Istanbul travel sketch -1- Chris Botti concert

The travel sketch of Shanghai was not completed, but let me drop a note about Chris Botti concert in Istanbul first, because some of you are waiting to hear about it :)

8/Oct, on the heaviest raining evening, Chris Botti and the band performed in beautiful Istanbul.
I sat in the 2nd row, in front of the piano which has a great view!

Show started a little past 9PM.
He opened the show with beautiful Ave Maria.
I didn't want to miss A SINGLE note. Because I came there all the way from Japan to see his concert!
Oh my.... it was the hell long way via Dubai... I didn't calculate exact how much time it took, actually.
I knew that I was stacked at Dubai airport for over 9 hours, at least!

And that I was very very... moved and excited that the show finally started. The show that I dreamed of almost every night recently.

When I Fall in Love was followed afterword. I always look forward to Chris' and everyone's solo in this song. Chris's solo was powerful and COOL this time too!

Caroline Campbell appeared on the stage!
It was my very first time to see her perform. How beautiful is she and talented!
Loved her performance! Very touched.

Chris had another very special guest that night. Very famous Turkish jazz pianist, Fahir Atakoğlu had a duet with Chris for "My funny valentine".
It was wooow.... so sensitive, heart-warming and beautiful.
I hope that it was recorded and would be shared with everyone.
Fahir Atakoğlu looked indeed famous in Turkey! Because when he walked on the stage and sat by the piano, some photographers rushed beside of the stage and took some photos!
(I believe that those photos will be disclosed in Turkish media soon!)
It was the sweetest My funny Valentine!

Lisa Fisher also appeared.
Very first time too for me.
She was so talented, confident and she has a great skill of singing!
Her "translation" of those songs were also new to me.
Every musician must have different way of translation and expression.

Another new stuff for me was Nessan Dorma!!!
Wooaaa..... it was wonderful..... I was totally absorbed.

Band of the night was Billy Kilson on the drams, Mark Whitfield on the gaiter, Geoffrey Keezer on the piano (which was also new to me!) and Andy Ezlyn on the key. (I am very sorry that I missed the base player's name... he was new to me as well.)

Funny but lovely thing  happened at the very last song. Audience came close to the stage, and they enjoyed the last song just in front of the stage! Chris encouraged them to come, actually!
(That is never going to happen in Japan in terms of security)
There are some standing ovations during the show and the the last standing ovation was very big!
I knew that EVERYONE in the audience enjoyed the show and was amazed!
Me.... totally!

Chris said at the beginning something like that he was honored to play in such beautiful Istanbul, and he came there to perform 4 years ago too.
(Mark said to Chris "speak slowly...." haha)

Chris Botti, Caroline Campbell and Fahir Atakoğlu appeared for meet and greet.
I missed say hi to Caroline that I looked forward to.... She disappeared when I made line for Chris Botti...

Very honored to say hi to Fahir Atakoğlu and could tell him I loved he perform My Funny Valentine.
He softly smiled me back and we shock hands each other.
( I should have taken photos with him if it was allowed...)

Chris Botti sat behind the table signing to everyone. (Jeremy controlled audience as usual, looked very busy!)
Chris told me what a surprise that I came there, and chatted a little. (I appreciate it!)

As always.... I don't think I could tell him how much I loved his performance and "how slow the moments go till" I finally could attend his concert! Because I always worry about the people behind me in the line and know that I shouldn't take long time to talk to him for them.
But again, I very appreciate for that he makes such opportunity for us to say hi to him after the concert while he must be tired!

It should be tougher than I could imagine that Chris and the band are doing every day.
Air port, plane, airport, (sometimes worrying about lost luggage or delaying!) and doing their best in their concerts!
It is definitely so respectful.

I met WONDERFUL people and made friends with there.
I can't write about it in this blog, but will write separately...!

Photos....
Sorry in advance that they were not good....
I am so sorry that you guys looked forward to the photos, right?
I tried, but not sure how to adjust my camera....
Here it is.... just in case....
(I missed asking Chris Botti to pose with me.... My brain became totally WHITE and forgot almost everything just in front of Chris Botti....)

More to come about Istanbul travel sketch (other part than the concert!)

Shanghai -2-

Following with the previous quote, I'll continue writing about Shanghai travel.
This time is about "Venice of Shanghai".
Unforetunately , I forgot the exact name of that village.
It was a beautiful canal village, laying 1h away from Shanghai city.

It's indeed a beautiful place... like this!

and peaceful

A dog was bathing.
It was cute:)

 

Me

The sky was beautiful.

We were invited to the Chinese opera at the beautiful outdoor theater.

Before starting the performance, we chatted at the terrace with friends.

When the Sun went down, the performance was almost to start.

 Just before the performance, the owner showed us his collections.
OMG...

He succeeded in IT industry in China, and owned not only the art peaces but also more than 80 peaces of antique Steinway pianos. OMG....

What a beautiful Opera house!

Very first time to see Chinese opera for me.

It was a perfect beauty, natural stage (wind, sky, moon....), unique voice...

I loved that!

And we move to the restaurant by boat!

It was fun ride.

We enjoyed the wonderful dinner with lovely people.

And... my friend was asked to dance from the gentle owner!

Wonderful thing is that "she did"!!

I would like to do that when I would be asked to dance by a gentleman! :))

And the rest of us were doing "Paparazzi", and it was fun.

It was one night of mine in China. I loved being there, I loved talking to wonderful friends there!

To be continued for more about Shanghai.... (hopefully soon)

Shanghai-1-

Well it's been quite a long time since I updated the previous blog about Berlin.... Berlin.... oh long time ago, it was on new year's eve, and now it's mid summer.

I think, I've had lots of things would like to write onto the blog, about New York, Kyoto, Nagano, more about Berlin, Concerts, Foods, Nature, Diet, Exercises, Cooking etc etc....

This time, I will write about Shanghai that I've traveled for 5 days in the B/Aug.

Above all, it was amazing!

I've been so much interested in Chinese history, culture, art and nature, but it was my very first time flying in the main land of China.

And my interests for China increased drastically after this travel.

We visited only Shanghai this time. I'd like to go to Beijing next. Because I'm pretty much interested in 紫禁城.

And also, I'd like to see Great Wall of China. Isn't it the one & only artificial construction which can be seen from the space?

And of course to visit Shanghai again.

My travel purpose for visiting Shanghai next time will be to see my new friends there.

It's true that it is wonderful to see new "things" or "landscape". But it is very true that to meet people is more than everything.  I really would like to say THANK YOU for my new friends in Shanghai.

They are all lovely.

And I'd like to give my hugest appreciation to my dear friend who invited me to this travel. 

It was on Sun that one of my best friend told me to go there together, and we departed Japan on Wed. :))
Isn't it cool? :)

Well....
This time, I will write about "Sound Walking".
It was very fun activity that we did in Shanghai.

Hopefully, I will write more about Shanghai/our experience in my upcoming blog.

-------

First of all, have you heard about "Sound Walk"?

Please visit here.

http://www.soundwalk.com/

and what we did actually was;

http://www.soundwalk.com/#/TOURS/lv_shanghai/

What is Sound Walk?

It is not an usual "sound guide" but there is a story, and a character in the story guides us with beautiful music and sound.

First, we download the application into our iPod.

Then, we walk while listening to it.

The persona guides like...."first, please sit down at the table of XX hotel and order a tea... pay now.... let's get out of the hotel and turn right.... you follow me.... you'll see XXX on your right and that was my memorial place. I'll tell you my bitter sweet memory and you'll share my memories while walking with me......."

Something like that.

And we are walking "into the bitter sweet story".

See? Don't you think it's curious/interesting and fun!

There are some surprises too, such as...getting into the secret garden which is closed.

But we actually could get enter with a secret code!

- and the story teller said "you shouldn't tell the code to anyone else" :))

And, we actually entered the secret restaurant/bar too.

How?  We were told how to enter the secret code of the front door!!

It was very adventurous and excited us.

Also... we walked into some small alleys and there were no tourists around.

There were stories for each and every small alley. I felt that it was very lovely.

I got very emotional to hear Rachmaninov's 1st piano concerto and it was a part of the story.

That is one of my favorite tune.
Quality of music and sound effects are really great.
Not only experience the story, but also we see the real lives there.
We saw the native people cook, play, do their daily lives, and it is interesting.
And it made me feel I was a stranger there. Can it be called "nostalgia"?
It was about 1h tour. Added one more precious memory to my life :)

Here are some photos during sound walk.

We started this activity from a lovely hotel named "Mansion Hotel".

It was very.... a la old Shanghai.

We had lunch there :)

then, started walking...

This is the secret garden which secret code is necesary!

 

and... secret restaurant & bar which also needs a secret code.

there is no notice too.

To be continued for night views/activities etc....

ps: to see above photos, hmmmm is is not so good....

But the actual experience was amazingly good...!

Please experience by yourselves somewhere in the world...

I highly recomend this activity to everyone.

Berlin -Silvester 2009- Chapter1

The very end of 2009 was a bit crazy but fantastic.
I traveled Tokyo NYC  Berlin  NYC  Tokyo.
I felt completion after finishing this crazy but passion-packed travel.
On the other hand, I am on fire for the brand new year to 2010.
Well, starting with Berlin.

29/Dec, beautiful morning @ JFK. I rushed tears while listening to Rachmaninov’s 2nd piano concerto by Lang Lang w/Valery Gergiev.
“I will be able to listening to this song LIVE!”
“How much and how long I have waited for this moment!?”
“My dream moments are ALMOST there!”
Those kind of excitement turned into tears!

I was about to go to Berlin, via Frankfurt.

30/Dec, 8:30AM. I was at Berlin Tegel airport by myself under the cold snow storm.

After 20min by taxi, I arrived at the beautiful hotel, named “Adlon Kempinski Hotel” which Michael Jackson almost had dropped his baby kid from the window.
Michael’s room was at the corner on 4th floor.
My room was not, but was a quite beautiful room.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYAr2CoeAtg

Let’s exploring the hotel…

First, for sure the restaurant!

A beautiful restaurant which faces to the most famous Brandenburg gate.

I had the best pasta during this travel! With white truffle from Alba on top, smelled heaven.

Why not taking the deepest breath…

However, look at the outside of the window. I didn’t want to go outside, anyhow.

However, look at the outside of the window. I didn’t want to go outside, anyhow.

Then, time for napping.
When I awoke from that after taking bath, there was only 1.5h until the concert began!
But getting hungry again.
Why not going to another restaurant before the concert!
The 2nd restaurant was “UMA” also inside of Adlon hotel.
A Japanese restaurant. UMA means “horse” in Japanese.
It was a very cool place, and food was great!

Fried Sushi, Octopus with avocad sauce, and a gift from the chef! :)

FINALLY…. Time to go to MY DREAM Berlin philharmony!

My heart was absolutely like a bomb!
My dream, Karajan circus.
Yellow appealed in the dark sky.

My seat was fabulous this evening.

Great seat to be able to see Lang Lang's hands!

OMG, OMG.... Sir Simon Rattle.... Lang Lang.... my stars were just in front of me!!!

Then.... the concert began, finally...

Rachmaninov 2nd piano concerto, which is my all time favorite.

OMG.... how can I mention this...

It was Amazing.

I swept my tears several times during the performance.

Just deeply touched my soul.

I have waited THIS MOMENT for months.

Whenever I was happy or sad.

This moment was one of my biggest motivation during whole 2009.

And I flied in Berlin all the way from NYC.

It was like....EVERYTHING was "purified"...

Wonderful things, sad things... everything got on the beautiful flow to be purified with the music there.

Again, I was indeed touched.

Here is just an objective thoughts and very little thing.

My seat was just in front of the concert master.

This seat might make piano sound a little bit be smaller... a bit.

Because piano is opend to a bit rightward.

I mean, piano/orchestra balance was "just a little bit" imperfect.

But just a little bit!!! I didn't care about it, but jsut being deeply touched.

Lang Lang was more beautiful man than in photos.

He is filled with confidence and his eyes were shining.

And his performance (action) looked being affected by Qigong.

It must be the proof of his concentration into his music.

Classical  music is the one that shows their technique only?

Non Non!!

Classical music is the presentation of the overflowing feelings.

The best orchestra in the world, the star conductor/soloist.

It was just amazing.

I could see Rattle's performance well too.

He was like a god....

A N D....!!!!

I got this photo!!!

I tried once more before this photo, but it was failed.

Then, I made a line once again...

This was right dicision. Because Lang Lang did not appear at the next day!!

I could not stop the excitement even after finishing the concert.

Then, why not exploring the city!

Time to bar hopping! :)

First, I went to the bar of Adlon hotel.

It was pretty nice.

(I will mention about it in the next blog)

3 glass of "very nice" cocktail never let me feel going to bed!

Then why not going to the next!

I forgot the name of the 2nd bar which adlon's bartender's recomendation.

2nd bar was also so cozy and cool which is along with a canal.

However, it was the quite a calm night, just before the big big biiiiig party at the next day!!

That eve was the previous night of new year's eve, and everyone was taking a rest for the next day's STORM. :)

Some more photos of Adlon hotel.

Around 2:00AM, I finally decided going to bed ZZZzzzzz.