Pema Rinzin - Opening Tonight

The First Tibetan Contemporary Solo Show in Chelsea, New York.
Opening: Jan 27th 2010 ( 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM)
Location: Joshua Liner Art Gallery
Artist: Pema Rinzin
Title: Compassion Transformed.

This is it! The opening is tonight at 6:00. I am looking forward to seeing a number of paintings on exhibition that I have not yet had a chance to see and enjoy, also the set of three abstract portraits.

Tuesday in Hong Kong

Tuesday morning was a good opportunity to sleep in and relax. We didn't really get motivated until after breakfast and then in the early afternoon took the ferry from Kowloon across the water into Hong Kong. A few hours were spent meeting with art dealers and looking at various objects. Later in the day we met up with some good friends and then went for drinks followed by a late leisurely dinner at an Australian steak house in the heart of Hong Kong's bustling nightlife district. It was a good time with lots of laughing and joking. We arrived back to the hotel before midnight and were asleep almost minutes later.

Wednesday Morning: It was easy getting up at six in the morning and packing. On short trips luggage and packing is so easy. Unfortunately Cathay was not able to upgrade us to Business Class but still we have good seats anyway. With luck the flight won't be too busy.

Taipai on a Grey Cloudy Monday Morning

The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity from looking at collections on Friday and Saturday, a music recital on an ancient Chinese table top stringed instrument, and viewing another large collection on Sunday morning and two more in the afternoon. Today we will relax a little and then head over to the Palace Museum after lunch. There is a Gesar exhibition on display.

A friends flew in from Beijing via Hong Kong last night. He is supposed to come to the museum with us - although also known to be a late sleeper.

My head cold didn't get any better and I have been suffering with it. The nose has stopped running - possibly re-charging

Tonight we leave for the airport at 5:30 and fly out at 8:20 for Hong Kong.

Taipai - Saturday Morning

It is unusual for me but every once and awhile I wake up with, or come down with, a cold. That's what I feel I have right now and since yesterday. It started off with a slight cough and turned into a kind of headache. I broke a fever in the middle of the night and have been gradually feeling better ever since - although it is only ten in the morning and the activities of the day haven't started yet.

Yesterday we left Hong Kong early and traveled uneventfully to Taipei. The flight was only an hour and a half and served breakfast - a ham and cheese sandwich - surprisingly good (compared with excessive congee). We made our way to the hotel and got settled before going out for what might have been the best Chinese organic vegetarian lunch ever. There were several dishes that were just outstanding. The little shop off of a side street or ally only had about eight tables with four seats for each - not a restaurant one would naturally choose. Bourdain is unlikely to have ever been there.

After lunch we had time to visit a Dharma Mart, Buddha Bazaar, Dharma Mall catering to all of one's Buddhist needs - notions, potions, images, mock offerings and torma, Dharma texts, sadhanas (with Chinese translation), household goods, furniture, soap, oil and of course prayer wheels - solar, electric, battery, wind and hand powered. It was an adventure.

The main event for the day was meeting with a Chinese dealer with a large collection of sculpture and paintings. It was an amazing time. There were many works that I had never seen before and some were very good, very interesting and captivated the mind for long periods. We were there most of the rest of the day and well into the night. We were able to grab some dinner at the hotel lounge before retiring for evening, and me into a feverish state.

The two images above are of the beautifully manicured Buddhist Nunnery in Hong Kong (quietest place in the city). The second image is attempting to show some of the dozens of miniature trees on the park grounds. The remaining leaves (remember it is winter here) do not appear clearly in the photo. The trees could easily have been props in either the movie Lord of the Rings or Avatar.

Friday Morning on the South China Sea

If it's Friday it must be Taipai. Well, not quite yet. We still have to get to the Hong Kong airport which is about 25 minutes from the YMCA Hotel in Kowloon. After that the flight to Taipai will only be about an hour and a half.

Yesterday afternoon was spent looking at some interesting pieces of art followed by a leisurely dim sum lunch. Following lunch we spent the afternoon in the Chi Lin Nunnery and temple compound. It is very quiet there - a hidden part of Hong Kong so far unknown to tourists. The nunnery also has a beautiful park in front with ponds and waterfalls, a tea house (literally the quietest place in Hong Kong) and a vegetarian restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious dinner before returning to the hotel.

No images yet - I didn't have time yesterday or this morning to download the files from the camera to the computer. In Taipai there should be more time for downtime and details - unless of course I am completely mistaken!

YMCA Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific was nice enough to upgrade the two of us to Business Class yesterday. Arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday afternoon after losing a half day because of the international dateline. It is actually Thursday morning here now as I write this entry.

We had a coffee in the lobby of the YMCA Hotel yesterday and then ran into a friend from Kathmandu as he exited the elevator in the hotel. He was in Hong Kong on business and the last time I saw him was in a restaurant in Kathmnadu three years ago. The world is becoming ever smaller.

Later, after a short rest, we met up with our host and went for a traditional dinner at an upscale Shanghai restaurant. Needless to say I don't think I like the food that much. I have become very picky about my Chinese diet especially when I can't recognize it out of a line-up. I also enjoy taking my food from the plate and putting it into my mouth directly rather than having to pick out all of the bones, skin, bits of shell, etc., but most importantly I want to know what it is. Is that really so much to ask?

The weather is cool here with mostly 60s during the day - somewhat cloudy. It is winter after all!

We are only here today and then leave early in the morning for Taipai. The flight leaves at 9:00. For the next few days we have all of the recommended restaurants reserved (by our host) along with the meetings lined up. Basically we will be hitting the ground in Taipai running until arriving back in the Hong Kong YMCA late on Monday night. Tuesday will be a full day in Hong Kong to finish up any last minute work before flying back to NY on Wednesday morning.

With luck I will have better images for the next entry.

Later...

--- Jeff

Taiwan Bound

I am off to China again, but this time I'm heading for Taiwan to check out the Himalayan and Tibetan collections at the Palace Museum in Taipai, Taiwan. There are many collections of Tibetan art in Taiwan both private and museum. Hopefully I will see as many as possible in the short amount of time that this trip allows.

I liked this saying:

"THOUGH A MAN BE LEARNED
IF HE DOES NOT APPLY HIS KNOWLEDGE
HE RESEMBLES THE BLIND MAN
WHO WITH A LAMP IN THE HAND CANNOT SEE THE ROAD."

A friend told me this one over Christmas:

"Nine tenths of belief IS reality."