April 23rd
5:30 AM

Inveterate night owl hits her snooze alarm hoping to postpone the inevitable - rising at 5:30 am when she only went to bed at 2:30 am!!

Post 9/11 reality soon hits her in the face. Gotta get up, plane to Chow Yun-Fat Fan Fest in New Orleans may not leave until 9:38, but the airport security wants you there two hours early. SEATAC airport is a 45 minute drive away. To be at the airport by 7:38, must be picked up by shuttle by 6:30. In order to be ready must rise at 5:30....

Up, showered and dressed, ready for the shuttle driver to arrive, which he does 10 minutes early! Chatty fellow, before we arrive at the airport between us we've solved all the worldÕs problems! Dropped off at curb at SEATAC airport - the adventure officially begins.

This is my first travel experience via air since 9/11. I queue up with others in a long line for the security screening, hoping that I did take that deadliest of weapons out of my purse before I left home - my nail clipper!! Soon am kicking off shoes, putting everything on conveyor through x-ray machine. Yay! No bells and whistles go off and soon I'm donning the shoes again and making my way to the departure gate, lugging my carryon as I go.

All that early rising, and I end up waiting at the gate for the plane for the next hour and a half.

Soon, we're on board, squeezed like sardines into coach. Food service has changed since my last trip by air on American Airlines...now you are directed to grab a "Bistro Meal" in a plastic bag from the cooler situated next to the gate as you board the plane. A peak inside reveals a small submarine type sandwich of turkey and cheese, Dijonaise in a packet, a bag of Lays potato chips, a small bag of baby carrots and a packaged brownie awaiting my dining pleasure. No drinks, those are dispensed on board after the flight has reached cruising altitude. By that time, I'm dying of thirst and regretting that I didn't think to bring a water bottle...especially when I remember that the airlines idea of a drink is a half a can of diet coke...

American claims to be going bankrupt, but you'd never know if from this flight - it is jam packed full of passengers who don't know whether the airline will still be in business for their return flights!!

3 hours and 20 minutes later, arrive at Dallas/Fort Worth airport, which is socked in by fog, not allowing me my first glimpse of Texas. Just as I did at SEATAC, scour the paperback racks for any sign of the "Bulletproof Monk" novelization. Just like at SEATAC, I find none - wondering if I own the only existent copy on the planet, ordered from Amazon before I left for the trip...

They've moved the connecting flight gate from two gates down to the other end of the concourse, so off I run, doing some souvenir shopping as I go. I arrive at the New Orleans flight gate to find the flight is already in the process of boarding. I already have my seat assignments for the whole trip courtesy of Travelocity.com, so I jump in line and board.

A pleasant hour later, we are landing in New Orleans. Weather here is clear and sunny and am able to see the bayous and Lake Ponchetrain before we set down at Louis Armstrong airport. Soon we are exiting the plane, into the cool emptiness of New Orleans's airport at 6 p.m.

I head for a phone and make the obligatory, "I made it!" phone call to the family. Soon I am joined by my hostess, F.S. otherwise known as "Weak" (as in "CYF makes me weak".) The third member of our party is due to arrive in about three hours. We decide to amuse ourselves at the airport waiting for her arrival, as opposed to trying to leave and come back. We do so over shrimp Po Boys--discussing CYF and ourselves just like we've known each other all our lives. In actual fact, we've only corresponded via e-mail up to this minute! "Weak" and I share experiences and find we have much in common, including crazy cousins who might be the same person, except for their names and locations.

Time flies as we discuss CYF and "Bulletproof Monk", which by agreement, none of us have seen yet, wanting to see it together for the first time. Our third member of the party, "Chocolate" is soon arriving to hugs and warm welcomes. We take off for baggage claim to claim her luggage.

"Chocolate" has packed her entire CYF collection in a massive suitcase, and we spend several anxious minutes waiting for the bag to appear on the baggage claim conveyor! Finally it does. I offer to help her lift it off the conveyor - it is HEAVY! We find out that her suitcase was weighed in at her departure point in NYC at 52 lbs!! Way over the weight limit! We maneuver the suitcase, which fortunately is on wheels, out to the car of our hostess.

"Chocolate" is checking her watch. Can we make the last showing of "Bulletproof Monk"? After a bit of conferring and calculating, we decide that we are too late this evening to make it and still see the whole film from beginning to end - we decide to catch the first show the next day instead.

The CYF Fan Fest has officially begun!!

Arriving at our hostess's home, we quickly stow bags and plop down in front of the TV and DVD player. Wasting no time, we are watching CYF films, starting with a subtitled version of "Now You See Love, Now You Don't", chatting Chow and getting to know each other (as if that is necessary, we are like three long lost relatives as opposed to relative strangers). Fellow CYF fans are the nicest people! We bond over CYF films ("Love In A Fallen City", "Dream Lovers", "Hong Kong 1941", "See-Bar" ) and wine until exhaustion claims us one by one and we fall into our beds.

April 24, 2003

Proof that the dead do come back to life, your correspondent rises after staying up until the wee hours, watching Chow! It is "Bulletproof Monk" day!

We have some time to kill before the first show starts, so we warm up by watching "The Missed Date". We ooh and ahh and admired how young and handsome CYF looks...we almost forget to get ourselves together to go to the theater we are so carried away with our CYF Admiration Hour.

12 noon.

We make a mad dash for the theater showing "Bulletproof Monk", which seems to be on the other side of town from where our hostess lives! We make the first show of the day, after making the obligatory kowtows to CYF's image on the BpM poster outside the theater.

We settle in for almost two hours of charming and handsome Chow, glorying in his image 20+ feet tall on the movie screen, the brilliance of his smile. We hang on in theater to the end of credits, jealously regarding those in the credits with enviable jobs: "Mr. Chow Yun-Fat's dresser", "Mr. Chow Yun-Fat's make up person", "Mr. Chow Yun-Fat's driver", and that most envious of positions, "Mr. Chow Yun-Fat's assistant".

We pronounce ourselves well pleased with the film and confused at the mixed critical reaction the film has been receiving. CYF's english has never been better, he's never been handsomer and finally, a first for his Hollywood films to date, he's never been funnier or smiled more. We leave the film "feeling good", which in these days of war and terrorism, is something to say and appreciate.

We pause next to the poster outside of the theater, taking pictures of ourselves and the BpM poster.

We stop at a lovely little French pastry shop on the way back home, true New Orleans's delicacies. We discuss the film and Chow over scones, fruit pockets, brioche and turtles. We sigh and swoon over Mr. Chow Yun-Fat's estimable attributes as perceived larger than life on the movie screen. *Sigh*

We repair home to watch more Mr. Chow Yun-Fat. We enjoy "Anna and the King", "The Greatest Lover", "Wild Search" and "Eighth Happiness" before we realize we are getting hungry and decide to dine out.

We have fried oysters, shrimp, rice and red beans at a wonderful nearby restaurant and bar called Frankie and Johnnie's. Yum...New Orleans cuisine is definitely something I am learning very quickly to love!

We have time for at least one last CYF film before bedtime. We watch "The Romancing Star" and laugh ourselves silly - CYF at his comedic, hysterical best!! One by one we collapse into bed to dream of Mr. Chow Yun-Fat!!

Tomorrow: The French Quarter and More Mr. Chow!!

April 25th, 2003

We end up sleeping in. We rise to watch more Chow Yun-Fat films - each of us relating that we did, indeed dream of our hero during the night. We watch several more films, including: "Treasure Hunt", "Joy to the World", "Fractured Follies", "The Long Goodbye" and "City War".

We decide to head for the French Quarter at about 3pm, tearing ourselves away from CYF films. Two blocks from the house is a streetcar that will take us into the Quarter for the grand sum of $1.25. It is a wonderful ride, and we are entranced by the beauty that is New Orleans. The lovely architecture and tropical weather--which fortunately for us, has settled in a pattern of mid 70 degree temperatures, lower than normal humidity, and a nice gentle breeze.

We debark on Canal Street and head for the French Quarter. We stop to buy souvenirs, then stroll through the French Quarter enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of this famous area. Nothing you've seen or read can prepare you for it in real life. It is a place better and more entertaining than Disneyland. We window shop, watch and listen to street musicians, one of whom invites us to put our hands on the slide of his trombone as he plays it.

We find that we are hungry, and decide to eat a substantial meal now and snack later on in the evening. Our hostess takes us to a French Quarter establishment famous for its muffalettas. Your correspondent is too timid to try one, but Chocolate digs in and is gracious enough to share a bite. I find that I love them! But I've already ordered a catfish sandwich, our hostess jumbalaya. We each sample the others food, soon finding that we are stuffed. A good walk is what we need now!

We walk over to Jackson Square, with its lovely park and the fantastic view of St. Louis Cathedral and the French Market. We cast a glance at the Cafe DuMonde, famous for French doughnuts known as beignets, but we are too full to try the deep fried pastries just now. Instead we take in the atmosphere of the Quarter at large and the French Market in general. We scope out fish and seafood vendors; take a stroll along the banks of the mighty Mississippi, taking photos and talking Chow. He is never far from our thoughts and conversation!

We've worked up enough of a hunger now that the Cafe Dumonde seems like a good idea. We stroll over and do sample a couple orders of beignets, washed down with Cafe au lait, white milk and chocolate milk respectively.

We make our way to the streetcar turnaround and wait for the next streetcar that can accommodate the growing number of people at the stop. Soon, one arrives. We are weary and grateful to get aboard and undertake the ride home.

The idea strikes to see "Bulletproof Monk" again, which revives us all! A quick shower and change of clothes and off we go to see the film again! Enjoy it even more on the second showing! We return home and with Chocolate's expertise, we work on a translation of the VCD of Chow's "Celebrity Talk Show" appearance from 1989. This keeps us busy and entertained until the wee hours of Saturday morning.

April 26, 2003

Sleep late and rise to watch a video of the "Hong Kong Film Awards". CYF as he looked a mere two weeks before. Handsome, charming, looking great. The specter of SARS and Leslie Cheung's tragic passing are hanging heavily over the ceremony, but CYF injects the right note of calm and optimism.

Next, we begin watching and translating the recent TVB interview of CYF conducted by his old friend and costar, Do-Do Cheng.

Later in the afternoon, we drive back to the French Quarter to the French Market and one of the seafood vendors we found the day before. Chocolate loads up on seafood to take home to her waiting family! I forgo the alligator sausage and jerky, while Chocolate buys oyster and shrimp. We marvel over the size of a freshwater shrimp in the cooler, easily a foot and a half from stem to stern!!

We repair to the car with a small detour to a candy shop to sample the local specialty, pralines. We then repair back to our hostess's house and set to work again, watching Chow and translating the "Celebrity Talk Show" and part two of the Cheng interview with CYF.

Chocolate is leaving tomorrow, must be back at work on Monday! So we work hard, even over dinner of delivered pizza and fried oysters, and wine. We finally fall into bed, exhausted, having finished the translations.

April 27

I want to see Chocolate off at the airport with our hostess, but the two of them leave me sleeping as they go to the airport early the next morning. We said our formal farewells the night before, exchanging hugs and realizing how close we three have grown and how much the parting in the morning will hurt! When I do wake up, "Weak" our Hostess is back from the airport. We both desperately miss our compatriot, but carry on as she would have wanted, by watching more Chow. We drown our sorrows in "Lost Romance", "Joy to the World", "The Replacement Killers"...

Mid afternoon, we tear ourselves away from CYF films and take a drive to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We stop and look at the beach and ocean at Gulfport Mississippi. I've never seen the Gulf before and admire the beautiful blue sky, the calm sea, the white sands. We walk along the beach front boardwalk and enjoy the end of a beautiful day. We drive back to New Orleans, talking CYF all the way.

Once returned to the house, we settle down to a wonderful evening of more Chow films, snacking on grapes and popcorn. We watch "Why Me?" and "Cherry Blossoms", and "100 Ways to Murder Your Wife".

April 28, 2003

I rise earlier than normal today, leaving behind sweet dreams of Mr. Chow Yun-Fat. We decide to forgo further sightseeing in favor of more Chow! We have a look at the special disk that came with the "Legend of Master So" vcd set, treated to seeing a young CYF in clips and stills. Do Do Cheng is the hostess of this disk! We see CYF acting, dancing, running a race and winning a medal. DoDo interviews CYF. As if we could not pick out the object of our desire, this disk helpfully highlights CYF in more obscure frames and clips. There are many wonderful clips - from historical epics where he is wielding swords, to dancing disco while dressed in the obligatory "Saturday Night Fever" white suit. (John Travolta, eat your heart out!!)

Next up, "Full Contact". Weak and I ogle the buff Jeff and hiss at the evil Judge, even while admiring Simon Yam's adorable dimples. But no matter how cute Simon is, there is NO COMPARISON to The Man, we both agree.

Off to lunch at a restaurant called Copelands. I enjoy a fried oyster Po Boy with red rice and beans, while Weak has a lovely seafood platter with corn fritters and salad.

We decide to drive out to a plantation house choosing the nearest to us, Destrehan Plantation. We have arrived in ample time to take the last tour of the day. I buy souvenirs like a madwoman, fearing the gift shop will not be open after the tour. Soon we are escorted on a wonderful, fascinating tour of the restored summer home of the Destrehan family, furnished as it would have been in the plantation heyday. We admire the construction of the house in one room left unrestored to show the construction of the building. Cypress lathes filled with an "insulation" made of spanish moss, horse hair, clay and ground up oyster shells. We see the imprint of one of the plantation's slaves in an inset panel of cement/adobe that are scattered throughout the walls to afford the building "breathing" room, accommodating the natural expansion and contraction of the wood of the structure in the variable weather conditions.

"Interview With A Vampire" used this mansion for filming. We are amused to hear that Hollywood did not consider the natural state of furnishings to be ornate enough, so they dressed the old beauty up in gaudy finery for the filming.

We leave with a better appreciation of the reality of lives lived so long ago. The early deaths of children due to yellow fever were a particularly poignant reality that we carry away with us.

We return home for an evening of pizza and salad and CYF, while keenly missing Chocolate's presence. We watch "The Replacement Killers" and "God of Gamblers", knowing we must retire at a semi decent hour. Tomorrow is my day to return home.

April 29th

We rise early and squeeze in at least one last CYF film. We watch "Spiritual Love". It is a fitting farewell to the CYF fest, with its bittersweet ending and message of the eternal nature of love and friendship.

We part sadly, vowing to do this all over again next year!! My return trip is uneventful, I even get to see Texas from the air this time, the weather has cleared now so that I can see Dallas/Ft. Worth as I fly over. I arrive back at Seattle International mid evening, tired, but with wonderful memories of my trip. I'll never forget my first meeting with my fellow CYF fans--who are now more like sisters!