价日。。。Christmas Eve

This blog is dedicated to the Crown Plaza, for their hospitality this past Christmas Eve. I was not a guest at the hotel, but a guest musician for the Christmas Festivities. With my usual cohorts, Fu and Philip, we performed for three separate functions then raced to the MGM to close their show. Preceded by few drawn out rehearsals, it was a quite busy day. After the whole thing was over, it still didn't feel like Christmas. Maybe that's because I live in China. Maybe it's because they call Christmas: French Epicurian Holiday. Well, anyway, here's some pictures from this crazy day. enjoy!

The Tree Made of Rolls

<--It's us! Philip! -->

Now, to end this blog and blogs to come: some of my favorite Chinese dishes! Today, a delightful, breaded, deep-fried, pork-stuffed, eggplant dish prepared in the manner of Sichuan-style fish. It's... 鱼香茄饼（yu xiang qie bing). This is a picture from a restaurant in between my home and school. A must eat if you visit Chengdu.

圣诞快乐中国 Merry Christmas China! & 乐山大佛 Leshan Giant Buddha

China's Sichuan province is famous for many things, but Le Shan's Giant Buddha may be the most spectacular. This past weekend I had a chance to visit this mountain city to play a gig. Although we did not have a chance to climb the peak to see the 500 ft. Buddha, this blog gives me a chance to show some of my pictures when I visited it in May 2005. The gig itself went off without a hitch. This gig was one of the, as termed by Josh Katz, many Lao Wai (老外) gigs that we play.

As Christmas approaches, there have been many more opportunites for shows. As it looks now, I won't enjoy the traditional relaxing time with my family. Instead I'll be caught up in the rush of playing 3-5 shows each day moving from hotel to bar to real estate gig.

I think it is interesting that a lot of the young Chinese population is beginning to celebrate Christmas. In most big chain stores, you can find the aisles packed with tinsel, fake christmas trees and all kinds of tacky ornaments. On the way to dinner with one of my students, he was asking me how I celebrate Christmas in America. I told him that most Americans families come together and celebrate their own Christmas traditions (decorate the tree, hang lights, go to church etc.) Christmas in China is basically a largely commericial holiday. It gives stores a chance to attract people with special decorations, hotels and restaurants to have special food and parties.

Merry Christmas!

The Band

The much anticipated "Relish" party.