Ex-Pat Diane

Don't Inhale

2011-11-08T01:57:00.000+08:00

The air’s so think you can see it. It doesn’t have that brown color that you get in Beijing. It’s rather gray looking. It’s a cross between heat, humidity and pollution. I know the official word in the states is smog, but somehow that doesn’t seem to do it for me. Let’s face it we’re talking pollution at its finest or should I say worst. I know it’s bad when I look across the harbour and can’t see a thing past the first row or two of buildings.

When I returned to Hong Kong the first few days were marvelous. Clear blue skies with little white cotton puffs of clouds. On the south side of the island the South China Sea was an inviting turquoise blue dotted with small triangles of yellow and orange wind surfers. The scene was so tranquil I almost forgot about the sharks that inhabit those waters and I actually had the urge to take wind surfing lessons. A taxi ride past the Tai Tam Reservoir with the magnificent Victorian era stonework bridge looming over the teal green water gave me the urge to dive in. Now this is the sub-tropical climate I was longing for.

But short lived it was. Last Thursday the grey settled in. I’m not talking grey skies as in rain. I mean grey air as in I can see what I’m breathing! I was in Kowloon last week and mistakenly thought I could make it across the street before the light changed. My judgement was way off and I got caught in the middle of six lanes of traffic. As I was standing there praying some vehicle wouldn’t swerve ever so slightly I realized I was feeling light headed. I could actually feel the air I was breathing in my nostrils. The particulate matter from the buses was literally going up my nose. That combined with the heat from the urban jungle was making me woozy.

So that evening it started. The itchy eyes that actually hurt. The sinus pain that made my face ache. The dull headache that wouldn’t go away. Thank goodness I brought two bottles of Zrytec back from the states. I swear they should film allergy medication commercials here. The pollution along with the mold and tree pollens makes for a magnificent witches brew of allergy issues.

Yet we refuse to give in to the climate. Sunday Rusty and I started out early (8:45 am) for a hike. We headed up Wan Chai Gap Road to the beginning of Stage 3 of the Hong Kong trail. Wan Chai Gap Road is not a road, but actually a paved trail that is exceptionally steep. You honestly have to lean back as you’re walking down which can also be more difficult than going up particularly if you have bad knees. The first time I went up I had to stop several times. This time I only needed one stop, but then it started. The cough. That dry hack that comes from allergies which can only mean one thing...allergic asthma. I thought those days were over. I didn’t even bring an inhaler to Hong Kong.

But up and over the mountain we went along Aberdeen Reservoir Road to Black’s Link then back to Stubb’s Road. I only had one other coughing spell and my legs were definitely feeling strong. The only problem was the air. When we reached some spectacular spots with views of the south side I could hardly even make out Lantua or Lamma Islands. Everything looked milky and fuzzy. We were hiking in a haze that hung over the entire island.

I’m praying a strong wind will come blow this away although the newspaper says it should last several more days. The pollution level has been registering at Very High and the young, elderly and those with health problems are told to stay indoors. Thank goodness I don’t fall into any of those categories, yet today I will use the treadmill downstairs in the gym instead of running on our lovely Bowen Road. I’ll give my lungs a break.

Ships Ahoy!

2011-05-18T21:35:00.000+08:00

I signed up to work at Fenwick Pier several weeks ago. The AWA helps the Servicemen’s Guides Association staff an information booth that provides assistance to US fleet ships when they are in Hong Kong. The volunteers are there to answer questions the service men and women may have when they arrive in this wonderful, but large exotic city.

When I agreed to work I had no idea what type of vessel would be arriving. There were rumors that the carrier USS Carl Vinson would be here and I actually thought that was the ship we would be assisting. My American friends were abuzz thinking we could be helping the carrier that had dumped Bin Laden’s body. Then the South China Morning Post reported that the USS Hampton was requesting permission to dock along with its tender the USS Frank Cable. This was big news as China had not allowed a nuclear submarine in its port since 2008. They were granted permission and were expected in last Saturday.

I arrived at Fenwick Pier Fleet Arcade for my 3 - 6 pm shift, presented my Servicemen’s Guides Association card along with my Hong Kong ID, opened my purse for inspection and walked through a metal detector. I was in. I found my way to a large information booth and put on my name tag. I was ready for action. My friend Kate happened to be working the same session. We were both excited about the thought of doing something to help our service men and women.

Kate and I were given a short briefing about what and where things were located in the arcade such as money changing, laundry, post office and internet. We were shown a Rolodex for quick answers to obscure questions and a computer for extremely slow answers to other questions. The rest we pull out of our own little brains. Now the funny part about this is that Kate and I have lived here only a few months. Both of us moved to Hong Kong in January, yet we do have something going for us. We’re adventurers. We find things we’re interested in and then go explore. Plus Kate lives in Kowloon and I live on the island so together we had the area covered geographically. We actually do know quite a bit.

Unfortunately, although we had arrived ready to work the ship had not, therefore Kate and I would be greeting the initial onslaught of sailors. Eventually a group of servicemen called SLGs arrived. They are the Ship’s Liaison Group. Their purpose is watch over the sailors and make sure they follow the rules. They’re sort of the principals of the ship. I spent a good deal of time asking them questions about their jobs and lives while we waited for the water taxis of sailors.

And eventually they came. Men and quite a few women, many young though some much older, a few who had been to Hong Kong previously, yet most wide eyed and anxious to see the city. They were looking for bars, restaurants and hotels. We gave directions along with maps, city guides and cards with the MTR routes printed on one side and a map to Fenwick Pier plus the address written in Chinese on the other. We handed out free Girl Scout cookies (I have no idea where they came from), candy and dragon pins. We also dispensed our motherly advice: stay with your buddies; be careful in bars in Wan Chai; the meter in the taxi is for all of you and don’t pay more than what’s on it; and most importantly have fun, but use your head.

Some of the sailors really pulled on my heartstrings. Especially the young ones with glasses and peach fuzz who looked like they should be at prom not out to sea, the guys so excited to get to computers so they could Skype with their kids and the husbands meeting their wives for some shore time together. There were several instances when I talked to young men who reminded me of my own boys. I tried to give them the same attention and concern I would give to my sons.

Kate and I extended our work session until 7 pm since more sailors kept arriving. As we headed out for the evening the two of us were bubbling about how much fun we had. This wasn’t work it was too enjoyable. And the best part? Knowing that we were going back to do more shifts later in the week.

Big Buddha photos

2011-05-01T15:00:00.001+08:00

Big Buddha

2011-05-01T14:55:00.002+08:00

For some unknown reason after being in Hong Kong for three months I had still not visited the Big Buddha. The Giant Tian Tan Buddha (affectionately known in HK as Big Buddha) is listed as one of the top ten things to see in Hong Kong by most travel guide books. I almost felt guilty for not making the trek there so I recruited my friend Kate to accompany me on this outing.

We met up at the MTR for our ride to Tung Chung which is at the end of the orange line. From there we walked to the cable cars which would take us straight to Ngong Ping on Lantua island where the Buddha sits. I mean this literally. The Big Buddha is the largest seated outdoor bronze Buddha in the world. He weighs more than 250 tons and is 30m. (98ft) tall.

The day was relatively clear for Hong Kong standards so the view from the cable car provided a nice picture of Lantua island and many others in the distance. The 5.7 km (3 ½ mile) cable car ride takes about 25 minutes which gives you ample opportunity for picture taking. As you approach Ngong Ping the sight of the Big Buddha sitting some 738m (2,421ft) above the island is striking. He is a rather serene, yet majestic figure dominating the island plateau. I was mentally preparing myself for a quiet and peaceful day.

As we disembarked the cable car I was struck by the fact that we had to walk through a gift shop to begin our visit. This isn’t very Buddhist like I thought. Big Buddha key chains, umbrellas and t-shirts were displayed. They even had photos of us that they had taken as we boarded the cable car! (It’s amazing what technology can do in 25 minutes.) This was feeling rather like an amusement park.

We made it through the shop and then it hit us. This wasn’t Disneyland. This was Buddhaland. We had stepped out into a perfectly darling Chinese village full of shops and restaurants. As we strolled along I couldn’t help but notice how everything was exactly that - too perfect. White buildings with green tile roofs and vibrant red and blue trim. Nothing is this clean and organized in Hong Kong. There were even some cute little cartoon like figures (not sure what they were) that you could take your picture with. We were surprised they didn’t charge for it.

I must admit that we did stop at a wonderful shop called the Chopstick Gallery which had hundreds of lovely sets of chopsticks for sale. Since chopsticks have become a regular part of our eating habits we couldn’t help but be taken by the beauty of the sets: some carved, some with silver or mother of pearl tops, some even made from colored pencils. We wandered through admiring them until we each found a set to be used for a special gift. Yes, we had succumbed to Buddhaland.

A wide path lined with warriors each representing one of the signs of the Chinese New Year symbols took us to the foot of the Buddha. My warrior, year of the boar, was very fierce looking. I wasn’t sure what was worse being born in the year of the pig or this scary guy.

The 260 steps leading up to the Buddha were lined with people making their way slowly to the top. Kate and I worked our way up thankful that we had gone on a weekday. I can’t even imagine what Sunday is like. The view of the countryside from the base of the Buddha is wonderful and the other bronze deities displayed are truly beautiful.

After our descent we headed back through Buddhaland and decided that maybe we had seen enough. We didn’t even stop for lunch. Somehow I thought the menu would include tofu Buddha burgers, enlightenment entrees and deity desserts. This just didn’t feel right.

We took the more expensive crystal cable car back to Tung Chung. The crystal cable car is nothing more than one with a glass bottom. Does seeing through the floor of the cable car make it more appealing and/or exciting? Not really. It’s ironic that Hong Kong Disneyland is also on Lantua island. In my mind “the happiest place on earth” never should include a big Buddha.

Guilin Part 2 photos

2011-04-23T16:51:00.001+08:00

Guilin Part 2

2011-04-23T16:46:00.001+08:00

I awoke Saturday morning to a misty fog both out of doors and in my head. The coffee machine in the restaurant of our resort had broken and I was without caffeine. After a long day yesterday this was not the way to start off. We boarded our bus in the drizzle and loaded our suitcases and overnight bags. We were required to bring other bags for our stay that evening as we would be heading to Longsheng Rice Terraces 1,000 meters above sea level. Our bus would drop us off at the bottom and we would hike up to the lodge.

As we drove through the mountains the rain subsided although it never did clear. This area gets lots of rain - 192 cm per month! I was thankful it would be dry even if very humid. We stopped to transfer from our tour bus to a local bus and were quickly greeted by minority women known as Yao. Longsheng is made up of four ethnic minorities: Zhuang, Miao, Dong and Yao. Within those minorities are other groups such as the red skirt, black skirt, long skirt and short skirt. It was difficult to tell who was what. When seeing a woman with a short red skirt was she red skirt or short skirt? Only our guide Peter could figure it out.

The Yao women were very persistent and being typical tourists we could not resist purchasing scarves and embroidered items. Yao women cut there hair only once in their lifetime at the age of sixteen. That means a young girl has become a woman and it is time to marry. After marriage the Yao women tie their hair in a bun in the center of their head close to the top of their forehead. This makes it clear to all that the woman is spoken for. Their hair can only be taken down for their husbands to see.

On the local bus we wove our way through the mountainside twisting and turning our way to the next stop. Once there I grabbed my backpack and stepped off the bus to Zhuang people with large baskets tied to their backs. They wanted to carry our bags up to the lodge. I was conflicted. I was more than happy to pay them. Their sources of income are few. Yet the basket carriers were old! I mean elderly. How could I expect someone 20 years my senior to carry a basket full of overnight bags and backpacks? Then I realized this was my issue not theirs. They were strong and happy to make the money. I gave them my backpack and proceeded up the muddy trail.

Thank goodness there were steps, although over 700 of them, but it made it easier to walk through the village up to the top. The village is built on the slopes of the rice terraces. The path up is narrow and sometimes steep. The homes and shops often seem to hang by a thread to the sides of the mountain. Sedan chairs carried by four men carted people to the top, women sat weaving shoes, boys led donkeys laden with supplies and children played with toys next to their mothers selling goods.

We climbed slowly to the lodge finding it hard not to stop too frequently for photos and to look at the wares being sold along the way. Most of the merchants were Zhuang and although they did not speak English they were very friendly. The tourists of course bring revenue that is badly needed so they were happy to see us trudging along.

Our lodge was amazing with views overlooking the rice terraces. Each room had a different theme. Meike and I were in the Batik room with beautiful framed batiks and blue ginger pots. The walls and ceiling were made out of woven grasses and bamboo. Each guest was given slippers to wear while indoors. We hurried through lunch to get back outside.

As we walked to the top of the mountain we were in awe. Being in the center of Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces was breathtaking. The terraces coil around the mountainsides and cover an area of 66 square kilometers (16,000 acres). The layers of green spread out around us. This was truly one of the most spectacular things I had ever laid eyes on.

Everyone split off into small groups to explore. I can’t imagine how many photographs were actually taken that day. It seemed every time you saw something amazing you happened upon something else.

During our hike back down through the village we encountered several men butchering a hog. Of course this happens, but it took place right next to the main trail with little children playing along side them. We literally had to step over a puddle of blood to get by. And of course one of the items for dinner that night was pork. I suppose it was very fresh!

Back up at the lodge we randomly gathered for cocktails on the balcony overlooking the terraces. As night quickly fell I realized these people were no longer strangers they were friends. I was certainly blessed to be on this journey with them.

The next morning I learned it had stormed overnight although I must confess I didn’t hear a thing. I was lucky enough to have several cups of real coffee before heading down the mountain. Although we left early the Zhuang came to retrieve our bags and haul them down for us. The shops were shut tight. Chickens and rats scurried about. A dense fog hung around us. Life on Dragon’s Backbone had not yet begun. Maybe this was the way to leave while everything was quiet. We could slip away before we had a chance to want to stay.

The several hour ride back to Guilin went quickly even with a bus change. In Guilin we stopped at Reed Flute Cave. The cave received its name from the reeds growing outside of it which were used to make flutes. I must admit that after visiting Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico no cave has ever come close to its grandeur in my estimation. In typical Chinese fashion colored lights illuminated the stalactites and stalagmites. The Chinese love their colored lights! This was a very anticlimactic way to end the trip. I suppose this actually made it easier to leave.

We had more Chinese food in Guilin before we headed to the airport. I thoroughly enjoy Chinese food, but the huge amount of sodium I had consumed the past few days was making me blow up like a puffer fish. My feet and ankles were swollen and others commented about their hands and even legs. It was time to get back to Hong Kong and a salad.

We luckily landed in Hong Kong Sunday evening right after a storm had blown through. Having a Hong Kong identity card made coming into the country nothing more than slipping my card into a machine and pressing my thumb on a scanner for identification. No passport control, no long lines. We could do that in the states, but of course the ACLU would fuss. Why not make it voluntary I thought? Well it doesn’t matter. I was back to my Hong Kong life and home.

Guilin Part 1 photos

2011-04-23T12:41:00.000+08:00

Guilin Part 1

2011-04-23T12:34:00.001+08:00

Although in Kong Kong only a few months my wanderlust took me on a trip to southern China. I had signed up for an AWA Asian tour to Guilin, Yangshuo and Longsheng. My knowledge of that part of China was scant with only the terms beautiful and gorgeous in my vocabulary of the area.

Last Thursday I experienced the much praised Airport Express for the first time. It begins in Central where you can check your luggage, get your boarding pass and board a train that takes you directly to the airport. The cost is right, $100HK (about $12US), and the convenience is remarkable. This is definitely the way to go.

I was with several other ladies who I had met only briefly at our pre-departure meeting a few weeks prior. And I had not even met my roommate yet! How strange to travel with strangers, but my thirst for seeing China far outweighed my nervousness about being with others I did not know for 4 days. We were running rather late and did the walk/run to the gate. There I met Meike my Belgian roommate who was equally beautiful and sweet. I immediately began to relax.

Our hour flight took us straight to Guilin. As we approached the landing strip I was amazed how dark it was. Even the runway lights seemed dim. What a surprise I would have after we landed!

Passport control was easy and quick and we were promptly met by our guide Peter. The 24 of us walked out of the terminal into a riot of color. Fake palm trees, complete with coconuts, lined the front of the car-park each glowing a different color. We chuckled amongst ourselves as no one quite expected this greeting. The forty minute drive to our hotel proved equally absurd. The buildings were outlined with colored LED lights, some pulsing or strobing, which gave the appearance of a mini-Las Vegas. This was not the quaint Chinese town that I had anticipated.

What I did not know is that Guilin is a pre-fecture level city (below a province and above a county) in the province of Guangxi. The city itself has over 500,000 people. The total geographic area of Guilin covers over 28,000 sq. kilometers or 10,000 miles.

After we checked into our rooms a few of the more adventurous ladies took off for the Night Market. I’m always amazed how markets are abuzz with activity and commerce late into the night in China. We strolled along the streets and stalls getting acquainted with each other and the city of Guilin.

Friday morning we awoke early for a quick breakfast and then into the bus for a incredibly full day that we were all greatly anticipating. Our first stop was a boat ride on the very famous Li River. Even if you have never heard of it you have no doubt seen paintings of the scenery. The most famous view is on the 20 Yuan bill.

We boarded our boat and were immediately offered tea as we prepared for our 3 hour journey down the river. It wasn’t long before most of us were on the upper deck taking photographs and marveling at the karst mountains. Karst mountains are jagged peaks sticking out of the earth that seem rather other-worldly particularly when covered in mist and fog as they were that day. For Star Wars fans you might remember them from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The Li River was also called one of the 10 Water Wonders of the World by National Geographic. What a reputation!

Yes, it did live up to my expectations. I was expecting to be “wowed” and I was. The natural landscape alone is exquisite, but watching life on the river was fascinating: women washing clothes, men fishing from bamboo rafts, water buffalo grazing and even a young couple getting married the bride stunning her long white dress. I stood for hours, sometimes in the mist, absorbing the feel and recording the sights in my camera and my mind.

Eventually we were called below for a Chinese lunch before disembarking onto a small dinghy with tiny wooden chairs (the kind we had in kindergarten) for a ride to the shore of Xingping. A short walk through town gave us time to take photos of the villagers with their stores selling batiks, embroidered shoes and wooden carvings. We encountered a funeral taking place that was both magical and solemn.

At the end of our walk were the bikes that would take us on the next part of our journey. As I had strongly suspected the bright green bikes with baskets in the back for our day-packs were “no speeds”. I wasn’t worried since we were only cycling 20 kilometers. We headed out of town and I quickly hurried to the front of the group. I wanted to be able to ask Peter about the sights we were passing. The orchards of persimmons and oranges, the rice paddies with water buffalo and the tombs still with decorations after the recent Ching Ming Festival (Grave Sweeping Festival) made for many questions. The most incredible part of the ride was smelling the orange blossoms. The sweet fragrance enveloped us as we rode down the dusty road with buses of locals buzzing past sometimes precariously close. We rode past villagers leading oxen and carrying fruits and vegetables. We rode through pot holes that were so big you couldn’t get around them. I longed for my bike shorts sitting in my dresser drawer in Webster Groves.

We arrived in Fuli and walked around the town known for its fan making. The various stages of which were evident as the process was seen drying right outside the doors of the many small shops and homes. I couldn’t stop taking photos of the red, green, yellow and white fan layers. I encountered a woman finishing a fan and was able to photograph her with her permission. She seemed rather pleased with the attention and I loved watching her.

We finally boarded our bus to our next night’s lodging in Yangshou. I was pleasantly surprised as we arrived at a beautiful resort nestled along the Lijiang River. After a quick shower to wash away the layer of sweat and dust we headed into town for dinner and to see the cultural show “Impression Liu Sanjie”. The show takes place outdoors, literally on the river, with the Snow Lion Hill as the backdrop. Over 500 singers and dancers in ethnic costumes perform this show about love. Many of the performers are gliding across the water on rafts while carrying torches. Of course we had no idea what was being sung, but the music and scenery was stunningly beautiful. The show was choreographed by Zhang Yimo the same artist who choreographed the opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics. This was equally impressive especially since we were sitting on rattan chairs with 3,000 other people in the mist (sometimes heavy) watching color and light dance across the river and karst mountains.

We shed the plastic rain ponchos that were handed out as we entered the show and boarded our bus back to the lodge for a much needed night’s sleep. I was not sure if I could sleep after the overload of sights, sounds and smells of the day, but I do believe I had read only one page of my book before I was sound asleep.

From Bored To Board

2011-04-12T19:10:00.001+08:00

First let me begin by saying I have never been bored in Hong Kong. It’s impossible. Hong offers everything from fine dining overlooking the lights of Victoria Harbour to hiking on one of the numerous islands in the South China Sea. In between there are markets to explore and temples to visit. On a down day you can take a book to the park and read while enjoying the sub-tropical sights and sounds.

Yet before I arrived in Hong Kong I was worried that I might be bored. Giving up my career at the Chamber of Commerce, board positions with various groups, Rotary activities and of course family and friends I could not imagine there would be enough to occupy not only my life, but also my mind. How wrong I was!

My first week in Hong Kong I joined the AWA, American Women's Association. I was intrigued and impressed by the mission statement of the AWA. “A volunteer organization of international women supporting Hong Kong charities and schools through community service and monetary grants, while providing educational and social activities for members.” This is a group that has a heart and a mind I thought.

Two weeks to the day of my arrival I began my Foon Ying group which is a three session program for new members. And that is where my life in Hong Kong really started. I met women like myself who had given up so much to follow their husbands here. We are called trailing spouses although the name disgusts me. I am certainly not following anyone. I am walking hand in hand, side by side with Rusty as we experience this new journey in our lives.

And while I am sauntering through this all the AWA has been there to help guide me. I have taken a Cantonese class, visited a porcelain factory and toured Cheung Chau island. The AWA friends I have made and the knowledge they have shared has made the transition into ex-pat life very manageable. I have learned where to buy a rubber bath mat, get my clothes altered and find allergy medicine. One of my friends even brought me special vitamins from the US that I can’t find here.

Four weeks in I attended the annual Charity Fashion Show and Auction. The AWA contributes thousands of dollars to local charities each year. The charities are vetted by one of our committees and tend to help the elderly, women and children. Last year we donated $800,000HK to help those in need. The models at the fashion show were our very own members. It was a great evening of glam, glitz and giggles galore. AWA ladies know how to have fun with a purpose.

So it is no wonder that I was thrilled, yet surprised when six weeks after arriving I was asked to be interviewed for the AWA board. It seems my friends had nominated me for several positions. I approached the interview with some degree of trepidation. I barely have my feet wet what could I possibly offer? They weren’t looking for knowledge of Hong Kong I found out, but knowledge of non-profits and organizations. That I have.

Today, ten weeks into my ex-pat life, I was elected as the Vice President of Membership for the American Women’s Association Board of Directors. We currently have 900 members. My goal of course is 1,000 within the next year. The position is eerily similar to my chamber job. Except now I can inform and recruit, yet not get paid for it. On the other hand this job won’t keep me up at night and I’ll still have time to continue traveling the road of exploration in Hong Kong. Me bored? You’ve got to be kidding.

I Think We're Not In Hong Kong Any More Dorothy!

2011-04-11T20:37:00.002+08:00

The New Territories is one of the three areas that comprise Hong Kong with Hong Kong island and Kowloon being the others. NT is basically all of the land north of Kowloon and south of the mainland China border. My friend Susan and I had heard about an incredible brass factory located in Kam Tin, NT and decided that we would make the journey on Sunday.

We started on the MTR red line and switched to the purple line at Mei Foo. We exited at Kam Sheung Road. Exit B took us outside to what appeared to be a Chinese flea market. Stall after stall lined the carpark in front of the station. We resisted the urge to explore promising each other we could do that after we visited our intended destination.

After crossing a bridge and following a heavily used pedestrian and bicycle path we came to Kam Sheung Road. We turned right and just a few blocks down on the left was Sum Ngai Brass Ware. We entered what appeared to be a compound made up of many small buildings.

I had checked the Sum Ngai website and had seen many lovely photos of brass ware, porcelain and cloisonne. The variety and prices were exceptional and what we found was what I had viewed, but of course things aren’t always what they appear to be on a website. Everything was well made and interesting while also covered in layers of dust. We had to rub the dust off to really get a sense of color for the porcelain items. I spotted an unusual piece in the very back of some rather large lamps. I’ve learned to look up and behind in HK to find the unique pieces that are hidden away. Susan helped me move numerous pottery lamps to reach an incredible golden brown dragon lamp covered in dust. The piece was gorgeous even if the plug did have rust on it.

The owner found us browsing and welcomed us very warmly. Her English was exceptional with a slight British accent. She offered to replace the plug on my dragon lamp while we continued our search. I had my eye on several items, but once again how would I get them home? We were in the New Territories - not on the island and not in Kowloon. I was definitely going to lug the beautiful dragon lamp especially since it was the only one. But there is a limit to what I am capable of carrying although it is a known fact that great bargains can do amazing things to a woman’s strength.

With our lamps boxed sturdily we asked the owner if she could direct us to a place for lunch. We were hot, sweaty and more than a little thirsty. Well she did more than direct us she took us! We followed her down a dirt road for several minutes past purple morning glories blooming on a broken rusty fence, an old woman sitting idly on a stool and a tiny shop selling pet supplies. The whole while she was telling us about Kam Tin and how the British had an air force base there for many years. Of course, that explained the accent.

We finally came to a real road and she waltzed us into what looked like a Chinese diner where not one person spoke English. She made sure we were seated and then disappeared before we could thank her. Luckily the menu was written in both Chinese and English. We pointed to our choices and I grabbed my cup of tea. Susan stopped me before I could chug it down. Oh yes, we can’t drink the water. So what would I drink? I haven’t had a soda in about four years and can’t bear the taste anymore. Well it’s amazing how good a Fanta orange tastes when you’re thirsty. Our lunch was surprisingly good and cost all of $35 HK (about $4.50 US). I suppose diner food is great no matter where you are.

Rested and refueled we headed back to the train. Even with the load of our packages we couldn’t resist browsing the flea market. It was just like any you would find in the US. Everything from purses to light bulbs to handmade soaps. There was junk and there were treasures it just depended on your perspective. We both ended up buying nightlights to put in the hall when we had overnight guests. Where else could we find nightlights with HK plugs? Definitely treasures!

By this time we were getting hot and tired and were definitely dirty. I could feel the layer of dust on my body and was hoping I didn’t smell as ripe as many others around us. Yes, with the heat comes the smells and this is just April. We hurried to find seats on the MTR and collapsed. Although Kam Tin is only a 30 minute train ride from Hong Kong island it certainly felt like miles away to us.

Are Fish Pets Since You Can't Pet Them?

2011-04-08T19:08:00.001+08:00

I have been wanting to get a pet and decided goldfish would be perfect. It is thought that goldfish create wonderful feng shui in a home. Feng shui is the ancient Chinese belief that the items in your home, and how they are placed, can create positive energy and good fortune. Circular aquariums are said to best and should be placed in the eastern portion of your house. The number of fish is also important such as eight for good luck (odd numbers are definitely bad), orange fish bring wealth (red fish represent fire which definitely does not mix with water) and one lone black fish in an aquarium will absorb all of the negative energy in the home (that poor guy has a huge job).

So today I went to the Goldfish Market in Mong Kok. Yes, there is actually a street in Kowloon that sells fish and a few other assorted pets. Both sides of Tung Choi Street are lined with stalls and shops selling every imaginable color and size of fish. I saw tank after tank of orange, black, white, blue and yellow swirls. Tiny little fish the size of my fingernail swam next to tanks with fish as large as my hand. Hundreds of plastic bags of fish, hung outside of stalls, shimmered in the light.

And the fish are only a portion of the aquarium. Plants, both real and plastic, can be purchased to enhance the look of the tank along with colored gravel, rocks and aquarium decorations. There was everything from fake coral to bridges to sunken treasure to castles. My favorite decorations were the little pagodas and a tiny little table with two Chinese men drinking tea.

Scattered throughout the street were stores with pets such as cats, dogs and guinea pigs. Why someone would purchase a cat is beyond me when there are wild cats roaming all over HK island. Dwarf rabbits, big rabbits and rabbits with floppy ears sat looking for homes. Turtles were in abundance. We even saw one over a foot long that was being hand fed lettuce. A cooler of minute frogs jiggled with life next to a box of tiny albino frogs. Both were very high on the creepy scale.

And of course in the middle of this all the street was being torn up and a jack hammer was pounding away. Oh, so Hong Kong! How would I ever make a choice? I walked up one side of the street and down the other hoping something would strike me. I’m not sure that’s entirely possible with fish. When there’s thousands to choose from can a few really scream “Here we are. Pick us.”?

I finally decided on a bag of fish. I realize that’s sort of like going to the market and buying a bag of mixed salad greens. Very safe and predictable, yet rather boring unless you add some things to it. Then I bought a small plant and nothing else. The pot I had purchased weeks earlier is so beautiful that I believe that is enough. I’m going for less is more in the ways of the fish world.

I brought my fish home on the MTR then in a taxi. I didn’t think bouncing them up the 402 steps to our apartment would make them too happy. The eight little buddies (with one black) seemed confused by their new home. Every time I check on them they swim to the bottom of the pot. But I have what I wanted - a pet or rather pets. Although I’m not really sure if fish count as pets since you can’t pet them. It’s sort of like the tree falling in the forest thing isn’t it?

Hiking on Lantau Island

2011-04-03T16:26:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we awoke early, filled a small backpack and headed to Pier 6 for the 8:30 am ferry to Lantau Island. We wanted to arrive before the other day trippers and have a chance to do some real hiking. Rusty has been wanting to do some of the more strenuous trails and Lantau is a great place to start.

The ordinary ferry from Central Pier to Lantau Island takes about one hour. I sat back and watched the morning unfold out my window. I’m still amazed at the boat traffic in Victoria Harbour. It’s a superhighway for ships, boats and other seaworthy vessels which seem to be going in every direction and at every speed. How they all navigate around each other is beyond me, but it definitely feels safer than the traffic in rush hour Hong Kong.

Before our voyage ended I went downstairs to use the restroom. I saw quite a few passengers sprawled out across several seats sleeping soundly. Then I also noticed something else stretched out. Two pigs on pallets, gutted from end to end, were laying amongst the retiring passengers. I actually laughed out loud and couldn’t wait to get upstairs to share my latest “Wait til you see this!” with Rusty. Already I knew this would prove to be an interesting day.

We landed at Mui Wo on Lantau Island and took off for parts unknown. I say this literally because we had forgotten to bring a map or at least some written directions of trails on the island. After an hour of exploring the village of Mui Wo we found a trail and decided this was it. Basically this was “it” because it was what we found. It was not necessarily what we were looking for.

At this point neither of us really cared. We figured we would hike until we had had enough and could still make it back. At the very beginning we passed dozens of bright pink, yellow, orange and red flags lining the road. I’m not sure why they were there, but they looked very festive. Then we passed several benches made out of very thick rock with stone roofs. I swear they looked like they were straight out of the Flintstones. I was waiting for Fred to come strolling along, but instead saw a gentleman lugging a wagon full of groceries and many bottles of wine. Maybe we should follow him.

We passed Man Mo Temple (yes another one), the Silvermine cave and waterfall and just kept heading up. Here we go again I thought. We climbed and climbed and climbed. Thank goodness for the wild orange and pink lantana, white daisies and purple azaleas. The beautiful foliage kept my mind off of our ascent. The temperature was about 75F and in the shade it was perfect, but in the sun we were sweating.

When we finally reached the top of one hill, we stopped for water and to admire the view. Yes, we really had hiked a long way. The ocean and Mui Wo were far in the distance. This was the hike Rusty had longed for. So onward and upward we went.

Black butterflies with spots of blue, white or yellow flitted by. At one point we passed a bush humming very loudly with bees. I didn’t stop to see the bush or the bees since I tend to react rather severely to bee stings. Just the noise level alone told us to keep moving.

We finally reached a point that we thought was far enough. We both had the strength to keep going, but we still had to go back down. As we stood there eating our granola bars I saw love appear right before my very eyes. No, I did not have heat stroke! Coming up the hill was an elderly Chinese couple. She was bent over and walking with a cane. He was carrying an umbrella to shade her. I wanted to take a photo, but also didn’t want to spoil the moment. I am content with the memory.

With that we headed back to Mui Wo. After what seemed like such an easy descent we walked along the road and headed to a seaside outdoor restaurant. We passed several women riding their bicycles while holding umbrellas over their heads. How very comical, yet cute.

After a delicious Chinese lunch and a couple of Blue Girl beers we walked back to the pier. (Rusty couldn’t believe I would actually order pork after seeing Porky and his brother on the ferry.) We were just in time to catch the fast ferry to Hong Kong. The rocking of the boat, the hiking, the sun, the food and the beer I was asleep before we hit open water. I woke up 30 minutes later as the ferry slowed to enter Pier 6. Another island, another wonderful day!

Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden

2011-03-31T21:55:00.001+08:00

When I hear the word nunnery my Catholic upbringing conjures up images of kind women in black and white habits - nuns. In China, nunnery takes on another meaning. This week my friend Susan and I visited the Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden. It was a day of serenity and beauty.

The Chi Lin Nunnery is located in Kowloon a short walk from the Diamond Hill MTR station. As we walked up the street I was excited and curious to visit this Buddhist nunnery. Chi Lin is styled after the architecture of the Tang Dynasty. The original buildings were built in the 1930s and totally rebuilt in 1998. Each building is made of wood, but without the use of a single nail. The pieces fit together somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle. The Chinese believe that when wood is used to make a building its life continues to fill the structure. I can definitely tell you there is wonderful life in these buildings.

Upon entering the first courtyard we saw four large ponds filled with blooming lotus flowers that symbolize purity. Each pond has dragons head water spouts that are just beautiful. In Chinese mythology dragons control rainfall so this is very appropriate. Bonsai trees and Buddhist philosophies surround the edges of the courtyard. One of my favorite sayings is, “It is better to travel well than to arrive.”

Next we entered the Hall of Celestial Kings that has a large golden statue of the seated Buddha surrounded by other deities. The Main Hall contains the Sakyumani Buddha and disciples. Vases of flowers and bowls of fruit are placed on the altars in front of these. Throughout our visit chanting prayers could be heard. The beauty and peacefulness of the nunnery kept our words to a limit as we took it all in. This is a place you experience and enjoy.

A bridge over the street connects Nan Lian Garden to the nunnery. The Garden is a Tang style garden with a one way circular route that is meant to bring peace and harmony. Walking across the bridge we saw the Perfection Pavilion and Lotus Pond. The Pavilion is a gold leaf covered tower with two bright orange bridges. The pond is filled with giant koi that are by far and away the largest both of us had ever seen.

We stopped to have lunch at the vegetarian restaurant, Long Men Lou, located within the garden. The restaurant is built into the side of a hill that has a waterfall flowing over a large glass wall which makes up one side of the building. It’s lovely to watch the water while eating and looking out upon the garden. We ordered two dishes - something with avocados and tomatoes and another with oyster mushrooms and rice. I’m not quite sure what either was, but both were excellent. When examining the menu we did see Yellow Funghi and Bamboo Pith Soup, but after a few chuckles we decided we just weren’t that brave. We were served some type of pumpkin and carrot soup (we think) which was very tasty and light.

After lunch we continued along the path and came to a building called Xiang Hui Huan (meaning a house embracing a sea of fragrance) that housed a special exhibition of bamboo carvings by Cheung Pak Yue. The carvings were absolutely exquisite and contained bamboo hanging screens, armrests, incense burners, tea canisters and, my favorite, birdcages. Each piece was exceptional in its detail and depth. I feel so blessed that we were able to see this exhibit before it closes at the end of April.

Back on the path we enjoyed the Buddha pines, bonsais, banyans and numerous other shrubs and flowers. Relaxing Chinese music was piped in from hidden speakers. You truly do feel the tranquility that is meant to be conveyed while in the garden although you only need to look to the east or west to see high rises jutting up around you. Hong Kong is no doubt the city of contrasts. I see it time and time again and it never does cease to amaze me.

We left the garden feeling calm and relaxed, walked down the street to the MTR and joined the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Yes indeed the city of contrasts.

A Little Bit Of Sevens Heaven

2011-03-28T08:35:00.001+08:00

It seems that with the large family we have our children have played almost every sport. Someone in our family has participated in baseball, basketball, softball, soccer, swimming, football, field hockey, wrestling, lacrosse and in-line hockey (of which I actually coached one game). They might have even tried a few more, but the one that we never did experience was rugby. My knowledge of the game was non-existent until last weekend when we attended the Hong Kong Sevens.

The Hong Kong Sevens is three days of international rugby playing that attracts spectators and teams from around the world. It is the Super Bowl and World Series blended into one big weekend long party. The fans come ready to cheer and be seen before, during and long after the games. It’s Caucasians gone wild which actually can be humorous and at times embarrassing.

Rusty and I had tickets for Friday and were lucky enough to see 12 matches and the women's final. I was hoping that I would be able to understand a little of the game and was pleasantly surprised that it is very easy to grasp. The Sevens is unique in that there are only seven players (not fifteen) and each half is only seven minutes long. This makes for very fast paced and high scoring games.

The terminology was also easy to pick up. The field is called the pitch, to score is a try and the huddle is a scrum. Five points is awarded for a try and a kick through the goal posts is two points. I must admit that I had to suppress a laugh at some of the names of the positions such as scrum half and hooker, but hey American football has tight ends so who am I to say anything.

The most amazing thing about the tournament is the incredible physical intensity of the game. I don’t mean aggression, but pure strength and stamina. These men are solid masses of muscle. We sat behind one of the benches and I could see the ripples of muscles in their backs through their jerseys. Plus they play without absolutely any pads or protection, yet have fewer injuries then soccer. The Sevens players are athletes of the highest caliber.

This is obviously an ex-pat extravaganza and the Brits, Aussies, Kiwis and Scots came out in full force to cheer on their teams. We did all cheer loudly for the hometown favorites, but the Hong Kong team does not have the size to compete equally with a team from someplace like South Africa. We were lucky to see the US play Japan on Friday. Everyone was so happy that the Japanese team even made it to the tournament that the cheers for them unfortunately drowned out anything for the US.

I would be remiss if I did not mention a big part of the tournament is the spectators. The south side of the stadium is reserved only for those over the age of eighteen. People come dressed in costumes and consume mass quantities of beer. They actually sold Carlsberg and Guinness in pitchers! I saw fans dressed like Gumby, Peekachu, Spongebob, vikings, a banana, Mario and Luigi, the list goes on and on. If it sounds like Mardi Gras for rugby fans then you have the general idea. And although you would think people would be rude and obnoxious I personally experienced none of that. I’m not sure of the significance of dressing up, but it does make for some interesting videos on the jumbo-tron.

When all was said and done New Zealand won the tournament. “We were playing for Christchurch,” they said. Amidst all the crisis's and tragedies in the world today it’s great to be able to escape and enjoy some Sevens Heaven. Can’t wait for next year.

What's In A Name Card?

2011-03-22T15:52:00.001+08:00

There was a time when those possessing business cards were considered professionals. Not everyone in a company was given cards only those whose positions were considered important. The first time my boss decided to order business cards for me I truly felt that I had made it. I had a career not a job. I was someone with enough importance to carry business cards.

In those days your business card contained the company logo, address, your name, title, work number and maybe a fax number. It wasn’t until years later that email addresses, websites and cell numbers were added. The quality of a card was also an indication of the success of the company. If the card had raised letters you knew this business was doing well. Those of us in the non-profit field were happy to just have white cards with black letters. Color printing was considered snazzy for npo’s back then.

When I became president of a chamber of commerce I added my cell number to the card. I remember the printer asking if I really wanted to share that information with everyone. My thought was yes I do! I want every member to know that they are important enough to me to have my cell number. Trust and faith is how you build relationships both personal and professional. I can honestly say that no one ever abused the privilege of having my cell.

So what exactly does all of this have to do with Hong Kong? Well everyone here has name or business cards. They are prominently displayed at businesses and handed out with regularity. There is also a correct way to exchange cards. Cards are handed to others with two hands and accepted with both. The card is then read and admired before being put away. No throwing it in your purse for future reference without purposefully perusing it first.

At first I was shocked that people who have no jobs would actually have name cards. But then it made sense and the importance in the ex-pat world was made clear. Ex-pats meet many people who are very helpful about exchanging information. By having their card you can contact them for future reference. There’s no searching for a pen and paper to write information down or trying to get it in your phone very quickly. Name cards are an efficient way to say here’s who I am.

After being in Hong Kong over six weeks I decided, and several people recommended, it was time (actually past time) to order my name cards. I asked a friend if she had placed her order. She replied, “No, I haven’t figured out who I am yet.” Her answer hit home. That is what was delaying me. We both had left jobs back in the states and weren’t quite sure of our identity here. We didn’t have careers so what would we put on our cards?

Enough I told her recently after a meeting. We’re going to order our cards today. Who we are right now may not be who we are next year, but so what? Cards can be recycled and new ones ordered if we become someone else.

The two of us headed into Central. There is any alley next to the MTR station that has stalls for ordering business cards, shoe repair and buying phone cards. Central is the Central Business District so those are the items of importance in that area. We stopped at a stall which had been recommended. The owner was friendly, knowledgeable and spoke good English. All pluses!

Now it was time to make the big decisions. I settled on a sturdy cream colored paper with black print. I wanted a simple font and had to choose by looking at other cards. No font names just examples. I included my address, HK mobile, US mobile and email. It’s nice to have your friends’ numbers when everyone is back in the states for the summer. I also asked for the information to be printed in Chinese on the back of the card. That way friends can hand the card to the taxi driver when they come to my flat.

But something was missing. How can the card say who I am right now? A chop. Yes, my very own Chinese chop. A chop is a Chinese character stamp used in place of a signature. It is square or round and traditionally used with red ink. This stall also sold chops. There happened to be several displayed on the counter. Lo and behold one example was the chop of Diane. How odd indeed since most Chinese call me Diana. Diane seems to be rather difficult to pronounce, but Diana comes out fine. Well of course I added the chop of Diane to my name cards and ordered a stone chop for personal use.

I picked the cards up yesterday. They were lovely. Beautiful cream paper, black print and a red chop in the upper left hand corner. Now I can start handing them out. I’m so happy that I have finally figured out who am I. At least for a few months anyway.

Cantonese Class Part 1

2011-03-20T19:58:00.000+08:00

I signed up for a four session Cantonese class with the AWA. I know that I will never actually speak Cantonese. I’ve been told it’s even more difficult to learn than Mandarin. One single word may be spoken with eight different intonations thus creating eight totally separate words. What I am aiming for is being able to communicate with taxi drivers, merchants and hopefully waitresses/waiters. If I can accomplish that I will be pleased.

Our first class was held on a large balcony of an apartment building overlooking Wan Chai. The class was made up of twelve women who all had the same desire to communicate on the most basic of levels. Our teacher, Liza Boltz, is the renown author of Dim Sum a survival guide. She is bright, enthusiastic and ever so patient.

Liza handed us thirteen pages of words and phrases separated into categories like: greetings, numbers, transportation and my personal favorite taxi Cantonese. She explained how the simplest error in intonation can cause the meaning of words to change drastically. One of her students thought he was asking the taxi driver to take him to Stanley Market while he was actually saying he wanted to go to Stanley chicken poo poo! We all laughed heartily while she told us that we shouldn’t be surprised if our Cantonese causes laughter from others. Yes indeed it will happen to us too.

As I listened intently I couldn't help but struggle to hear Liza’s sounds and my own repetitions. In typical Hong Kong fashion we were sitting right next door to a construction site. Everything in Hong Kong is under construction. Buildings are demolished and new ones built before you even realize what’s happening. So here we sat willing ourselves to hear and learn while the drilling rang in our ears and minds.

We repeated words and phrases individually and as a group. We encouraged each other and tried to help with sounds that are so unfamiliar to us. Is choh pronounced as chow, chaw or caw in the phrase “m choch” meaning not too bad? Hearing and speaking Cantonese can be so very difficult to us westerners.

Liza also stressed the only way to learn Cantonese, as with any new language, is to use it. We would make many mistakes and say many incorrect and maybe even inappropriate things, but when the laughter has died down people would appreciate us for trying. Then one of the ladies in the class told the story of how she had tried to speak Cantonese to a taxi driver and he had responded with, “Lady you need to practice more.” Okay, so maybe not everyone will be supportive!

I was determined to try out some phrases with the people I see everyday - the customer service desk attendants, cleaning woman and guards at our apartment. The next morning I greeted everyone with “jo san” or good morning. They smiled and replied "jo san". That was simple, but the true test would come with a real phrase.

Liza had insisted we must learn to say and use the phrase, “Sik joh faan mei a?” The literal meaning is, “Have you eaten?” When the Cantonese were farmers they greeted each other with this phrase since they probably only ate one meal each day and it was important to know if your friends had eaten. Thus it developed into a Cantonese, “What’s happening?” This phrase must be part of our vocabulary she stressed.

As I walked down the drive I was determined I would say, “Sik joh faan mei a?” to the guard. I was hoping my favorite one would be working. He’s always smiling and is so very warm and friendly. I reached the bottom of the drive and blurted it out. My favorite guard replied and then waited for my response. Nothing, I have nothing! I have no clue what he just said. As I got closer he explained that he was trying to tell me that yes he had breakfast, but really that phrase is better used after lunch. Well thank goodness because maybe after lunch I’ll know how to respond. Actually it won’t probably be until after my next class.

2011-03-20T17:17:00.000+08:00

Stop And Smell The Primroses!

2011-03-19T21:11:00.003+08:00

When I was growing up my aunt owned a floral shop. In those days people not only sent flowers for special occasions such as Valentine's Day, Mothers’ Day and Easter, but beautiful floral centerpieces would adorn dinner tables for holidays and parties. Florists also took the place of wedding planners organizing not only the bouquets, boutonnieres and corsages, but the candles, runners and invitations. I worked at my aunt’s shop almost every weekend while I was in high school. It was wonderful to be among the flowers though the brides and their mothers are a different story entirely. I do believe that is where my love affair with all things green began.

So it is no wonder that I went to the the Hong Kong Flower Show not once, but twice this past week. The Hong Kong Flower Show is a nine day event organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. It takes place in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay. This year’s theme was “Symphony of Spring Flowers” and the theme flower was “primula” or primrose. Primula plants are perennials that come in bold shades of red, yellow, pink, violet and orange. They are one of the first spring blooming flowers.

The cost of admission to the flower show was HK $14 (about US $1.77). What an amazing deal. Where can you see such beauty for that price? The show covers acres and consists of floral arrangements, landscape displays, plant exhibitions and merchants selling food and plants.

I began with the floral arrangements. Everything from large-scale arrangements that were several feet in length to pots filled with flowers. Some followed the music theme and others focused on color or flower species.

Next, I couldn't help but be drawn to the landscape displays. Think Rose Bowl Parade floats, but not on wheels. Large displays of larger than life characters made of flowers and plants. One rather humorous one had an octopus playing the drums, a pig playing an electric organ and a smiling cat playing the guitar. There was also a huge rabbit with headphones on. It was funny and spectacular at the same time.

Another display had numerous pandas, some eating bamboo, and all looking adorable. There were two very regal elephants that must have been twenty feet high. A beautiful temple with two dancing rabbits was perfect for this Year of the Rabbit. The color, the humor, the texture it was all gorgeous and amazing. How they keep everything alive for nine days is beyond me.

Several consulates and businesses had displays. South Africa used giraffes in their exhibit. Ocean Park had dolphins, seals and coral. Even the highway department made an overpass covered in plants and a darling car covered in flowers.

Plant Societies proudly displayed orchids, African violets, cacti, bonsai and more. The orchids were outstanding and seemed to be the most popular purchase. I was very tempted to buy one, but the thought of carrying it on the MTR and then to our flat seemed like a huge endeavor that I wasn’t willing to pursue.

Vegetables and fruit were not forgotten. My favorite was a large rabbit made of oranges, lemons and tangerines pushing a wheel barrow of vegetables. Walkways lined with different varieties of lettuce not only looked stunning, but also delicious.

After much time photographing and wandering I sat down with some green tea and a snack. I have no idea what it’s called, but it’s basically a small, brown bag of warm, golden balls of dough that taste like Belgian waffles. You can buy it at the street markets. It’s sort of Chinese carnival food. Probably not very healthy, but oh so good.

While I was enjoying my comfort food a young Chinese mother and her adorable little son sat down next to me. I was watching their interaction and we were smiling at each other then all of a sudden I was crying. My eyes filled and overflowed before I could do anything. Their tender interaction reminded me of my sons and the many times we had gone to the botanical garden. I suddenly realized I missed them. I missed the playful little boys they were and the wonderful young men they had become.

Embarrassed by this sudden and overwhelming display of emotion I picked up my backpack and dug around for a tissue. I had broken my number one rule - do not leave home without tissues and wet wipes. I walked away wiping my tears on my shirtsleeve and wondered what had happened to me. I suppose you really can love the life you’re living while missing the loves in your life. All the more reason to always stop and smell the primroses!

Humidity in Hong Kong

2011-03-15T11:49:00.001+08:00

This morning I woke up to fog settling over the harbour. The sun was trying to peak over the eastern edge of the island and I had hopes it would all burn off. But as I drank my coffee and waited for the morning paper to arrive I could see the sun diminishing and the fog growing more dense. Kowloon was gone and one by one the landmark buildings were disappearing before my very eyes. I poured my second cup of coffee, walked out of the kitchen and found myself in the clouds. It’s time I thought to myself. Time to break out those dehumidifiers and put them to work.

Yesterday was sunny and warm, yet also humid. The temperature reached 26.5 C and the humidity peaked at 90%. Direct sunshine seems much more intense here because of the longitude. I was happy for the sunshine although I was perspiring and my clothes were sticking to me. When I entered a building the air conditioning made me feel cold with my wet clothes clinging to me.

Since Hong Kong is a sub-tropical climate it’s always humid. The humidity varies from 50% to 95% and of course the temperature can make that humidity feel much worse. The high humidity also causes mold. Mold on walls, clothes, books, curtains, anything in your apartment. Mold removal is often a topic of conversation. Chemicals to use and how to use them are openly discussed while the benefits and effects are compared. Ex-pats are known to take expensive winter clothing items home during the summer so they are safe from mold. I’m actually considering during that myself.

How to prevent mold is another discussion entirely. Dehumidifiers are a must. How many you have in your flat is analyzed by friends and strangers alike. Brands of dehumidifiers are discussed with the same knowledge and passion most Americans possess for automobiles. The noise factor is also extremely important to some. On the advice of many we purchased one large unit for the living room/dining room, one medium sized unit for the master bedroom and another medium sized unit that we plan to rotate between the study and the guest room. We may move that unit into the kitchen periodically if needed or we may just have to buy another one.

Another mold prevention is to purchase plastic boxes of dehumidifier crystals and place them in each closet. They come in different scents such as jasmine, lavender and lemon. When the crystals have absorbed the moisture they become gel like and then they’re thrown out. You know those little packets that are in boxes of just about everything you purchase? You probably toss them out and wonder what good they are. Well almost everything you buy is made in Asia and it’s very humid here so they actually are very important. Those packets really do help to keep new items fresh. We haven’t tried the boxes of crystals yet, but they are on my list of things for Rusty to help schlep home one Saturday.

So this morning I did it. I pried open the boxes and pulled out the dehumidifiers all the while hoping that “some assembly required” did not mean anything more than a hammer or scissors because that is the extent of my tool collection. The directions did say I might need a pliers, but thank goodness I was able to attach the wheels on my own. (There really was no assembly just a few minor pulls and shoves.) The set-up directions were simple and before I knew it all three were up and running.

I set them on high as directed. It’s essential to get all of the humidity out of the air for the dehumidifiers to work steadily and properly. Then they can be turned to low and left on for the rest of the summer. Some people run them all year. Even on high I don’t think they’re too loud. It’s sort of like white noise. I am amazed how very quickly they are filling up. I didn’t realize how humid it was in our apartment. Although I must confess, I knew it was getting bad when my slippers were sticking to the marble and wood floors the other evening! Okay, maybe I really should have done this sooner.

Private Kitchens

2011-03-12T20:52:00.000+08:00

Dining is a true event in Hong Kong. Meals take several hours to savor and enjoy. Even lunch is taken seriously. It is not gulped at your desk. Most workers take a full one hour lunch break.

Dinner is an entire evening out and the cuisine choice is limitless. Do you prefer Cantonese, Shanghaiese, Shezun, Vietnamese, Manchurian, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Indian, French, Italian? The list literally goes on and on and this only includes restaurants. What about Private Kitchens?

I had never heard of Private Kitchens before moving to Hong Kong. They are rather intimate dining establishments that definitely require reservations. They do not advertise therefore information about them is word of mouth only. They do not have an official restaurant license so a “Members Only” sign is posted outside the door. Some even require a discreet knock at the door to be admitted, rather reminiscent of the old speakeasy days. They also are not at street level (as all interesting things in HK are not) and you must really know where and how to find them.

Most Private Kitchens have a rather limited menu which may change daily. Sometimes they may only offer one or two entrees each evening. Each Private Kitchen prepares a specific type of cuisine. They also do not have liquor licenses, but customers may bring their own wine and there may or may not be a corkage fee.

Now I have heard two very different yet equally intriguing explanations as to the origin of Private Kitchens. I will share both with you and let you decide which seems more plausible. I personally believe both are possible especially here in Hong Kong.

The first theory I heard claimed that there were many fine chefs in Hong Kong who became tired of the long hours working for demanding restaurant owners. These chefs wanted to open their own restaurants, but the cost of renting a suitable location and paying for a license was too high. The chefs then opened their own private dining establishments. Since they are not opened to the “public” they are not required to obtain the different licenses. Therefore the cost of doing business is much lower, but the quality is much higher. Sounds plausible to me.

The second theory I heard claimed that during the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak many restaurants were closed and people were told not to dine out. Hong Kongers love their dining so chefs opened private establishments were customers could eat without fear of infection. As I stated most of the Private Kitchens are rather small and tables may even be partitioned off thus providing a hygienic eating environment. This also seems plausible.

I have no idea if either theory is true, but this week I was invited to a French Private Kitchen for an evening out with my FY (Foon Ying) ladies. We were taking our intrepid leader, Susan, to dinner to thank her for a wonderful Foon Ying class.

The five of us met at the MTR and took it to the Wan Chai station. From there we walked to a very nondescript building and road the elevator up to the 6th floor where yes the sign said “Members Only”. This Private Kitchen was actually very large, but with curtains partitioning off each table area. There were private areas for two and larger ones for groups of four or more. The ceiling was low with pipes running overhead, but intertwined in them was fake greenery, silk flowers and little white lights. On the walls were numerous silk wreaths. The tables were covered with layers of table clothes, table runners and place mats. Very kitschy French!

We had brought two bottles of wine and they were immediately opened and placed in a wine bucket. The menu was much more extensive than I had anticipated and the choices were excellent. My meal consisted of escargot, spinach and scallop soup and duck. The duck was possibly the best I have ever eaten - extremely tender and tasty.

Being ladies who enjoy their food we each ordered a different dessert and of course we shared and compared our choices. Obviously we are not very germ conscious ourselves. We all agreed the best was an apricot and dark chocolate tort - simply scrumptious.

After tea, laughter and more conversation we realized we had just spent over three hours enjoying dinner. Yes, our dinner was an event and for most of us it was our first Private Kitchen experience. How very HK of us!

Building a Harmonious Enviroment

2011-03-07T17:59:00.000+08:00

We recently received a notice from the Property Services Office of our apartment building. They often send notices advising us of building repairs or events. I found this particular notice to be humorous, endearing and rather thought provoking. If apartment dwellers in the US could see things in this manner I believe everyone might be much happier.

The notice was entitled, “Help to Build a Harmonious and Pleasant Environment”. It began, In order to maintain a quite and harmonious living environment, residents are kindly advised to be considerate and not to create excessive noise. The following are the useful tips to reduce the excessive noise:

Guiding your young children not to run at home

(Notice it does not say spank, scold or threaten your children within an inch of their lives, but rather guide them? Now I don’t want to get into child rearing techniques or theories because that is so very personal and controversial, but I love the term guide. My boys are all adults and I believe I’m still guiding them.)

Trying not to wear high heels at home as the loud noise those heels make when they hit the hard floor

(Those are not typos. I am copying word for word. But who actually wears heels at home? Most Chinese take their shoes off at the door. I’ve always had my family do this because it really does keep the house clean. And let’s face it who knows what’s on the bottom of your shoes after walking around Hong Kong.)

Placing musical instrument or Hi-Fi system on top of carpet or rug when necessary

(When was the last time you used the word Hi-Fi? Do people under the age of forty even know what a Hi-Fi is? Everyone here has ipods so I’ve yet to hear music playing outside of a restaurant. But I do agree. Let’s keep our stereos down. I don't want to be subjected to your Asian fusion and I'm sure you don't want to hear my Tim McGraw or Aretha Franklin.)

Try to control your dog from barking at night time or seek help from professional services

(I’m not sure whether the owner or the dog should receive professional services. Most likely both. Though I must admit if I was a dog cooped up in an apartment all day long and only able to go for walks and do my business on concrete sidewalks I’d be barking too. Dogs are NOT allowed in parks in Hong Kong for sanitary reasons and must be leashed at all times. As much as I miss my dog Mona this is not a place for a four legged friend.)

There were a few more suggestions, but I think you get the gist of it. The notice ended with, “You are cordially invited to jointly build a harmonious and pleasant living environment in Regence Royale.” When was the last time you jointly built something harmonious with anyone? Something to think about.

Pizza Predicament

2011-03-06T19:30:00.001+08:00

The fact of the matter is I’ve been craving pizza. Not steak, burgers or fries, but hot cheesy pizza. New York style or St. Louis thin crust I really don’t care at this point. When I was growing up we didn’t have pizza delivery so my mom would make homemade pizza. I’m talking hand-rolled thin crust dough with fresh mushrooms, green peppers, onions, sausage, pepperoni and provel cheese. The pizza was baked on a rectangular pan and she would cut it into squares. Yes, my mom was ahead of her time in pizza making.

Saturday morning Rusty and I ventured out to try a new market. It’s down the road and quiet a few steps, but within walking distance so we were excited. We walked in and immediately fixated on real shopping carts. Not the little baskets on wheels. We were grinning ear to ear. This is looking good our smiles said.

The market had lots of Western food items plus they weren’t expired or near the expiration date which is often the case in HK. Very promising! As we were filling our cart we stopped at the bakery for bread. In the bakery case were bagels, muffins, pastries and small 6 inch pizzas. Anything with dough is in the bakery section even if it has meat or cheese in it. I asked the woman for two pizzas which she packed while I waited eagerly.

Of course we ended up buying more than we anticipated and had to lug everything up the tramway path (stairs) and down the street to our flat. Thank goodness Rusty works out because we were toting many pounds. We put all of our new found food excitement away then I pulled out the pizzas and heated them.

As we sat down to eat I noticed something unusual on our pizza - corn. Yes, the yellow off the cob stuff. Well okay I like corn. I can live with that. We both took a bite and then another. This was very unusual pizza. The laughter started. Our pizza toppings were corn, pineapple, ham, cut up hot dogs and a little cheese. Well maybe this isn’t really pizza.

Now I must tell you that my very favorite St. Louis pizza is Imo’s pepperoni and pineapple. Don’t judge until you’ve had it. It’s delicious! So I’m not opposed to strange toppings, but well this is beyond strange (hot dogs?). And to make matters worse now I really wanted pizza.

We decided we would walk down to Wan Chai to buy some plants and stop at Pizza Express for an early dinner. I had been told by several friends that although it is a chain the pizza is very good. Off we went determined to buy plants, pots and pizza.

After browsing, searching and haggling we were both ready for some beer and a pizza pie. (Rusty more for the beer and me more for the pizza.) My small backpack was full and Rusty was once again forced into sherpa duty. We made our way down the busy street to Pizza Express. As we got closer I notice something didn’t look right. There was a huge crowd inside and a big banner on the door - “Happy Birthday! The party’s here!” You’ve got to be kidding a private party!

For an instant I thought I might cry. I really wanted, desired and craved pizza. I wasn’t asking for much after all. There are McDonald’s all over this island. What about pizza? I took a deep breath and we went to the restaurant next door. I’m a grown woman. I can handle this. I had a shrimp and avocado wrap. And just to make myself feel better I had an apple tart with ice cream and caramel sauce for dessert. Sometimes dessert really is the best way to deal with disappointment.

Cheung Chau Island

2011-03-04T11:05:00.000+08:00

Well I finally made it to another island. This was something I had really been wanting to do, but was waiting for the weather to improve. It seems like overnight it became Spring. Winter only lasts about 6 - 8 weeks in Hong Kong so now I am sitting with my windows open and enjoying the air. I hesitate to call it “fresh air” since pollution is a real concern here, but I do believe that is another blog entirely.

I signed up to do a walking tour of Cheung Chau Island with the AWA. I met ten other ladies at Pier 5 in the morning and we boarded the ferry. It was rather hazy when we left, but the possibility of a nice day was apparent. The sun just needed to get stronger and burn things off.

Our 50 minute ferry ride provided great views of many other small islands. Hong Kong consists of 238, mostly uninhabited, islands. We passed cruise ships, container ships, fishing vessels and other ferries. The ride was smooth and exceptionally easy. Even those with squeamish stomachs would be fine.

Cheung Chau Island is sometimes called Pirate Island because of the infamous pirate Cheung Po Tsai who hid out there. Tales say that he hid his loot in a cave on the southwest end of the island (although it's yet to be found.) The island is also called Dumbbell Island because it is narrow in the middle and wider on each end somewhat resembling a dumbbell. I much prefer Pirate Island for the glamour and mystery it conjures up.

As we approached Cheung Chau the sight of the many fishing boats and junks was exciting. The harbor was filled with junks nestled side by side so inhabitants can step from one boat to another. China has fisher people who are born and raised on boats. They eat, sleep and bath on their boat. They never get off except to go to market. Some even have dogs, but I’m not sure how that works. I’ll let your imagination go wild with that one.

We disembarked on the waterfront which was lined with open air stalls selling everything - vegetables, seafood, sandals and seashells. One stall was even selling dried puffer fish. I’m not sure where the shells came from because the beaches in China tend to be dirty and rather polluted. Yes, definitely not the best places to swim although they are very crowded during the summer. Plus there are many shark attacks, some resulting in deaths, in China each year. That is why public beaches have wire mesh safety netting surrounding the swimming areas.

Another fascinating aspect of the island is that it has no cars. Row upon row of bicycles lined the street. People were riding everywhere. As we strolled along the praya I stopped for the most spectacular sight. An elderly woman, wearing a straw hat, was riding an incredibly old and rusty bicycle with training wheels. She looked straight ahead and pedaled. I had to jump out of her way as I stood slack jawed watching her. That would have been a priceless photograph, but the memory will be forever etched in mind.

Now I must admit that equally surprising was the McDonald’s right on the waterfront. No cars, but a McDonald’s? How does that work? Where does the meat come from? Or maybe I don’t really want to know.

We continued on and began walking through a charming neighborhood with laundry hanging from the balconies and plants in the windows. No matter where you go in China there is laundry hanging from windows and balconies. In the center of the neighborhood was a basketball court and next to it a large, beautiful temple. The dichotomy in Hong Kong is always eye catching and intriguing.

The group walked along the beach and up a path lined with lush foliage to several exquisite temples. I was able to take photos in the temples which is normally forbidden. At the altars in the temples people leave fruit and flowers and burn incense for the gods when asking them for blessings. In one of the temples was a bird munching happily on the fruit. I wondered what sort of life the gods had in store for him!

Our walk continued through the center of the island until we came back to the praya. The eleven of us found tables at an outdoor restaurant on the waterfront where we settled in for tea and lunch. We ordered lots of seafood, vegetables and rice. None of us were shy about eating and sharing our delicious dishes. It’s amazing how much a group of hungry women can consume.

After lunch we strolled the praya taking in the sights of the market and enjoying the beautiful day that had developed. The sunshine, companionship and colorful sights made us board the fast ferry back to HK Island with smiles and new friends. In thirty minutes it was back to the island I now call home.

Haircut in Hong Kong

2011-03-01T19:41:00.000+08:00

I’m not a girly girl. I really never have cared about my outside as much as my inside. I don’t use hair curlers (hot or not), flat irons (my hair is naturally flat and I don’t consider that a good thing) or curling irons (the one time I tried I ended up with a 4 inch burn across my forehead). My way of styling my hair is bending over, hanging my head upside down and blow drying. I stand up and am ready to go. I don’t even keep a comb or brush in my purse.

Having said that I am very particular about how my hair looks. A great stylist can give me a haircut that enables me to maintain my wash and wear lifestyle. I have been going to Naturally Pure, an Aveda salon, in Webster Groves since it first opened many years ago. The owner Amanda has become my friend and confidant. We share stories about her dogs, her sisters and her fiance and my dog, my kids and my husband. Remember the old advertisement “Only her hairdresser knows for sure”? Well Amanda knows plenty.

So with this history how would I ever get my hair cut in Hong Kong? Whom could I trust? And more importantly would they speak English well enough to understand what I wanted? I told Rusty I would put my thumb and forefinger about a ½ inch apart to show that is the amount I wanted cut off. He said they would probably think that was how long I wanted my hair and I would end up buzzed. Oh my that communication thing again.

I confidently went to the Aveda website (they are an international company) and found four salons in Hong Kong two of which were on the island. I called the salon in Central. The Central Business District is decidedly upscale and full of much glitz and glamour. I figured they had to be good.

The young receptionist I spoke with on the phone sounded friendly and her English was fairly good so I made an appointment. Things were looking positive. So why was I nervous? I had butterflies in my stomach the morning of the haircut. My nerves were at a level somewhere between the apprehension of getting a colonoscopy and being summoned to the Principal's office at my sons’ school. Both of which I’ve done and neither have I enjoyed.

I arrived at exactly the appointed time and felt comforted by the familiar sights of Aveda products and the kind receptionist. She escorted me to the chair and then a nice young man named Kenneth put a cape on me. I asked if he knew how to cut hair like mine. He smiled and said nothing. I repeated myself only to have him smile and walk away. This was not looking good.

As I was getting even more nervous a young man came up and introduced himself. His name was Christopher and he was my stylist. His English was excellent and I started to relax. He assured me that I needed a different hairstyle. We discussed some options and for some reason I succumbed. Yes, I would go with a new ‘do.

Kenneth whisked me off to a quite room with chairs that reclined back into flat sinks. I was literally laying down to get my hair washed. I do enjoy the warm water and relaxation of someone massaging my scalp, but this was beyond that. Kenneth spent the next half hour gently washing what felt like each and every hair on my head. Then he conditioned and I think conditioned some more. I basically lost all track of time.

When he took me back to the chair for my haircut I was ready to agree to anything. Christopher rushed over and explained that he was in the middle of something and could I possibly wait a few minutes. Well of course! I picked up a magazine and started to page through. Unfortunately this was one of those rags that has models with calves the size of my wrist, makeup that looks like something from Rocky Horror and jewelry that costs the same as a new car. The good vibes were gone. Where was Christopher? 15 minutes turned into 20, then 25, then 30. Just as I was getting ready to take off my cape and bolt for the door Christopher appeared.

He had someone bring me tea and talked me back into that new haircut. He snipped, clipped and cut with the precision of a seamstress and the intensity of a surgeon. He assured me this style would be much more flattering and comfortable in the humidity of Hong Kong.

As the last lock dropped to the floor I looked in the mirror at my new ‘do and smiled. I’m not sure if I’m really stylin or if I look like Justine Beiber’s mother I thought. But that doesn’t matter. I made it thorough my first haircut in Hong Kong without crying.

Making A House A Home

2011-02-27T17:41:00.000+08:00

We didn’t bring much to Hong Kong except our clothes and an adventurous spirit. I brought mostly kitchen items: some dishes, glasses, silverware, wine bottle opener, a few bowls, that lovely coffee pot which blew up and whatever I thought we might need to get started. I packed big bath towels to fit our big American bodies. You see I wasn’t sure if the bath towels would be the same size as Chinese bodies and there’s nothing worse than a tiny little towel. I loaded up on toiletries like soap, shampoo, creams and lotions since our freckly, sensitive skin may not tolerate whatever brands they sell in HK. I also brought some over the counter medicines just in case, but definitely didn’t prepare for the allergy issues I would have. So if anyone wants to send me some Zyrtec I would forever be indebted to you!

The one thing I didn’t bring was those things that make a house a home. Nothing of sentimental value from our travels did I think to pack. No watercolors from Germany, no masks from Africa, no pots from New Mexico, nothing to make our home feel like us. I mistakenly thought I would fill my apartment with items from our new travels and new life. But that takes time.

Now I did bring some photos of our children and I must admit that although they’re certainly not the best quality I treasure each one. I also brought my wooden bear from Alaska since, according to my sons, I am the ultimate “Mama Bear” of the family, but that was it. One small wooden bear that marks this as home. So I desperately needed a few things to warm the place up.

I went with one of my girlfriends to Queen’s Road East in search of some vases and basically anything that might strike my fancy. We went in and out of frame shops, furniture stores, and drapery shops. We squeezed into little closet sized stores with everything from porcelain vases to wood carvings to Buddha statues. I bought sofa pillows, an end table (which we carried down the street, up an escalator and into a taxi), a table runner and 2 beautiful batiks.

One of the batiks was rather large, 3’ x 6’ feet, and we thought it would make a fantastic wall hanging. It was deep blue, green and red with Chinese dragons, water and fire. It had great feng shui. The price was incredible and, according to Kay, all I needed to do was sew a hem in each end, insert a bamboo rod and ta da - art! Well of course I could do that. I’ve sewn quilts, costumes and clothes back home. No problem.

But this is Hong Kong and of course nothing happens easily. I know where I can buy a needle and thread, but bamboo rods are you kidding? I’ve certainly never seen Home Depot or Lowe’s and even just a little hardware store sounds like a delusion. So that is how we ended up in Wan Chai market on Saturday afternoon.

Kay’s husband had been told about a store that carried everything from small steam pots to sewing kits to baskets. They had already been there to explore and yes they had found bamboo poles. They agreed to meet us on the street and take us to the store. Because how do you give directions in Wan Chai market.? Do you say go down past the live fish that may flop out at your feet, continue beyond the pigs’ snots and hooves, then just across the road from the goats’ heads is the store? I don’t think so.

We made it to the store and in the very back past the dirty pots and a tortoise shell cat were the bamboo poles. Kay and I selected the straightest one, measured it with the tape measure that for some reason I did bring to Hong Kong, and she ever so nicely convinced them to cut it for us. I had my bamboo rods. Now all I have to do is start my sewing and get ready to make this house our home.

28, 4, 1 But Who's Counting?

2011-02-24T15:18:00.000+08:00

As of yesterday we have been here exactly 28 days, 4 weeks, or 1 month whichever you prefer. We have been busy exploring, learning and figuring out life in Hong Kong. Having never been an ex-pat I really wasn’t prepared for living in a new country and leaving my friends, family and job behind.

The following is what the past 28 days have taught me:

1. not all taxi drivers understand where you want to go even if they act like they do
2. some of us don’t like to have eye contact with our food
3. you need a coat in Hong Kong during the winter
4. even a little pollution can make your allergies go wild
5. pantomime is not an acceptable form of communication
6. you must press the buzzer if you really want the bus driver to stop
7. always carry a cloth shopping bag with you
8. the cleanest apartment will still have roaches
9. steps and hills will make your bum tighter
10. photographs of your family are important
11. walking in Causeway Bay on Sunday requires the skill of a wide receiver
12. electric alarm clocks are a precious commodity
13. it takes a long time for the hot water to get to the bathroom
14. wanting to Skype with your dog is normal
15. strolling down the street with a broom and large package of toilet paper is a humbling experience
16. wearing heals in the subway is not for the faint hearted
17. waking up in the morning and saying “What do I want to do today?” instead of “What do I need to do today?” takes getting used to
18. restrooms with western toilets are always preferable
19. (and on that same note) always carry tissues with you
20. everyone in Hong Kong does not speak English
21. not all roads on maps are for cars or really are even roads
22. Thai food helps when you’re craving Mexican
23. what did we do before email and Facebook?
24. sometimes it’s better to take the stairs then an old elevator
25. laughing with friends is the very best drug
26. you can read a lot of books when you only have 3 television channels
27. Chinese tea truly is the best
28. having your son tell you he is proud of what you’re doing makes being a mom the most wonderful career in the world!

Who knows what the next day, week or month will bring? I’ll keep you posted.

Chocolates in China

2011-02-22T11:21:00.000+08:00

Last weekend we went to dinner with some of Rusty’s friends from Manila. This weekend our friend Femi came to town from Vienna. How strange that we had to move half way across the world to spend time with people we know and care about.

Femi arrived in HK Sunday afternoon. He was staying in Kowloon as he was doing business there. We greeted Femi with handshakes, hugs and kisses. I had not seen him since last June when we went to Vienna for one glorious week of museums, dinners, and a Danube river cruise. I won’t even mention staying at the Bristol Hotel, across the street from the opera house, where we opened our windows and listened to the amazing operatic voices as we prepared to go out each evening. You see the operas are displayed on a large screen outside of the building for all to enjoy. Sometimes we were even lucky enough to still have music playing while we fell asleep at night. I was treated like a queen and soon fell under the spell of Austria.

So yes, I was very excited to see Femi. His business knowledge is extraordinary and his passion for finance can be contagious. I must admit that I miss talking business so having Femi here was quite a treat. He also regaled us with his humorous story of trying to get home from Brazil this past Christmas in the midst of the snowy European winter. Rusty laughed so hard the table shook.

We had dinner overlooking the harbor and once again the view was outstanding. Yet this time we were looking at Hong Kong island. The lights, the colors, the skyline will take your breath away. And then in the midst of delicious food and delectable conversation it happened - the Symphony of Lights.

The Symphony of Lights is the largest permanent light and sound show in the world. It happens every evening at 8 pm and lasts for 18 minutes. (Eight is a very lucky number in China.) The buildings on both sides of the harbor are light up with pulsating color and lasers of light stream across the water. Forty four buildings participate in this orgy of color and light. A musical soundtrack accompanies the show and can be heard on radio or on your mobile.

Five themes encompass the Symphony of Light which exemplify the two sides of Hong Kong: awakening, energy, heritage, partnership and celebration. This spectacular display highlights how Kowloon and Hong Kong island are working together to make all of Hong Kong a dynamic world force.

Our dinner continued with great food, wine and laughter. Coffee and dessert were declined as I had waiting for me the best dessert of all - chocolate. Not just any chocolate, but Swiss chocolate. Femi had brought me a small shopping bag full of melt in your mouth milk, white and dark chocolates. Not one or two, but many pounds of sweet happiness. There were chocolates with nuts, creme, coconut and coffee. He even brought a bag of Salzburger Mozartkugeln which are chocolate delicacies each with a picture of Mozart on the wrapper.

Femi explained how he knew it was not possible to find chocolate in China and my goodness how can anyone survive without fine chocolate? Oh, what a true Viennese/British gentleman. Excellent food, an amazing light show and now Swiss chocolate. What more could a woman ask for?

Baby It's Cold Outside!

2011-02-21T17:41:00.000+08:00

It’s winter in Hong Kong. Yes, they do actually have winter here. Contrary to what I was told it does get cold in HK. Prior to moving to here someone told me and I quote, “We have two seasons in Hong Kong - hot and humid and hotter and more humid.” Not true! I’ve worn a scarf many days and have the heater on as I write.

The temperature ranges from 9 - 19 degrees Celsius. That’s roughly 48 - 68 degrees Fahrenheit. First, I must admit that my conversion is incredibly rough. I think I studied the metric system for one chapter, in one book, in one grade during elementary school. I probably remembered just enough to pass the test and then moved on to other math items that I believed were equally unimportant. Math was not my strong subject.

We are lucky enough to have heat in our apartment. Many of our friends have space heaters that do little to actually warm the place much less the inhabitants. Rusty has a friend who wears a stocking cap to bed at night. I have a friend who puts two bath mats in her bathroom so she doesn’t have to touch the floor with her bare feet. Baby it’s cold inside!

I realize 50 degrees F seems rather warm to those who have experienced snow, ice and sleet. But the damp, humid air makes the temperatures feel much colder. Add to that a little mist and after walking outside for much of the day I frequently come home and take a long, hot bath.

The people who live on the Peak, in those oh so expensive homes, are living in the clouds. I watch the clouds settling over the top of the mountain through my back windows and think at least I can see out my windows. Well most of the time. Last week we had days when I opened my curtains in the morning and NOTHING! It was white. Twenty five floors up and I can’t see the apartment building next to me. This is a sub-tropical climate? Maybe I should have listened better in science class too.

So what do people wear in the winter? Well boots of course. Knee high leather boots, those lovely fashionable UGG boots, rubber rain boots, hiking boots, I’ve even seen dog with boots. I must admit that I’m grateful for every scarf I brought and wish I had packed more than one turtleneck. I did bring a hat and gloves for travel to northern China. I reluctantly pulled them out one day and wore them when I walked to the YWCA. This did elicit many smiles and I knew all too well the people were laughing at me not with me, but I didn’t care. I was warm. I just pretended they were being friendly.

It does seem strange that even on days when it is sunny and the temperature hits 68 F, and I am in short sleeves, people are wearing their boots and scarves. But you see it’s winter here.

Off The Island

2011-02-20T14:55:00.000+08:00

Well I did it. After living here exactly 3 weeks I finally left the island. It's not that I hadn't wanted to, but we've been so very busy settling in and there is just so much to see right here on the island that I really had no reason to leave. But Wednesday I was meeting my group in Kowloon and obviously had a huge reason to venture off.

My group, my ladies, my new BFFs, what is this? I suppose I must start at the beginning. I was told before we ever moved to Hong Kong that I should join the American Women's Association. Now the title is misleading. This group is made up of English speaking women from all over the world. The AWA organizes volunteers and charitable events to help different organizations in Hong Kong. It also provides a support base for English speaking ex-pats.

I joined the AWA the very first week I was in Hong Kong and immediately signed up for a Foon Ying class. Foon Ying means welcome in Cantonese. So two weeks to the day that I was here I attended my first session. I met the Leader, Susan, and my group at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Central.

What an interesting group of women. We were from Japan, Canada, US and Netherlands. Some had young children and others children who were grown. Some did not have any children. Some had been here for months and two of us just two weeks. Some lived on the island, some in Kowloon and one in Discovery Bay. Some were young and well some of us I shall call more experienced.

The one thing we all had is common is that we had all had careers, but had moved to HK for our husband's career. We were all trying to find our way in not only a new city and country, but really in a new life. We were Foon Ying ladies on a mission to succeed.

I immediately like these women. We shared stories about looking for apartments, maids, furniture and people who spoke English. We shared secrets about food, massages, haircuts and people who spoke English. We shared thoughts on water quality, dehumidifiers, markets and yes anyone who spoke English.

Therefore I was not about to miss this outing to Kowloon. I would confess by email to the Foon Ying females that I had not left the island. Of course our fearless leader Susan offered to meet me at the Admiralty MTR to take me on my first voyage under the ocean to Kowloon.

We headed off to the Hong Kong Museum of History. This museum is not to be missed. It is 8 galleries, 7,000 sq. meters and over 3,500 exhibits of Hong Kong history. It covers all aspects of history from natural to cultural to social. This could be an entire day of learning or broken up into several trips.

After a few hours we decided lunch was in order. On the 30th floor overlooking the harbor we settled in for chat and dim sum. I let the more experienced women order a fantastic array of dishes. And of course we had much to talk about while we ate.

We had questions. Where can you buy matches in HK? You can't, but you can buy lighters at 7-11. Of course, why hadn't I thought of that? Where can you buy printer paper? At Japan Home which is sort of like a very small Wal-Mart (quality and price) and has those essentials you can't find anywhere else. Why is it called Japan Home when obviously everything is made in China? Who knows!

And so it went. We laughed with and at ourselves. Then after lunch we took off in search of a lighter and printer paper. I actually found both and a rubber bath mat for about $3.50 US not the $40 US I had seen earlier. Those Foon Ying ladies know it all. Well at least together we do.

The True Cost of Living in Hong Kong

2011-02-14T22:33:00.000+08:00

Recently in the South China Morning Post there was an article about the cost of living in Hong Kong. It stated that Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world to live in. The rents are the highest followed by London, although London rents are 50% less. Yes, you read that correctly 50% less. Third highest is Paris followed by New York.

We live in a lovely apartment on Bowen Road in Mid-Levels. It is just above the Central Business District. There is easy access to shopping, dining and transportation and a spectacular view of Hong Kong all the way across to Kowloon and the mountains of the New Territories.

Bowen Road turns into a private road which then becomes a paved walking path. This lovely trail runs along the side of the mountain for 1 ½ miles. It is a wonderful respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Many people use it for exercise or just a leisurely stroll through fantastic foliage while viewing the sights of Hong Kong.

I marvel at the banyan trees, 30 feet tall bamboo, and palm trees. The red camellia, white daphne and purple hawthorn make me smile. I watch kites (birds) coasting on the winds and wish I had a bird book to correctly identify the others.

I’ve read that Hong Kong has 14 species of snakes 8 of which are venomous. Having been raised in St. Louis I’ve only had to deal with copperheads and the occasional water moccasin when camping. When I lived in New Mexico I only saw rattlesnakes and sidewinders when visiting the southern part of the state. Therefore I must admit I was quite surprised when I also read that a jogger had seen a cobra on the lovely Bowen trail. Cobras in Hong Kong? Oh yes, Chinese cobras and king cobras plus pit vipers and pythons.

So in the midst of this idyllic life there are snakes and cockroaches. While getting ready for bed the other night I spied one - a cockroach. I grabbed some toilet tissue and smoosh. He was a goner. Okay what’s one cockroach right? I continued on with my nightly ritual of brushing my teeth, washing my face and taking my vitamins.

As I was climbing into bed with my latest book I sat down and for some odd reason looked over at my pillow. There perched so very regally was another cockroach. Her antennae were twitching. You see it must be a she since she obviously thought she was queen of the bed. I ran to the bathroom for more toilet paper and somehow grabbed and squished in one fell swoop. I didn’t want to smash her on my pillow of course!

My heart was still pounding when I realized something amazing. It wasn’t my pillow. Mine was on Rusty’s side. They had gotten switched. How fortunate is my life!

Snakes on the path. Roaches on the pillow. Even in the most expensive city in the world there are still things that make you go YUCK!

Electrical Confusion

2011-02-13T15:03:00.000+08:00

Small appliances are at the core of American living. We use blenders, mixers, coffee makers and hair dryers to make our lives easier most every day. Rusty and I are no exception. That is why we purchased our favorite Cuisinart coffee maker to bring to Hong Kong. It brews incredible coffee right into a thermal carafe that keeps the liquid at the perfect temperature, without burning it and making it bitter, for several hours. Can you tell we relish our morning java?

We also brought with us several electrical adapters. Of course we would use one for our lovely coffee maker and we did for less than one week. But then one morning in the midst of the brewing cycle...nothing. No water flow, no coffee, no steaming aroma of aribica, nada! The darn thing blew up. How could this be? What about the adapter? Doesn't the electricity know how to convert? What about our morning coffee?

Thank goodness for English Breakfast Tea. It's a noble substitution, but will never take they place of java in the morning. I take mine with milk and sugar so in the early a.m. my brain can be tricked for that very first cup. Rusty on the other hand likes his coffee strong and black. He wants a jolt which no tea can provide. After two days he needed his coffee.

Now we also brought with us electric hair clippers. I'm sure you're wondering why. I obviously wouldn't use one and let's face it Rusty doesn't have much hair. That's exactly why we needed it. His little amount of hair is clipped every two weeks at home. Where would he get this done? Have you ever seen a barber shop in Hong Kong? Well neither had we.

So I volunteered my efforts. I would be the official barber. Of course I had given my boys buzz cuts when they were little. As long as they sat reasonably still everything was all right. Obviously I could count on Rusty to not squirm or fidget. This would be a breeze.

After five weeks without a haircut Rusty was acquiring the Einstein look. Yes his few precious hairs were sticking out on the sides of his head, particularly the right side. I kept telling him to wet them down, but up they would pop as soon as they dried. They had a mind of their own.

Saturday morning, after our tea, we decided it was haircut time. I plugged in the hair clippers and whirrrrr they almost flew out of my hands. These were Nascar clippers. They were revved up and ready to run. There was no way I could put this electric demon on Rusty's bare little brain. I could already envision the scars.

Which gave us our mission on Saturday - find a real electric coffee maker. Not a french press, nor cappuccino machine. Not a latte maker, nor electric teapot. We wanted, and Rusty needed, a plain old coffee maker. And we needed electric hair clippers. Do they even have those in Hong Kong?

Off we went to our local Fortress store. It's basically Best Buy on a much smaller scale. They obviously work on commission and are ever so helpful. This being Hong Kong you can request a better price so we bargained 10% off and gladly took it.

Next I ran into 7-11 for wine. Although the store is about the size of my master bathroom in the States they do carry a few bottles of Australian wine. I grabbed one and threw it in Rusty's shopping bag. They don't give you bags at 7-11 and I didn't want to be carrying my bottle of wine down the street.

Our final stop was a street/alley market for flowers. I selected a large bouquet and we headed for home. Up Wan Chai Gap Road, which is really just a paved path, we climbed. Me carrying the flowers and Rusty with the coffee maker, hair clippers and wine. I'm sure the locals looked at us and laughed, but probably not as much as we were laughing at ourselves.

Everything here is a learning experience. When we returned to the apartment I cut Rusty's hair and then sipped a glass of wine as we watched the lights of the city. We're learning more each day.

Our Way To The Top

2011-02-09T20:26:00.000+08:00

Saturday, February 5, the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year, was warm and bright. It was our first morning to wake up in our apartment. We had spent the entire last week getting settled in so it seemed we deserved a great day off.

We had both heard about the trail that leads to Victoria Peak and Rusty had been talking about it since our visit in December. I think he envisioned this pleasant stroll from our apartment to the trailhead and then up. Well up it was.

We took off in the direction of the tram and very quickly found a trail. Naturally we assumed this was it. We headed up the trail, then found a path, then went down a road to another trail and so it went. Up we climbed, zig zagging back and forth on incredibly steep trails, paths and roads.

There were times I had to stop and catch my breath. This did give me the opportunity to really look at the incredible vegetation in our new subtropical home: palms, ferns, fig trees, giant elephant ears and every vine imaginable. The moist earth smelled musky and oh so rich. Thank goodness it was getting cooler as we ascended the Peak since I was definitely getting hotter.

At last we were almost there. The only problem was the very last leg of the hike involved walking on a road that was built for one car, but allowed two plus walkers. As the cars rounded turns one vehicle had to back up to make way for the others and you can just forget the walkers. It was wait and then run around the turns when the coast was sort of clear. We felt lucky to make it there in one piece. This time my heart was racing for a totally different reason.

Of course the view was well worth it. The day was clear and we could see not only Hong Kong, Victoria Harbor and Kowloon, but also the mountains of the New Territories and Lantau Island. What a beautiful sight!

And then we saw it. Another trail. The trail to the Mid-Levels. The one we were looking for. Naturally we'd take that one back down. But first some water, an ice cream cone and some serious people watching. The Peak was packed with visitors for Chinese New Year.

After our respite we headed to the Mid-Levels Trail. It began very steeply. It was seriously a 75 degree angle. Surely this would level off. No such luck. The entire trail was amazingly steep and we actually saw people running up it. I'm not sure I could even walk up it! Going down wasn't difficult, but up? You've got to be kidding. Thank goodness we found our own way to the top even if it was a rather strange journey.

Chinese New Year Fireworks

2011-02-09T20:19:00.000+08:00

Friday, February 4, the 2nd day of Chinese New Year. Tonight's the big fireworks display over Victoria Harbor. I must admit that I am a fireworks junkie. Yes, I love them with an undying passion, will watch them any where, at any time and can never get enough.

Rusty has learned to tolerate my obsession and I do believe has become a mild fan of fireworks. He no longer tries to convince me to leave (thus avoiding traffic) after a Cardinal's baseball game when fireworks are planned. He knows I won't budge and will ultimately ignore his request. So he obviously wasn't surprised and couldn't say no when I insisted that we not only go see the fireworks, but do it in style. We were going to watch them from a boat in the harbor! Oh yes a dream come true.

I researched CNY firework boat tours and found the one that suited us best. We were picked up by a bus at the Marriott and whisked away through the traffic to a dock at the northeast end of the island. Along the way our guide explained the reason we had to leave so very early. The roads are closed to vehicle traffic several hours before the event. Therefore we would board the boat and spend an hour and a half touring the harbor.

Our boat was the perfect size. It held 54 passengers and had a 2nd level that was open so the view for all would be terrific. Rusty and I settled in next to a mother and daughter from Perth, Australia. They were lovely companions and we enjoyed hearing about their home in WA (Western Australia), their lives and their travel adventures around Asia/Pacific.

I had been told that light snacks would be provided. The guide served us beer and soft drinks. The she brought around some snacks: Ritz cheese crackers, small cans of Pringles and Moon Pies. What an interesting selection of American junk food. I hadn't eaten a Moon Pie in years. The Chinese called them Chococakes, the Aussies Wagon Wheels and yes, us Yanks thought they were Moon Pies. I hadn't eaten a Moon Pie in years, but I must say it tasted fantastic. Imagine enjoying a Moon Pie in the middle of Hong Kong.

The tour of the harbor offered great photo opportunities. No city is lit up quite like Hong Kong and what a treat to see it from this vantage point. As the time drew near we made our way to the viewing spot. Our guide had told us that the captain would do everything possible to get us in the front of the viewing. How could that be accomplished with all of these boats? He did!

It seemed an entire fleet of boats was lined up across the harbor from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon. I looked back and saw boats as far as the eye could see: junks that looked as though they had too many passengers, large ships with hundreds, yachts with families, and small tour boats such as ours. You could literally pass a beer to the boat next to you. Oh my, Party Cove had moved to Hong Kong!

Four large boats were stationed in the harbor from which the fireworks were set off. Police boats kept the others at a safe distance. It was organized chaos on a grand scale. And then they started.

Beautiful red and gold fireworks. Again good luck and prosperity. Fireworks in the shape of hearts for Valentine's Day. How did they do that? Not once or twice, but again and again. Huge blasts of white that glittered and glistened like crystals.

People were videoing and photographing the entire extravaganza. Not me. I wanted to take in every second of the color and light. I was getting my fireworks fix and loving every moment of it. After the finale I think for once I might have been satisfied.

The harbor was awash in smoke. Even the skyscrapers were obscured from view. Talk about second hand smoke.

Then before I knew it the boats were gone. They dispersed in what seemed to be moments. We headed back to the dock with lights in our eyes and memories in our minds. Happy New Year!

Kung Hei Fat Choi

2011-02-03T17:08:00.000+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! Today was beautiful in Hong Kong with sunshine and temperatures in the upper 60s F. The streets are quiet since most people are with their families enjoying the holiday. The Chinese New Year is marked by the lunar calendar so the actual date varies each year.

We have prepared our Lei See. Lei See are red envelopes with gold writing that symbolize good luck and prosperity. In each envelope you place new HK dollars to give to single people and children. The bills must be new so long lines often occur at the banks several days prior to the New Year.

Gold foil wrapped chocolate coins are also handed out along with dried candied fruit. Turnip cake is prepared especially for this holiday although we haven't tried it yet. I have visions of fruit cake dancing in my head.

We were fortunate enough to attend a Lion Dance Performance this afternoon. The Lion is actually two people underneath a costume of gold or red. One manipulates the head and one the tail. The Lions acrobatically hop from strategically placed pillars which are several feet off the ground. They also eat green lettuce (good luck and prosperity), chew it up and spit it out around them to spread the wealth. All of this ensures a prosperous New Year.

The entire time this is going on there is music being played by a drummer, gong and many cymbals. Our musicians were dressed in fluorescent orange pants with black tops emblazoned with dragons. Yes orange and black really! I thought I was back in Webster Groves.

After the performance we headed off to Man Mo Temple to light incense for the upcoming year. Rusty thought I was bonkers, but he did agree to humor me and check it out. Man Mo Temple is the oldest in Hong Kong and is Taoist. It was built in the 1840's. It is named after 2 deities: Man (the god of literature) and Mo (the god of war). Giant incense coils hang from the ceiling. People come during the New Year to light incense and the smoke carries their prayers up to the spirit world.

We took the MTR and then walked to the Central-Mid-Levels Escalator which is quite unusual. It is the world's longest escalator at 2,600 feet. It is not continuous, but has stops along the way for pedestrians to get off and on. In the morning from 6 - 10 am it goes down and from 10:20 am - midnight it goes up. Next to it are stairs when you need to go the other way.

We got off at Holywood Road (I kid you not) and headed for Man Mo Temple. Most of the stores were closed and not many people were out so it was a real treat. We could walk at our leisure and enjoy the fine day. As we approached the temple we saw a line running down the street. Could it be? Yes everyone was queued up to get into Man Mo Temple. Well Rusty will only humor me so far. He was not about to wait in that line to watch me light incense.

We did walk down to the temple to get a better view. The incense was so thick it was billowing from the roof, windows and doors. An old woman walked past me with incense ashes on her head and shoulders. Maybe my allergies couldn't really take this. I'll come back when the year settles in.

Tonight is the big Chinese New Year Parade. Floats, marching bands, dragon and lion dancers from around the world participate. It is THE event of the new year. People queue up hours in advance to get a spot. All forms of mass transit are clogged for hours after. No wonder people don't work tomorrow. We are watching on the television from the comfort of our hotel room.

Tomorrow we officially move into our apartment. A new beginning of the new year! We won't have internet access until Feb. 09 so I/you could be blog free until then. If I get anxious to write, who knows, I may go in search of some Wi-Fi.

Buying the Staples

2011-02-03T12:23:00.000+08:00

We realized the other evening that we had absolutely no food in our apartment and would not if we didn't purchase it before Chinese New Year. Although the thought of going to the grocery was not particularly appealing our common sense prevailed and off we went.

Going to the grocery store (market) is not like going to Schnucks or Safeway. The markets are located in the lower level of malls and the malls are incredible. Not like West County or Galleria more like Plaza Frontenac, but nicer. Prada, Gucci, Versace, Chanel no Macy's or Penney's I assure you. The higher the level the nicer the stores. I've never even ventured above level two. Why bother? I'm not spending a week's salary on a purse.

We went to a market called Great in the lower level of Pacific Place in search of the basics. We told each other that we would just buy the staple items we needed to survive: coffee, bread, fruit and a few other things. As we entered we grabbed a shopping cart. It was the same size as the kiddy ones at Schnucks, but with 2 baskets one above the other. How very cute! I pushed.

Down the aisles we went in search of those basics. The aisles were marked: Korean, Japanese, Thai and so on. Well it's very interesting what ended up in our baskets. Rusty's basket had cereal, blueberry jelly and beer while mine had peanut butter, brie cheese and vodka. What exactly that says about us I'm not sure, but we were certainly laughing while we waited to check out.

We were very pleased with ourselves having figured out how to shop for food so now all we had to do was pay and have the items delivered to our apartment. Wrong! No deliveries for five days! What to do with all those groceries? Carry them up the escalator, down the street, through the mall, up the elevator to the hotel and out to the taxi stand to take them home. Then up the elevator to our apartment and put them all away. Maybe I really didn't need that vodka.

Eating With My Eyes

2011-02-02T17:12:00.000+08:00

I love to eat and am not by nature a picky eater. I think it began in my childhood. While most of my friends' parents were serving pot roast and potatoes my mother was experimenting from the Joy of Cooking. She had a library of cookbooks and would pour over them in search of some new delicacy to try. Her kitchen was her lab and we were happy guinea pigs. We ate everything from crepes to kugula and for the most part enjoyed it all.

Which explains why I will try almost anything with "almost" being the operative word here. The reality is I eat with my eyes. What I mean is that if something looks visually appealing I will try it. I've always been a visual person. In college being a visual learner meant that while my professors were expounding on some topic I was frantically taking notes. If I see it I will remember it. I can't just hear it. And somehow this does tend to apply to food also.

I have eaten ostrich, octopus, more kinds of fish than I can remember (you see I didn't write them down) and even lemon ants. At the time they all looked appealing. So as I have been experimenting here in Hong Kong it comes down to visuals.

Lunch at the noodle bar was fine with a wide variety of noodles, unfamiliar leafy greens, unusual looking mushrooms, but then the next stop - meat. I can't eat anything that looks like it should be in Gray's Anatomy (the book not the TV show). Now what? I'm in line and I have to choose. People are waiting. How about something that looks like fish even though I'm not sure what it really is? I'll try it.

Dinner can also be a unique experience. The Chinese are very helpful to westerners in that most menus have photos of each item. You just point and give the number desired. That works well unless the items have heads. I just can't eat anything that has a face I have to look at. The Peking Duck was smiling I swear, the Roasted Baby Pigeon had just learned to fly and don't get me started on the Suckling Piglet. How about crab and sweet corn soup? No heads. One please.

Now you would think Rusty would be an expert at chopsticks since he has spend a lot of time in Asia. Well that is not correct. He fumbles with them although he tries very hard and he does really want to learn. Last evening at a very trendy HK restaurant we were served a small bowl of peanuts. I suggested Rusty use the time to practice his chopstick usage. Why not pick up the peanuts one by one and eat them? We both thought this was a great idea until the very first peanut was lifted with much concentration and then... BOING! Off it went heading straight for the young man seated across from us. We both held our breaths waiting for it strike the blackberry the man was so intensely reviewing. Thank goodness it banked right and disappeared behind the man's back. I'm still laughing thinking about this. I do believe you should practice chopstick usage in the privacy of your own home!

I'll keep tasting, but I must admit a brownie would look good right now.

Hong Kong Park

2011-02-01T14:07:00.001+08:00

Monday was our last day before the deliveries begin so I spent several hours at Hong Kong Park. The park is about 20 acres in the Central area of Hong Kong. It's free to the public and has beautiful ponds, waterfalls, and gardens. How amazing to be in this lush oasis of calm surrounded by high rise buildings and commerce.

My first stop was the Tea Ware Museum in the Flagstaff House. The Flagstaff House was the office and residence of the Commander of the British Forces. It was built around 1844 and is the oldest Greek Revival style building in HK. The Museum of Tea Ware promotes the Chinese tea culture and Chinese ceramics.

I learned the correct methods of preparing and serving tea along with the history of tea throughout China. It was actually the Mongols who first used cream in their tea! Each area of China has their own method of tea preparation for the specific type of tea they drink.

How fortunate that I was able to view an incredible exhibit of tea ware pottery by local artists and students. I was expecting something mundane, but what I saw was far from it. Many of the artists created whimsical or comical pottery such as a large octopus pot with small octopi cups, a large seashell pot with smaller seashell cups and some very angular modern pieces. It made me want to take a pottery class!

Next I ventured back out into the park and watched the terrapin sunning themselves in the ponds and listened to the birds. I have always fancied myself an amaturer birder so everywhere I travel I purchase a bird book. It's great fun to know the names and habits of the different local birds. Well the birds here are truly beautiful! I saw a small flock of ring necked parakeets. They are bright green and about 10 - 12 inches in length. I saw many other delightfully interesting birds, but I need to find a bird book. Unfortunately I haven't seen even one bookstore yet.

Of course I took off for the aviary. The entrance begins on an elevated walkway so you are walking through the tree canopy. The aviary is enclosed by steel mesh which makes the experience open and airy. Naturally many of the birds where very colorful like the mynahs and barbets. It was great fun, but doesn't compare to the local birds on the outside.

I also toured the Forsgate Conservatory. It has three different sections: Display Plant, Dry Plant and Humid Plant. The Humid Plant House had a Cacao tree that was actually bearing fruit! It reminded me of the ones I saw in the Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador. I believe that it is the only time I have seen the Cacao tree with fruit.

The Marriage Registry is near the edge of the park so it's not uncommon to see couples having their wedding pictures taken. I was lucky enough to view a beautiful bride and groom on my walk back to the hotel. They looked so young and innocent it made me smile.

I'm sure I'll be spending more time at Hong Kong Park especially once I find that bird book.

Modes of Transportation

2011-01-30T15:01:00.000+08:00

Walking has been my major form of transportation here in Hong Kong. It's good for the heart and the soul and allows me to really get to know the city. I have taken taxis when the distance is just too great. I have learned to write the address of my destination on a piece of paper and hand it to the taxi driver. Some speak English better than others and some not at all. Of course not all can read English, but that is another story altogether. Then you need someone to write the address in Chinese.

Walking around Hong Kong is not as simple as it may seem. You cannot cross the street at every corner as you can in the States. I've learned to look ahead for the yellow lines and clusters of people waiting to cross. There is also a very intricate system of overhead walkways that connects many buildings. These are very convenient when the weather is hot or rainy. Of course I haven't experienced either yet. The dilemma with the walkways is that they often times disperse to many doors going in many directions. The streets are not on a parallel grid so you must be careful where you emerge. Thank goodness I have an incredible sense of direction. Plus I've learned to watch for landmarks such as the pink butterflies on one crosswalk or a store on a certain corner.

Now I had been wanting to take the Metro Transit Railway (MTR), but was in need of the correct method of payment which is an octopus card. The octopus card is similar to a debit card that allows you to use buses, MTR, and the tram. With a quick swipe you can also make purchases at most convenience stores and many shops. You can add money to your card at any time. How convenient is this?

I had been told by many people that the easiest way to get an octopus card was at 7-11. Yes I do mean 7-11 like in the States, but much much smaller. So early last week I walked into a store and asked to buy one. The clerk answered in Chinese. I proceeded to use a list of adjectives that I thought might help: buy, purchase, obtain, get. Again she answered in Chinese. Next I resorted to pantomime pointing to myself, my wallet, the card. Nothing. How about card, wallet, me? Wallet, me, card? We were going nowhere fast so I smiled, said thank you and walked away. Yes, I love walking.

Yesterday Rusty and I were determined to master the MTR. We went down into the subway and found a customer service booth where they spoke English. We purchased our octopus cards. Another step forward for us. The MTR is clean, safe and very efficient. It definitely is a great way to move about the city.

We headed off to Causeway Bay in search of lamps and other household necessities. Causeway Bay is where the laobaxing, ordinary people, shop. The prices are much more reasonable, but the mass of humanity on the weekends is staggering. As you walk you are enveloped in a sea of bodies the ebb and flow of which you have absolutely no control. It is times like this that I am so very happy I am tall. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be looking into the back of the person in front of you with no idea where you are. People are leaning on and into you so you are forced to walk strongly forward. I'm always exhausted after this experience. We did get our lamps and were happy that we saved some money.

Last night we walked to the Peak Tram for a nighttime ride to Victoria Peak. The tram is a funicular railway which basically means the ascending and descending cars counterbalance each other on a cable. That is the extent of my engineering knowledge, but you can imagine what a feat it was when they built it in 1888. Victoria Peak stands at 1,286 ft. and the view from the top is superb. You can see Hong Kong, Kowloon and the entire harbor. The colored lights of the buildings make it all seem very magical.

We had dinner while we enjoyed the view and I kept wondering, "Is this really my life?" Our plan had been to walk around the Peak after dinner, but the winds were incredibly cold so we queued up for the trip down instead. The man in front of us was an ex-pat from Arizona and we started up a discussion about ex-pat life. Thankfully the conversation made the chilly wait more bearable. Once we made it to the bottom it was another walk back to our hotel which thankfully helped warm me up.

Next we have try the buses!

It's Official

2011-01-28T17:12:00.000+08:00

We are now official residents of Hong Kong! We opened our bank account this morning and applied for our Hong Kong identity cards this afternoon. In true Chinese fashion both processes were extremely efficient.

My next large undertaking is getting a Hong Kong cell phone. I didn't realize how important a telephone is. Yes really! Every delivery I will be receiving requires a phone number and since we are having deliveries from numerous places next week it is vital.

The furniture shopping went extremely well yesterday. We took a taxi to a town called Ap Lei Chau. There we went to Horizon Plaza which is basically a 26 story warehouse. Each floor had different wholesale stores which sold everything under the sun: furniture, rugs, clothing, toys, wine, etc. Hong Kong is the mecca of commerce. Shopping is a national past time here.

We bought our bedroom, living room, and office furniture. We were even able to purchase pillows and sheets. It did take all afternoon so by the time we returned to the hotel we were both exhausted. And yes Rusty did hold up exceptionally well for those of you who know how he detests shopping. Today we purchased our dining room table and chairs so for now we are taking a break. More shopping can happen after we actually get into the apartment.

This week has been filled with projects. It seems we have been busy each and every day just trying to get our lives in order. There is so much to do to start a new life in a new country. We are both looking forward to this weekend in hopes that we can enjoy Hong Kong and all it has to offer.

We're Here!

2011-01-26T17:29:00.000+08:00

Well I just spent my first day in Hong Kong as a resident. Although I don't have my HK card yet and I'm living in a hotel I still feel that this is my new home. It's funny...I've always wanted to live on an island, in a big city and in another country and somehow I've managed to do all 3 at once!

We went to see our apartment today and it's even nicer than I remember. I really do love the big rooms and gorgeous view. The previous owners left us a very large houseplant so we already have something living there. I sort of like that idea.

I went in search of furniture this afternoon. That was a test of my patience. It seems they really want to sell everything custom made which takes 8-10 weeks for delivery. I explained that I need furniture now and that I am happy to purchase in stock items. They thought I was rather daffy, but did understand my predicament. And don't get me started on beds. They carry Asian, European and American sizes so you purchase the mattress and then have the bed made to fit. Again there must be something out there that will work. Tomorrow I go to Ap Lei Chau which is over in Aberdeen. I've been told that area has large warehouses full of furniture. I'm sure I'll be able to find some things there.

By the way it was 66 degrees F here today. Eat your heart out St. Louis!