Surviving is hard but oh so much fun (sometimes)
On 17 May Mr. Liu Jia, chairman and CEO of Jiamei Medicl Management Group organized a private concert in his mansion near the airport. He also played the piamo and invited the guests to sing along.
The concert featured: Peter Ritzen (pianist, composer, conduxtor), Stella Chang (soprano), Lorraine & Angelo Marenzi (soprano & tenor).
In the audience the ambassadors from Belgium and Canada and many of our friends.
The concert was wonderful as always and was followed by a buffet dinner.
Well, to be honest I am still trying to figure out the history of that building, as well as of the entire compound on 9 Chongwenmen West Street. The compound is a collection of historical buildings dating from before 1949. See the shot of the old picture of the compound.
The central and most important building is now the office of Ms. Wang Yili, see:
http://www.wangyili.com/yw/yw-sy.htm
Ms. Wang in involved is many organizations, including the China Charity Federation.
I was invited for a lunch along with my friend Peter Ritzen and his wife Stella. Peter found a piano in the dining room and promptly gave us a private concert. Also joined was the Chairman of of Jiamei Dental, Mr. Liu Jia, with whom we work closely.
The building kept its charms from a bygone era. As far as I understand (and might be wrong), another building of the compound that housed the Société Générale de Belgique and the bank (later Fortis) was the location of a Belgian bank before 1949; presumably called Banque Sino-Belge (later renamed to Banque Belge pour l’Etranger). I remember visiting that building in the eighties and looking at old pictures of thee bank before 1949. Checking Google it became more and more confusing as there is little clear information of what was the Belgian diplomatic presence before 1949. Apparently the Belgian Legation quarters were somewhere else close to Saint-Michaels Church, adding to the confusion.
Before 1949 Belgian companies were actually very active in the industry, railways and urban public transport. One company was ACEC, the company I represented in Beijing 1980 to around 1988. A Belgian-French group was involved in building major railway lines in China.
On Saturday 20 June, the same day our King and Queen landed in Wuhan, our friends from Vandergeeten & EG DistriSelecta launched a Belgian Beer Culture week in China. I was asked to say a few words in the Beijing opening party, done in the new Belgian bar “De Refter”, in Sanlitun. Vandergeeten, as it is mostly known, is one of the pioneers of importing Belgian beer (and more) into China. Their beers can be found all over the country.
De Refter is one more Belgian bar (and restaurant), joining the ranks of several others such as Beer Mania, The Tree, Morel’s and others that serve lots of Belgian beers.
I asked my friend James to join me to say a few words too as the “Chinese side” of the Sino-Belgian cooperation.
Before heading to De Refter we had a dinner next door so to speak, in Homeplate BBQ, I love their food, The meat is slowly cooked to become oh so tender; see the special oven they use. The place is always packed. The also have home-made beer.
I had a great time and discovered again some new Belgian beers. They are now part of my collection I have at home, all in my kitchen that is becoming too small to host the now about 100 different beer bottles. All bought and empties in Beijing. See the new add-on and part of the gallery of bottles. We are for sure happy to have so many beers from Belgian here.
Thanks to Mercedes and Bowen for the hospitality and the nice evening.
Beer, along with chocolate and diamonds are probably the best known features of Belgium around the world (maybe along with Manneken Pis…)
I have more than 100 members on the email list but OCH are busy people and attendance is overall unpredictable. This time we were around twenty but conversation is always lively, the least to say.
Next round is 3 July just before I skip away for a week to “cool down” in Thailand. The lunches will continue over summer, it does not mater if we are just a few. It is always fun!
Yes, time flies and this month we celebrate two years of our “Old China Hands Monthly Lunch”. Originally it was the first Monday of the month; now it is normally the first Friday.
This time, the first Friday being 1 May we shifted to 8 May.
Busy season for most and also some got felled by a virus going around in Beijing.
We were twenty, and – sniff – all men. But lively exchange as always.
See some of attendees: you may know some of them…
Next round: Friday 5 June.