Amelia landed safely after a two hour delay due to thunderstorms in Hong Kong. The pilot refueled in Taiwan because they were concerned they wouldn't be able to land in HK. It rarely rains here but the week's forecast predicts rain every day Mel is here and thunderstorms on Sunday, the day I was planning a morning hike and beach day!
Oh well! I am trying to be flexible with my down-to-the-minute itinerary I've had planned since January (Type A a bit?) Starting with dinner tonight instead of eating outdoors at Temple Street Market we are going to a local friend's birthday at McDonald's, of all places!
It is so good to see Amelia and I think she really enjoyed the neon skyline at Aqua last night! Inclement weather kept people at home, so we got a great table and cooler temps and a clear view!
Thursday, May 20
Tuesday, May 18
Santa's Got Big Eyebrows
Somehow this gem of a photo got left out in December's posts! And you know the children loved it!
Biking in Sha Tin
Hey everyone! I was going through pictures and saw some photos from our bike trip with Sophiel and Joe and wanted to share our great afternoon with you. We were looking for a city ecape adventure so we rented snazzy cruisers in Sha Tin and took the bike paths to Tai Po. The four of us watched dragon boat practice on the river, ate iced pineapple, played with dogs in the park, climbed the lookout tower at the waterfront park and saw some unusual fellow cyclists (see upper right photo).
Let it be known that my sister is in the air headed to Chicago!! This time tomorrow we will be watching the laser light show at the harbor. I am headed straight to the airport from school and I CAN'T WAIT!!
Monday, May 17
So these photos are fairly standard sights around HK. Fish, rice, noodles what more does a man need. HA. Its remarkable the countless ways fish is prepared. These photos are all of dried fish. They can be found on virtually every street corner, and are an excellent accompaniment to your vegetable soup... 
Sunday, May 16
Luke Tran's 5th Birthday
So I went Luke's Birthday party, met all my students parents and had a blast. I thought the pictures turned out really well. Luke is the little fella in the 3rd photo down, who is covered in chocolate.
Wednesday, May 12
Tea in China
This weekend we took the light rail system right up to the mainland! In case you were wondering, the Kowloon Peninsula is actually a part of the "mainland" continent of China, so technically I already live on the main land mass, it's just crossing the border into communist China that makes us call it the "mainland". Hong Kong Island (what everyone associates HK with) is exactly that, an island off the mainland of China.
This time we weren't waved down and directed to go through the visitors line (but at that time, it gave me great pleasure to smile, produce my HK ID, and continue to the Resident line). We got through customs with no problem. Breakfast at Dunkin Donuts!! How nuts is that-- there's one in China? Did not go for the pork floss donut.. yek. I cannot remember if I had DD over Christmas at home, so it may have been almost a year since I've tasted their perfectblueberry munchkins coffee!
Tripp and I met Todd Downey (you may remember from previous posts he is our 1st Pres friend from Columbia whose son plays basketball with my brother-- he lived several years with his family in China on business! Small world, right! He treated us to a d-i-v-i-n-e meal during Chinese New Year in SoHo... I can still taste the risotto...)Anyways, he is currently working in Shenzhen, the city we crossed into.
Tripp and I love Shenzhen, but all we know is the spaaaa and shopping. Mandarin is the only langauge (signs, menus, maps) and taxi drivers and local people really do not speak any English, so that is what has prevented us from exploring more.
Which was one reason it was great to have Todd-- he gave us the local's tour! He took us to a tea house in his old neighborhood, where we stuck out like sore thumbs, but people in the diners and shops saw Todd and waved a familiar greeting. The Chinese woman at the tea house had an intricate set and ceremoniously washed our tea cups and handpicked the leaves to make our green tea. She and Todd could not converse with words, but instead with smiles and gestures. We spent several hours with her, enjoying the green tea and watching the world go by. Qin Yi, Todd's friend, joined us and he laughingly told me I paid too much for the Tory Burch wristlet I thought I got an absolute bargain on.
Todd took us through the streets of his neighborhood, pointing out dining establishments that serve dog (yikes!) and showing us where his kids hung out when they were living there and the school his wife worked in. He is very adventurous and unafraid!
Tripp, Todd, and I ate dinner around a table with a propane tank underneath it and a burner in the middle of the table. It is similar to Hong Kong "hot pot" in that you add the ingredients to the bubbling liquid and let it simmer and cook. We had free range chicken-- all the parts of the chicken were in there!-- and added meatballs and veg and potatos. We had to call Qin Yi on Todd's cell phone so he could order for us over the phone and he ordered his favorite sticky rice and came to the restaurant at the end of our meal to say goodbye and take home the leftovers.
I loved how protective Qin Yi was! He glanced over the bill, then called the waiter over to take away a charge of something we would never know to take away. Todd picked up some Ralph Lauren polos when I was haggling over DVDs, and Qin Yi told us next time to let us go with him to get a cheaper price. Everyone I have met here has been so eager to help me out and I know I am very blessed to have these new friends in my life!
This time we weren't waved down and directed to go through the visitors line (but at that time, it gave me great pleasure to smile, produce my HK ID, and continue to the Resident line). We got through customs with no problem. Breakfast at Dunkin Donuts!! How nuts is that-- there's one in China? Did not go for the pork floss donut.. yek. I cannot remember if I had DD over Christmas at home, so it may have been almost a year since I've tasted their perfect
Tripp and I met Todd Downey (you may remember from previous posts he is our 1st Pres friend from Columbia whose son plays basketball with my brother-- he lived several years with his family in China on business! Small world, right! He treated us to a d-i-v-i-n-e meal during Chinese New Year in SoHo... I can still taste the risotto...)Anyways, he is currently working in Shenzhen, the city we crossed into.
Tripp and I love Shenzhen, but all we know is the spaaaa and shopping. Mandarin is the only langauge (signs, menus, maps) and taxi drivers and local people really do not speak any English, so that is what has prevented us from exploring more.
Which was one reason it was great to have Todd-- he gave us the local's tour! He took us to a tea house in his old neighborhood, where we stuck out like sore thumbs, but people in the diners and shops saw Todd and waved a familiar greeting. The Chinese woman at the tea house had an intricate set and ceremoniously washed our tea cups and handpicked the leaves to make our green tea. She and Todd could not converse with words, but instead with smiles and gestures. We spent several hours with her, enjoying the green tea and watching the world go by. Qin Yi, Todd's friend, joined us and he laughingly told me I paid too much for the Tory Burch wristlet I thought I got an absolute bargain on.
Todd took us through the streets of his neighborhood, pointing out dining establishments that serve dog (yikes!) and showing us where his kids hung out when they were living there and the school his wife worked in. He is very adventurous and unafraid!
Tripp, Todd, and I ate dinner around a table with a propane tank underneath it and a burner in the middle of the table. It is similar to Hong Kong "hot pot" in that you add the ingredients to the bubbling liquid and let it simmer and cook. We had free range chicken-- all the parts of the chicken were in there!-- and added meatballs and veg and potatos. We had to call Qin Yi on Todd's cell phone so he could order for us over the phone and he ordered his favorite sticky rice and came to the restaurant at the end of our meal to say goodbye and take home the leftovers.
I loved how protective Qin Yi was! He glanced over the bill, then called the waiter over to take away a charge of something we would never know to take away. Todd picked up some Ralph Lauren polos when I was haggling over DVDs, and Qin Yi told us next time to let us go with him to get a cheaper price. Everyone I have met here has been so eager to help me out and I know I am very blessed to have these new friends in my life!
Sunday, May 9
Our Hong Kong Family
Empty Building in Shenzhen
Notice anything strange here... We'll I didn
't at first, but then it caught my eye. This building feel victim to the Global Financial Crisis. Its builders literally ran out of money, and the soon to be high apartment complex became the city's largest homeless shelter... Seriously, its now the home of hundreds of homeless folks.
't at first, but then it caught my eye. This building feel victim to the Global Financial Crisis. Its builders literally ran out of money, and the soon to be high apartment complex became the city's largest homeless shelter... Seriously, its now the home of hundreds of homeless folks.
Only In China
Made a trip into Shenzhen this weekend, what did I find? Well the photos really explain this one. Its called the Modern Toilet Restaurant. Offers great food, and the opportunity to do something thats quite rare in these parts..... enjoy the comforts of a Western Toilet! NO need to squat here
Friday, May 7
Ocean Park
Well today is the day I have been looking forward to since I first arrived in Hong Kong-- the K3 picnic at Ocean Park! Ocean Park is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park all rolled into one. There are some thirty five attractions and rides-- including a roller coaster, gondola lift, and pandas!! The tickets are fairly expensive (as most theme parks are) so I have been eagerly anticipating May 7th, when the school pays my way AND buys my McDonald's meal! The best part was all the Yuen Yuen schools were going, so Liza, Becca, and Mel would all be there as well!
So it was dissapointing to wake up in our little flat on the 17th floor to a crazy thunder and lightning show this morning. The government posted an "amber rainstorm" warning, and with that my Ocean Park dreams were shattered. I am at school but only the K3's are here today (and only until noon at that!) I taught two classes but have spent the rest of my time trying to determine what fabric & fit I want for my long evening dress I am having tailor made in Shenzhen this weekend! Big wedding next Friday-- Tripp will share the crazy details later.. he tells it better than me!
So it was dissapointing to wake up in our little flat on the 17th floor to a crazy thunder and lightning show this morning. The government posted an "amber rainstorm" warning, and with that my Ocean Park dreams were shattered. I am at school but only the K3's are here today (and only until noon at that!) I taught two classes but have spent the rest of my time trying to determine what fabric & fit I want for my long evening dress I am having tailor made in Shenzhen this weekend! Big wedding next Friday-- Tripp will share the crazy details later.. he tells it better than me!
Thursday, May 6
Photos
Well i came across this today. . . Its Sara Beth, and I think shes trying to pose like the statue.photo of the day
Ive been trying for a while to get a good shot of the harbor. I really liked this one....
Wednesday, May 5
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