Music - Emotional Observation

Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven Portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820 (Beethoven-Haus, Bonn, Germany)

Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh1qk_kgIc0

It's an interesting observation that, when listening to some of these video recordings, where we can watch the musicians playing, and we can see their facial expressions and emotions — if the music is happily romantic or sad, it is easy for the eyes to become moist ... this also happens at live concerts (Of course,  I'm just a silly emotional person).  Does it mean that we share the emotions of sadness or happiness with the musician?

On the other hand, when the same music is accompanied only by wonderful photographic images of nature, etc., then, I find that I'm not tearful.  Does this mean that the visual images are a distraction and, thus, I'm not listening seriously enough?

Also, if I watch the musicians a second time, I'm just as emotional (if not more) whereas the natural images become a little boring.

Therefore, perhaps, we should always close our eyes.

If emotions are concealed, then, one's character is suppressed.

Food 7 - Dinner Table Etiquette

A few years ago, while in China, I wrote a series of articles for a magazine regarding European table manners which has, surprisingly, just appeared from an old cardboard box.  Knowing that some foreign students are occasionally reading this blog ... and because I would not like to lose it again, I have edited it into the following digest version.

Imagine that you have been invited to an important dinner.  When I say, ‘important’, I mean that your boss or future father-in-law will be there.

You arrive, sit down, look in front of you and ... Knives! ... No chopsticks!  But, even if you are a European you may think ... Wow, three forks, knives, spoons, and wine glasses!  And no one to explain.  Read on.

Unlike most Asian countries, Europeans order their dishes separately.  Thus, you may start by ordering a salad — usually, salads are recognizable by the main ingredient in the name.  However, one popular salad, Caesar Salad, cannot be identified by its name (unless you are from Rome) it comprises a lot of lettuce and some croutons (small pieces of toasted bread) and some bacon bits, and the vital Caesar salad dressing.  Imagine my amazement at one restaurant when I ordered Caesar Salad to be asked my preferred dressing.  With some amusement I replied, “Caesar please.”  I became speechless when the reply was, “Sorry, we don’t have that one”!

Another unforgivable error, made by many Asian Western-styled restaurants, is the serving of various dishes in random order, or not allowing time between courses.  I have often thought about refusing to even order the main course until I have finished the appetizer ... just to observe the nervous expression on their face.

Oh, three knives and forks?  It is quite easy really;  you simply select the cutlery from the outside inwards for each course.  Wait staff may add a soup spoon on the right-hand side, if that is ordered.  Similar actions may occur if you choose to have fish or steak, by substituting the standard knife with a fish or steak knife (Often, the standard knife is not removed).  Finally, when you have finished eating the dish, place the cutlery together on the plate (A signal to a trained waiter to remove the plate).

Three wine glasses?  It is true to say, these days, that serving a variety of wines with each course is unusual.  Nevertheless, I believe that the practice can be an enrichment to a formal meal.  Actually, there could be as many as four glasses.  The first glass being a water goblet, then, continuing toward the right side there could be a champagne glass (if champagne should be served), then red or white wine glasses (according to courses served) and, finally, a sherry glass.

Ice water should be served when people sit down.  The most important consideration is that the wine compliments the food ... and the palate of the people drinking it (If red wine is not to your taste, say so).  And it is always worth considering the house wine at a good restaurant.

Generally speaking, dry white wine is served chilled in round-bowled stemmed glasses with fish.  Red wine should be served at room temperature in less-rounded tulip-shaped glasses with red meats and game.  Informally, red wine could be drunk throughout the meal.

Sadly, public education on this subject is unlikely to improve until restaurants employ a professional sommelier.  For example, some people in Asia do not know the difference between liquor, liqueur and wine.  Liquor is a strong alcoholic drink that has been distilled;  for example, whiskey, vodka, rum, etc.  It is never drunk with a European meal.  Liqueur is a strong alcoholic spirit that has been sweetened and flavoured (with fruit, perhaps) and is usually drunk at the end of a meal;  for example, Corvoisier or Harveys Bristol Cream.

It is worth mentioning that the soup bowl should not be lifted from the table, and making slurping noises is not considered an acceptable tribute to the chef (because he knows that it’s good).

Chicken legs should only be picked up by the fingers at KFC (Always popular in Asia because of the bones).  Lamb chops should be eaten with a knife and fork — only if the end is covered by frilled paper may this be held in the left hand to assist cutting the meat from the bone.  Shrimps should be eaten with one bite.  Clams, oysters, or mussels, if served in the shell, may be held in the left hand and removed with a small fork, and eaten with one bite.  Sauce or gravy may be soaked up by a small piece of bread (This would be a compliment to the chef).

Finally (and this may surprise some people), at the end of a formal meal, if one prefers decaffeinated coffee, it is polite to discretely inquire first, and decline if this is not so ... rather than asking for decaffeinated coffee.

Now, back to the restaurant reviews.

Travel 6 - South East Asia (Thailand)

Firstly, I should mention that this is not meant to be a travelogue intending to entice you to visit, it is just my personal memory of an event.  Travelling to Thailand is a wonderful experience.  Secondly, unlike Bangladesh, the immigration controls were very friendly, because Canadians do not require an entry visa.    And, thirdly, although I had travelled to the country before, to the very ancient city of Chiang Mai (which is very typical of cities in this part of Asia), this time, my friend and I flew to Bangkok (the capital) and it was a tremendous surprise.  From the huge modern Suvamabhumi International Airport to a city of high-rise buildings and good roads, we instantly noticed a comparison between the unruly traffic congestion of Dhaka with the polite diligent drivers of Bangkok.

Day Time - Lumphini Park, Bangkok

Our multi-starred hotel was great, and arriving a couple of days before the international conference, we were able to look around and relax.  During the conference, I toured on my own, and my friend became almost a stranger ... but we had the evenings together, and took advantage of a river cruise to enjoy views of the many illuminated temples, etc.

Night Time - River Chao Phraya, Bangkok

Later, we stayed on for a few extra days, and flew down to the town of Hat Yai in the southern province of Songkhla, where my friend had previously taught at a university, and met some old friends (Actually, a one hour drive further south).  They had deliberately not been warned of our arrival in order to avoid great welcoming celebrations, but the abundance of joyous tears everywhere was extremely moving, and a perfect example of Thai hospitality.  Then, we had to force ourselves away on an overnight train to Bangkok.

A final evening at a Thai restaurant was mandatory, of course.

When in Thailand, Eat Thai Food ... Of Course

Then, back to the anticlimax of Bangladesh, which lasted a few more days until returning to Canada (Another anticlimax).

Early Morning Arrival - London, Ontario

Quotation - "That's quite a lovely Jackson Pollock ...."

Woody Allen

           

Allen:      That's quite a lovely Jackson Pollock [painting], isn't it?
Woman:  Yes, it is.
Allen:      What does it say to you?
Woman:  It restates the negativeness of the universe.  The hideous lonely emptiness of existence.  Nothingness.  The predicament of man forced to live in a barren, godless eternity like a tiny flame flickering in an immense void with nothing but waste, horror, and degradation, forming a useless, bleak straitjacket in a black, absurd cosmos.
Allen:      What are you doing Saturday night?
Woman:  Committing suicide.
Allen:      What about Friday night?

From; Play It Again, Sam (1972)

Travel 5 - South East Asia (Bangladesh)

The 1:00 AM arrival, from China, at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, was my worst airport experience ever.  Travel agencies indicate accurately that one can obtain a Visa on Arrival at the airport, but nothing is said about the inability to obtain Bangladesh taka at any currency exchange outside the country.  Therefore, at 1:00 AM, the main currency exchange point is closed ... and, thus, the great ‘red tape’ odyssey began.

More than one hour later, I exited Immigration control, found my suitcase, and walked outside to be greeted by a huge number of aggressive taxi hustlers, not to mention the residual humidity and high temperature.  Eventually, I met the driver sent to take me to the foreign teachers residence ... another 45 minutes.

Arriving at the residence, I was met by a tall, muscular, bare-chested, eunuch-looking porter, who carried my heavy suitcase up three flights of stairs.  The apartment had two en-suite bedrooms, occupied by two nursing teachers, and one spare room for me.  Thus, my outside bathroom contained a ‘squat’ toilet and a cold bucket shower.  I just ‘crashed’ onto the bed for the remainder of the morning.

Next day, although having been advised to rest, I walked to the campus of the International University of Business, Agriculture and Technology (A fifteen-minute walk).  Rickshaws were available, but I was still trying to come to terms with the value of the taka (It seems that the rickshaw ride would cost approximately 20 cents Canadian).

Hey, taxi!

Then, I was met by the senior foreign teacher, the head of a Canadian-sponsored nursing faculty, who knew nothing about my terms of employment.

Eventually, I was introduced to the Vice-Chancellor, who explained that, although there was an English language faculty of 16 professors, there was not a specific English language programme.  He wanted to create a BA (Honors) programme as soon as possible but, at the moment, English was taught as a minor subject.  My task was to audit the English classes, both students and teachers, and produce a report providing advice for improving the teaching.

Excellent Students

The audit of English language classes concentrated on the teaching of oral English and, although there were instances when regular classes concentrated on the teaching of reading and writing, it was possible to observe teaching styles.  Readability of PowerPoint presentations was particularly interesting.

University Tagore Celebration

During this period, the university celebrated the anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, a writer, poet, and composer, who won the first Nobel Prize for Literature for a non-European in 1913.  I was introduced as the guest of honor ... and it was.

Tagore Celebration Student Participants

I finished my report four weeks later and, although requested (invited) to stay and teach for the remaining four weeks, I found that the negative conditions found in my report were very difficult to overcome within the short period remaining.  Therefore, I did not hesitate to accept an invitation to move downtown to my friend’s apartment ... with its modern conveniences.

Relocating to the relatively modern down town area, nevertheless, had its drawbacks.  Although 90% of the population are Muslim, according to the Constitution it is a secular country, and it is not hard to imagine a mosque on (almost) every city block.  Normally, I could live with that, but this is the 21st century and the imams have discovered electronics (Loudspeakers).  Now, I could live with that too, if the range of sound from each mosque did not overlap, but they do and the sound of calls to prayer is similar to the echos of the Grand Canyon.  Of course, there will be at least one reader who will chide me for being critical of the traditions of another country.  Nevertheless, the reverberating sound of the calls outside one's bedroom window every (every) morning starting at 5:00 AM ... is extremely irritating.

Incidentally, another aspect of Bangladeshi life that will never be forgotten, is the low value of human life.  Every time I picked up a daily newspaper, I was astonished by the number of murders that were taking place every day (Every day).  There are two categories;  firstly the group attacks on males resulting from some petty street argument and, secondly, the 'honor' killings of females, more often than not, housemaids.  Then, only if reported, do the police become involved, but only to document the incident (Rarely is there a report of a conviction).  It is difficult not to mention religion in this context.

During my stay, my friend was required to attend a conference in Bangkok.  And as the hotel, etc., was paid for, it seemed natural that I should accompany her (Probably explained in part Travel 6).

Quotation - "I have wandered all my life .... "

Hilaire Belloc

"I have wandered all my life, and I have travelled;  the difference between the two being this, that we wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment."

Travel 4 - South East Asia (China)

Recently, I returned from a very long visit to South East Asia, specifically, China, Bangladesh, and Thailand.  Here, I shall write about the Chinese part.

After a very tiring 3-day series of flights from London (Ontario) via Los Angeles, and Hong Kong, to Kunming (Yunnan Province) I signed in to a comfortable youth hotel.

Headquarters of the Kuomintang before
they fled to Formosa (Taiwan) in 1945

Long May Youth Hotel, Kunming

Initially, I was met at the airport by a helpful old friend who thought that because it was only the afternoon, he should drive me around town to meet people ... after my sleepless time traveling across the ocean, that was the last thing that I needed, but it would have seemed very rude to explain.  Actually, once I was back at the hotel, it was evening and my tiredness had disappeared, so I took an evening stroll around Green Lake Park and my favorite Yunnan University campus.  Suddenly, it felt as if I had only been away for three weeks rather than the actual three years.

Cui Hu (Green Lake) Park

Unfortunately, most of my ex-students were unavailable for me to meet due to there being no means of communication put in place, but a few wonderful friends made contact.  Nevertheless, I was at a loss most of the time due to my very poor grasp of the Chinese language.

Car drivers were still dangerous ... they seem to adopt Buddhist practices, that is;  We have no wish to hurt you, and if we do, there is always the next peaceful life.

My visit coincided with a May Day parade.  It was extremely interesting because of an extraordinary number of minority groups in their colorful ethnic costumes, not to mention a noteworthy number of gays.

Yuan Tong Temple, Kunming

Later, my very good friend, Li Hua (Robert) invited me to join his family on a long drive to Fu Xian lake, the second deepest freshwater lake in China.  But I was disappointed to learn that the Chinese navy uses it for submarine experiments, and there are huge tourist resorts being built everywhere around it ... obviously without sufficient sewage controls.

After a few weeks, I was pleased to be able to fly to Dhaka, Bangladesh (The originally intended destination) meet my favorite ex-student, and begin work auditing the language faculty of a private university (To be explained in Part 2).