Never knew spending Chinese New Year could be so nice in Beijing, even on your own, without family around. It's like Christmas with the Christmas lights hanging outside and red lanterns hanging on gates. Fireworks are very colourful and noisy though, to the point where it feels like you're in a war zone. But it was nice, just to sit at home, without the lights on, and just wathing the fireworks outside the window. Didn't have a good angle from my window though, so eventually I just went out with a friend. So far all the places we went to were serving food at half price and one place in front of XiJiaoBinGuan was even offering free Korean traditional New Year soup (of some sort; didn't know what it was called). It had scrambled egg with lots of sticky white cake in it, delicious.
Hopefully I can do this again next year, stay in Beijing for Chinese New Year. Maybe have my family come here instead.
February 19, 2007
February 13, 2007
Pre - Chinese New YEar
The Chinese New Year will be in Feb.18 this 2007, trains and cities are packed with people going home to their families, and others taking the opportunity of time away from work and school to go traveling to other cities in China.
This is the first time I’ll be spending Chinese New Year away from my family and in Beijing. It should be interesting. My roommate insists that I should go home with her if I’m not going home myself. I’m beginning to realize that Chinese New Year is more a big deal to the local Chinese than Christmas is to a lot of foreigners.
I wonder if buying tickets for the train will be any better than before. I remember buying tickets around this time meant lining up for hours, with people butting in line, and finding out by the time you get to the counter that the ticket you want is already sold out.
I for one am not planning to go anywhere, what I want to to do some observation on how the New Year holiday is celebrated here in Beijing. I heard description of it being 热闹, in other words: lively and full of life. On the other hand, I’ve also heard it being quiet, because everyone is at home with their families. I guess we will see then.
This is the first time I’ll be spending Chinese New Year away from my family and in Beijing. It should be interesting. My roommate insists that I should go home with her if I’m not going home myself. I’m beginning to realize that Chinese New Year is more a big deal to the local Chinese than Christmas is to a lot of foreigners.
I wonder if buying tickets for the train will be any better than before. I remember buying tickets around this time meant lining up for hours, with people butting in line, and finding out by the time you get to the counter that the ticket you want is already sold out.
I for one am not planning to go anywhere, what I want to to do some observation on how the New Year holiday is celebrated here in Beijing. I heard description of it being 热闹, in other words: lively and full of life. On the other hand, I’ve also heard it being quiet, because everyone is at home with their families. I guess we will see then.
February 1, 2007
Movies - The Second Time Around
Recently, I’ve been watching re-runs of movies I’ve watched before. Just been having the urge to watch certain movies that I really liked and a lot of others that I didn’t like, despite the hype then, and have just now felt like giving them a second chance. These are the movies I didn’t particularly enjoy before, but suddenly had the urge to give them another try:
1) Amelie – That French movie was really “in” back in my early days in Beijing. Everyone was talking about it. I watched it. I’m no expert but I really liked the cinematography lighting; the whole green and red concept of each scenes where just beautiful. I remember liking how the movie introduced the characters and setting through what they liked and disliked. I thought the idea of that was simple and original. It didn’t hurt that the guy in the movie was quite cute, but overall, I couldn’t understand why people had it in their most favourite list of movies of all time. I just didn't find it that entertaining; just fell short of expectation I think.
Watching it for the second time and not looking for indications and expectations of what others are talking about, I got to enjoy the movie a lot more and ended up liking it more than the first time I saw it.
2) Dreams May Come – This is one of those movies I didn’t really have expectation for. before watching it. In fact, I had no idea what it was supposed to be about. Overall I found the movie simply discomforting but found it very beautiful all at the same time. I guess it’s true, I do have a thing for fantasy worlds. So yes, I also liked those scenes in “The Cell” (with Jennifer Lopez) when she went into the mind of the patients. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cinematic concept and designer where the same for these movies.
Knowing that I wasn’t going to like the movie and just wanting to see the beautiful scenes once more, I actually ended up liking the movie a lot better.
3) A River Runs Through It – Like many people who’ve seen this movie; Brad Pitt was the only thing keeping me awake. I was young and didn’t pay much attention to movies with plots as flat as plains. But I was looking for a boring movie to watch so I wouldn’t feel guilty doing other things at the same time. Well guess what? I didn’t get to do the other things I planned to. I actually sat back and patiently watched the entire movie and enjoyed doing so.
…. And that, is the power of low expectation.
1) Amelie – That French movie was really “in” back in my early days in Beijing. Everyone was talking about it. I watched it. I’m no expert but I really liked the cinematography lighting; the whole green and red concept of each scenes where just beautiful. I remember liking how the movie introduced the characters and setting through what they liked and disliked. I thought the idea of that was simple and original. It didn’t hurt that the guy in the movie was quite cute, but overall, I couldn’t understand why people had it in their most favourite list of movies of all time. I just didn't find it that entertaining; just fell short of expectation I think.
Watching it for the second time and not looking for indications and expectations of what others are talking about, I got to enjoy the movie a lot more and ended up liking it more than the first time I saw it.
2) Dreams May Come – This is one of those movies I didn’t really have expectation for. before watching it. In fact, I had no idea what it was supposed to be about. Overall I found the movie simply discomforting but found it very beautiful all at the same time. I guess it’s true, I do have a thing for fantasy worlds. So yes, I also liked those scenes in “The Cell” (with Jennifer Lopez) when she went into the mind of the patients. I wouldn’t be surprised if the cinematic concept and designer where the same for these movies.
Knowing that I wasn’t going to like the movie and just wanting to see the beautiful scenes once more, I actually ended up liking the movie a lot better.
3) A River Runs Through It – Like many people who’ve seen this movie; Brad Pitt was the only thing keeping me awake. I was young and didn’t pay much attention to movies with plots as flat as plains. But I was looking for a boring movie to watch so I wouldn’t feel guilty doing other things at the same time. Well guess what? I didn’t get to do the other things I planned to. I actually sat back and patiently watched the entire movie and enjoyed doing so.
…. And that, is the power of low expectation.
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