled self when last month my Board of Education asked me to play for a charity concert.  It was for the earthquake victims and was the mayors idea.

How could I say no?

Fortunately I had plenty of practice time.  I also didn’t perform from memory.  That cut down on the nerves as well.

The performance was Saturday the 16th.  It went very well.  I was nervous, but I kept reminding myself that I was doing this to help people.  Which helped me.

It was a small concert, about 150-200 people came.  Including many of my students.  When I was done playing, one of my little tiny first grade boys walked up to me with a bouquet of flowers for me.  He was so cute!  Some of my adult English students also came with flowers for me.  

I was so surprised! And delighted.  I love flowers. 

I don’t know how much money was raised for the victims of the earthquake, but I certainly hope it was a success.  It felt really nice doing something to help.

Just Keep Cool

Dread.  That’s the word.  I am dreading the summer.

You know when it gets so hot and humid that you constantly look as if you just showered…except you didn’t?  I am not sure a more unpleasant sensation exists than a steady stream of sweat dripping down your body.

The best thing to do when dealing with the Japanese summer is simple to accept that you will be soaked through with sweat for approximately three months.  There is virtually no point in bothering with anti-perspirant deodorant.  It’s futile.

There is no escape.  

Since the March 11^th earthquake and the resulting chaos, electricity use has been significantly reduced.  The scheduled black outs did not last long at all.  This is because people have been extremely conscience of only using the electricity they need. (Side note: The amount of energy the world would save if everyone only used what they needed would be HUGE.)

So now we come to the problem: air conditioning. 

Air conditioning uses an enormous amount of power.  Should everyone decided to use their AC as usual, there would be a chance of power rationing.  And nobody wants that. 

Fans offer some relief.  Light, loose clothing helps.  Wearing ice packs around your neck is good.

But the single most important thing is this:  drinking water.

So here we are.  Sweltering and sweating through the summer.

Stay hydrated. Go swimming.  Keep cool. 

And wear sunscreen.