ALWAYS BE READY......HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GARY...HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
Gary Player is today, A 74 years old SUAVE, Talented and elegant golf legend. He happened to be in Shanghai on his birthday. So his host, fellow country man(they are both South Africans) , the ever -charming, the ever -wonderful President of Coca Cola Douglas Jackson and his lovely wife Coleen invited some good friends to a birthday bash at Pudong Shangri-La's Jade 36.

Yue-Sai, Gary Player

A vegetarian meal was served, because Gary is vegetarian. You know, he was THE world golf champion 3 times. In his days, he was the Tiger Wood. His influence in Golf is immense, nicked name the Black Knight. The most famous golf course that he designed is the one in Myrtle Beach called Blackmoor. One of his current businesses is designing outstanding golf courses all over the world.
 
He is THE YOUNGEST 74 YEAR old. I have ever met. He has so much energy and he is really strong. His arms are like steel. At one point, he was so excited after the opera singer sang his favourite Nessun Dorma that he literally picked her up! She is at least 60 kiloa!
 
But there are some really outstanding qualities about this man.  For one, he has been married to the same lady for 50 years.....WE DO NEED HIS SECRET....GOLF PERHAPS??? That is a record and I believe a real achievement. I am impressed! The other is, he not only uses his name, but also physically travels to all over the world to do charity work, via golf.  I learned that golfers are really a bunch of really generous people.  They have donated over one billion dollars for charities.  In addition, he is SO gracious.  He makes you feel like you are really special. He spends time to talk to you, pays attention to everyone that comes to him, never refuses to sign autographs nor does he refuse to take photographs with fans.

Mr & Mrs Cetin Sekercioglu, Gary Player and Yue-Sai.
 
During the evening, all of a sudden, Douglas asked me to sing a song.  Now, I really do not sing well professionally. I take singing lessons, but do not really perform. His request got me really nervous.  My dear friend Sergio Orozco from Columbia was there too, and he plays guitar real well. He said yes he will perform with me.  But, we needed to find a guitar.  He will not perform without a guitar.  So last minute, but you know in less than 20 minutes, a guitar materialized!  I went to the General Manager of the Shangri-La Mr. Cetin Sekercioglu to see if he can come up with a guitar. His staff looked all over but could not get one.  Remembering that there is a street guitar singer who always sang outside the hotel, the hotel staff went out and found me.  They offered to pay him 100rmb for his guitar.  he was happy to loan it to us. In spite of it being a different guitar, one that Sergio was not used to, I sang my favourite Spanish song in Spanish with Sergio at the guitar.  The song is called Historia de un Amor.  Do you know it?  It is one of the most beautiful melodies ever written.  I do not know how the audience liked it, but I thought that the precious part is that we particpated!!!  It really should not matter if I was Barbra Streisand or not!  Besides it was a gift for Gary from the heart!

Gary Player, Yue-Sai, Sergio Orozco

Gary Player, Yue-Sai, Sergio Orozco

Gary Player, Yue-Sai, Sergio Orozco

Coleen and Douglas Jackson
 
The birthday gift for him was some Chinese tea as he loves to drink tea.  If  being a vegetarian, drinking tea and a great personality that is giving and generous with himself is the key to long and healthy life, I would like to follow them myself.  He surely is an inspiration to all.