Well not really adventures IN Macau, so much as an adventure getting to Macau.
AC returned from his preliminary suit fitting to find me laying on the couch with a bizarre stomach ache. He had picked up some lunch, so I figured some food would do me good. "Is this a spicy chicken sandwich?" I think to myself. I should be fine. About 10 minutes later I'm doubled over, regretting that decision with every fiber of my body.
AC is kind enough to pack for both of us (strangely forgetting my Prilosec) and I hobble out the door. We walk all the way down to the Wan Chai station and decide it might be better to just take a cab than struggle through the MTR with a huge bag.
So we wait and wait and wait for a cab but can't get one to stop for us. A kindly lady comes up to us and says "taxis won't stop here," pointing to a series of double yellow lines next to the side walk. I thought back to how many cabs I have caught here in the past, but at this point we'd be open to moving to a new spot.
After finally scoring a cab, our driver complains that it's the "Rugby Sevens" tournament and traffic is just awful. This suddenly explains the influx of tall good-looking men in Hong Kong - rugby players. :)
We subsequently got yelled at in the ferry terminal for wandering around in a closed area looking for our departure gate. I am in so much pain I can't see straight. Suddenly, my mind wanders to my brother's recent cruise in Mexico. The cruise in which he got so violently ill from sea sickness, they had to administer a series of shots to stop his violent vomiting. I then remembered my boat ride to Molokini in Maui - barf city. I looked at Adam with panicked eyes, who said "the boat won't rock, I promise." That story quickly changed to, "the boat won't rock once we leave the dock, I promise. I shot a death glare over to Adam, as a took deep breaths and clutched the arm rests for dear life. Then they served food. Why did we have to sit in "super class" anyway? Suddenly, my sense of smell was nothing short of blood-hound strength as the then-rancid odor of barbecued chicken nearly thrust me over the edge. I quietly curse Adam for accepting but not eating his lunch, just letting it sit there and marinate the air around me.
I think I fell asleep at some point, because we were there in no time. Here's where things got really interesting:
Adam: Where is the luggage?
Me (pointing over to the other side of the boat): In a closet over there.
Adam: Oh, they'll get it for us.
Me (noticing all the people getting their luggage out of the closet and taking it with them): No, I think we should grab it.
Adam (charging ahead): No, they'll get it for us.
Me (noticing all the people getting off the boat with their bags): I really don't think we're doing this right ...
Adam: Okay, I'll ask someone. Excuse me miss, can you tell me if we are supposed to get our own luggage or pick it up inside?
Adam (how the girl heard it): Brumpf uh maph, kun yeep crad um so tree wear crumptr ihrm luggage uh tramps huampths?
Girl: grunt grunt grunt (then points in the general direction that everyone is walking).
Adam: See? She said we pick it up inside.
Justin: Are you sure she understood you?
Adam (getting exasperated with my apparent stupidity): Yes, we pick it up inside. If you are so convinced this is wrong, then walk back and get the luggage yourself!
At that point, I consider myself temporarily handicapped and figure, 'Okay Clarence-junior*, off we go!'
I wait on the other side of immigration. Adam comes out with no bag. "I need the tag!" he proclaims. There was no tag given, I explain. There was a closet with a curtain and that was it. "Then YOU come talk to him," Adam grumbles.
We go to baggage claim. No one is there. After about 15 minutes, they come with a load of bags and are quick to help all the customers behind us in line before us.
"No tag," I try to explain. "我沒有您的行李," the man says shrugging. "No tag," I repeat, drawing a small square in the air shaking my head trying to take my communication to the most basic level. "這不是您留給您的袋子在小船, 不講漢語的我的問題," says the man, this time a little more agitated as if to say 'it's not my problem that you left your bag on the boat and don't speak Chinese!'
AC and I are tensely silent. I keep muttering under my breath ... I so want him to accept blame, but know he won't. Not that it would do any good, because we were in full on Clarence-mode now. After getting two people to help translate, they finally escort us to lost-and-found to reunite us with our bag. After a long, awkward ride home we made up and watched The Discovery Channel.
*For those who don't understand the Clarence reference, he is AC's dad. He is a wonderful, loving man, only sometimes he gets a little fired up about stuff and stops listening. At this point, Adam's genetics got the best of him and we could only let things run their course.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Fun, Actually
Hurricane Adam has hit land in Hong Kong, and boy is it a mess!
Just kidding. I was going to ask AC to do a little writing on here, but then I realized you all might enjoy it too much and I simply must have your undivided attention. I'm like communist China - no freedom of the press here folks!
So he got in bright and early on Sunday morning and made it through customs and the airport like a champ. I was running on about four hours of sleep myself, so the first day was pretty lazy. We toured around Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, interspersed with the occasional nap.
So for those of you who predicted it - yes, The Great was the first place I took him. I can just hear the Frank Crystal gang cackling in the background. It wasn't intentional, I swear. We were hungry and headed in that direction and I just couldn't help myself! I have a problem, and admitting it is the first step to getting help. I'll have you know that he did say it was the nicest grocery store he'd ever seen, so there you have it!
His other surprise was how fun Lan Kwai Fong was (we went there last night). He made a feeble attempt to explain his early skepticism. Something about having "higher expectations" about what he referred to as "clubbing experience" ... whatever. I come from a long line of people who eat and drink too much. I can spot an over-priced grocery store and trendy bar better than just about anyone. Just ask my sponsor!
So in general he's acclimated nicely to life in a foreign land. He knows his way around already and got fitted for a series of custom-made suits today! He even negotiated five free custom shirts (please see the earlier post about bargaining with poor people and the joy it can bring). Now if I could just get him to take off the ridiculous teal-blue wrist band used for forehead sweat-wiping. I don't care how hot it is ... you look like a tool. It's fashion over function baby!
Just kidding. I was going to ask AC to do a little writing on here, but then I realized you all might enjoy it too much and I simply must have your undivided attention. I'm like communist China - no freedom of the press here folks!
So he got in bright and early on Sunday morning and made it through customs and the airport like a champ. I was running on about four hours of sleep myself, so the first day was pretty lazy. We toured around Central, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, interspersed with the occasional nap.
So for those of you who predicted it - yes, The Great was the first place I took him. I can just hear the Frank Crystal gang cackling in the background. It wasn't intentional, I swear. We were hungry and headed in that direction and I just couldn't help myself! I have a problem, and admitting it is the first step to getting help. I'll have you know that he did say it was the nicest grocery store he'd ever seen, so there you have it!
His other surprise was how fun Lan Kwai Fong was (we went there last night). He made a feeble attempt to explain his early skepticism. Something about having "higher expectations" about what he referred to as "clubbing experience" ... whatever. I come from a long line of people who eat and drink too much. I can spot an over-priced grocery store and trendy bar better than just about anyone. Just ask my sponsor!
So in general he's acclimated nicely to life in a foreign land. He knows his way around already and got fitted for a series of custom-made suits today! He even negotiated five free custom shirts (please see the earlier post about bargaining with poor people and the joy it can bring). Now if I could just get him to take off the ridiculous teal-blue wrist band used for forehead sweat-wiping. I don't care how hot it is ... you look like a tool. It's fashion over function baby!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Long Overdue
Friday night baby! After a long, hard week - I was ready to party. Although "party" usually implies more than one person, which I am not. But who' counting? Oh well, I am.
Over the past few days, I have experienced more than my share of what I refer to as "Chinese Honesty." The people I have met here say the cutest things ... that make me want to wrap my fingers around their little brown necks and ... well, you know.
Case 1: I am in my office, reflecting on the fact that I have been living in Hong Kong for two months. I start to say, "I can't believe ..." only to be interrupted by two coworkers. They argue between the two of them about who can predict what I'm about to say. The winner proudly proclaims, "uhm ... you can't believe how much weight you've gained since you've been here!" I want to slap the proud look off of her face. The other says, "oh, I was thinking how time flies when you're having fun," which was correct. But the damage had been done. I'm soooo sorry that I gained like five pounds since I've been here. Leave it to their little skinny asses to notice ... but I digress.
Case 2: Today, coming back from the dim sum lunch (they had me this close to eating chicken feet ... I swear), the other co-worker says, "in China, we use towtass (tortoise) for healing purposes. We make it into a jelly and it helps people like you who have skin problems!" She earnestly nods and draws air-circles with her index finger around her mouth, pointing out the part of MY face that has been causing me trouble since I've been here. "I thought about telling you about your problem, but not sure if you like towtass." Okay, I'm completely aware of my 'problem' and no, I don't think I'm going to eat turtle jelly to clear it up.
Case 3: I am a creature of habit. I like to go to the "Pig and the ..." something-or-other for a few beers to warm me up to The Wanch. Tonight, the waitress says to me, "why are you always here alone? Don't you have any friends?!?" Uhm, yes, you are so not getting a tip from me. Yes, I have friends. Just none on this continent.
Something tells me this honesty would not be so warmly received. Because I think, "wow, are you really eating chicken feet, because that is f-ing disgusting. They walk all day in their own feces" And, "Jesus you people are short!" And, "why am I the only person who brushes my teeth after lunch?" Between the Chinese and the Brits, my not-so-secret love, Dr. Barcelona (aka the Dreamy Dentist), would perish here!
Now that I know my days are numbered, I am "noticing" everything on overdrive. This happens when you're in a bar alone with no one to talk to. The issue is that I can't remember crap, so I find myself trying to commit very weird stuff that happens to me to memory.
"Okay, remember the albino ... albino albino albino ... oh and the little guy with the Hitler mustache! Albino ... Hitler - don't forget! Hitler liked white people ... like albinos! Bingo!"
Tonight it was, "okay, remember the lady who flirted with you tonight who looked like Rachel Griffith off Six Feet Under. Oh, and brag about how everyone at The Wanch remembered you this time. Be sure to note that the hookers are flirting with you again. It's a good sign about your complexion - they don't consider you a herpes risk anymore. "Albino Asia Hitler Rachel Griffiths Hooker Herpes!"
And that pretty much sums up my latest night in Wan Chai.
Over the past few days, I have experienced more than my share of what I refer to as "Chinese Honesty." The people I have met here say the cutest things ... that make me want to wrap my fingers around their little brown necks and ... well, you know.
Case 1: I am in my office, reflecting on the fact that I have been living in Hong Kong for two months. I start to say, "I can't believe ..." only to be interrupted by two coworkers. They argue between the two of them about who can predict what I'm about to say. The winner proudly proclaims, "uhm ... you can't believe how much weight you've gained since you've been here!" I want to slap the proud look off of her face. The other says, "oh, I was thinking how time flies when you're having fun," which was correct. But the damage had been done. I'm soooo sorry that I gained like five pounds since I've been here. Leave it to their little skinny asses to notice ... but I digress.
Case 2: Today, coming back from the dim sum lunch (they had me this close to eating chicken feet ... I swear), the other co-worker says, "in China, we use towtass (tortoise) for healing purposes. We make it into a jelly and it helps people like you who have skin problems!" She earnestly nods and draws air-circles with her index finger around her mouth, pointing out the part of MY face that has been causing me trouble since I've been here. "I thought about telling you about your problem, but not sure if you like towtass." Okay, I'm completely aware of my 'problem' and no, I don't think I'm going to eat turtle jelly to clear it up.
Case 3: I am a creature of habit. I like to go to the "Pig and the ..." something-or-other for a few beers to warm me up to The Wanch. Tonight, the waitress says to me, "why are you always here alone? Don't you have any friends?!?" Uhm, yes, you are so not getting a tip from me. Yes, I have friends. Just none on this continent.
Something tells me this honesty would not be so warmly received. Because I think, "wow, are you really eating chicken feet, because that is f-ing disgusting. They walk all day in their own feces" And, "Jesus you people are short!" And, "why am I the only person who brushes my teeth after lunch?" Between the Chinese and the Brits, my not-so-secret love, Dr. Barcelona (aka the Dreamy Dentist), would perish here!
Now that I know my days are numbered, I am "noticing" everything on overdrive. This happens when you're in a bar alone with no one to talk to. The issue is that I can't remember crap, so I find myself trying to commit very weird stuff that happens to me to memory.
"Okay, remember the albino ... albino albino albino ... oh and the little guy with the Hitler mustache! Albino ... Hitler - don't forget! Hitler liked white people ... like albinos! Bingo!"
Tonight it was, "okay, remember the lady who flirted with you tonight who looked like Rachel Griffith off Six Feet Under. Oh, and brag about how everyone at The Wanch remembered you this time. Be sure to note that the hookers are flirting with you again. It's a good sign about your complexion - they don't consider you a herpes risk anymore. "Albino Asia Hitler Rachel Griffiths Hooker Herpes!"
And that pretty much sums up my latest night in Wan Chai.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Cindy Brady
I haven't written in forever, and I even have a somewhat fun story to tell from St. Patty's day, but I have been swamped with work. Sorry!
But I had a quick thing I wanted to share. For any rabid Sex and the City fans, remember the episode where they introduce casual Fridays at Miranda's law firm? And the first day of it, someone comes to work totally inappropriately dressed and ruins it for everyone?
Well I swear to God that was the first thing I thought about when they announced casual Friday at my office just one short week ago. Who was going to much it up for everyone, I pondered. Today is complete chaos as the office renovation moves into high gear. There are movers and packers everywhere. I run from cubicle to cubicle just to find a stapler or a Post-It note as all of my stuff is in boxes. And then I see it. Sitting at his desk is the Marketing Manager with his "tennis-oriented" sweatshirt that says ...
"Will Work Forehand Jobs"
I think to myself, "no one here will even understand what the heck that means." But I finally decided I had to say something. Not to him, of course ... I simply tattled to the other HR manager and made her deal with it. Nobody loves a tattle tale, but everybody loves me! A good tattle-tale does it in secret.
But I had a quick thing I wanted to share. For any rabid Sex and the City fans, remember the episode where they introduce casual Fridays at Miranda's law firm? And the first day of it, someone comes to work totally inappropriately dressed and ruins it for everyone?
Well I swear to God that was the first thing I thought about when they announced casual Friday at my office just one short week ago. Who was going to much it up for everyone, I pondered. Today is complete chaos as the office renovation moves into high gear. There are movers and packers everywhere. I run from cubicle to cubicle just to find a stapler or a Post-It note as all of my stuff is in boxes. And then I see it. Sitting at his desk is the Marketing Manager with his "tennis-oriented" sweatshirt that says ...
I think to myself, "no one here will even understand what the heck that means." But I finally decided I had to say something. Not to him, of course ... I simply tattled to the other HR manager and made her deal with it. Nobody loves a tattle tale, but everybody loves me! A good tattle-tale does it in secret.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Rainy Day
Outside is slightly warm, but overcast and drizzly. I normally am exhilarated by this type of weather, but today I can't help but notice how closely it matches my mood.
To recap - last night was fun, in a bittersweet sort of way. I was the first person in my group to leave work (7:00 pm - they are crazy!) but I had snacked all day, so I wasn't in the mood to rush home and make dinner. I wandered along Gloucester Road enjoying the revelry on a Friday night. When I couldn't walk any further, I retraced my steps one block away from the water and then doubled back. Wanchai has some streets that are straight and some that curve. This is more than my directionally-challenged mind can handle (unless it's a perfect grid like NYC, I quickly get lost), so I soon found I had no idea where I was.
I find there is a certain comfort in just losing myself in the crowd. And getting lost - literally. It used to scare the crap out of me, but I soon realized it is just a cab ride to home from basically anywhere. Anyway, it's almost like stepping into someone else's life. I regularly make a complete idiot of myself, but who cares? No one here knows me - I'm completely anonymous.
(What is the name of this neighborhood again? Have I been here before?)
Tonight, the neighborhood is alive, but not in the overpowering way that I experienced in Central last weekend. I found myself in Causeway Bay, my eyes a little overpowered by the neon sign barrage. I had Silversun Pickups blasting on my Ipod, so it was a little bit like walking around in a music video.
(Where am I? Oh wait, I think I recognize that neon sign. Uhm … turn left?)
I walk past bars, restaurants, stores, spas, even video arcades just teeming with people. The very young, who tend to stare at the tall white guy with the goofy grin on his face. The very old, who are so hunched over their eyes are perpetually examining the details of the sidewalk beneath them. Young tourists, totally freaking out that they can drink alcohol at 18 instead of 21. The trophy wives and local hookers … I honestly have a little trouble telling the difference. Even an albino and a little guy with a Hitler mustache. You know I love the freaks …
(Should I get a cab? I'm totally lost. On wait, I think I remember that neon sign. Right! No, straight!)
Then it hit me. This is all going to be over soon. Very soon. I can't believe I've been here for two months already. I quickly tried to push the thoughts out of my mind - it would be juvenile to ruin my last weeks in Hong Kong by being depressed about having to leave. Think about AC's visit. Think about taking the dog to the beach. Think about playing drunk Cranium with Dan and Ash. Those thoughts were quickly replaced by seeing myself get up at 4:45 instead of 7:30 every morning. I saw myself driving down Lawrence Expressway, the anxiety mounting as I draw closer and closer to a job with a very uncertain future.
(Ah, an MTR station. I'm just going to take the subway home.)
Embarrassingly, a little tear runs down my face, but I brush it off like an eyelash problem. I think the major downside of this trip is that it has shown me what a healthy balance can feel like. I have to go back. In many ways I want to go back. But things need to be different, somehow.
(God, all these damn Madonna ads in the subway are obnoxious. AC is totally going to love this, of course).
Now I sit here in Starbucks on a Saturday morning. I'm here to work, but no work has been done. The rain slightly streaking the windows, pushing a hodge-podge of people into this little slice of America. It's funny how the happiest moments of your life can also be the saddest. I didn't find the answers at the bottom of a grande soy chai latte. Or a bathroom (what coffee place doesn't have a toilet?).
I shuffle my way home, already subconsciously saying goodbye to the city I initially hated then quickly loved. Negotiating my way home by recognizing neon signs rather than street names. God I'm weird ...
Happy nine years baby! I'm going to go find a green beer!
To recap - last night was fun, in a bittersweet sort of way. I was the first person in my group to leave work (7:00 pm - they are crazy!) but I had snacked all day, so I wasn't in the mood to rush home and make dinner. I wandered along Gloucester Road enjoying the revelry on a Friday night. When I couldn't walk any further, I retraced my steps one block away from the water and then doubled back. Wanchai has some streets that are straight and some that curve. This is more than my directionally-challenged mind can handle (unless it's a perfect grid like NYC, I quickly get lost), so I soon found I had no idea where I was.
I find there is a certain comfort in just losing myself in the crowd. And getting lost - literally. It used to scare the crap out of me, but I soon realized it is just a cab ride to home from basically anywhere. Anyway, it's almost like stepping into someone else's life. I regularly make a complete idiot of myself, but who cares? No one here knows me - I'm completely anonymous.
(What is the name of this neighborhood again? Have I been here before?)
Tonight, the neighborhood is alive, but not in the overpowering way that I experienced in Central last weekend. I found myself in Causeway Bay, my eyes a little overpowered by the neon sign barrage. I had Silversun Pickups blasting on my Ipod, so it was a little bit like walking around in a music video.
(Where am I? Oh wait, I think I recognize that neon sign. Uhm … turn left?)
I walk past bars, restaurants, stores, spas, even video arcades just teeming with people. The very young, who tend to stare at the tall white guy with the goofy grin on his face. The very old, who are so hunched over their eyes are perpetually examining the details of the sidewalk beneath them. Young tourists, totally freaking out that they can drink alcohol at 18 instead of 21. The trophy wives and local hookers … I honestly have a little trouble telling the difference. Even an albino and a little guy with a Hitler mustache. You know I love the freaks …
(Should I get a cab? I'm totally lost. On wait, I think I remember that neon sign. Right! No, straight!)
Then it hit me. This is all going to be over soon. Very soon. I can't believe I've been here for two months already. I quickly tried to push the thoughts out of my mind - it would be juvenile to ruin my last weeks in Hong Kong by being depressed about having to leave. Think about AC's visit. Think about taking the dog to the beach. Think about playing drunk Cranium with Dan and Ash. Those thoughts were quickly replaced by seeing myself get up at 4:45 instead of 7:30 every morning. I saw myself driving down Lawrence Expressway, the anxiety mounting as I draw closer and closer to a job with a very uncertain future.
(Ah, an MTR station. I'm just going to take the subway home.)
Embarrassingly, a little tear runs down my face, but I brush it off like an eyelash problem. I think the major downside of this trip is that it has shown me what a healthy balance can feel like. I have to go back. In many ways I want to go back. But things need to be different, somehow.
(God, all these damn Madonna ads in the subway are obnoxious. AC is totally going to love this, of course).
Now I sit here in Starbucks on a Saturday morning. I'm here to work, but no work has been done. The rain slightly streaking the windows, pushing a hodge-podge of people into this little slice of America. It's funny how the happiest moments of your life can also be the saddest. I didn't find the answers at the bottom of a grande soy chai latte. Or a bathroom (what coffee place doesn't have a toilet?).
I shuffle my way home, already subconsciously saying goodbye to the city I initially hated then quickly loved. Negotiating my way home by recognizing neon signs rather than street names. God I'm weird ...
Happy nine years baby! I'm going to go find a green beer!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Camptown Races
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Happy Valley Racetrack, and was a distinguished guest of the American Club. I have no idea what the American Club is, but I was more than happy to take up space in their box.
My boss decided it would be easiest if we met at her house and went from there. I hopped in a cab after work and headed over. I wasn't sure quite where I was going, but quickly recognized the road from the tour that I took several weeks ago. Then I remembered the most beautiful building we'd seen on the tour. It was curved and had this amazing view of the beach. Guess where my boss lives ...
So I got there and was convinced I was in the wrong place. I was looking for 22B. I wondered how many units were on each floor. I got to 22 - there was A and B. That's it. The whole floor is just two units. Her apartmnet was amazing. Breathtaking views. Her bedroom was on the curved part of the building. Floor-to-ceiling windows on 2 whole sides of the room. I wanted to ask if I could take pictures, but thought that might be a little weird.
Then I met her son and her slave, er, "helper" that lives with them. It's very common to have live-in help in Hong Kong, and she basically does everything. Cooks every meal, cleans the whole house, even drives her son everywhere he needs to go. Suddenly my housekeeper back home looks incredibly lazy! "Helper" sounds so nice, doesn't it? Her son and I chatted up about World of Warcraft. He's a level 70. He said he's only logged 53 days of playing time, but he wasn't what they called a "no lifer." He warned me of the addictions of video games and I heeded his advice. You can learn so much from 11 year olds these days ...
So after some wine, we headed off to the Happy Valley racetrack. It was pretty fun. Buffet style dinner, some champagne, and gorgeous balmy weather. I didn't bet any money and we went home a little early because we both had to be back at work first thing in the morning. Overall, lots of fun!
My boss decided it would be easiest if we met at her house and went from there. I hopped in a cab after work and headed over. I wasn't sure quite where I was going, but quickly recognized the road from the tour that I took several weeks ago. Then I remembered the most beautiful building we'd seen on the tour. It was curved and had this amazing view of the beach. Guess where my boss lives ...
So I got there and was convinced I was in the wrong place. I was looking for 22B. I wondered how many units were on each floor. I got to 22 - there was A and B. That's it. The whole floor is just two units. Her apartmnet was amazing. Breathtaking views. Her bedroom was on the curved part of the building. Floor-to-ceiling windows on 2 whole sides of the room. I wanted to ask if I could take pictures, but thought that might be a little weird.
Then I met her son and her slave, er, "helper" that lives with them. It's very common to have live-in help in Hong Kong, and she basically does everything. Cooks every meal, cleans the whole house, even drives her son everywhere he needs to go. Suddenly my housekeeper back home looks incredibly lazy! "Helper" sounds so nice, doesn't it? Her son and I chatted up about World of Warcraft. He's a level 70. He said he's only logged 53 days of playing time, but he wasn't what they called a "no lifer." He warned me of the addictions of video games and I heeded his advice. You can learn so much from 11 year olds these days ...
So after some wine, we headed off to the Happy Valley racetrack. It was pretty fun. Buffet style dinner, some champagne, and gorgeous balmy weather. I didn't bet any money and we went home a little early because we both had to be back at work first thing in the morning. Overall, lots of fun!
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Central
(posting this a little late - I toured around on Saturday, but had to leave early Sunday for Tokyo. My schedule has been nuts in Tokyo so I haven't had a chance to post!)
Saturday:
Today I decided to explore more of Central, which I guess is the closest thing to a "downtown" they have here in HK, although everywhere kind of feels downtown-y to me. I decided to brave the subway system as well. I think I've been subconsciously avoiding it because it's a little intimidating. Actually I heard it was very easy to manage, so what to worry about, right? The Wan Chai station is only a block away from my house. It's covered in an unmistakable lime green tile that's a little hard on the eyes.
So I checked my Octopus card to make sure I had enough money stored up on it (I was sure I did, but I was paranoid I would somehow get rejected with thousands of people piling up behind me). It actually works really really well! Everything is clearly marked, and there are maps everywhere. I was of course turned around a few times, but nothing I couldn't figure out.
I had been to Central before, but it must have been an off-day. Because today was insane! There were so many people out it was a little overwhelming. I then made the rookie mistake of walking in front of H&M's grand opening and was completely stuck on the sidewalk for some time. They had a full-on police detail trying to keep people moving.
Usually the city energizes me. I get a rush from all the people shuttling around - the hustle and bustle of it all. Today, it was even a bit too much for me. There were times when I could hardly move! I finally decided I'd had enough and hid inside a Starbucks. Starbucks was a nice reprieve, because if you didn't know any better, you could easily be in the US. They don't change anything. The menu is the same, the music is the same. There wasn't even any Chinese writing anywhere! I grabbed a really cool local magazine called "Taxi" and chilled out with my soy chai tea latte!
After heading back out, I realized the shopping can be overload. One huge shopping center blends into another huge shopping center. It makes it darn near impossible to decide on where you want to go or what you want to buy. After wandering around for hours and hours I purchase ... a book. That's it. And it wasn't even the book I wanted (I bought the Bourne Supremacy instead of the Bourne Identity. But it is all based in HK, so I guess I'm glad I bought the wrong book!).
The disturbing part of the day when I moved off the beaten track to the side streets. Once you get off of Queen's Road, it's like you stepped into another country. I've gotten accustomed to the "live" food here - mostly fish, eels and the occasional chicken. But today they had turtles. Live turtles in little nets like a vine of tomatoes. They were struggling to get out - it was so disturbing and heartbreaking.
I was going to go out that night, but then remembered I had to get up a 6 am to catch my flight to Tokyo.
Monday:
The past two days have been a whirlwind. Meetings, presentations all back-to-back. I seriously think I have some type of medical condition because my complexion is so bad! It's indescribably bad. I am red, scaly and zitty! I'm so glad I got to give the two biggest presentations of my life looking like a burn victim.
We went to a pretty good restaurant tonight for some good Japanese. On Sunday night, we ate with the president of our division who insisted we go to TGI Fridays. Can you imagine? I was so bummed ... This place was good. My martini came with a huge ball of ice in the middle. A perfect ball - it was so cool! We had some sashimi, roasted asparagus and then thinly sliced beef that we cooked on a hot rock. It was really neat.
I tried to extend my trip by a day, but the hotel was full so now I'm rushing off to the airport. Tomorrow I'm attending a conference all day, then attending the Happy Valley horse races that night. Trying to get in as much as possible before I leave!
Saturday:
Today I decided to explore more of Central, which I guess is the closest thing to a "downtown" they have here in HK, although everywhere kind of feels downtown-y to me. I decided to brave the subway system as well. I think I've been subconsciously avoiding it because it's a little intimidating. Actually I heard it was very easy to manage, so what to worry about, right? The Wan Chai station is only a block away from my house. It's covered in an unmistakable lime green tile that's a little hard on the eyes.
So I checked my Octopus card to make sure I had enough money stored up on it (I was sure I did, but I was paranoid I would somehow get rejected with thousands of people piling up behind me). It actually works really really well! Everything is clearly marked, and there are maps everywhere. I was of course turned around a few times, but nothing I couldn't figure out.
I had been to Central before, but it must have been an off-day. Because today was insane! There were so many people out it was a little overwhelming. I then made the rookie mistake of walking in front of H&M's grand opening and was completely stuck on the sidewalk for some time. They had a full-on police detail trying to keep people moving.
Usually the city energizes me. I get a rush from all the people shuttling around - the hustle and bustle of it all. Today, it was even a bit too much for me. There were times when I could hardly move! I finally decided I'd had enough and hid inside a Starbucks. Starbucks was a nice reprieve, because if you didn't know any better, you could easily be in the US. They don't change anything. The menu is the same, the music is the same. There wasn't even any Chinese writing anywhere! I grabbed a really cool local magazine called "Taxi" and chilled out with my soy chai tea latte!
After heading back out, I realized the shopping can be overload. One huge shopping center blends into another huge shopping center. It makes it darn near impossible to decide on where you want to go or what you want to buy. After wandering around for hours and hours I purchase ... a book. That's it. And it wasn't even the book I wanted (I bought the Bourne Supremacy instead of the Bourne Identity. But it is all based in HK, so I guess I'm glad I bought the wrong book!).
The disturbing part of the day when I moved off the beaten track to the side streets. Once you get off of Queen's Road, it's like you stepped into another country. I've gotten accustomed to the "live" food here - mostly fish, eels and the occasional chicken. But today they had turtles. Live turtles in little nets like a vine of tomatoes. They were struggling to get out - it was so disturbing and heartbreaking.
I was going to go out that night, but then remembered I had to get up a 6 am to catch my flight to Tokyo.
Monday:
The past two days have been a whirlwind. Meetings, presentations all back-to-back. I seriously think I have some type of medical condition because my complexion is so bad! It's indescribably bad. I am red, scaly and zitty! I'm so glad I got to give the two biggest presentations of my life looking like a burn victim.
We went to a pretty good restaurant tonight for some good Japanese. On Sunday night, we ate with the president of our division who insisted we go to TGI Fridays. Can you imagine? I was so bummed ... This place was good. My martini came with a huge ball of ice in the middle. A perfect ball - it was so cool! We had some sashimi, roasted asparagus and then thinly sliced beef that we cooked on a hot rock. It was really neat.
I tried to extend my trip by a day, but the hotel was full so now I'm rushing off to the airport. Tomorrow I'm attending a conference all day, then attending the Happy Valley horse races that night. Trying to get in as much as possible before I leave!
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Food glorious food
I find myself compelled, yet again, to write about going to the grocery store. I can't explain my obsession with shopping at The Great, yet I find myself there one, if not TWO times per day. I can feel the dumb grin creep on to my face as I turn down Queensway Boulevard. I quicken my pace as I pass Agnes B. I feel complete elation as I descend down the escalator in Seibu to get to the store. I am not exaggerating here. I am nuts. Come to think of it, imagine having to take an escalator up and down to get to your local Safeway? How would you do it with your cart? They don't even HAVE carts there. You can get a basket and put it on a little wheelie thing, but that's it.
I think the lack of carts is directly conducive to how they want you to shop. Frequently. I think it's more of a social thing, at least for me. It's become much more than just getting food to survive ... these people have become my family and friends!
Last night I somehow got a free vegetarian egg roll. Maybe because she recognized me from getting the samosas the night before? I'm starting to feel self-conscious about this. The tea lady already now consistently flags me down and suckers me into buying another HKD$88 box of loose-leaf tea. "The ginger will make you feel all warm inside, Sir." I somehow forget that it's 75 degrees outside so feeling warm inside too probably isn't a good thing. I think the checkers recognize me too. As I approach in the "queue" I say to myself, "Not the one with glasses ... not the one with glasses .... damn!" It's like playing the slots. The sandwich guy knows that I always want my sandwich cut in half! The gay boy at the coffee bar visually undresses me as I awkwardly avert my eyes while standing in line! It's like Cheers, and I'm Norm.
I love the care they take just putting the food into bags. I've seen them un-do and re-do my bag just to get everything in there just right. Like a little game of Tetris. On the walk home, they are always nicely balanced and no arm gets more tired than the other. It's the little things, I'm telling ya.
Today, for some inexplicable reason, they were playing Christmas music. Not sure why that was, but it was if they somehow knew that I just love Christmas!
Now if I could understand why they only have one flavor of Yoplait yogurt ... key lime pie. There must be some cultural significance, but for me I just think of AC, and how I have to get him to eat healthy food by finding things that taste like candy ...
I think the lack of carts is directly conducive to how they want you to shop. Frequently. I think it's more of a social thing, at least for me. It's become much more than just getting food to survive ... these people have become my family and friends!
Last night I somehow got a free vegetarian egg roll. Maybe because she recognized me from getting the samosas the night before? I'm starting to feel self-conscious about this. The tea lady already now consistently flags me down and suckers me into buying another HKD$88 box of loose-leaf tea. "The ginger will make you feel all warm inside, Sir." I somehow forget that it's 75 degrees outside so feeling warm inside too probably isn't a good thing. I think the checkers recognize me too. As I approach in the "queue" I say to myself, "Not the one with glasses ... not the one with glasses .... damn!" It's like playing the slots. The sandwich guy knows that I always want my sandwich cut in half! The gay boy at the coffee bar visually undresses me as I awkwardly avert my eyes while standing in line! It's like Cheers, and I'm Norm.
I love the care they take just putting the food into bags. I've seen them un-do and re-do my bag just to get everything in there just right. Like a little game of Tetris. On the walk home, they are always nicely balanced and no arm gets more tired than the other. It's the little things, I'm telling ya.
Today, for some inexplicable reason, they were playing Christmas music. Not sure why that was, but it was if they somehow knew that I just love Christmas!
Now if I could understand why they only have one flavor of Yoplait yogurt ... key lime pie. There must be some cultural significance, but for me I just think of AC, and how I have to get him to eat healthy food by finding things that taste like candy ...
Sunday, March 4, 2007
best ... day ... ever
(imagine the subject line read a'la 'Comic Book Guy' from the Simpsons)
I am on cloud nine. Yesterday was one of the best times I'd ever had in my 30 years of existence. As you know, I reluctantly signed up for a bus tour yesterday. I woke up and reluctantly drug myself to the nearest hotel for my 8:50 am pick up. As I stepped on to the bus, I quickly evaluated the situation. All blue-hairs. I was the youngest person on the trip by probably 30 years. It had 'fun' written all over it.
Confusingly, I was told to get off the bus at the next stop (I hadn't even done anything bad, yet!). Through some broken English I was told that the bus I was on was just a partial-day tour, and I had signed up for the full-day tour (which later I learned, the only difference was lunch was provided on my tour). I stumbled toward the new bus, already missing those blue-hairs I hadn't really even met yet. Then off we went. First stop ... Man Mo Temple!
Man Mo Temple
So this was interesting. I knew I should have been suspicious when my co-worker told me she'd never heard of it - and has lived in HK all her life. Second warning: it was on "Hollywood Road." Read: Tourist trap! The guide explained all about religion in Hong Kong. I didn't pay attention to a word he was saying, so I can't really tell you much about it. Hey, I paid for this trip - I don't want to be educated! All I remembered was the rules. 1) Don't take pictures of the Chinese people inside. Especially the old ones. 2) Don't touch anything. I quickly crossed the only two things I had planned on doing off my list and went inside.
They were burning some major incense in there. I love incense, but it was overkill! For those that look at the pictures, those coils hanging from the ceiling are incense. Incense is burned from sticks as well that are jammed into of mounds of incense ashes. That's kinda the major thing that happens there. That and repeatedly bowing ... while holding incense. Our guide showed us how you deal with problems in Hong Kong. You put a bunch of numbered Popsicle sticks in a mug and shake them until one comes out. That number corresponds to a book that tells you your fate (only $9.99!). We got 88 (I think) ... I wanted to get 69 so I could explain to my fellow tour members what that means in the US. People also bring their food in there to bless it. So there were oranges and various greens marinating in the smoke to be taken home and consumed. My favorite were the Christmas tree lights ... very ancient indeed! I burned 3 incense sticks (one for past, present, and future, we were told). My wish was that I could take pictures of old Asian people inside the temple and touch things, but alas it didn't come true.
The Peak
Next stop, the Peak. Hong Kong is very mountainous, so we shot up in a tram car right up the side of the mountain. The views are pretty breathtaking of the city and the bay. It's a little hard to take pictures through the smog, but I hope you get a sense of what it looked it. It started to get a little warm, so I spent most of my time in the shade with my new-found friend Lynette (from Puerto Rico) talking about toilets. We had an interesting dialogue about how in China, you basically "go" in a hole in the ground (I'm not kidding), yet in Japan it's so high-tech that the toilet does everything except slap you on the butt on the way out. Only in Asia.
Aberdeen Fishing Village
After a very windy trip down the backside of the mountain, we arrived in Aberdeen. I was already totally carsick from the bus ride down, so I was not looking forward to getting on a boat. I was having flashbacks of trying to snorkel in Hawaii and puking over the side of the boat 14 times (yes, I counted). It actually wasn't bad. I didn't see any fishing going on, unfortunately, or really any people either (aside from the tourists). I guess the fishermen don't relish being harassed by the paparazzi all day, but I'm not really sure where they go as they live on boats ... and weren't on the boats. Swimming maybe. As we pulled back to the shore, the cute little old lady driving our boat proclaimed, "Okay, money money money!" This is likely the only thing she can say in English, and quickly became Lynette and my catch phrase for the rest of the day. In fact, she was so busy hassling us for our money that she nearly crashed us into another boat. As our life flashed before our eyes, we paid our toll and ran.
Jewelry Factory
This so so damn lame, and I was pissed. We got a 45-second tour of the factory, and then magically found ourselves in the showroom with eager-eyed little brown people waiting to tell us all about the sale that was going on. It was amazing that the sale just happened to be going on the day we were there, and the deals were just for us! What great timing! We spent, by far, the most amount of time of the day there in that damn showroom.
Me: What time are we leaving?
Tour guide: Have some refreshments - they're free!
Me (later): I enjoyed the soda with no ice and warm distilled water. Now when are we leaving?
Employee (interrupts): Sale today only! I make deal just for you! See the pearl? Buy for your lady?
At this point, everyone on the tour thought that Lynette and I were together, so we endured by pretending to plan our engagement-related jewelry needs, only to dash their hopes by leaving with nothing!
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is also on the other side of the island in Repulse Bay. It was anything but repulsive. It reminded me of Hawaii. Very warm (mid 70s), beautiful beaches, very laid-back feel. I could have spent all day there. We had dim-sum for lunch (I accidentally ate the pork-bun wrapper. I'm so classy). The shopping was a little lame for me, but there were tons of open-air cafes, bars and a nice boardwalk. I cursed the time wasted in jewelry-land and strolled around one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. Lynette was kind enough to take a picture of the hole-in-the-ground toilet. Can't wait for her to email that to me. I helped her bargain for some purses (total good cop, bad cop ... and I was the bad cop! It gives you a great feeling inside to argue an already-low price that you can already easily afford with poor people. Warm fuzzies.). They were keen to point out the "safety nets" in the harbor to keep the sharks out. Nice. Also, lots of speedos. You can take the Europeans out of Hong Kong ... but you can't convince them that banana hammocks aren't cool, I guess. They told us it was totally okay to ditch the tour and stay in Repulse Bay (I seriously considered it), but decided I'd rather not try and negotiate the bus system back home.
Kowloon
So Lynette and I decided to be best of friends and meet up later that night. After a quick disco nap and shower, we took the ferry over to Kowloon to see the light show. I can't believe I've been here for a whole month without seeing the DAILY light show. It was pretty cool. I took some video, but it doesn't really do it justice. That's when the smog comes in handy - it really makes for a nice laser light show! The ferry ride back was interesting. The water was so rocky that the entrance ramp was flying up and down probably 2-3 feet from the pier. People were actually still getting on and then flying projectile-style on to the ferry. Lynette and I decided we are destined to die at the hands of a boat , so jump on and keep our fingers crossed.
Lan Kwai Fong
I had secretly been dying to to to Lan Kwai Fong. I heard it was party central for expats. It lived up to it's reputation and then some. I would NEVER go by myself, but it was blast with a partner-in-crime. We had dinner at a Malaysian restaurant (which seemed exactly like Indian food, but since I'm so bad in geography I wasn't sure if there was even supposed to be a difference). Our host was Indian guy with a full-on Elvis hairdo. Awesome.
All the streets are closed off in Lan Kwai Fong, so you can just walk around with drink in hand. Kind of like the French Quarter in New Orleans, only cleaner. We went to D'Apartment (very neat basement lounge-style place that, well, looks like an apartment). Next up was twentyonetwentyone. Pricey drinks, tons of Madonna remixes and British guys on ecstasy. I think this is where I started to drunk-dial Adam. Last was Lost. Very small, dark, crunchy house music and friendly bartenders (who gave us several free shots, that we in no way needed). I didn't even let that small shard of glass in my drink get me down. Internal bleeding be damned! (I'm just now realized how many times I almost died yesterday). Just get me another one. Wait - I'm not done with the one that has small pieces of broken glass in it!
Around 3 am (I think), Lynette begins to realize that she has to catch a flight the next day so we head home. With stupid shit-eating permagrins on our faces the whole way.
I am so madly in love with Hong Kong and just life in general right now. I just can't say enough about how glad and thankful I am for this experience. I am still completely reeling just thinking about how much fun can be packed into one day. The permagrin is still there ... now with bleary, bloodshot eyes.
To see the pictures, see the "Fun Day of Death" link to the left under "links". Enjoy
I am on cloud nine. Yesterday was one of the best times I'd ever had in my 30 years of existence. As you know, I reluctantly signed up for a bus tour yesterday. I woke up and reluctantly drug myself to the nearest hotel for my 8:50 am pick up. As I stepped on to the bus, I quickly evaluated the situation. All blue-hairs. I was the youngest person on the trip by probably 30 years. It had 'fun' written all over it.
Confusingly, I was told to get off the bus at the next stop (I hadn't even done anything bad, yet!). Through some broken English I was told that the bus I was on was just a partial-day tour, and I had signed up for the full-day tour (which later I learned, the only difference was lunch was provided on my tour). I stumbled toward the new bus, already missing those blue-hairs I hadn't really even met yet. Then off we went. First stop ... Man Mo Temple!
Man Mo Temple
So this was interesting. I knew I should have been suspicious when my co-worker told me she'd never heard of it - and has lived in HK all her life. Second warning: it was on "Hollywood Road." Read: Tourist trap! The guide explained all about religion in Hong Kong. I didn't pay attention to a word he was saying, so I can't really tell you much about it. Hey, I paid for this trip - I don't want to be educated! All I remembered was the rules. 1) Don't take pictures of the Chinese people inside. Especially the old ones. 2) Don't touch anything. I quickly crossed the only two things I had planned on doing off my list and went inside.
They were burning some major incense in there. I love incense, but it was overkill! For those that look at the pictures, those coils hanging from the ceiling are incense. Incense is burned from sticks as well that are jammed into of mounds of incense ashes. That's kinda the major thing that happens there. That and repeatedly bowing ... while holding incense. Our guide showed us how you deal with problems in Hong Kong. You put a bunch of numbered Popsicle sticks in a mug and shake them until one comes out. That number corresponds to a book that tells you your fate (only $9.99!). We got 88 (I think) ... I wanted to get 69 so I could explain to my fellow tour members what that means in the US. People also bring their food in there to bless it. So there were oranges and various greens marinating in the smoke to be taken home and consumed. My favorite were the Christmas tree lights ... very ancient indeed! I burned 3 incense sticks (one for past, present, and future, we were told). My wish was that I could take pictures of old Asian people inside the temple and touch things, but alas it didn't come true.
The Peak
Next stop, the Peak. Hong Kong is very mountainous, so we shot up in a tram car right up the side of the mountain. The views are pretty breathtaking of the city and the bay. It's a little hard to take pictures through the smog, but I hope you get a sense of what it looked it. It started to get a little warm, so I spent most of my time in the shade with my new-found friend Lynette (from Puerto Rico) talking about toilets. We had an interesting dialogue about how in China, you basically "go" in a hole in the ground (I'm not kidding), yet in Japan it's so high-tech that the toilet does everything except slap you on the butt on the way out. Only in Asia.
Aberdeen Fishing Village
After a very windy trip down the backside of the mountain, we arrived in Aberdeen. I was already totally carsick from the bus ride down, so I was not looking forward to getting on a boat. I was having flashbacks of trying to snorkel in Hawaii and puking over the side of the boat 14 times (yes, I counted). It actually wasn't bad. I didn't see any fishing going on, unfortunately, or really any people either (aside from the tourists). I guess the fishermen don't relish being harassed by the paparazzi all day, but I'm not really sure where they go as they live on boats ... and weren't on the boats. Swimming maybe. As we pulled back to the shore, the cute little old lady driving our boat proclaimed, "Okay, money money money!" This is likely the only thing she can say in English, and quickly became Lynette and my catch phrase for the rest of the day. In fact, she was so busy hassling us for our money that she nearly crashed us into another boat. As our life flashed before our eyes, we paid our toll and ran.
Jewelry Factory
This so so damn lame, and I was pissed. We got a 45-second tour of the factory, and then magically found ourselves in the showroom with eager-eyed little brown people waiting to tell us all about the sale that was going on. It was amazing that the sale just happened to be going on the day we were there, and the deals were just for us! What great timing! We spent, by far, the most amount of time of the day there in that damn showroom.
Me: What time are we leaving?
Tour guide: Have some refreshments - they're free!
Me (later): I enjoyed the soda with no ice and warm distilled water. Now when are we leaving?
Employee (interrupts): Sale today only! I make deal just for you! See the pearl? Buy for your lady?
At this point, everyone on the tour thought that Lynette and I were together, so we endured by pretending to plan our engagement-related jewelry needs, only to dash their hopes by leaving with nothing!
Stanley Market
Stanley Market is also on the other side of the island in Repulse Bay. It was anything but repulsive. It reminded me of Hawaii. Very warm (mid 70s), beautiful beaches, very laid-back feel. I could have spent all day there. We had dim-sum for lunch (I accidentally ate the pork-bun wrapper. I'm so classy). The shopping was a little lame for me, but there were tons of open-air cafes, bars and a nice boardwalk. I cursed the time wasted in jewelry-land and strolled around one of the most beautiful places I'd ever seen. Lynette was kind enough to take a picture of the hole-in-the-ground toilet. Can't wait for her to email that to me. I helped her bargain for some purses (total good cop, bad cop ... and I was the bad cop! It gives you a great feeling inside to argue an already-low price that you can already easily afford with poor people. Warm fuzzies.). They were keen to point out the "safety nets" in the harbor to keep the sharks out. Nice. Also, lots of speedos. You can take the Europeans out of Hong Kong ... but you can't convince them that banana hammocks aren't cool, I guess. They told us it was totally okay to ditch the tour and stay in Repulse Bay (I seriously considered it), but decided I'd rather not try and negotiate the bus system back home.
Kowloon
So Lynette and I decided to be best of friends and meet up later that night. After a quick disco nap and shower, we took the ferry over to Kowloon to see the light show. I can't believe I've been here for a whole month without seeing the DAILY light show. It was pretty cool. I took some video, but it doesn't really do it justice. That's when the smog comes in handy - it really makes for a nice laser light show! The ferry ride back was interesting. The water was so rocky that the entrance ramp was flying up and down probably 2-3 feet from the pier. People were actually still getting on and then flying projectile-style on to the ferry. Lynette and I decided we are destined to die at the hands of a boat , so jump on and keep our fingers crossed.
Lan Kwai Fong
I had secretly been dying to to to Lan Kwai Fong. I heard it was party central for expats. It lived up to it's reputation and then some. I would NEVER go by myself, but it was blast with a partner-in-crime. We had dinner at a Malaysian restaurant (which seemed exactly like Indian food, but since I'm so bad in geography I wasn't sure if there was even supposed to be a difference). Our host was Indian guy with a full-on Elvis hairdo. Awesome.
All the streets are closed off in Lan Kwai Fong, so you can just walk around with drink in hand. Kind of like the French Quarter in New Orleans, only cleaner. We went to D'Apartment (very neat basement lounge-style place that, well, looks like an apartment). Next up was twentyonetwentyone. Pricey drinks, tons of Madonna remixes and British guys on ecstasy. I think this is where I started to drunk-dial Adam. Last was Lost. Very small, dark, crunchy house music and friendly bartenders (who gave us several free shots, that we in no way needed). I didn't even let that small shard of glass in my drink get me down. Internal bleeding be damned! (I'm just now realized how many times I almost died yesterday). Just get me another one. Wait - I'm not done with the one that has small pieces of broken glass in it!
Around 3 am (I think), Lynette begins to realize that she has to catch a flight the next day so we head home. With stupid shit-eating permagrins on our faces the whole way.
I am so madly in love with Hong Kong and just life in general right now. I just can't say enough about how glad and thankful I am for this experience. I am still completely reeling just thinking about how much fun can be packed into one day. The permagrin is still there ... now with bleary, bloodshot eyes.
To see the pictures, see the "Fun Day of Death" link to the left under "links". Enjoy
Friday, March 2, 2007
can't get away from her
Tomorrow will be an interesting post ... I'm taking a TOUR! Lame, I know. But I don't feel like I have the time to find my own way around and supposedly they're kinda fun. So tomorrow I'll be on a 7.5 hour tour (yeouch!) visiting such sites as the Man Mo Temple, Victoria Peak (via tram!), Repulse Bay and Stanley Market. I'm picturing myself snapping pics from the barco-lounge-style seat with all the other blue-hairs. But it has a/c and it's getting hot ... so I won't complain.
Lots of interesting pics coming tomorrow at least. In the meantime, I ran into Madge over lunch.
Lots of interesting pics coming tomorrow at least. In the meantime, I ran into Madge over lunch.
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