My trip to China was mostly work related. In 2015 Chinese president visited Egypt and the two countries made many political, economical and cultural bonds. Our dance-trip was part of a bigger project called Egypt-China 2016. I can only applaud the Chinese hospitality that was shown to us.
We performed "Women of Egypt" in 3 different cities in huge theatres and once out-doors even. The best stage moment for me was after the final bow having tens and tens of small chinese girls run up to me on stage to take a photo with the princess. Totally melted my heart!
At the same time I should point out one bad habit the chinese audience had. Many of them cannot concentrate on the show, they keep their nose in their smartphones just occasionally looking up to the on-going show.
Another thing to melt my heart was the food and You will see pleanty of food photos in my album. I only wish I had an english-speaking someone to quide me in the restaurant, what is what and what goes with what. So I usually just tired everything with everyhting, sometimes it worked, sometimes it was a disaster :)
As for the chinese people I met in Yin Chuan, I could not get to know them due to the lanquage barrier. 99% of them cannot speak English (even in a hotel). Some of them are eager to help and talk, so they take out their smartphones for translation help. Some smile to me and giggle from shyness. Last but not least there are some who are quite cold and amost ignore you for speaking english to them.
So here are the best of my photos, hope you enjoy!
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| Aliens are taking over! … a funny choice of words on chinese immigration card. |
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| Air China has a cute talking panda in their airplane safety video |
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| We made it! After 11 hour flight to Beijing, 6 hour layover and 2 hours to Yin Chuan, we happilly walked out of the airport! |
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| Our royal hotel lobby |
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| Food love! Had no idea what anything tastes like but tried everything! |
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| Put my camera on a stone for a timed-selfie and a few seconds later a park-police came to tell me to leave the ancient site:) |
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| Food love! The bowl has mushroom-beef-cabbage soup and plate has tofu-rice with stir-fried greens. Hiding behind the bowl is a piece of papaya! |
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| Salah and our choreogrpaher Tarek (in the center). Many dancers caught a cold because they don't know how to dress below 10C. I went out with a heavy coat, hat, gloves and boots stuffed with big socks and found some of my friends wearing flip-flops! |
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| A gym street. Probably one of the reasons chinese people are so slim and live long lives. Streets equipped with gym machines for free usage! |
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| I stopped and had my first "oh my god" moment - coloured baby chicks for sale! |
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| Woman selling corn on street |
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| A shopping mall decorated with hunderds of red laterns in Yin Chuan downtown |
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| Found this food lable on day at lunch |
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| And turns our "Boobs Film" in regular steamed bread:) |
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| Our assistent Suzi and company manager Walid having Chinese lunch. Many of our dancers after discovering Chinese food decided not to even bother coming to the restaurant for a meal. They preferred to eat Egyptian cheese and bread in their room. |
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| This is why we came! The Egypt-China 2016 cultural co-operation year! |
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| Our first stage, word-class conditions! |
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| Let's get the show started! |
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| Found these beautiful chinese girs in the restaurant entrance |
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| Food love! |
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| Our second stage, theatre fits more then 1400 quests! Shi Zui Shan city |
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| Found myself dancing in the morning newspaper |
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| Salah trying local delicacies - chicken toes |
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| For them its just a casual city park, for me its magic! |
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| The mice cannot use this park as a toilet :) |
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| Peace and shopping |
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| Scooter gloves for chilly spring weather |
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| Charming city architecture |
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| Our third and last stage - outdoors. Our show filled this huge square with people. Wu Zhong city |
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| After our show the people didn't want to leave us. They just stood surrounding our bus waving us goodbye and smiling |
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| Since this was our last performance our director decided to give away some stage props to the spectators. The people were so happy to receive them, probably will never us them but a fantastic souvenir! |
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| A 6-star setting for lunch |
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| … and we were invited:) |
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| Cheap street-snacks: fruits and jello glazed with caramel and sesame seeds |
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| Selection of roots sold on a street market |
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| Our company on last-day photoshoot |
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| To our suprise the organizers took us to see a performing company in their studio! |
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| Yin Chuan company of modern ballet - they were so inspiring! Just what was missing in the trip was meeting local dancers! |
Chinese warrior dance
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| Highly synchronized dance with water jug and flowers |
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| With the incredible organizers! |
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