The Shaolin Monks of City Centre
It seems to me one can do limitless amount of exploration in and around Doha, if one has the mind to do it. New experiences can be found even in places like City Centre.
Just the other day, I was there for a quiet evening of shopping with my grand children. I parked the car underground and was quietly making my way up the moving ramp onto the first level (where Carrefour operates from). People often say light is faster than sound. But in this case, I heard the drums before I actually saw the people swaying to its rhythm. The soft, lulling music transported me to a decade earlier, when I visited China briefly for a business trip.
There could be no mistaking it. They were the Shaolin monks. I could hear the chants and I could see people milling around an erected stage, in red. Chinese script was written all around and the general mood was electric. I quickened my pace and stared in amazement… at a group of barely-teenaged boys.
They were twisting and they were turning in the air. They were coordinating moves like exotic dancers. Although the weapons they used at the time were mere showpieces, I knew that they could be equally adept and deadly, were it to be substituted with the real thing.
I joined the crowd and stared in awe. These children are dedicated to their art form. What the people saw at the City Centre is NOTHING like what they actually go through. This is disciplined training at its best.
I almost watched the entire 90-minute show, which was spellbinding, to put it mildly. It transported me back to another time, when I was an adventurous and keen to see the world.
I then went to the stands they had kept besides their show event. It gave a brief history of their sport, their famous masters and also displayed some of the weapons as well as their clothes. I clicked a few pictures, just for the people who might be interested in it…
After being on this planet for close to 60 years, I feel I can preach what I practised. I wish to advice people who feel there’s nothing much to do in Doha – get out of couch and into outdoors. You never know what you’ll discover, in even the most mundane places like City Centre.
From what I understood, the show will be running until Saturday, July 25. There are two shows, one in the morning and another in the evening. I’m not sure about the morning time, but in the evening it is between 5 and 7. Try not miss it, it’ll be a fun experience…
weekend was soo busy...
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mai lain pa!
unfortunately, i have been abroad since three weeks and i hope to return soon to Doha (within a month) to enjoy Doha's live activities
were just got lucky when we dropped by the other day at the city center and be able to witness the wonderful show...its a picture perfect that will last in our memories...
this is must be something new for doha to embrace and hopefully some chinese acrobatic group like WANDERS will soon be performing here as well.. pretty sure it would be a blast....
for try out :
http://justwandering.org/2007/08/pagcor-wanders-casino-filipino/
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wanderer thank you for posting this tread, we went today and it was nice, my kids liked it !
We had a good time !
It was at 7 p.m.
umm-salayum, you should definitely visit with your children. If i enjoyed the show, my grandchildren LOVED it. They even shook hands with the performers. Your kids will adore them. The time, i believe will be from 5 to 7 in the evening. It goes on until July 25.
Khattak, thank you so much.
Southland, i recokn July 25 and the show timing... 5 to 7 in evening for sure. Not sure about morning. Maybe someone in forum could update on that?
maplevince, of course the women should practice it as well.
princeofheart, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
noms, thank you too, buddy.
greeker, it is still not too late.
drsam, i'm not a writer, although i wish i was. I had aspirations to be one when i was young. But well, such were the personal demands that life took a different turn for me. At more than 60 years og age, i have a little more time. You'll be bombarded with more such stuff in the future. Be wary, lol. But thanks for the compliment though, i appreciate it.
chichi, next time, try to watch it live. It's a thousand times better than this. Nothing can substitute the real thing, period.
it feels like we were there with you watching the show...
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mai lain pa!
wanderer r u a writer? i was capt, rather mesmesised by ur post! donno much about the monks, i've saw the decor for a week now, but never asked what it was for. thx.
Wish I was there...
thanks for the pics buddy..they are awesome. :)
~noms~
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"Before God we are all equally wise ' and equally foolish" - Albert Einstein
I watch them also and they were cool!...although i'm not Chinese but i love watching their stunts. It will be awesome if their is also a female performer. Because it could also help for the others to think that martial arts is not only for men but also for women. It is very useful as a self defense when someone is forcing or trying to hurt you. It is good for women to learn martial arts to protect themselves from dangers. Because we all know that men are stronger than women when it comes to physical aspect but if a woman knows some self defense like martial arts even they are big and strong you can still knock them down.
any word on how long they're in town and when they are performing?
Freedom just another word, when you got nothing left to lose.
-Kris Kristofferson
Hmm for some reason i thought they were holding burgers in the first pic. Shaolin Burgers. Nice pics though thanks :)
Good Fortune always comes knocking at your door...when you are sh*tting in the toilet!! :)
_[]~SMoKE~[]_
Thanks for sharing.....must appreciate your writing skills.... :)
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Whenever I find the KEY to SUCCESS...Someone steals it.
Thank you for the pictures , i really would like to go and see the with my kids ,
does anybody know the times they will do the show?
Oh.. One other thing..
They looked so humble !
Hats off to them..
I saw them a couple of days ago... They were superb.. Amazing how they landed on the wooden stage and got up again..
Loved the Kata with the rice flails.... recommended..