China 2013 - Jingdezhen here I come again!

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Summer 2013. Nearly eleven weeks in China. A week visiting friends in Shenzhen/Guangzhou and then working in a Jingdezhen studio.

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Photos

Minnesota
Packed and ready for eleven weeks in China. Exhausted as always after the long air flight from Minnesota to China. Left on Thursday, May 22nd and arrived into the future on Friday, May 23rd. Minneapolis to Tokyo about 11 hours then connecting flight to Hong Kong another 4. I want a Star Trek transformer. I would be willing to have an ear rearranged in a strange place not to put my body through international flights.
First time flying to Hong Kong, always Beijing or Shanghai in the past. Since I wanted to visit friends in Shenzhen and Guangzhou this was the cheapest flight. To get to Shenzhen would have added another flight from Shanghai and about $400, plus a nights hotel. Landed in Hong Kong at 9:30pm or about the same as pulling an all-nighter as it would be about 8:30am at home. I can't sleep on airplanes so was dead tired. Fairly quickly through customs and my checked bag was waiting for me. I was very happy I had a reservation at the Hong Kong Airport Regal Hotel. It was a short five-minute walk down a connection corridor from the airport lobby. Because of the late arrival they ran out of the lower cost room I reserved and was upgraded to the executive suite on the top floor. Plopped my bags in the room and went back to the lobby to use the free wifi. Would have needed to pay about $28 more to get internet in the room. Interesting to sit and let it sink in I was back in Asia. Lots of airline stewardesses coming and going in groups of six or seven. Cookie cutter looks. All the same taught, pulled up hair, same height, same body size, same uniforms and same disposition. There were also a few foreigners in the mix with other Asian travelers. Got to bed at midnight and set the alarm for 9:00am. I woke up a couple hours later by a big flash of light as if a spotlight filled the room and a rumble as a heavy rainstorm broke the night. I was able to get back to sleep but with the morning light and continuous rumbling I awoke again at 7:00am. Skype called my friend Thomas in Shenzhen that I would be arriving at the hotel that afternoon. I could not check into the Shenzhen hotel until 2:00pm so hung out at the airport hotel until 12:00 check out time. Hong Kong power is different then mainland China so I did not have a converter and computer battery level was low.
Took a shuttle van to the Shenzhen boarder for 150 Hong Kong dollar (130 Chinese rmb or about $21). I did not want to do four transfers on the metro line with big luggage bags. Using a company recommended online for a cheaper bus they ended up selling me the shuttle van instead. It will not be the first language miscommunications. The van driver told me to sit in the front passenger seat so I walk up front to open the door. The other passengers speak out because I am going to the driver side on the right. I didn't think about this being a British colony for such a long time and they drive on the "wrong" side of the road here. Though raining, it is still a beautiful ride across several bridges, mountainous vistas and bays. Wish I could see the landscape better. Some day I should explore Hong Kong further. Arrived at the Huanggang crossing point and the only foreigner so the quickest entry ever. Was hassled by non-official taxi drivers wanting to pull my bag to their vans. One guy was so persistent! I told him my hotel and he said official taxi would be 180 rmb but of course will not give me their price...."have to call my boss!" A security guy finally intervened and scooted the guy off for me to encounter him again after I go over the pedestrian bridge to where the official taxis are waiting. Others are bidding for me to ride with them also. I play more assertive and pull my bag away and say, "I will take an official taxi". Lots of them are waiting and since I know my hotel is near the cost is only 30 rmb. The Tian Cheng Sha Zhui Jiu Dian (Sha Zhui Hotel) was hard for the taxi driver to find as they only put a cross street reference on their confirmation page I printed out. Taxi driver had to call the hotel to find an entrance. I had reserved a king size bed but those rooms were in the front of the building with lots of traffic noise. Went down to the desk to change to a bad side room that has two single beds.

Shenzhen
My friend Thomas came over to meet me in the hotel lobby at 6:30 to go eat. We took a taxi to the subway station and meet his girlfriend. Thomas was the Business/English major who worked at the Sanbao Ceramic Institute the first year I did a residency in 2006. He is from Inner Mongolia and we used to eat la mien noodles together all the time when in town at Jingdezhen. He would eat so very, very fast that we used to tease him that he would never get a girlfriend. "Slow down Thomas" was our mantra for him. We have kept in touch over the past seven years and I am excited to see him again. He is linked to me first Sanbao experiences. I meet him in the lobby and see an older version (30ish) of the young boy I remember. It feels familiar to be with him and we start reminiscing about people we know and updating about our experiences.

Shenzhen
We find his girlfriend at the subway stop. Her English is small but has a kind face and surprisingly tall even with low heals. She introduces herself as Theresa and is from the Sichuan Province.

Shenzhen
Thomas said he had to attend a wedding party of a Jingdezhen college friend and that I was invited. We took a couple subways and arrived at the Vienna Hotel where this reception was taking place.

Shenzhen
The couple had married in their hometown a few months ago and they were throwing this party for the couples Shenzhen friend. The festivities are well underway when we arrive and the couple is on a stage with a MC who is frantically yelling into the microphone.

Shenzhen
The SAME love song is played over the sound system for the next two hours!

Shenzhen
We are placed at a table in the middle of the room and of course I receive a few stares as the tall foreigner who showed up to their surprise. Thomas is introducing his girlfriend and I to those at the table when food begins to appear. Huge plates of meat along with meat and a size of meat are brought out to each table. It was not for another thirty minutes before the first vegetables appear. I feel excepted and many toasts with beer take place across the table. The wedding couple began to make the rounds and I am introduced to the groom. He was thrilled to have me there.

Shenzhen
As the same song keeps playing over and over and the volume in the room increases at a level proportional to the beer consumption. It is about this time that the well-oiled men around the room remember there is a foreigner in their mix. One by one they come by to boast about their hometowns and want to have a glass of beer with the laiwei. The first couple we fun but then I realize that everyone has begun to ignore the wedding couple and want to stare at me instead. I wanted to more beer and no more of these, now non-shy, guys. Welcome back to China 6'5" Minnesota guy!

Shenzhen
Definitely will want to come back for the Backstreet Boys concert!!!!!

Shenzhen
Thomas and I recollecting over noodles

Shenzhen
The next day Thomas and I went to Da Wang Culture Highland, an artist residency on the outskirts of Shenzhen. Tom Hayes from the UK who was a studio assistant at Sanbao in Jingdezhen two summers ago is working their as the studio manager. It was great to see Tom and catch up. They had some painting and ceramic artists in residence and I was able to meet some while taking the tour. They have four big buildings, a residence building and two new small restaurants near by. The ceramic studio was huge but seemed under lit with a small light fixture over each table. We went to a restaurant with Tom and some of the artists for dinner. I was tempted to order the alligator head pictured on the menu. We took a bumpy bus ride back to town and nearly smashed into a truck that, of course, did not stop before entering an intersection on a small winding road. The vehicles ended up about two inches apart when the stopped. Exciting!

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency.

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Exhibition space.

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Painting exhibition

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Painting exhibition

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Sculpture exhibition.

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Sculpture exhibition.

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Sculpture exhibition.

Shenzhen
Da Wang Culture Highland artist residency. Installation.