Jpop: Especia - We are Especia ~Nakinagara Dancing~

The lovely 80s retro nerds from Especia released this piece of celebration on New Years Eve. Enjoyable as ever.

• We are Especia ~Nakinagara Dancing~ (～泣きながらダンシング～（ショート ver.))
• We are Especia ~Nakinagara Dancing~ (long version)

Mandopop: Xu Ziwai (徐子崴)

I gather that Xu Ziwai has been singing mostly ballads and movie themes but the song "Big Times / Da ShiDai" is more of a pop song written for the upcoming New Years Eve celebrations. It has two interesting elements - the updated square dancing theme so typical for Chinese cities and the name "Da Shidai" which has a special meaning in China. It implies the common or rather communal strivings of (mostly) communistic China for the (idealistically...) common good. With the modern economic politics Deng Xiaoping there was a transition to "Xiao Shidai" or "Small Times" ie everyone for themselves like in most other western countries. My impression is that Ziwai tries to woo the elder part of the public with this songs themes while hoping that the modern beats shall also hold some interest for the younger.

• Xu Ziwai - Big Times (Da Xiwai / 大時代)

Trip to China Winter 2014: Day 1 - Goodbye Christmas

(Which means 'Christmas'. A proper Merry Chistmas is instead '圣诞节快乐' = 'Shèngdàn (jié) kuàilè')

So, finally my (almost) three week trip to China is here! Having celebrated an early and cozy Christmas this weekend, I leave all that mostly behind me as Christmas is not such a big thing holiday-wise in China. For sure, you will see lots of western-inpired stuff but that is mainly consumerism spilling over everywhere in a culturally more and more globalized world.

Being the number one manufacturing nation in the world, it would be hard not to partake in some of this as Santa has most of his factory(ies) in China producing presents at full speed this time of year. I will try to blog as much as I can about this, and of course my instagram will be my best friend too.
I will visit Chongqing around New Years Eve and hope to be at Jiefangbei at midnight when 2015 arrives, and go to holiday island Hainan to soak up some sun at Sanya, but mostly I will be at the smaller Wansheng(万盛) south of Chongqing to enjoy the company of my girlfriends relatives.

Trip to Sapporo: Day 8 - Skiing on New Years Eve

(Click here for first day, yesterday or for all trips)
What better way to celebrate New Years Eve in wintery Sapporo than to go skiing with friends at the number one resort in Hokkaido, Rusutsu? As they had a fireworks also, it was an easy decision. (^_^)
Happy New Year, everyone!

ALl the others went for snowboarding, but me myself is a skiing guy.

I chose the non-black, beginners option to the right...

A very romantic resort with lots of romantic photoshoot opportunities.

Fantastic fireworks that, as usual, you can't relay properly with images.

I heard a strange sound under the car and it proved to be a cone that driver-san had hit on  the parking lot… (^_^)

Special hamburger where you can grill your meat extra if you want.

(Click here for the next day)