SKF in China *gong sound*

Well, it's been great to be back home... for a couple weeks at least.    Kristi and I are heading out today for Australia!    Yes, the Wilsons are about to invade the land down under as part of a VPO tour that will also include stops in Hong Kong, Macau, and Japan.    I'll be gone for about 4 weeks, but Kristi will be with me for the Australia portion of the tour.    My parents have (graciously) agreed to watch Eli while we're away.

I am planning to do a tour journal much like I did back in February/March, so keep your eyes peeled for photos and stories from my first ever experience in the Southern Hemisphere!

In the meantime, here are some photos from the last part of the Saito Kinen Festival, a two-week tour in Beijing and Shanghai.   Not much happened there... mostly just hanging out in between orchestra rehearsals and performances... so I think the photos will give you a good picture of what it was like.   The one thing I would say is that I really enjoyed getting to know the other musicians in the orchestra.  It was also very cool to experience an orchestra besides the VPO.  It taught me alot.

Catch you on the flip side... of the world!!!  Wow. I'm such a dork.

Beijing: the air quality capital of the world.

What a difference a day makes!

With Randy outside the Performing Arts Center in Beijing

CCTV Building in Beijing

The view from my hotel room in Shanghai...very different from Beijing

The two tallest buildings in China... for now.

100 floors up at the world's tallest observatory

Looking DOWN on the Jin Mao Tower = creepy.

The Oriental Pearl Tower

Think there are enough apartment complexes??

I do not envy these guys' jobs.