Shanghai Pizza
Oh ya, and that Canadian Singer….
I just got off the train from Shanghai (and boy am I windblown! Sorry.)…I did the overnight cheapo fare that requires you to share a berth with five total strangers. It is kind of like being back in the military except you can’t shoot at the woman n the next car whose voice can crack plaster and has a cell phone with an endless battery life. Hey, for $30 bucks it’s still a bargain and I considered myself lucky to even get a wheelbarrow ride into Guangzhou during this period: the Canton Trade Fair is on and tens of thousands of traders (and various “service” personnel to “support” them) descend on the city and jack up prices on everything from dinner to DVDs. The prices are so high the merchants on Beijing Road don’t need to make counterfeit change. But I digress…
Prior to the concert I did a day of visitations with Web 2.0 friends and Internet acquaintances–who incidentally look nothing like their Facebook profile shots. I met with Gus at the China Business Incubator Globe Forum; I had lunch with the Muse of Online Videos and inexpensive food, Thalia Kwok at China On TV; I discussed million dollar IPO’able innovations with blogger and PR pundit Adam Schokora; and finally got to meet Twitterbug, blogger, gaming entrepreneur, angel investor, very proud new dad and Tudou co-founder, Marc Vanderchijs.
Ya, I missed my nap.
In the early evening, just a few subway stops from the sports stadium. where the best selling female artist in the world was to sing, I enjoyed a specially prepared meal of salad, broasted chicken and pizza made by the Danes and Scandanavians who operate a trade company with an un-pronounceable name (Kinakontakten) and a Shanghai Pizza Parlor–in their spare time.
I had grown used to Papa Wongs Johns in Guangzhou and was so taken by REAL salad and REAL pizza with REAL pepperoni that I was late (really) for Celine Dion’s opening number. Pizza and company have to be damned good to derail a 1,000 mile journey to see a diva.
It was my first time in the grand 50,000-seat Shanghai Stadium. I blundered into the stands sometime during “Drove All Night,” and just prior to “The Power of Love,” and”Because You Love Me.” Both should have brought the House down, but this is China: I am still not used to Chinese audiences and their lukewarm responses to mega-talent. They are just not very demonstrative in comparison to American crowds–or even the Canucks at Shanghai stadium who had draped themselves in maple leaf flags…
The tear-jerker of the night was a tribute to Queen. No, I am not kidding. “We Will Rock You,” and “The Show Must Go On” was a beautifully crafted montage of clips from the life of Queen and Freddie Mercury, leader of arguably the best stage band of my era. And of course, Celine Dion saved, “My Heart Will Go On,” for her second encore. and the one time most of the crowd rose to their feet.
As an aside, I remember nce reading that the writer of the Oscsar winning song from “Titanic” could expect to earn $20,000,00 USD in his lifetime from just that tune. If it were me, I’d be sending flowers after each royalty check to the only lady that could have taught seven continents its lyrics
(Of course it is a picture of the screen in the stadium! I was the the nose-bleed seats with the French speakers.)
Now if only business adventures were always this much fun….
Posted 25 April, 2008 in Shanghai Pizza, Shanghai, Travel in China, 中国, Personal Notes
1 comment to “Shanghai Pizza”
Finnik, June 8th, 2008 at 3:17 pm:
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..I don’t like it.