National Centre for Performing Arts, Beijing

We heard about the stunning architecture of the French designed NCPA building that was completed for the 2008 Olympics, so made a special effort to visit it.

NCPA lit up at night

 

The complex houses an opera theatre, a concert hall and a drama theatre, and of course also various objects of art.

Opera Theatre

Concert Hall

Kay having a close inspection.

Coffee of international standard, and prices

Beijing trip

 

We discovered a large fruit and vegetable market just round the corner from our hotel at Chongwenmen on our first night in Beijing during our short visit to China. We only had a few specific interests in Beijing, then we would travel on the longest fast train in the world right across the heartland of China down to Shenzhen not far from Hong Kong.

Last Madrid photo

The "futbol" mania has died down, Real Madrid's magical 4-1 win from behind after normal time over Atelitico Madrid is all history.

Last evening meal at a small cafe in Madrid's La Latina or Latin quarter; time was around  8pm, very early by local customs. I had paella and Kay had ensalada (salad), like what we had many many times over the past month.

We look forward to going back to Singapore and Sydney for won ton, Thai beef salad, char kway  teow, curries, laksa and perhaps finishing off with chendol and ice kachang.

Spanish food

Spanish delicacy of white beans, blood and rice sausage and pig's ears.

Farewell to Camino

Pulpo (octopus) is a local delicacy. Sarria's CH Hotel served a delicious pulpo risotto.

Trees removed

We had the tree men in to deal with a few trees. One was a tall camphor laurel that we had topped years ago and left it standing but still covered with monstera, while the other was an ugly and sickly box elder (acer negundo). They also took out a cypress pine.

The men arrived the first thing in the morning together with a large crane that took up all of our front yard.

One man was lifted high to begin on the monstera; perhaps he was least afraid of heights.

First the monstera creepers were pruned and then the old trunk of the camphor laurel was cut up.

The tree trunk was cut into large sections and each lifted out to be shredded by the other men.

Tree removal April 2014 from Kin-Mun Kan on Vimeo.

That was the end of the old camphor laurel trunk and monstera.

Next they worked on the box elder (Acer negundo) in the same way.

Tree removal II April 2014 from Kin-Mun Kan on Vimeo.

By noon, there jobs were done.

After a few days of wet weather

After a few days of wet weather, something popped out on our gravel driveway

Mushrooms.

This gives a better idea of the size.