Lo Definition

New Blog!

2009-11-01T23:20:00.002-06:00

To all those that followed this blog, I would like to thank you! However, this is going the way of the dodo bird so please go to Motion Sequence.com and follow the new blog! It is better, fancier and has a lot of additional information along the side. Check it out! Thanks.

Ciao,
David

Announcement of Blog Migration

2009-10-15T13:20:00.001-05:00

As you know I have not posted in quite some time and the reasons are numerous. I have traveled through Ohio, Florida, East Tennessee, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington in the last 5 weeks and during that time I moved into a new place. (I know, I am still recovering) However, the main reason is that on November 1st I will introduce my New Blog! I have been working diligently on formats and feeds and I am quite pleased with how it looks. I will subsequently catch up blog posts and photos and all that good stuff!

Thanks for stopping by!

Ciao,
David

Film Screening Success

2009-09-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

First, thanks to everyone who showed up to watch my short film; it turned out to be a great party! I think about 30 people showed up, and my buddy Joe grilled his famous chicken with homemade buffalo and teriyaki sauce. The feedback was constructive and I can use it for future reference; everyone seemed to enjoy the film, thought the cinematography was great, the story was good, and enjoyed the score. (I am going to skip the negative criticism for now ;-)

Also, I have been receiving requests to do a second screening, so there is a high likelihood that I will do it again in mid-October or early November, possibly when I have a house-warming party (I am moving in with two new roommates, Mayne and Brandon). Thus, I am not going to post it online. Should I explain more?

Okay, here's the rest of the story why: I got the insane idea that I should show a trailer for the next short "Irrealis" so I cut together some clips during the party in 20 minutes and put it to "Air" by Bach, performed by the Klazz Brothers and the Cuba Percussion band. Therefore, I wanted to share this first, and then I will post Bon Vivant in a month or so. I hope you enjoy it!

Irrealis Teaser from David Tuchman on Vimeo.

The "Bon Vivant" Screening

2009-08-25T10:09:00.008-05:00

This Friday (August 28, '09) , I will be screening my first short film at my house in Nashville. The title is Bon Vivant, which means "Good Life" in French. Wrapped about a month ago, the film is a load of "firsts" for me: first time editing, directing, writing, and camera operating. The film is a Personal Documentary, meaning it is done in a style popular in the 1970s where a short is narrated by the director and has some sort of philosophical anecdote within itself.
See the Production Photo Albums:
A Day in NYC
Ein Berlin
Fliegende Hollander
In Belgium
Ah Praha
My film is an 8 minute short, shot on Super 8mm film, about the travels of my Sister and I as we backpacked through Berlin, Amsterdam, Brugge, and Prague in the Summer of 2008. In essence, it is a glorified home video, but much, much better. The sound editing was done by my good friend Joe Sotiroff, a sax player, who also scored the film to an original jazz number.

I will be screening my film to a few friends, grilling out and finishing the night by watching "In Bruge" starring Colin Farell and Ralph Fiennes. I have attached the trailer. Not recommended for kids due to language, but I hear it is good. As for my film, I will be posting it in two parts to the blog in the next few weeks so stay tuned if you can't come to the screening!

Cheers!
DT

Running Camera

2009-08-23T20:48:00.003-05:00

This is going to be really short post: Currently, I run camera at Fellowship Bible Church about once a month, but today was the first day that I actually directed. I got to call the shots and do live cuts for the video that will be posted online for church goers who missed the sermon. I won't lie, there were some really rough cuts, but what do you expect for the first time. Oh, and did I mention that we were short a camera operator, so I ran a robotic camera at the same time? It was great and I hope to do it again!

Noches,
DT

The Premieire of Journey to Everest

2009-08-21T09:27:00.004-05:00

Lettuce wraps, 200 Nepalese, and 400 people (I think). The premiere was great. Food from PF Changs, a performance from the Nepalese people, and they even had a silent auction to raise money for the Nepalese Refugees in Nashville. Some of the coolest items for sale were autographed guitars by Reba, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, and the Judds. The premiere was a sellout and a great success! The final cut of the film was very compelling and the final score was very well done. The professional narrator did a great job and the writing was actually very good. One day I hope you can see it. I am uncertain about the distribtion, whether it is going to be done church-wide or online. Perhaps a distributor will pick it up and you will see it on TV. Either way, I have a feeling that it will be going somewhere cool.

In case you missed the trailer click here.

ciao,
DT

A Journey to Everest

2009-08-13T10:49:00.012-05:00

"A Journey to Everest" is a new documentary by David Kiern, who is a good buddy of mine. He is a great filmmaker and a good resource for film advice(among other things). The world premiere is one week from today, and you must check it out if you are in the Nashville area. I have already seen a rough cut and it looks amazing; the score is great, sharp editing, and the cinematography is the icing on the cake. Click Here to see the trailer and read about David's work.

For more information about attending the premiere, please see the Facebook Event Page. I believe some of the proceeds from the event will support the Nepalese refugees living in the Nashville area.

ABOUT THE FILM: In October of 2008, six American trekkers traveled to Nepal with the goal of reaching Everest Base Camp. After being miraculously bumped from a deadly plane crash in the Himalayas, the team began the 18,000 foot ascension, but not everyone would make it.

This high adventure documentary, filmed in some of the highest places on earth, tells the story of how their view of the world was challenged by what they experienced.

Enjoy,

DT

Two Videos From China: The Last China Post

2009-08-02T10:40:00.011-05:00

So I scrapped the idea of doing a list of sights from our China trip, which I had mentioned two months ago. Instead, in my final Blog post about China, I am including two video blogs of the sights that we saw in China. The first includes random footage from Shanghai, Beijing, and Xi'an, and the second video is solely the trek on the Great Wall of China. I think they are quite comical; I love traveling with my sister. Good times.

Shooting Specs: Filmed on my Sony W200 Digital camera at 640X480i PAL 25. It is the craziest format and I had to render it twice in order to edit it without errors in Adobe CS4. Final render is 720X480p NTSC using H.264.

Enjoy,
DT

Random China from David T. on Vimeo.

Hiking the Great Wall from David T. on Vimeo.

A Super 8 Film - "For Suzanna"

2009-07-21T10:31:00.006-05:00

My disclaimer is this: I am not a singer in any way, but when a dude dates a girl he is convinced to do things well out of the ordinary. While dating Suzanna I filmed our Valentines Day date as we hiked around Fall Creek Falls in middle Tennessee and put it to the song "Collide" by Howie Day. It was such a fun day and now bittersweet to watch since we are no longer together. We had a good relationship but simply weren't meant for each other. In the end it is a blessing to realize that, to grow from it, and still be friends when it's all said and done. Therefore, I would like to share the video because it came out quite nice; I hope you enjoy the footage.

Enjoy~
DT

For Suzanna from David T. on Vimeo.

Shooting specs: Filmed with a Canon 1014XL on Kodak Vision2 200T Super 8mm film. The telecine was done in Pro-res HQ 720p and edited in Adobe Premiere CS4. The sound was edited with Sonar.

Film Review: (500) Days of Summer

2009-07-16T10:13:00.003-05:00

An open and realistic look at relationships in modern America from the guy's perspective, (500) Days of Summer is perhaps my favorite romantic comedy (dare I say those two words) that I've ever seen. This movie addresses relationships with a certain amount of honesty that movies today lack. With only a few questionable scenes, the movie analyzes "boy meets girl" in a way that feels all too poignant. Ultimately, the film's use of point of view, stylized production design, indie rock soundtrack, and non-linear storytelling, make it a good movie.

If you get a chance I suggest that you check it out. It opens in theatres this Friday, July 17th. Ironically, I saw the movie exactly three months prior at the Nashville Film Festival with Suzanna, and I had the opportunity to meet the director Marc Webb. He was a down to earth guy, intense about his passion for film, and great to talk to. Plus, he autographed my program (pictured). It was a sweet feeling to sit in a theater, enjoy a film and realize that the filmmakers (Fox Searchlight was also present) were sitting only a few rows up from where we were. Rock on! Go.

Ciao,
DT

A Quick Guide to Transportation in China

2009-07-14T13:21:00.018-05:00

If you are traveling to Shanghai, Beijing, or Xi'an, China, this is a quick reference guide to using the transportation. Pictured below is the hard sleeper train from Xi'an to Shanghai.

Taxi – This became our preferred mode of transportation in Beijing and Xi’an. The metro in Beijing was simply too far away and cabs start at 10 kwai or about $1.50 so they aren’t expensive by any means. Legitimate taxi drivers are easy to spot and have the proper markings on them, a meter, and their credentials displayed. The only problem is that some Taxis only travel to certain areas or don’t want to head to others because of traffic. Shanghai taxis went everywhere without a problem but in Xi’an they kept refusing to go to certain locations, namely the center of town where all the traffic is.

Train – trains were more of a pain to book than I had anticipated. Chinese trains, depending on how fancy they are, can only be booked a few days prior. In addition, they cannot be booked via Internet. If you speak Chinese you can do it by phone. The biggest pain is that you cannot book a roundtrip ticket. Therefore, once you arrive at a station I recommend purchasing your return ticket immediately to avoid an additional trip to the station and lack of availability. They accept only cash and speak minimal English even at the counter for foreigners. Beware of trains filling up on holidays and since nothing can be booked in advance, the ticket offices are always busy. Allow about 20-25 minutes to purchase tickets.

Landing in China from David T. on Vimeo.

Plane – We flew Continental Airlines from Newark, New Jersey, to Shanghai, China, nonstop. The flight was great: smooth, fast, and a friendly staff. A new plus is that Continental now has an on-demand movie selection of over 300 movies! Awwesome!. The only problem was the food was absolutely gross and it made me sicker than any food that I tried in China – even the street food. FYI: bring your own snacks. When we landed we had our foreheads scanned to see if we had a fever. Fortunately, none of us did because whole planes were being quarantined for Swine Flu as a result. We flew at the height of the Swine Flu scare and China took extra precautions because of the SARS outbreak in 2004.

Metro Shanghai – The metro was cleaner than New York’s, smooth and brand new. Everything is in English and it is easy to get around. The metro is quite extensive and can be easily used to access the Pudong International Airport via the Maglev train.

Why Lo Definition?

2009-07-08T11:49:00.012-05:00

In April 2008 I decided to take my hobby to the next level so I bought a Super 8mm camera, Canon 1014XL, and a Sennheiser ME-66 microphone and shot a short film, named "Bon Vivant" (which I just finished in August of '09). The first short was done in 720i, so not high definition. Instead there is something gritty and realistic about it, as if it's historical fact. Thus, Lo Definition is about making simple films that are real, perhaps with purpose; no big budgets, no glitter, just simple inspiration. Independent. Experimental. Low definition.

So follow along as I continue to learn film, meet filmmakers, and finish three Super 8mm short films: "Bon Vivant", "Irrealis", and "Golden Triangle" (working title).

Synopses:

"Bon Vivant" is about the travels of my Sister and I as we backpacked through Berlin, Amsterdam, Brugge, and Prague in the Summer of 2008. In essence, it is a glorified home video, but much, much better. The sound editing was done by my good friend Joe Sotiroff, a sax player, who also scored the film to an original jazz number.

"Irrealis" is my first narrative short that pays homage to spy films. Two agents mistake each other for a mole in the CIA only to find out that neither was who they expected. Filmed in 11 European countries.

"Golden Triangle" (working title) is a personal documentary of my adventure to China and how it changed my view of my Chinese heritage.

I am expecting to wrap the last two in post in the next year and enter them into film festivals. The banner photo on the blog is a reflection of my sister and I in a garbage can in the Prague train station; I would have given you a million dollars if you guessed that correctly!

Anyway, Life is good. Glad you visited.

Enjoy. ~David T.

Our Lodging in China

2009-07-07T23:21:00.007-05:00

For those looking to travel to China anytime soon; here are the hostels that we stayed at. They were cheap and close to the center; I loved it!

This is a view of downtown Shanghai from the upper walkway of our hostel.

Mingtown Etour Youth Hostel – located centrally behind the Marriott just off of People’s Square in central Shanghai, this hostel was excellent for its location. Unfortunately, the staff was not very helpful and didn’t know very much about where to go in the city. Internet was slower than cooked snails.

This is a view of the park just south of our neighborhood or "hutong" where the Courtyard Hostel is located. It was amazing.

Sitting on the Walls Courtyard Hostel – Quiet, clean and in a great location. This hostel is currently rated the #1 hostel in all of Asia and I must say it is because of the customer service. The hostel was nothing special but the staff was willing to call locations for time and directions, write down information, point out sights, and book tours. I highly recommend it.

While biking the city walls of Xi'an I snapped this photo. Our hostel is on the other side of the pagoda, next to the wall.

Shuyuan Youth Hostel – this hostel had the best bang for your buck. We obtained a private suite for the equivalent of $8 a night. I don’t think the price is as cheap now, but they were quick to email me back and confirm reservations. A nice feature was free pickup from the Train station and they also offered many tours.

The Death of My Super 8mm Camera?

2009-06-30T20:33:00.009-05:00

Filming in China was actually quite easy. People stared at us no matter what, so I didn’t feel out of place with my bulky Super 8mm and microphone. I was a bit hesitant about filming in a communist country, but they were more laxed than I thought. I filmed in the Yuyuan Gardens, around Shanghai, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. Unfortunately, my camera died in the Forbidden City so I wasn’t able to shoot anymore of the trip. I refrained from filming inside any Buddhist temples because my camera is quite loud.

So as I said, my Super 8 died and I couldn't film anymore. I have since sent the camera to a chill repair dude in upstate New York named Bernie O'Doherty. Check out his site, he has been working on cameras for 40 years and he was even nominated for an Academy Award for technical achievement. I talked to him on the phone about his business, learning his trade in the UK and Paris, and buying an Eclair Super 16 camera. Hopefully soon I shall hear if my poor camera can be brought back from the dead. If not, then Ebay here I come!

Click Here:
Super 16 Inc. and Bernie O'Doherty

Ciao,
David

For the Foodie in Every Traveler

2009-06-11T20:03:00.034-05:00

I love food, especially Chinese food. Being half Chinese, I am probably more familiar with Chinese than any other ethnic food since my Mom and Grandmother would fry up some pretty amazing dishes. The following is a list of food experiences in the order in which I tried them. The restaurants listed are actually pretty easy to find and you can inquire about them at the place you are staying for more information and location. I felt that I would share my foods with you so that when you happen to venture to China your experience will be just as tasty or even better.

Random Restaurant (Shanghai) – This area is near the Yuyuan gardens and there is street food and some sit down restaurants. We ate noodle soup with crabmeat, bok choy, chicken, and fresh noodles. We also ate a dish with stir fried beef, egg, and stewed tomatoes. Tomato dishes have been growing in popularity in China and this infusion is one that would make Chinese/American cuisine proud because we have had it over here for quite some time. The picture is of a street market vendor frying cuttlefish and squid.

Lou Wai Lou (Hangzhou) – A fancy restaurant on the West Lake of Hangzhou. Famous for beggars chicken, the restaurant serves up mostly local favorites straight from the lake. I tried smoked Duck tongue (pictured), candied Lotus Root stuffed with sticky rice (from West Lake), noodle soup, and steamed Shanghai style bok choy and mushrooms (from West Lake). This was also the place that I tried the West Lake Green Rain Beer. Do not pass this up. You have a balcony view of Hangzhou and the whole West Lake.

Man Fu Lou (Beijing) – Known for having a great Hot Pot; we decided to try this place without even knowing what a hot pot was. Talk about an experience; no one spoke English and they had to show us what to do. They sit a little burner on your table and place a bowl filled with seasoned broth. When it boils you cook the vegetables and meat in it and then dip it in some soy sauce and a peanut sauce mixed with cilantro and green onions. We had potatoes, mushrooms, fish balls, lamb, beef, and spinach. Simply put, this was my favorite culinary experience on the whole trip.

Quan Jude Roast Duck Restaurant (Beijing) – Known for serving roast duck for over 150 years, this restaurant was excellent, but a bit pricy. We ate Peking duck in a way that I had never done before – in a small wrap with hoisin sauce and thinly sliced onions. It was fantastic and unlike anything I had tried in American Chinatowns. The duck was very lightly seasoned and roasted over an open flame. They slice it table-side and serve you only the prime meat, such as the good skin and the breast. This blog post is very difficult to write before lunch.

Donghuamen Night Market from David T. on Vimeo.

Donghuamen Night Market (Beijing) – I tried three main delicacies here: Sea Snake, Dog, and Scorpions. Ironically, Scorpions were not that bad and reminded me of pork rinds, but the Dog was fried too long and tough and the Sea Snake was salty, squishy, and gross. I am glad I tried it. If I went back I would have to explore the starfish, sea urchins, or grasshoppers. However, I draw the line at reproductive organs; I will not try those. Andrew Zimmern and Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel visited this street.

Muslim Quarter (Xi’an Street Food) – I ate a Sichuan Hot Pot, which is the same concept as the hot pot at Man Fu Lou listed above but with fresh chili peppers added to the broth. It is extremely hot, but extremely awesome. I ate tofu, mushrooms, bok choy, beef, and bamboo shoots. I also tried Uighur, which is a fusion of Chinese and Middle Eastern. Uighur is a Muslim people group originating from Turkey and countries along the silk road. The food is mainly known for grilled lamb kabobs (pictured near the bottom right corner), roasted with soy sauce, peppers, and spices. For a couple kwai (30 cents) you can enjoy some of the best skewered meat you've ever had.

Din Tai Fung (Shanghai) – This restaurant is actually from Taiwan and it was very swanky and nice. We ate at the one located in Xintiandi, which was the site of the first Congress of the Communist Party of China. Famous for dumplings, they were the juiciest ones I've ever had; they simply melt in your mouth. Not to salty, they are spiced just right so you can taste the full flavor of the meat. Apparently, there is one located in, LA. It comes highly recommended by the NY Times and if I find myself on the West Coast I may have to stop in again.

Hope you enjoyed the food. Now, let's eat! Cheers to real Chinese food.

Ciao,
David

My Chinese Beer Experience

2009-06-09T21:56:00.026-05:00

Beer Review:
I am not a pro beer taster but I have traveled Europe and I am from Portland, Oregon, the microbrew capitol of the world, so I have tasted some pretty awesome brews. The review below doesn’t use a system; I simply react to the beer. The following is in the order that I tasted them:

1. West Lake Green Rain Beer (Hangzhou) – a good refreshing beer, it is brewed locally in Hangzhou and has a good balanced wheat flavor and isn’t too strong on the hops. The beer is golden with somewhat of a foamy head. (pictured)

2. Reeb (Shanghai) – this is a cheap beer without much taste, but it was refreshing and it hit the spot. Produced by Asia Pacific breweries, this is a brand owned by Heineken. Oddly, the name of the beer is beer spelled backwards.

3. Tsingtao (Qingdao) – truly the best beer that I had in China. This is a German style lager that was started by German immigrants in 1903. The only downside is that it is more expensive than most and in some areas more expensive than Budweiser.

4. Yanjing (Beijing) – smooth and similar to a pilsner, this was my favorite on the trip because of the price and the taste. It is the equivalent of 44 cents for about a half liter.

5. Hans Beer (Xi’an) – watery and not my favorite. It had a weak hoppy aftertaste and hardly any head.

China in Review

2009-06-09T21:32:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the Intro to my "China in Review", a log of our trip for any adventurers to reference if they ever have the desire to experience China as we did. I think writing for Lonely Planet or producing a travel show would be amazing. Therefore, over the next few days I will post the following:

Food: Beer Review and Restaurants

My Super 8mm Film Experience

Lodging

Transportation

List of Sights

Finally click HERE to see the final schedule of events on our trip. Some things changed unexpectedly, as they should on travels, added sights, random food, and missed trains.

Ciao,
David

20 Years Since Tiananmen

2009-06-03T16:09:00.006-05:00

*UPDATE
Tiananmen 20th anniversary Brings New Repression

Tiananmen Security Tight on Crackdown Anniversary

Before going to China I was told that it would not appear communist and that most of what is "communist" is done in the background. While in China, I found the former to be true and my ideas and images that I had seen in history books of communism were nowhere to be found. However, I came across this article on Yahoo. Today, June 3, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of the protests at Tiananmen Square, and it was exactly one week ago that I was there. The majority of the Chinese people don't know about the event and apparently the Chinese Government is trying to keep it that way. In China, Google's Blogger is blocked and I learned this the hard way. All my blog posts were done via Flickr. I had to post a photo and then blog about it. However, the Chinese government blocked Twitter and Flickr in China today to prevent possible publicity about the protests 20 years ago. Therefore, if I was there now, I wouldn't be able to blog. Thus, it is true, China may not appear communist, but in the background, it is.

Hard Sleeper

2009-06-01T18:13:00.003-05:00

Today I tried biking photography; I don’t know if it’s a fad or not. According to the movie “Yes Man” running photography is hip. I’m not entirely certain of this, but if Zooey Deschanel’s character says so, I’m willing to accept it as fact. Anyway, I tried photography, while biking the Xi’an city wall and they are blurry and interesting. As for the wall, it is massive and you feel like you have risen above the city - strangely it even makes a city the size of Chicago feel small.

FYI: Xi’an has the pickiest cab drivers I have ever encountered. We asked about 6 cabbies to go downtown and they kept saying they only go to certain areas or they don’t want to go downtown because of traffic. It was frustrating. However, with much persistence, we were still able to make the train to Shanghai and I even had time to enjoy a bunch of lychee nuts (a Chinese fruit).

The train to Shanghai was a trip that truly added to our China experience. It was our first time to travel in a hard sleeper train, and there are six bunks in each compartment and there is little padding. This weekend is the Dragon Boat Festival in Beijing and many people are on an extended weekend so the train was packed. It was great being crammed with so many different Chinese travelers, even for all 15 hours.

The last day in Shanghai is bittersweet. Part of me wants to continue south to Hong Kong or maybe Thailand. Perhaps I could head north and go into Mongolia? There are so many options. For the final day we went to the top of the Jin Mao financial building and viewed the smog that is Shanghai, then we did a bit more shopping for gifts before heading to see the Acrobats. Extremely touristy, yet extremely entertaining, acrobatics were born in China and are a must if you travel here. Unicycles and children balancing on stacked chairs – it was a great way to end the trip. To finish the night we went to a fancy Thai restaurant and had some amazing Pad Thai. So good.

In a few days I am going to recap the trip in five parts: food, film, lodging, transportation, and sights, giving you a general overview of the experiences of the trip for all who are interested in China travel and how the filming went.

Zaijian from China,

David

Soldiers

2009-05-28T11:31:00.003-05:00

Soldiers
Originally uploaded by amigodavido

Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman of the western hemisphere. This post is going to be short due to a bad internet connection. I am sitting in Xi'an, China, and it is past midnight. Today we saw the Terracotta warriors and they were quite awesome. The statues are much bigger than I thought, and they were much bigger than any Chinese that lived at that time as well ( I know this because they are taller than me). Unfortunately, they haven't excavated very many of the soldiers but what we saw was quite fascinating. In fact, Christina and I even met the farmer, Mr. Yang, who discovered the warriors in 1974. He is a celebrity here in China.

We arrived in Xi'an from Beijing this morning and the sleeper cars are really quite nice. The day before we took a trip to the Olympic village and saw the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. They are quite a sight to see and the entire area is filled with Chinese tourists. They always travel with giant tour groups. What is up with that? If I spoke the language I would read up on a location and take the bus to see it. Heck, I don't even speak the language and I go. Anyway, enough ranting about crowded tourist locations.

This evening we walked to the Muslim section of Xi'an and looked at fake goods and street food. The experience was fantastic. I ate food from a Sichuan hot pot and sampled some Uighur, which is a fusion of Chinese and Middle Eastern. Excellent. I also had the opportunity to pick up some LaCoste polo shirts to wear to work this summer; they cost me about $5. I also had the opportunity to pick up some souvenirs for people, so keep an out eye out for me when I return!

Tomorrow evening we head back to Shanghai. Our adventure has almost ended, and tomorrow, our main endeavor is to bike the length of the Xi'an city wall or about 8 miles. Also will see some of the sights and eat some more authentic food. Until then, have a great day at work! Lol. Hopefully there aren't any misspellings in this, but I am tired. I shall be back in the states in a few days and I can catch up on my rest!

Ciao,
David

Hiking the Wall

2009-05-26T10:41:00.002-05:00

Christina and I and the Great Wall of Simatai.
Originally uploaded by amigodavido

The Great wall isn't like anything I had previously conceived: a smooth walk with lots of stairs. In fact, there are parts that have crazy drop-offs near cliffs, crumbling sections, and places where you walk on all fours. People have died hiking this and the Grand Canyon was actually easier. (My dad would not enjoy it) To start, we took a tram up to the Wall at Jin Shan Ling and walked seven miles to Simatai. The hike took about four hours and we passed some of the most breath taking vistas and crumbling towers. The group that we went with was one of the most colorful I had ever seen: a couple from Paris, two from Germany, two from Belgium, a Swedish Thai dude, two Brits, a reggae musician from Canada, and three prissy girls from Calgary. My sister was a trooper and insisted on hiking the entire thing with her laryngitis. Kudos for being tough, Christina!

To top the entire experience off, we took a zipline over a canyon and a lake to get off of the wall even quicker. The best part was that it was only $6. The safety precautions were a bit shady, like improperly strapped harnesses and a carabiner that didn't lock, but hey, we survived! Plus I was able to film the entire thing with my digital camera. Now that I don't have my Super 8, I can focus on photography more. However, I missed a lot of great footage today. *Sigh.

Tonight we went to the best place in Beijing to get Peking Duck. They have been fire roasting duck for 150 years and I must say it is delicious. Oddly, the duck is sliced table-side and it is served in a wrap with hoisin sauce and onions. A little bizarre at first, but incredibly delicious. Afterward we took a stroll through Hou Hai, a swanky lake district filled with over 300 restaurants and bars and some very bad Chinese Pop music (there was a punk band that was amusing). Now I am about to go to bed...but it is my last night in Beijing. Should I go explore? You know me...

~David

Beijing Fever

2009-05-25T08:33:00.004-05:00

Originally uploaded by amigodavido

China is humongous, Tiananmen Square is the size of 90 football fields and the Forbidden City is bigger and than any castle I have ever seen. The gates become progressively bigger and more magnificent as you move through the palace. Another site that we saw was the Temple of Heaven, the most famous pagoda in China. I learned that the original burnt down a hundred years ago and because of a shortage of timber it was rebuilt using pine from the great state of Oregon. This is a funny obscure fact that all Oregonians should be proud of.

I hit up the Donghuamen Night market just like Andrew Zimmern on the Travel Channel and I put my stomach to the test. I ate Sea Snake, Dog, and Fried Scorpions. The dog was gross, the sea snake was squishy, and the scorpions were crunchy. Yumm. Hopefully, I don't get sick, but I found that the remedy isn't Pepto Bismol, rather it is a bit of alcohol. In biblical times they drank wine that had an alcohol strength of a beer, so I have been trying various beers to prevent stomach aches. Today I tried, Yanjing - somewhat of a weak wheat beer that was cool and refreshing. I don't know if this really works, but I figure it should kill some things and be tasty at the same time.

Unfortunately, today was a rather rough day. Christina came down with a cold and is currently asleep...she went to bed at about 8:30pm. Hopefully she gets better soon because we do the Great Wall tomorrow. Also, I think I burnt-out the motor in my Super 8 camera. It stopped working in the Forbidden City. I don't know what to do. The short that I am working on won't be shelved because my ideas will still fly. I will simply have to get creative!

Until tomorrow! Peace from China!

~David

Shanghai for a Day

2009-05-23T10:32:00.003-05:00

A Pagoda at the Yuyuan Gardens
Originally uploaded by amigodavido

We couldn't figure out this morning if it was overcast or if the smog in China is really this bad. It turns out is was a combination of both and it started pouring on us. In a way I am glad that it was overcast because it was dense...and hey, no one wears masks over here! I can't figure why a lot of Asians do in the US? And my friend Rene is right; it reminds me of Mexico City!

Today Christina and I made our way to two main areas in Shanghai: the Yu Yuan Gardens and the Longhua Si Temple. The Yu Yuan gardens (pictured) are about 400 years old and are an intricate labyrinth of rockeries, fish ponds, and pagodas. My favorite part of the day was seeing the Longhua Si, the largest and most active Buddhist Temple in Shangai. There were quite a few different statues and manifestations of Buddha that I really had no clue even existed. It was extremely peaceful as the entire courtyard was filled with incense arrangements and quiet, solemn parishioners.

Navigating the metro was easy and buying tickets for our train to Beijing was cake, and tomorrow we head to Hangzhou to see the pagodas and lily pads and tea houses. However, I have to run and call Bank of America because they locked my Debit card. Jerks! Until another day!

~DT

China's Golden Triangle

2009-05-17T14:34:00.005-05:00

Welcome to my new Blog. This is my first blog post EVER and in the last week I signed up for Blogger, Vimeo, and Flickr to share media galore. Over the next 10 days my sister and I are traveling to China, to see the sights, eat good food, and see where our family comes from. It is our first time to travel East and we don't speak any Chinese; to be honest I am a little nervous. But it's all good. We are traveling on what is called, China's Golden Triangle because the geographical course makes, you guessed it, a triangle through China: Shanghai to Beijing to Xi'an back to Shanghai.

My sister and I are documenting the trip with Super 8mm film in the spirit of a "Personal Documentary", an art form popular in the 1970's, which is characterized by having the narrator enlighten the viewer about the trip and life in general. The short is a follow-up to "Bon Vivant" shot in North-Central Europe last summer and it is fittingly called "Golden Triangle". During the trip I am going to put up some posts, perhaps video clips from my digital camera and a photo or two! Select the link below to see the itinerary and possible upload dates. Let the blog begin. ~DT

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