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Musings on Music -- Tahiti 80

It seemed like you couldn’t go five minutes in the UK in the late 1990s and early 2000s without someone recommending that you “listen to this great new French band”. Air, Cassius, Phoenix and Daft Punk were just a few of the big names that were jumping the channel and charting in the top 10 (yes, kids, charts meant something back then). Tahiti 80 were perhaps not the most famous, but they were definitely on the front line of this Gallic invasion at the turn of the century. Slapping on a pair of headphones and listening to their infectious brand of happy-go-lucky indie pop could put a spring in anyone’s step. Xavier Boyer, lead vocalist, and bass player Pedro Resende formed the band in Rouen while at university (the name was apparently inspired by a slogan on a souvenir T-shirt given to Boyer’s father in 1980). Today, they are credited as one of the founders of the so-called French touch scene. The group’s 1999 debut album, Puzzle, made waves on both sides of the English Channel, as well as had an impact in the United States and Asia — for the latter, this was thanks largely to a remix of the single Heartbeat by Tokyo pop star Keigo Oyamada. “We got pretty good reviews, but we were quite alien in a way,” says Boyer in an e-mail interview. “We were not your typical French rock band, so a lot of people liked it without totally getting it. … I think now people understand our sound more. “The French touch scene was more about electronic instrumental music. I think we’re the second wave, the new wave French touch if you will.” Clearly influenced by the rock ’n’ roll and soul of the 1960s and ’70s, the band are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone, following up their debut with the more-experimental Wallpaper for the Soul in 2003. After six studio albums — the last of which, Ballroom, came out in 2014 — the band are back on the road again. After several sell-out shows in Japan, they will be taking the stage at Beijing’s Yugong Yishan on Friday, Jan 22. This will not be the band’s first visit to China. In the summer of 2012, they played Beijing’s Strawberry Music Festival and the Zebra Festival in Chengdu, Sichuan province. “We have fun memories from the trip,” Boyer says. “Chengdu was really cool, and we loved that Panda base. We didn’t visit much in Shanghai, but when we performed we had an amazing view of the skyline. We went to Beijing, but we had no time to do anything. So we’re really looking forward to having another opportunity.” Who: Tahiti 80 When: Friday, Jan 22, 9pm Where: Yugong Yishan, Beijing Tickets: 150 yuan (or 110 yuan presale) Also on the bill: Xiao Pu Thanks to: Kaiguan Culture

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Musings on Life -- Phone Zombie Apocalypse

Slowly they edge forward, their eyes fixed downward. Their peripheral vision is all but gone, a memory of the life they had before. Now, they merely run on instinct, fueled by a raw desire for braaaaaaaaaains … well, brain-training apps. As opposed to the dreaded flesh-eaters in The Walking Dead, the popular comic book and TV show, the “zombies” I encounter everyday on the streets of China are more annoying than scary, and are really only a danger to themselves — unless you count the repetitive strain injury that other pedestrians risk developing from all the tutting and glaring. I’m talking about smartphone zombies, people who walk while staring at a mobile device, or in other words, the people who have made getting to a subway station in rush hour one big game of human pinball. I’ve seen people walking along engrossed in movies or TV dramas on their smartphone or tablet PC who are relying solely on their subconscious memory to navigate busy, narrow and often uneven sidewalks. With earphones applied, they are completely oblivious to the outside world. Even strong shoulder-to-shoulder contact cannot shake their focus, and if it does their response is usually only a brief look around them, as if waking from a long coma, before their eyes eventually are drawn back to that small screen. While they may be irritating, observant pedestrians can actually easily avoid smartphone zombies. The real danger is when they come up against fast-moving traffic. So far, there is little to no data in China on how many people are being injured, or even killed, because of their less-than-smart behavior in the age of smart technology. What evidence is available is mostly anecdotal. And it’s not just China, of course. In the United States, health and safety agencies have roundly warned against people walking while watching their phones. Alan S. Hilibrand of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons recently told the Washington Post that an estimated “60 percent of pedestrians are distracted … (and are) either on the phone or doing something on their phone”. He said that in May a 68-year-old woman was killed just a few blocks from his hospital in Pennsylvania when she attempted to cross a road while looking down at her iPad. She was knocked down in Chinatown by an amphibious duck vehicle filled with tourists. In Tokyo, people walking or on bicycles now cause 41 percent of all cellphone-related accidents, according to an AFP report that cited a senior official with the city’s fire department, which runs the ambulance service. The official said 122 people had been hurt in accidents caused by pedestrians using cellphones between 2009 and 2013, including a middle-aged man who died after accidentally wandering onto a railway line. Last year, the southwest city of Chongqing unveiled a special lane for smartphone zombies along a 50-meter stretch of road. I’m not sure what the goal was, but the move looked to be more of a tongue-in-cheek publicity stunt than a genuine attempt to address the issue. The first thing that occurred to me upon hearing the news was: “How will a zombie know it’s there?” As they never look up, only a WeChat message or some kind of signal on Candy Crush would alert them to the fact they were in the right or wrong lane. Small tip: Don’t try to play chicken with a zombie when on a collision course; it’s as much fun as playing chess with someone with locked-in syndrome. For me, texting or “WeChatting” while walking is just as hazardous as texting while driving. Hence, pedestrians and motorists should follow the same rule: If it’s urgent, pull over to a safe spot, stop, and text away. When it comes to those watching movies and TV shows, well … have you heard of podcasts?

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When I arrived in China, almost seven years ago now, the typical response I received after telling a local soccer fan which team I support was, “Who?” It hurt, but I shouldn’t have been surprised. My club, Middlesbrough FC, is certainly no titan of European soccer — right now it isn’t even in the Premier League, the top tier of English soccer, and it’s been over 10 years since the club won its one and only trophy. Back then most people I met in China followed only big teams, which is largely still the case. Research by Coventry University found that London club Arsenal is the most popular side in China, with Manchester United, AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona making up the rest of the top five. Refreshingly, I’ve been coming across more Chinese fans in recent years who support less-famous teams — “unfashionable” mid-table sides that rarely win trophies but regularly break their fans’ hearts. Wang Xinjiu, an IT worker in Beijing, has been a die-hard supporter of Swansea City FC since studying for his master’s degree in South Wales. The team was in England’s lowest league in 2005 and only made its debut in the Premier League in 2011. “When I was in Wales, I tried to go to every game, and I read as much about the team as I could,” the 25-year-old said. “When I came back to China, I told people to pay more attention to Swans, as I think anybody who loves football would love to see the way they play.” The Premier League is the most popular competition among Chinese fans, according to the university research report. By contrast, Germany’s Bundesliga still has some way to go, but its profile in China has been raised considerably after the success of the German national side at the World Cup and European Championships. Bayern Munich, the all-conquering champion last season, toured China in July to raise its profile among Chinese fans, playing exhibition matches against Valencia at the Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing, Inter Milan in Shanghai, and against domestic rivals VfL Wolfsburg in the southern city of Guangzhou. Beijing university teacher Fang Tu supports Werder Bremen, which finished 10th in the 18-team Bundesliga in the 2014-16 season and has not won a major trophy since 2010. “Overall, the games (in Germany) are played at a fast pace,” she said. “I like Werder Bremen because they are more attacking, although that means their defense often suffers, but the games are very exciting and full of surprises.” Fang started watching the Bundesliga after the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where Germany finished runners-up to Brazil. “At the time, watching the games in China wasn’t easy, even online, so I mostly got my information from magazines,” she said. Today, matches from leagues around the world are available to stream for a small fee, or even free, on Chinese websites such as PPTV, LeTV and Sohu. According to Mailman, a China-based sports and entertainment agency, LeTV and the Scottish Premier League agreed a landmark deal worth 5 million yuan ($816,000) in July to live stream 55 matches in China next season. Douban, an online Chinese social network with an estimated 53 million users, also has thousands of groups dedicated to lesser-known soccer teams — including one for my beloved Middlesbrough FC. In fact, online communities and social media have played a key part in the saturation of soccer brands in China, said Simon Chadwick, a professor at Coventry University’s Centre for International Business of Sport. “A sense of fraternity is very important to Chinese fans, and the rapid growth of social media enables them to gather and discuss all aspects of ‘their’ team or league,” he said. Signing Chinese players has also helped teams overseas boost their following. For example, VfL Wolfsburg enjoyed more coverage in China last season after the arrival of China international Zhang Xizhe. (However, the player did not make a first-team appearance and was later sold to Beijing Guoan.) Chinese consortiums are also purchasing overseas clubs. In July, Sochaux became the first French club to be bought outright by a Chinese investor when Ledus purchased it for about $7 million. British media have also reported interest this summer in Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, both lesser-known English Premier League teams based in the Midlands. So, with fans in China now more knowledgeable about leagues around the world, in the future, when I ask which team someone supports, it could well be me left asking, “Who?”

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I’ve grown used to people nodding and smiling politely at me whenever they have no clue what I’ve just said — Chinese, Americans, and even some fellow Englishmen; they all do it. My accent is not easy for some people to understand. On almost a daily basis, while in discussion with one of my Chinese colleagues, I will ask a question to which the response is a patient stare as they wait for me to continue with whatever it is they think I’m saying. Foreign colleagues, meanwhile, have a habit of asking me to repeat sentences before turning one ear toward me and furrowing their brow like someone straining to hear the news on an old, beaten-up transistor radio. I grew up in the northeast of England and, although I had visited other parts of Britain as a child, I only truly realized that people struggled with my accent when I first visited the United States in 1999. Before starting an internship in the summer of that year, I took the chance to have a brief holiday in New York City. One day, I dropped into the NBC Experience Store to buy some souvenirs and was soon accosted by a young saleswoman wielding a tray of jams. “Would you like to try one of our selection of delicious preserves?” she asked with enough pep to almost make me drop my Quantum Leap mug. “Aye,” I said, using my vernacular. “What kind of flavors have you got there then?” No answer, just a blank look. There was silence for about five seconds, and then eventually she smiled, pointed at the jams on her tray and repeated her question — this time in Spanish. “No, no, no. I ain’t Spanish,” I protested. “I were askin’ what flavors you had ‘cause I fancy tryin’ one.” I did not get any jam that day. But I did learn an important lesson: I was going to need to tone down my accent if I wanted to be understood here. Several months later, back in Britain, I started work at a newspaper in Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of Shakespeare, which is more than 300 kilometers from my hometown and infinitely more posh. Here, despite focusing on “speaking proper”, I continued to see the same clueless expression on people’s faces when I spoke. Although proud of my northern roots, at this point I became determined to shed my accent.

It was not long after that my editor was able to arrange for me to spend a few hours with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Andrew Wade, a renowned voice coach who has trained some of the world’s best actors. In a back room at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre we started with a few exercises using a passage from King Lear, first breaking down the syllables and then reciting the passage by pronouncing only the vowels. We also went through breathing techniques and he taught me about the power of aspiration. Chatting after our lesson, Wade asked me why my editor had arranged voice coaching for me and I told him that I wanted to lose my accent. “My boy!” he cried like a true thespian. “Why on earth would you want to do that?” He insisted that regional accents are important and beautiful, and that the voice is just one of many ways to communicate a message. Sure, my pronunciation could be improved, but I shouldn’t try to lose my accent, he said. So I didn’t. From then on I used Wade’s tips in elocution to soften my tones and slow my speech, but I abandoned any thoughts of ditching my northeast twang. Sixteen years on, I can speak clearly when I want to. But, if I’m honest, confounding colleagues in Beijing with conversational cacophony is far more fun.

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“Have you been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault?” It’s a phrase you hear a lot on daytime television in Britain, where commercial breaks are filled with adverts for companies with names like Injury Lawyers R Us. The so-called compo culture is big business, with claims for damages, even for very minor injuries, often running into the thousands. So when I started watching Chinese TV, I was surprised not to see similar ads, though judging by what I’ve seen in the streets of Beijing maybe that’s because if they did no one would get any work done — except for lawyers, of course. Here, such disputes are solved in the streets. Instead of spending days arguing a case before a judge, minor accidents in China tend to be followed by the shouting of expletives and pointing of fingers until the “defendant” — or possibly the person with less time to argue — hands over a sufficient amount of cash for the “plaintiff” to go away. All this can be wrapped up in sometimes less than an hour, all observed by an independent “jury” of onlookers. Going on my experience with the UK’s small claims court, this way appears infinitely more efficient. The most common accidents I’ve seen result in these skirmishes involved a motorist and a cyclist, usually after both have been competing for the prize of who can be most oblivious to the traffic around them. When my wife began riding her bike to work — a good 40 minutes and two ring roads away — I knew it was only a matter of time before she would return with tales of collisions and near misses. Inevitably, one evening she came home covered in bruises and with 300 yuan more in her pocket than she had left with. “I was in an accident,” she said, going on to explain she had been knocked down when a taxi suddenly pulled into the bike lane and the passenger opened his door. “Are you badly hurt? Do you want to go to the hospital?” I asked. “No,” she replied, “I didn’t fall from the bike that hard, it was just a shock.” So where were all the bruises from, I asked. “Oh, they’re from the woman who kept pushing me down to the ground, telling me to pretend I was seriously injured to get more money from the cab driver.” Her makeshift Matlock was a well-meaning, middle-aged witness who saw an opportunity to make a stand against errant taxis. Unfortunately, she was a little over-eager. To make her case, she demanded my wife lie prostrate in the middle of the bike lane and groan in agony, initially slamming her back down onto the hard concrete whenever she attempted to get up. “She hurt me more than the cab door did. And she made me 30 minutes late for work,” my wife complained. Yet, judge by the results, I say. In the end, this ambitious advocate actually won her “client” a settlement of 300 yuan, shared equally by the cabbie and his passenger. Not bad. Maybe I’ll be seeing her ads on TV one day.

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Musings on Life - Back to School

“I would like to buy a pencil,” my classmate said, with a little too much enthusiasm. “OK,” I replied, “one pencil is 2 yuan.” “Good. I would also like to buy a pair of shoes,” he went on, to which I give him an important choice: A red pair for 5 yuan, or a blue pair for 8 yuan. “I want blue shoes,” he answered assuredly, and then added: “Plus, I want a frog.” I paused. We had been role-playing during a Chinese language class in Beijing, me as a surly shop assistant with an odd pricing system, and my classmate as a guy who apparently thinks there is a store somewhere that stocks pencils, shoes and live frogs (I wouldn’t write it off in China). Learning a foreign language gets harder as you get older, I’m told. I’m not sure how true that is, but sitting in a classroom certainly does. I hated school the first time round; the schedule, the classrooms, the teachers who throw chalk, the exams, or even worse, the clocks they put in exam halls that tell you exactly how much time you’ve already wasted sharpening your pencil. So perhaps taking a year off from work for a full-time, intensive Chinese course at a Beijing language school was not the best idea. To be honest, after six years in China, I’d got tired of everyone presuming I could speak the language well just because I’d married a Chinese woman. “You have a free teacher at home,” people would joke. Anyone who has ever tried to learn from, or teach anything to, a partner knows that that way disaster lies. Partners don’t have the inexhaustible patience with each other that a good teacher will have with a student. Hence, arguments are inevitable. Shortly after my parents started dating, my father tried to teach my mother how to drive. The ordeal lasted just under 30 minutes. “It ended with him screaming and me in tears. We nearly broke up,” my mother said. That simple driving lesson could have prevented me from ever being born. (Bad for me, yes, but on the plus side global supplies of Cadbury’s chocolate would be enormous.) My wife and I had already started to bristle whenever one of us corrected the other’s grammar, most likely because the instructions usually ended with “you idiot” or a suitable equivalent. So compared with an acrimonious divorce, going back to school didn’t seem such a bad idea. At least it’d be cheaper, I reasoned. I knew I was in trouble from day one. The language school’s magnolia hallways instantly evoked memories of traipsing between history and math as a teenager, being told not to “drag my feet” by coffee-breath teachers, while my first time discovering chewing gum stuck to the underside of a desk in two decades was not a nostalgic treat. The day of the role-playing exercise, which came a month or so into the course, was the final straw. “A frog? I don’t have any frogs. Just give me 10 yuan,” I said, allowing the expression on my face to add: “And get out of my shop.” I’m sorry to say my resolve crumbled after that. It all started to feel so stupid. I began missing classes and dropped behind in my homework. I passed my finals, but I didn’t bother signing up for another semester. At least my wife was supportive. “I can teach you Chinese,” she said with a wide grin. “I will only charge 200 yuan an hour.” Maybe I can have it knocked off future alimony payments.

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Musings on Life -- We're not all ambassadors

My views or actions in no way represent Britain. I know because I retired from the world of politics at age 10 after a failed bid for class prefect, writing off the chance of ever becoming a diplomat, or an ambassador, or even a celebrity, all of whom are expected to export some kind of Great British image.

So I was a bit surprised to see a comment piece in the China Daily in April that suggested I am directly responsible for the way people view my country of birth.

OK, the comment was actually directed at Chinese tourists, branding those who misbehave abroad as “clueless nuisance-makers” sabotaging China’s soft power efforts. But I couldn’t help thinking how I would feel if the author had been talking about the British.

My countrymen certainly have their detractors. In Europe we’re seen as drunken louts and trouble-makers, while in the United States we’re regularly pilloried for being stuck-up and having bad teeth (only half right in my case). For a country with a population of 60 million, both visions are broad generalizations.

It is perhaps sad that we tend to judge many on the actions of a few, namely those who make the news for doing something stupid.

For example, a Chinese teenager hit headlines in 2013 when he was discovered etching his name into an ancient relic in Egypt. He’s far from being the only one to do it. Graffiti in all languages can be found on sections of the Great Wall as well as at Rome’s Colosseum, where two US tourists were accused of such vandalism last year.

Neither Britain nor the US has drawn up bills to punish badly behaved tourists. So why should China?

In April 2015, the China National Tourism Administration introduced a measure that threatens to blacklist citizens who act like unruly idiots while in other countries. Chinese tourists were also encouraged to report any bad behavior they witness to authorities back home.

The move should be welcomed because China is out to win “hearts and minds,” the comment piece reasoned. But in the age of the global village, isn’t every country? Judging by the reactions I’ve witnessed around the world, developed countries still have a long way to go in this field too.

Or perhaps China just wants to impose standards on its people that developed countries — the self-proclaimed justices of civility — would never entertain.

To be clear, I don’t condone stupidity, but if it isn’t criminal or dangerous, why does a government need to intervene? Most countries have laws against the more-serious complaints levied against Chinese tourists — fighting on airplanes, damaging relics, sexual harassment. They face punishment if found guilty.

However, to list serious crimes alongside “removing (their) shoes on public transport vehicles (and) creating a foul smell” as infringements by Chinese tourists, as the comment piece did, is simply ludicrous. I was unaware the Chinese had a monopoly on foot odor.

Yes, a lot of Chinese are now vacationing abroad — 100 million, according to the State tourism administration — but I don’t think it’s going out on a limb to predict the vast majority will do so without breaking the law in the countries they visit.

Surely, tourism is all about seeing other cultures and potentially learning from them. If threatening tourists to behave or face a “blacklist” deters just one person from doing that, it’s simply counter-productive.

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Musings on Places - Siem Reap, Cambodia

It was 5:30 am and pitch black, except for the small circles of light that danced along the floor. From the darkness came a cacophony of excited chatter. “Shhh,” I heard someone say. And then it started.

Ahead in the distance, as dawn broke, the outline of Angkor Wat slowly came into view, its iconic towers becoming a reflection in the lotus pond at my feet. “It’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World,” I heard a European voice nearby say in awe. It isn’t. Well, not according to any list I’ve seen. But it should be.

The spectacle of sunrise over the temple, built by the Khmer King Suryavarman in the 12th century, is matched only by walking through its many passageways and vestibules, each decorated with an intricate relief or carving that has lasted through the ages.

Siem Reap, in northern Cambodia, has been attracting swathes of tourists since it was “rediscovered” by French explorers about 300 years ago, and today is one of Southeast Asia’s top tourist destinations. Yet the so-called land of temples has more to offer than just its ancient heritage.

The city center has bustling markets, myriad restaurants and a busy nightlife, while the surrounding countryside is perfect for those looking for a jungle adventure or wanting a taste of authentic Khmer customs.

The temples are mostly within two circuits to the north of the city — “The little one and big one,” as tuk-tuk drivers describe them. To do a circuit thoroughly takes a good 10 hours, either starting at sunrise or finishing at sunset.

Visitors with only a day or two in Siem Reap will probably be content with the small route, which takes in the most-famous sites, including Angkor Wat. If you have the time, though, doing both routes, plus a third day to see sites further out, such as Bakong, will allow the chance to appreciate the variation in the architecture.

Many of the ruins are in good condition, considering their age, such as Banteay Srei, the 1,000 year-old “citadel of women”, which has been well preserved and has arguably the most beautiful carvings of any of the temples.

However, the more-adventurous traveler will not want to miss Beng Melea, about 90 minutes northeast by road from the main area. Here, the jungle has taken over, with trees growing between the stones to create some tremendous photo opportunities. Unlike at other temples, visitors here can climb over some sections to explore the passageways obscured by rubble. (Those who don’t want to make the trip can see similar sights at the much smaller Ta Prohm, which is on the little circuit.)

Going to distance to temples further out can also be combined with other fun activities, such as the small but fascinating Landmine Museum (admission $5), which raises awareness and money for families affected by landmines, and the interactive Bantreay Srei Butterfly Park ($4).

The great Tonle Sap Lake lies just south of Siem Reap and can be included in a temple tour, but the area really warrants a full day to see its floating villages and abundant wildlife. Boat trips to Chong Khneas, the closest fishing community to the city, are easy enough to organize, and I recommend from here heading to the larger and less-touristy Kampong Khleang, where homes are erected on giant stilts. The Prek Toal nature reserve, home to many endangered species, is also a must for birdwatchers.

To visit the main temple area costs $20 for a one-day pass, $40 for three days and $60 for a week, while Beng Melea, Banteay Srei and the Roluos group to the east all have separate admission charges.

Be prepared for lots of walking wherever you go. And before arranging on a tour, it’s worth spending a couple of hours at Angkor National Museum, where artifacts and interactive multimedia displays tell the story of the Khmer kingdom and explain what to look out for at the heritage sites. It’s $12 for adults, $6 for children, or book online to save $1.

Siem Reap center is the perfect place to unwind after a busy day at the temples, with most of the nightlife spread between three areas — Old Market, Wat Damnak and Wat Bo — with an abundance of bars, restaurants, markets and massage parlors.

The busiest area is around the old indoor market, where you can buy anything from meat and spices to cheap silk scarves and T-shirts. It makes for an interesting stroll, but for souvenirs I suggest heading to the Angkor Night Market, where the quality is better and the haggling is more relaxed. There is also the Art Center Market for those looking for traditional handicrafts, such as instruments or hand-carved shadow puppets.

Nearby is a small network of alleys full of bars, restaurants, massage parlors and boutique stores. Look for Khmer Kitchen, where you can enjoy a delicious amok or Khmer curry for about $4, while there are also several tasty BBQ places around the much-visited Pub Street, which as the name suggests also has more than a few drinking spots.

Many places offer cookery courses if you want to know how to make your favorite dishes. Expect to pay about $15 per person, but most include a tour of the old market for ingredients.

To give the feet a treat after a hard day treading the temples, a massage in the night market will cost you as little a $2, but it’s worth spending more to get a better quality of service. Many spas offer a 60-minute, full-body Khmer massage — similar to Thai style but less punishing — for about $15, or alternatively you could let the “happy fish” put a smile on your face, with tanks available on most corners for you to dip your toes and let them eat away any dead skin.

Away from the center, the Phare Cambodian Circus ($18) is a fun night out, and all for a good cause as proceedings are used to educate children from poor families in performing arts and other crafts.

Many venues also offer nightly performances of traditional Apsara dancing, with the free ones in Pub Street a good option for those who just want a taste. To see a better-quality show over a spot of dinner there is the Apsara Theater, or just opposite the Angkor museum is Khmer Barbe Q. Both advise booking in advance.

On my final day in the city, I battled my way through a crowd of selfie sticks to sit atop the pyramid-like Pre Rup temple and watch sunset over the jungle.

Again, I listened for the voices around me, but this time heard only the silence that comes from a feeling of satisfied exhaustion.

We were all just happy to be experiencing one of the many wonders Siem Reap has to offer.

Things to know

Money: The riel is the official currency of Cambodia, but US dollars are more commonly used by businesses, even in the markets. Riel is generally used for only small purchases. ATMs accept most bankcards, including Union Pay. Check your change, though, as stores and restaurants will not accept notes that are even slightly ripped, nor can you use $2 notes.

Visas: Landing visas for tourists cost $30 per person at Siem Reap International Airport. Try to fill out the paperwork on the plane there to save time, and if possible pay with the exact money.

Scams: Inside temples, be wary of staff members demanding an extra fee to enter “closed-off” sections; more often than not, they are the ones who closed off that section. Also, the people casually offering incense near statues will expect money if you take it off them.

NGOs, orphanages: There are many ways in which tourists can contribute to aid organizations, such as eating at Haven restaurant, which supports vulnerable young adults, or donating blood at the Angkor Hospital for Children. However, carefully research any orphanage you plan to visit, as some are scams using children to profit from the so-called pity industry.

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Taking in the tuk-tuks

For a tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap, it’s important to stand out. Competition can be fierce, particularly in the central Old Market area, where they line the streets day and night touting for business.

Tuk-tuks, usually made up of a motorbike or trike with a cabin attached for passengers, are common throughout Asia. In Cambodia, they come in all shapes and colors.

Among the most memorable I saw during my visit were one decorated like old galleons, another covered in Christmas lights and speakers blaring out pop music, and several emblazoned with the logos of European soccer teams or major brands such as Adidas.

My wife and I spotted Ramet Vuth’s gold “Lamborghini” parked near the popular Pub Street as we trawled for a decent price on a three-day tour of the temples. I’d always wanted to be shuttled around town in a super car.

“This is my fourth tuk-tuk design,” the 37-year-old told me while we ate lunch on the first day of our tour. “The one I drove before this one was themed on Batman.”

Ramet grew up 16 kilometers from the city in Plong village. The second of seven children, he was unable to finish high school because his family was poor. He taught woodwork before quitting to drive a motorbike taxi in the 1990s, and then eventually a tuk-tuk. He began learning English in 1995.

Despite the career change, he continues to put his woodwork skills to good use. “I design and make the tuk-tuk cabins myself,” he said with pride.

His “Lamborghini” was obviously popular, too. After every temple we visited, my wife and I would emerge to find him surrounded by other drivers asking him questions about the design. He said he is always careful not to reveal too much.

“It’s worth money, so I will sell the Lamborghini design eventually,” said the father of two. “I’m already working on a new design. I can’t tell you any more, though. It’s a secret.”

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Birdstriking 2014 UK tour documentary

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Musings on Music -- Birdstriking

We were walking in central Leeds on a warm July evening when a shriek loud enough to be heard in Skegness erupted from behind me.

"Chicken Cottage!" screamed Wang Xinjiu, the drummer of Beijing indie rockers Birdstriking. He was pointing a few doors ahead. "Yes! I love this place."

Within minutes Xinjiu, bandmates He Fan and Zhou Nairen, and several of their friends had occupied a bench along the wall and were joyfully scoffing down boxes of unidentifiable deep-fried meat.

It's possibly not the kind of post-gig routine people would expect for a young Chinese rock band, especially one touring the UK as support for influential psychadelic-rock outfit The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

The trio had just played another blinder at The Cockpit, having already won over fans in Brighton, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and ... ahem ... Bangor, and were set to play Liverpool's East Village Arts Club as the last stop before heading back to China.

I caught up with Xinjiu this week to ask him about his highlights from the tour and what's next for the band.

You got the offer to join BJM on tour after Carsick Cars, another Beijing noise rock band, pulled out. What was it like when you got the call? XJ: It was just unbelievable. Can you imagine Miguel Michu inviting you to play centre forward in front of him? (Note: I should point out Xinjiu is a Swansea City FC fan. He often speaks in these analogies in the belief that others also rate his team. He has an particular fondness for Michu, an attacker currently on loan at Napoli.) How did you and the other guys prepare for the tour? I quit my internship at a sports news website several days after it was confirmed. That's the first time -- and probably the last time -- I have been actually a full-time musician. It was a lot of fun. It was nothing but rehearsals, watching the World Cup and playing FIFA on the Playstation 3 with a jobless Englishman.

So how was life on the road with BJM and your tour manager, Dr Kiko?

It was just unbelievable at Newcastle when Anton (Newcombe, founding member of The Brian Jonestown Massacre) said, "See you tomorrow." Dr Kiko was the first professional tour manager I'd toured with. With him around everything was much easier. And he likes the Chinese foods that normally Western people won't eat, such as duck tongue or lungs, and blood tofu. On this tour you played some top British music venues, including the Birmingham O2 Academy and Manchester's The Ritz. How'd you like that? Every venue on the tour was amazing. Some are not that modern but you can just feel the history, especially at The Ritz and at the O2. They were both venues I'd been to when I was doing my master's degree in the UK. Coming back as a band was pretty cool. Where do you feel you had the best shows? I felt pretty much the same after each show. Although, according to the reaction from the audience, Birmingham was the best. We sold the most amount of merchandise too, so it means we did pretty good. Off stage, what was the highlight of the tour? We had a day off after the Bangor show (not part of the BJM tour) and before Manchester. So we went for a trip to Snowdonia in North Wales. It has some stunning views. That night Dr Kiko also ordered some Indian takeaway that changed my attitude to Indian food. It's not that bad. What was the lowlight? I almost screwed up our show in Bangor. During the gig my bass drum kept moving forward during every song, like 40 centimetres. It definitely didn't do that in the sound check. I just felt really bad. Despite early starts in several venues, which meant crowds were smaller, you seemed to get a warm response from those who saw you. What was your take? Playing shows in the UK and China is totally different. In Beijing three or four bands share a venue together each night, while in the UK its headline and one support act. I didn't have high expectations, so I was happy enough that at least some people came to see us and some of them even bought our CDs and T-shirts. (Note: There was a bit of confusion among the crowd as to where the band came from. Outside the East Village Arts Club, for example, I chatted to one BJM fan who, when asked about Birdstriking, told me: "I don't know much about Korean music.") You changed the setlist from venue to venue, ranging from a slow jam start to a rapid rock intro. Was that tailored to the venue or was it more down to you guys experimenting to keep the set fresh? We just didn't want to get bored. We only had six or seven songs to play, and if we played them always in the same order it would have just been too boring. Sometimes we even didn't talk about setlist. We just got on stage, played the first song and saw where it went from there. So what's next for Birdstriking? We've already got several new songs. We didn't play them in the UK. We've got one new song where we've included a bit inspired by The Brian Jonestown Massacre. We hope to record something before the end of the year. Did anyone see Birdstriking play in the UK? Have you seen them in China? Get in touch and share your thoughts on the band.

He Fan jams in Leeds centre

BIRDSTRIKING: FACT FILE HE FAN guitar & vocals ZHOU NAIREN bass WANG XINJIU drums The group was established in 2009 and released their first album, "Birdstriking", on the Maybe Mars label in 2012. The record was mixed by Yang Haisong, producer and frontman of post-rock giants P.K.14. Listen to the album on Soundcloud.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre onstage in Liverpool.

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Musings on Music -- Birdman Rallies / Death Rattle / Gerard & The Watchmen

Hello, music lovers. They say don’t mess with a winning formula – so I guess that means I need to start messing with this losing one. After a brief band-finding mission in the UK, where I saw some great live music, I’m back with my latest selection of musical treats. We have a bunch of lads whining about a girl and her telescope, some dark electronica and some soothing acoustica (I think I might have just made up that word). For first time readers, this is an irregular (in many ways) blog about the music I want to share with YOU, whoever you may be. Most of the music is new, most is British, and most I’ve heard on Tom Robinson’s BBC6 Mixtape podcast. I’ve usually also searched for a video online, ripped it and then uploaded it to my Youku page (now some in HD too). Thanks to everyone who has already tipped me off about a band or artists I should lend my ears to. If you have any suggestions, I’d be glad to hear from you here, or alternatively you can follow me on Twitter or Sina Weibo (search for the #Sunday Soundtrack# tag for more links to videos).

The Birdman Rallies “Telescope Katie” “Full Moon Every Night” The first track I heard from this lot was “Telescope Katie”, a self-produced track from their new album, “Moons” (it’s free to download at Bandcamp). I was instantly hooked. Almost in that way that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is three distinct tunes magically welded together, so too is this track. From the soothing ooh-ing to the staccato pre-chorus to the ambient, falsetto chorus – “She’s always looking at stars / and not at me / I wish she would” … “Take your eyes from the telescope”. It shouldn’t work, but it does. Wonderfully. The video is a little strange, though. Less said. Overall, the vocals of frontman (and occasional trumpeter) Daniel Webster are unique enough to stand out from the growing crop of alt rock bands coming from the UK, while the music speaks for itself. You never know where one of their tracks goes next, which leaves the listener guessing all the way. Great stuff. The Birdman Rallies are a group of lads from North England – York and Harrogate to be exact – “brought together by a common love of music with confusing rhythms, enchanting melodies.” According to their online bio, as well as Webster, they include “sensitive blitzkrieg” drummer David Armstrong, bassist John Davey, and Adam Westerman on guitar, keys and percussion.

Death Rattle “The Dig” “Do As You Please” New one for me: gloom pop. Never heard the term before I looked up info on Death Rattle. It’s kind of an oxymoronic term, too. But we won’t get into that. What we can get into is the rhythmic, pulsing beats and harmonic vocals the group bring to the table. ‘The Dig” is a stand-out track (not their best, though; that would be “Fixer”, but I couldn’t find a video of that to share) that sticks in the brainium long after its finished. I listened to a lot of rave music when I was a teenager, and although my tastes have diversified a great deal since then, that rush I get with a throbbing bass line still lingers, which is why, although rather sparse, this kind of music – Depeche Mode, The Knife, for example – tends to set something off in me. Power to the synth, I say! Death Rattle formed in 2011 and is made up of Helen Hamilton on vocals, with production, drum programming, and synth melodies handled by Chris Hamilton.

Gerard & The Watchmen “Stables” “Monochrome” OK, let’s take this down a notch. Brew yourself a nice cuppa (green tea, coffee, hot chocolate, whatever) and find a comfy chair. It’s time to chill out. Let singer-songwriter Dave Gerard and his trusty band of Watchmen take you on a smooth ride. “Monochrome” is like being given a soft head massage while sitting on a cloud. There’s not much more I can say than that. It’s short (just over 2 minutes) and very sweet. Now, one thing I do want to address is the ‘tache. The facial hair sported by out vocalizing angel is more than slightly off-putting. It’s halfway between Charlie Chaplin and Blakey from “On the Buses”. Not that I’m one to talk, my shaving habits are highly irregular, but if you’re going to be filmed recording a delightful ditty, break out the bic. Unless it’s a handle bar moustache, of course; in that case keep it, just for the awesome hilarity factor. Dave Gerard is a producer, and according to his online write-up, his group “combine the influence of 70s English and American folk with more modern alternative sounds and production.” ************************************************************************************************************ HONORABLE MENTION As an added bonus, here’s a link to “Weapon” by Sirens in the Delta. This group hails from my native Teesside. Sadly, during a recent visit home I was unable to catch them live in Middlesbrough. However, they include my best mate on bass so give the track a listen and keep your eyes/ears/nose/throat open for more from them in the future. *********************************************************************************************************** Right, that’s enough from me. Enjoy the tracks and feel free to share your comments –good and bad – about the music, my blog or whether the man in the moon really deserves to look so smug. Also, in the meantime, here are some other short films to check out on my Youku page. To amuse, how a video of some traffic police attempting to round up stampeding piglets on a highway in Guizhou? Click here to watch. And to amaze, here’s footage University of Minnesota, where biomedical engineering professor Bin He has developed brain-computer interface technology that allows a person to control a robot using only their thoughts. Click here to watch.

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Nuf said

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Musings on Music -- Your New Antique / Stuart Warwick / Eatenbybears

Hello, music lovers. Here’s a selection of some of the music I’ve stumbled across in recent weeks. We have joyless division, some somber introspective indie and some lads pissing around on a beach. For first time readers, this is an irregular (in many ways) blog on music I want to share with YOU, whoever you may be. Most of the music is new, most is British, and most I’ve heard on Tom Robinson’s BBC6 Mixtape podcast. I’ve usually also searched for a video online, ripped it and then uploaded it to my Youku page (now some in HD too). Thanks to everyone who has already tipped me off about a band or artists I should lend my ears to. If you have any suggestions, I’d be glad to hear from you here, or alternatively you can follow me on Twitter or Sina Weibo (search for the #Sunday Soundtrack# tag for more links to videos).

Collector's item?

Your New Antique “Chemistry” “Open Your Eyes” It’s hard to not think of Joy Division or The National when you hear Your New Antique, so obvious is the influence these bands have had on this gang of hard-working alt-indie rockers from Huddersfield, in North England. But that in no way means they’re simply copycats. Oh no. “Chemistry” has some great lines – “Chemistry interferes with the games we play” and then later “If you’re going to be sensible / Then why should I?” – as well as some nice guitar work. It all ties together. Although “Open Your Eyes” is more formulaic, a great chorus lifts this track well above many other up-and-coming bands that are playing around with this kind of sound. Plus the video is just a bunch of blokes jumping over stuff. What’s not to like? This four-piece have been together since 2007 and, according to the Tom Robinson, who quotes the band’s bio, “deliver killer hooks with feverish speed, beguiling power and an expansive sound palette”.

Puuuuurformance.

Stuart Warwick “Sailors” “Cherished Muscle” OK, so I don’t promise that the music I share is going to cheer you up. Frankly, if you’re a bit sad right now, it’s probably best you skip “Cherished Muscle” and “Sailors” and come back when you’re feeling chirpy. They are both beautiful tracks, but my word is it downbeat. Also, kudos to anyone who can pick out a lyric in “Cherished Muscle” and know what he’s going on about. I can’t hear a thing. “Sailors” has a lovely chorus and some great keyboard breaks. “You’re my sailors / Just on shore leave,” he sings. Haunting. Again, not really sure what he’s getting at, but fine work all the same. Stuart Warwick is a writer and artist who, according to his online bio, first started creating music under the alias Jacob’s Stories back in 2003. “Sailors” is from his album “The Butcher’s Voice”, which he describes as “densely layered and rich, playful and dark.”

Life's a beach, and then ...

Eatenbybears “Simple As Hell” “Duchenne Smile” Any song that starts with bongs can’t be bad, right? Again, although there are some obvious comparisons that could be made – Foals, for example – “Simple As Hell” has a definite 1980s vibe to it. I love the chorus and the way the beat slows for the post-chorus riff. Great stuff. It sounds as if it would be a fun track to both perform and listen to live. “Duchenne Smile”, by contrast, is a far more experimental sound. I found it similar to We Are Physics, which I talked about some months ago now. The staccato verses (if I can call them that) break into a wonderful, rock melody toward the end. The juxtaposition is exquisite. Eatenbybears are from Belfast, in Northern Ireland, and have been together since October 2010, after meeting at Queen’s University on a music technology course. According to band’s Facebook bio, they have been “putting the confusion into pop music since nineteen eighty math crunk,” whatever that means. Right, that’s enough from me. Enjoy the tracks and feel free to share your comments –good and bad – about the music, my blog or while squirrels are some mad on nuts. Also, in the meantime, here are some other short films to check out on my Youku page. Ever wondered what it might be like if an NFL coach from the US ended up taking charge of a English Premier League soccer team? This might video may you a good idea. Follow coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis, of “Saturday Night Live” fame) as he heads to manage Tottenham Hotspur. Check out 中国的朋克 “Punk in China”, a short film made by Crane.tv about the development of punk and post-punk music in the Middle Kingdom, featuring such greats as Yang Haisong from PK14.

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Safety message at Shenzhen construction site reminds employees that it’s bad to die. Rough translation:

"Dear workers, please take care when out working. As soon as an accident occurs, other people will sleep with your wife, beat your children and spend your pension!"

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Can't stop watching this. Great song, but what a great performance by the frontman. David Letterman - Future Islands: "Seasons (Waiting On You)"

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Her: "Dying together would be so romantic." Him: "Bloody 'ell. Going salsa dancing is romantic. Let's try that first."

Sightseers