Peru - yay!!!

Mr. Mousie and I have pretty much settled on our next vacation destination - Peru in the fall. I've wanted to go for years - there is Machu Pichu of course, and far-away living cities and all the adventure novels set in South America that I read as a child, plus my recent read of Terence D'Altroy's "Incas" (if you like non-fiction, highly recommended), and my general and slightly embarrassing crush on the continent (can one crush on a continent?). Plus, ceviche!

Anyway, any recommendations for where to go or on books/other materials about the region (fiction, non, travel, movies, even telenovelas). I am not particularly familiar with Peruvian literature outside of Mario Vargas Llosa. Hopefully translated into either English or Russian because my Spanish is pretty rudimentary.

So excited! It was either that or Korea and shockingly, despite my drama obsession, the former seems to have won :)

Of Chinese drama fun

I finally started the 2009 adaptation of The Book and the Sword - I rather like the spare visual look but I must admit that if it wasn't for my reading the novel, I'd be a bit lost. And speaking of the book - I read it ages ago, so my memories are admittedly hazy, but did they change a LOT from the book? Seems so.

Just as with the novel, I find Chen Juliao awfully dull but I love most of the other characters. Awesome guy who fights with a flute (really!) has not appeared as of two eps in, but I am majorly digging this wuxia couple:



They are hot, they are married, and they will end you if you piss them off.

As of two eps, the verdict is I like it but I am not in love (yet). It's fun to see a bunch of familiar faces from other dramas though.

Also, I have finally started watching The Holy Pearl properly - I skimmed it on viki but I loathe streaming so was holding out for doremii subs. I like! Gillian Chung is shockingly unannoying and actually rather likeable, plus the ancient fantasy realm is so v.v. pretty:



I am surprised they managed to conquer anything or to create any mythical artifacts though, seeing that most of their endeavors seem to be spent on headware:



My one complaint is that we are two eps in and we have had a total of a second of our male lead. If you think I am watching THP for its sophisticated take on geopolitical implications of monarchies in flux you are gravely mistaken! I want angsty hotties with horns!



This pic from credits pretty much sums up wuxia/cdrama fantasy appeal right here, at least for moi - really hot emo dudes with deadly skills and long hair who weep like little girls. Woo-hoo!

Last but least, is anyone else excited about upcoming (1) Xuanyuanjian Tianzhi Hen, a period fantasy drama in which Hu Ge and Liu Shi Shi finally get to play an OTP. It's based on a game so it makes me nervous (I wanted to murder Hu Ge's character in CP1 and CP3) but they had psycho chemistry in CP3 even as siblings, are both huge favorites, and there is no way any hero can be as annoying as one in CP3. (2) Phoenix Totem/Love War/War of Desire, Zhang Han's first foray into period dramas, co-starring Bai Bing and involving imperial succession, doomed love, and other good things. I am oddly fond of Zhang Han even if I couldn't get through either Meteor Shower 1 and 2 or Fall In Love if my life depended on it, so I hope he'll be up to par in a period drama. Apparently his costar from MS is in this as well but as a secondary girl (cue gnashing of teeth from teen MS fangirls).

Of Chinese drama fun

I finally started the 2009 adaptation of The Book and the Sword - I rather like the spare visual look but I must admit that if it wasn't for my reading the novel, I'd be a bit lost. And speaking of the book - I read it ages ago, so my memories are admittedly hazy, but did they change a LOT from the book? Seems so.

Just as with the novel, I find Chen Juliao awfully dull but I love most of the other characters. Awesome guy who fights with a flute (really!) has not appeared as of two eps in, but I am majorly digging this wuxia couple:



They are hot, they are married, and they will end you if you piss them off.

As of two eps, the verdict is I like it but I am not in love (yet). It's fun to see a bunch of familiar faces from other dramas though.

Also, I have finally started watching The Holy Pearl properly - I skimmed it on viki but I loathe streaming so was holding out for doremii subs. I like! Gillian Chung is shockingly unannoying and actually rather likeable, plus the ancient fantasy realm is so v.v. pretty:



I am surprised they managed to conquer anything or to create any mythical artifacts though, seeing that most of their endeavors seem to be spent on headware:



My one complaint is that we are two eps in and we have had a total of a second of our male lead. If you think I am watching THP for its sophisticated take on geopolitical implications of monarchies in flux you are gravely mistaken! I want angsty hotties with horns!



This pic from credits pretty much sums up wuxia/cdrama fantasy appeal right here, at least for moi - really hot emo dudes with deadly skills and long hair who weep like little girls. Woo-hoo!

Last but least, is anyone else excited about upcoming (1) Xuanyuanjian Tianzhi Hen, a period fantasy drama in which Hu Ge and Liu Shi Shi finally get to play an OTP. It's based on a game so it makes me nervous (I wanted to murder Hu Ge's character in CP1 and CP3) but they had psycho chemistry in CP3 even as siblings, are both huge favorites, and there is no way any hero can be as annoying as one in CP3. (2) Phoenix Totem/Love War/War of Desire, Zhang Han's first foray into period dramas, co-starring Bai Bing and involving imperial succession, doomed love, and other good things. I am oddly fond of Zhang Han even if I couldn't get through either Meteor Shower 1 and 2 or Fall In Love if my life depended on it, so I hope he'll be up to par in a period drama. Apparently his costar from MS is in this as well but as a secondary girl (cue gnashing of teeth from teen MS fangirls).

Of Chinese drama fun

I finally started the 2009 adaptation of The Book and the Sword - I rather like the spare visual look but I must admit that if it wasn't for my reading the novel, I'd be a bit lost. And speaking of the book - I read it ages ago, so my memories are admittedly hazy, but did they change a LOT from the book? Seems so.

Just as with the novel, I find Chen Juliao awfully dull but I love most of the other characters. Awesome guy who fights with a flute (really!) has not appeared as of two eps in, but I am majorly digging this wuxia couple:



They are hot, they are married, and they will end you if you piss them off.

As of two eps, the verdict is I like it but I am not in love (yet). It's fun to see a bunch of familiar faces from other dramas though.

Also, I have finally started watching The Holy Pearl properly - I skimmed it on viki but I loathe streaming so was holding out for doremii subs. I like! Gillian Chung is shockingly unannoying and actually rather likeable, plus the ancient fantasy realm is so v.v. pretty:



I am surprised they managed to conquer anything or to create any mythical artifacts though, seeing that most of their endeavors seem to be spent on headware:



My one complaint is that we are two eps in and we have had a total of a second of our male lead. If you think I am watching THP for its sophisticated take on geopolitical implications of monarchies in flux you are gravely mistaken! I want angsty hotties with horns!



This pic from credits pretty much sums up wuxia/cdrama fantasy appeal right here, at least for moi - really hot emo dudes with deadly skills and long hair who weep like little girls. Woo-hoo!

Last but least, is anyone else excited about upcoming (1) Xuanyuanjian Tianzhi Hen, a period fantasy drama in which Hu Ge and Liu Shi Shi finally get to play an OTP. It's based on a game so it makes me nervous (I wanted to murder Hu Ge's character in CP1 and CP3) but they had psycho chemistry in CP3 even as siblings, are both huge favorites, and there is no way any hero can be as annoying as one in CP3. (2) Phoenix Totem/Love War/War of Desire, Zhang Han's first foray into period dramas, co-starring Bai Bing and involving imperial succession, doomed love, and other good things. I am oddly fond of Zhang Han even if I couldn't get through either Meteor Shower 1 and 2 or Fall In Love if my life depended on it, so I hope he'll be up to par in a period drama. Apparently his costar from MS is in this as well but as a secondary girl (cue gnashing of teeth from teen MS fangirls).