I think I’m over my jet lag now — 2 weeks was too short a time to be in Asia, so I hope to go back soon. Taipei was fantastic, as always. Food, congestion, family, friends, and new experiences. I thought the concert with the Taipei Chinese Orchestra went well; conductor Lee Ying was lots of fun to work with, and all the staff at TCO were super friendly. More importantly, I made some new friends and found a bunch of Chinese music and CDs to listen to. It’s time to listen to the music from my past.
I only had 3 days to spend in Manila, but they were three fantastic days. My concert was hosted by “Guitar and Friends”. Incidentally, Eliot Fisk has a group of the same name in Salzburg. Guitarists are friendly; what can we say! The concert took place in a beautiful room in Intramuros. There were paintings of the past priests of the church, and the room reminded me of playing for Oscar Ghiglia’s master classes at L’Accademia Chigiana. Again, I made many friends. This was my first time in Manila, but I certainly hope it’s not the last. The flight was only 2 hours from Taipei; of course, with flight delays and immigration, the whole thing comes out to be a bit longer.
Oh, and I ate balut. Fermented duck eggs — with a partially formed duck inside. My verdict — tastes like egg; I’ve eaten stranger things; don’t eat the hair/feathers. I’ve done it once — good enough. There are tons of other delicious things to eat in Manila. Say coconut and mangos.
