The final countdown

Towards the end of the 80’s, a Chinese restaurant called Yang Tse caused furore in Chihuahua; the reason for this “uproar” was a simple architectural idea: A small pool was built around the restaurant, a pool in which Koi fish lived (Koi are the typical orange fish we know from Chinese or Japanese films or restaurants).
Even though I was only 7 or 8 when the Yang Tse opened, I clearly remember ordering my food as quick as I could just to run outside the restaurant and see the fish with Carla, my cousin and childhood sidekick.
In that restaurant my sister always had Cantonese chicken wings (fried with ginger and soy sauce) which she loved dipping in a red sweet-sour sauce.

The Yang Tse, as many Chihuahuan Restaurants in the 80’s and 90’s, offered live music on Sundays, this meant a pianist playing cover songs from 1 until 4 p.m.
One Sunday, the whole Castro family (the maternal fraction of my extended family) went there to have lunch, and while eating, my granny (mamá Bertha) asked me to deliver a message to the pianist: He should play “Ballade pour Adeline”, this is the oldest memory I have from that song.

I love picturing these moments; situations in which the best elements in one's life are included: People I love, places which no longer exist and food. Yes, I adore nostalgia, maybe that’s one of the reasons I no longer live in Mexico, to love it and recall it as an old, romantic memory.

In the Teatro Nacional Rubén Darío, I saw the man who sold 22 million copies of "Adeline"; the concert was amazing, although I have to admit that at the beginning I was slightly disappointed when I saw Mr Clayderman on stage playing a black piano wearing black trousers and a blue blazer; however, my frustration vanished instantaneously when I hear the magnificent playback coming out of the speakers. Imagine my situation: I was sitting with my mom in one of Latin America’s best theatres (the acoustic elements are German/Austrian). We were on the 12th row, the curtains opened as esoteric tones were played, synthesizers, wind instruments and harps. Then, the best came: a deep male English voice announced that Richard Clayderman was going to play variations of Titanic. The entire theatre was on seventh heaven.

Through the entire concert there were several incredible moments, all of them unforgettable: He performed a disco version of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony (only comparable to the one featured in Family Guy, know that one?), he also played a medley of “Don’t cry for me Argentina”, “Love story” and “Chariots of fire”. If we exclude the best piece of that evening “Ballade pour Adeline”, the evening’s crown was Ricky Martin’s “Living la vida loca”.

People, believe Wikipedia! Richard Clayderman IS the most important pop pianist alive. The Rolling Stones did creative and good stuff, but 50 years ago, however they are still important, they are a “living” legend and they have influenced more than one generation with their music; Richard Clayderman did a similar thing with the perfect blend of pop-music-covers and kitsch arrangements all this on a grand piano. Richard Clayderman rocks.

My mom’s visit lasted only a week, and it went by very fast, I wish she could have stayed longer, but I’m pleased she came; it was great having her and Helena as guests. I am already looking forward to see the entire family in eight weeks, at Tita’s wedding in April.

About my work? Yesterday I had one of my last project presentations, I was well prepared and the presentation was good received. From now on, the countdown to leave Nicaragua has started, in less than four weeks I will be back in Innsbruck.

P.S. I will upload videos and pics from the concert this summer!