Hi from the office! Today I am wearing a red Chinese silk shirt with a dragon motif, along with jeans and my wooly warm UGG bedroom slippers Tripp got me for Christmas. Yes, slippers. It's hard to believe I am getting paid to be here today. My five and six year olds are with Liza (she works at our sister school in Tsuen Wan) on a field trip to a Buddhist temple.
Today is a celebration the birth of an important religious figure in Taoism, but no one has been able to explain who or what he is in English to me. The rest of the children here are spending the day in a school assembly in Cantonese. (English lessons cancelled) So... I am taking a break from watching Confessions of a Shopoholic on the laptop to eat lunch (the cooks made the staff rice noodles)!
Easter Break begins tomorrow! I am finally making it out to one of Tripp's basketball games tonight, and tomorrow Liza and I are doing sunrise Tai Chi on the harbor waterfront and getting morning manicures! Great start to what is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime vacation in Japan!
Spoke with Doc and Julia last night and we are good to go Friday! They are on a plane to Honolulu as I type. I feel like the man from the story with the yarn that can tug at the ball and make time speed up. I have been waiting and wishing anxiously for another travel adventure and now the time is flying! I hope our time in Japan stands still so we can enjoy everything Julia has planned!
Tuesday, March 30
Monday, March 29
Palm Sunday
I love St. Andrew's Church in Kowloon. The pastor is Australian and the congregation is international and very friendly. Palm Sunday the children ran the show, waving palm branches, singing songs, and reading the Bible at the pulpit. They were adorable and I wish I could have taken photos inside of them. Phyllis (my neighbor from Singapore) is a member and was the one who introduced us to the church. I feel very fortunate to have a church here in Hong Kong! http://www.standrews.org.hk/
Tuesday, March 23
Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree: Another Perspective
Tripp beat me to the punch telling our audience (read: one reader) about last night's exploration in the Tai Po area. He explained the gist of the tourist attraction-- the banyan tree granting wishes-- but I wanted to post two bits out in cyberspace because the two factors that stood out to me were different from his. The first was the public toilet on the grounds. In Hong Kong, public toilets are foul, decrepit, unsanitary and generally unsafe. Homeless people linger there to do their bathing and business. Sweet Cecelia (mentioned in previous post) told me to check them out. They weren't a five star hotel lobby's restroom, or even reminiscent of your master bath at home, but what I liked about it was the pride the overseer of the ladies room clearly has for her job. She is paid 5000HKD a month (about US $645) but she spend over 300HKD of her paltry salary on fresh flowers for the shelves above the sinks so the visitors to the temple can enjoy them. I will say she keeps the cleanest squatties I have seen in Asia. 
The other thing I loved about our post work adventure was the fantastic restaurant we happened upon in Tai Po. Luca's Italian was a legitimate gourmet alfresco place in the middle of a really remote area. I was thrilled to not only have an English menu, but also a really delicious meal and overall dining experience that we have yet to find close to our flats. The waitstaff spoke great English and brought out tomato focaccia bread with balsamic vinegar and EVOO while we debated the menu. Tripp chose a spicy tandoori chicken pizza with mint yogurt and I got an incredible pasta dish with fresh crab meat and huge shrimp tossed in a light lemon butter sauce. We didn't get any photos but there was a breeze, outdoor patio, and fairy lights, so you can imagine it was much better than sweating over a grilled cheese over my two burner stove!
The other thing I loved about our post work adventure was the fantastic restaurant we happened upon in Tai Po. Luca's Italian was a legitimate gourmet alfresco place in the middle of a really remote area. I was thrilled to not only have an English menu, but also a really delicious meal and overall dining experience that we have yet to find close to our flats. The waitstaff spoke great English and brought out tomato focaccia bread with balsamic vinegar and EVOO while we debated the menu. Tripp chose a spicy tandoori chicken pizza with mint yogurt and I got an incredible pasta dish with fresh crab meat and huge shrimp tossed in a light lemon butter sauce. We didn't get any photos but there was a breeze, outdoor patio, and fairy lights, so you can imagine it was much better than sweating over a grilled cheese over my two burner stove!
Monday, March 22
Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree
The Lam Tseun wishing Tree is one of the more popular shrines in Hong Kong. Its located close to the Tin Hau Temple, in the Fong Ma Po Village, near Lam Tsuen. The temple dates back to 1644, but the tree finds its 'roots' coming from 1912. It was then that it was determined that the tree could make your wish come true. Basically, you write your wish on a scroll, tie it to an orange, and hurl the two high into the Tree. If is sticks, your fortune is granted, if it does not, then your wish was too greedy! Though, in 2005 one of the branches gave way, after being hit with oranges all day, this called for changes. Now wooden racks have been placed near the tree, while the trees recover. Haha only in Hong Kong
Also, seen in our photos is our fabulous guide, Cecila. She's an 8th grader from Tai Po, Hong Kong. We met her on the bus and to say the least, she was in awe of SB. She was seated in front of us on the bus, and after half-turning and then looking away several times, she worked up the courage to talk to SB. Within seconds the 2 were friends, and the little girl, upon hearing where we were headed, decided to lead us there. She was so nice, and just thought Sara Beth was so cool. as she should have. hahah anyway, she was lovely and made our trip to the Hong Kong Wishing Tree very memorable.
I dont know what I was expecting. I guess, i thought i was headed to something like the SC Farmers Market or maybe a Flea Market Show for Flowers. Oh no, this was Hello Kitty, Disney Creatures, Japanese Animation Figures, all brought to life by thousands of flowers. It definantly flirted with the "extremely tacky" line, more than once. In the end it was exactly what we would have wanted... A good Hong Kong experience.
Sunday, March 21
Heres a few from Macau, and most importantly, the Ruins of St. Paul.
The Ruins also known as Sam Ba Sing Tzik, are a beautiful remnant of old Macau. The front façade and the grand stone stairs are the only remains of the greatest church in Macau.What led to the destruction of this ancient catholic church? Well, a lot of bad luck. First built in 1580, St. Paul's Church caught fire twice in 1595 and 1601. When finally finished in 1637, the church was the biggest Catholic Church in East Asia . Sadly, a massive typhoon struck Macau in 1835 and the church caught fire for the third time leaving only what is left today. Me, Sara Beth, and Liza, wandered around St. Paul's for a few hours, and then were pulled away by the promise of a big lunch. The Church is truly beautiful, and is a very important destination to see while on this side of the world!
Enjoy...
These are some photos from Macau's 'A Ma' Temple. 
Around four hundred years ago the Portuguese landed near a temple. They asked the local inhabitants the name of the land, but the locals misunderstood, thinking that the Portuguese were asking for the name of the temple. So they answered 'Ma Ge', which was the name of the temple. Later, the Portuguese translated the named into 'Macau' and used it to refer to the land. In actuality, this temple is one of the three famous Buddha halls in Macau- the A-Ma Temple.
The A-Ma Temple, is the oldest temple in Macau. It was constructed in the year of 1488 of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to commemorate Mazu, the goddess who blesses the fishermen of Macau. It is said that the goddess was called Lin Mo, and that she was born in Putian City, Fujian Province, and was more intelligent than other children her age. She could predict good or ill luck and after her death she often helped merchants and fishermen ward off calamities and turn danger into safety. Now there are a number of folktales about the great goddess narrated in the littoral lands.
The A-Ma Temple is a destination that offers and amazing array of sights, smells, and sounds. Entering the temple and going across a gateway, we came to the Hongren Hall by a winding path. A statue of Mazu is worshipped here, and it is believed that the hall has the longest history in the complex. Going ahead, the Hall of Avalokitesvara comes into view. What we really noted was the over powering smell of incense. Which is burned as an offering to ones ancestors. Large coils of insense, burn night and day, as they are maintained by the monks living there. hope you enjoy the photos!
Around four hundred years ago the Portuguese landed near a temple. They asked the local inhabitants the name of the land, but the locals misunderstood, thinking that the Portuguese were asking for the name of the temple. So they answered 'Ma Ge', which was the name of the temple. Later, the Portuguese translated the named into 'Macau' and used it to refer to the land. In actuality, this temple is one of the three famous Buddha halls in Macau- the A-Ma Temple.The A-Ma Temple, is the oldest temple in Macau. It was constructed in the year of 1488 of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to commemorate Mazu, the goddess who blesses the fishermen of Macau. It is said that the goddess was called Lin Mo, and that she was born in Putian City, Fujian Province, and was more intelligent than other children her age. She could predict good or ill luck and after her death she often helped merchants and fishermen ward off calamities and turn danger into safety. Now there are a number of folktales about the great goddess narrated in the littoral lands.
The A-Ma Temple is a destination that offers and amazing array of sights, smells, and sounds. Entering the temple and going across a gateway, we came to the Hongren Hall by a winding path. A statue of Mazu is worshipped here, and it is believed that the hall has the longest history in the complex. Going ahead, the Hall of Avalokitesvara comes into view. What we really noted was the over powering smell of incense. Which is burned as an offering to ones ancestors. Large coils of insense, burn night and day, as they are maintained by the monks living there. hope you enjoy the photos!
Thursday, March 18
This is why its called spontaneous. We were walking to the top of the Macau Ruins, when Sara Beth complimented this nice man on this music. I turned around to see him playing his accordian, and Sara Beth jumping and dancing around him. They went on like this for only a few moments, and then he turned and walked off... laughing to himself. Such a cool thing.
Monday, March 15
Jaunt to Venice
We had a quick trip to Macau this weekend (photos to post after work). We actually went there in August to validate our working visas (we had to exit then reenter Hong Kong), but the heat was so unbearable that the place was seared (literally) in my mind as not a fun place. It was Tripp’s third visit; his first was in 2006 when he came with PC for Maymester but it was pouring rain. Third time’s the charm—the expected rain held off but the clouds made for cool and breezy weather.
After teaching our extracurricular playgroup Saturday morning, Tripp and I boarded the ferry with Liza. We made it just in time for Cirque du Soleil’s Zaia show in the Venetian and it was AWESOME! By far the coolest show I have ever seen. So many special effects, and acrobatics, and lighting and people flying through the theater on bicycles with fire coming out behind them. My mouth was hanging open most of the hour and a half performance. Highly recommend.
The Venetian is funny because it’s elegant and ritzy and all those things (and three times the size of its sister hotel in Vegas), but they have bizarrely recreated Venice, complete with gondola rides and the Grand Canal inside the hotel. So we ate cheeseburgers in St. Mark’s Square and walked the canal bridges listening to the live music. Doesn’t beat the real thing, but it was fun. We walked the massive casino, which is an absolute people watching Mecca.
Afterwards we took the shuttle to City of Dreams and the Hard Rock Hotel Casino. Great fun. Liza said it was like a bug zapper—so shiny and neon and glittering but then people were losing loads of money at every table. Macau has burst open with gambling tourism the past few years, and all the main international hotel chains have opened up stunning resorts and casinos all over the place.
The next day we went in search of the famed Portuguese egg tarts and found them by the line forming outside the vendor’s window. Flaky hot crust and sweet egg center. Perfection. Tripp found French fries with honey mustard (rarity over here!), so we rounded out our breakfast American style. We visited the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was the largest cathedral in Asia at the time it burned. Now only the front wall remains intact, and it’s the only church of its kind in the world. The facade was really impressive, even the second time around. This time we ventured to the crypts below ground and saw the preserved bones of Japanese and Vietnamese martyrs, as well as the Museum of Sacred Art.
Macau is a former Portuguese colony, so it was interesting to compare the cobblestone streets and the blue and white tiles in the older parts of the city to Portugal itself. Some bits of Macau feel European and of course along the Cotai Strip, it’s like Vegas.
For lunch we were fortunate to get a table without a reservation at A Lorcha, the Portuguese restaurant my guidebooks and Trip Advisor recommended (I love a good travel review). I got the balcalhau gratinado—it was so yummy. Absolute comfort food in a ceramic pot—salted cod, potatoes and cream sauce baked in the oven. Huge portions and a genuine menu and authentic atmosphere-- low beam ceiling, wooden arches… we could have been in Lisbon.
A Ma Temple (later A Ma Gau—hence the name of “Macau”) was right next door, so we did the obligatory temple tramping and filled our lungs with the burning incense. We hopped on a city bus to the giant Kun Lam statue by the sea and passed the time waiting for the ferry hanging out in the new MGM resort casino.
On the home front, I have great news that my grandmother is home after several intense weeks of physical therapy rehab after her second knee replacement surgery! So proud of her, she is a brave one! This is a great blessing, finally pain free walking! My brother is cast in High School Musical, opening Thursday this week at Flora's new theater. Also, big birthday weekend just passed-- BFFs Katie Keenan (my first friend in life) and Will Faulkner (married to my friend Jordan) both turned the big 2-3 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Happy birthday!
Now the countdown to Japan is officially burning up the calendar! Spoke with Dr. Rush and Julia—good thing they noted my mistake in a previous post—we fly out 8am the SECOND of April straight to Tokyo! Everything is ready to go—I am getting some last minute alterations done here and my little black dress dry cleaned!I can’t wait!
After teaching our extracurricular playgroup Saturday morning, Tripp and I boarded the ferry with Liza. We made it just in time for Cirque du Soleil’s Zaia show in the Venetian and it was AWESOME! By far the coolest show I have ever seen. So many special effects, and acrobatics, and lighting and people flying through the theater on bicycles with fire coming out behind them. My mouth was hanging open most of the hour and a half performance. Highly recommend.
The Venetian is funny because it’s elegant and ritzy and all those things (and three times the size of its sister hotel in Vegas), but they have bizarrely recreated Venice, complete with gondola rides and the Grand Canal inside the hotel. So we ate cheeseburgers in St. Mark’s Square and walked the canal bridges listening to the live music. Doesn’t beat the real thing, but it was fun. We walked the massive casino, which is an absolute people watching Mecca.
Afterwards we took the shuttle to City of Dreams and the Hard Rock Hotel Casino. Great fun. Liza said it was like a bug zapper—so shiny and neon and glittering but then people were losing loads of money at every table. Macau has burst open with gambling tourism the past few years, and all the main international hotel chains have opened up stunning resorts and casinos all over the place.
The next day we went in search of the famed Portuguese egg tarts and found them by the line forming outside the vendor’s window. Flaky hot crust and sweet egg center. Perfection. Tripp found French fries with honey mustard (rarity over here!), so we rounded out our breakfast American style. We visited the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was the largest cathedral in Asia at the time it burned. Now only the front wall remains intact, and it’s the only church of its kind in the world. The facade was really impressive, even the second time around. This time we ventured to the crypts below ground and saw the preserved bones of Japanese and Vietnamese martyrs, as well as the Museum of Sacred Art.
Macau is a former Portuguese colony, so it was interesting to compare the cobblestone streets and the blue and white tiles in the older parts of the city to Portugal itself. Some bits of Macau feel European and of course along the Cotai Strip, it’s like Vegas.
For lunch we were fortunate to get a table without a reservation at A Lorcha, the Portuguese restaurant my guidebooks and Trip Advisor recommended (I love a good travel review). I got the balcalhau gratinado—it was so yummy. Absolute comfort food in a ceramic pot—salted cod, potatoes and cream sauce baked in the oven. Huge portions and a genuine menu and authentic atmosphere-- low beam ceiling, wooden arches… we could have been in Lisbon.
A Ma Temple (later A Ma Gau—hence the name of “Macau”) was right next door, so we did the obligatory temple tramping and filled our lungs with the burning incense. We hopped on a city bus to the giant Kun Lam statue by the sea and passed the time waiting for the ferry hanging out in the new MGM resort casino.
On the home front, I have great news that my grandmother is home after several intense weeks of physical therapy rehab after her second knee replacement surgery! So proud of her, she is a brave one! This is a great blessing, finally pain free walking! My brother is cast in High School Musical, opening Thursday this week at Flora's new theater. Also, big birthday weekend just passed-- BFFs Katie Keenan (my first friend in life) and Will Faulkner (married to my friend Jordan) both turned the big 2-3 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Happy birthday!
Now the countdown to Japan is officially burning up the calendar! Spoke with Dr. Rush and Julia—good thing they noted my mistake in a previous post—we fly out 8am the SECOND of April straight to Tokyo! Everything is ready to go—I am getting some last minute alterations done here and my little black dress dry cleaned!I can’t wait!
Wednesday, March 10
In Between Travels Update
Hi friends!
It’s amazing to hear feedback from people who have seen our pictures and run across the blog! We appreciate your interest in our Asian adventures and love keeping in touch more than you know!
We are still flying high from our Malaysia travels, and I can hardly believe in three weeks we will be in Japan for Easter break! Tripp’s grandfather Berwyn and his wife Julia are meeting us in the Narita airport April 1st; our planes arrive within five minutes of each other! I cannot wait. What a happy reunion that will be!
Julia has been planning and getting the travel arrangements together, which is a huge blessing because she lived in Japan several years! We are sure to see the “best of” and have a great time. The guide books say the first weekends of April are the best time to visit because the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
While we anxiously count down to our next departure, we are still trying to see and do everything the city has to offer. My favorite Hong Kong columnist, Nury Vittachi, will be out on the town tonight so I am going to (hopefully) meet him! He emigrated to Britian during the Sri Lankan civil war (where he was born), married a British girl, went on an Asian honeymoon, found Hong Kong and never returned! They adopted three Chinese kids and he writes Dissident’s Diary in The Standard (English paper), which is the bright point of my daily paper read! Huge loser, I know, but I am really excited. He is also a crime novelist… maybe I will tote along my library copy of his latest and get him to sign it?
Went to dinner Friday with a newly arrived USC graduate from Charleston Liza knows! Small world, right? Lived in Columbia four years and now is here. We ate at Temple Street (something about my prawn omelette was not quite right-- I was knocked out all weekend and unable to do my planned Plover Cove campout) but picked up some pirated movies and caught up on the award winners. I am saving 3D for the actual theater tomorrow and catching Alice in Wonderland with some teacher girlfriends. Tripp is moving and shaking as always; I'll let him update you on his past weeks.
I am really proud of Mom-- Pink Sorbet got a mention in March's Southern Living!! Lots of cute dresses in the store now. Has been fun keeping up with the store's Facebook page-- so if you're on there, become a fan of pink sorbet! Miss yall!!
It’s amazing to hear feedback from people who have seen our pictures and run across the blog! We appreciate your interest in our Asian adventures and love keeping in touch more than you know!
We are still flying high from our Malaysia travels, and I can hardly believe in three weeks we will be in Japan for Easter break! Tripp’s grandfather Berwyn and his wife Julia are meeting us in the Narita airport April 1st; our planes arrive within five minutes of each other! I cannot wait. What a happy reunion that will be!
Julia has been planning and getting the travel arrangements together, which is a huge blessing because she lived in Japan several years! We are sure to see the “best of” and have a great time. The guide books say the first weekends of April are the best time to visit because the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
While we anxiously count down to our next departure, we are still trying to see and do everything the city has to offer. My favorite Hong Kong columnist, Nury Vittachi, will be out on the town tonight so I am going to (hopefully) meet him! He emigrated to Britian during the Sri Lankan civil war (where he was born), married a British girl, went on an Asian honeymoon, found Hong Kong and never returned! They adopted three Chinese kids and he writes Dissident’s Diary in The Standard (English paper), which is the bright point of my daily paper read! Huge loser, I know, but I am really excited. He is also a crime novelist… maybe I will tote along my library copy of his latest and get him to sign it?
Went to dinner Friday with a newly arrived USC graduate from Charleston Liza knows! Small world, right? Lived in Columbia four years and now is here. We ate at Temple Street (something about my prawn omelette was not quite right-- I was knocked out all weekend and unable to do my planned Plover Cove campout) but picked up some pirated movies and caught up on the award winners. I am saving 3D for the actual theater tomorrow and catching Alice in Wonderland with some teacher girlfriends. Tripp is moving and shaking as always; I'll let him update you on his past weeks.
I am really proud of Mom-- Pink Sorbet got a mention in March's Southern Living!! Lots of cute dresses in the store now. Has been fun keeping up with the store's Facebook page-- so if you're on there, become a fan of pink sorbet! Miss yall!!
Monday, March 1
Langkawi
I don't even know what to say about it, it was so incredible. We were planning on spending a few days there and heading all over Malaysia, but ended up spending the entirety of the vacation being spoiled on the islands. Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands, and only four of them are inhabited. My favorite thing about the place were the coconut palms. They were everywhere! Food was fantastic and the menus varied considerably-- we even had Mexican one day! Both the locals and the tourists were quick to become friends with you.
One highlight was our first full day, we chartered a gorgeous teak sailing yacht to take us to explore private beaches and wild jungle. Check it out at www.damaiindah.com. It was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. Captain Eva, along with Jeff the first mate from California and the bartender Erika (it was open bar) and her husband who is an amazing chef (he made everything on board-- he made filet steak and grilled onion tapas; platters of fresh fruit; locally caught Spanish mackerel; prawns, marinated in honey, mustard, garlic and olive oil; paprika and lemon pepper marinated spring chicken; chicken curry; noodles-- all that for the few of us!) were a memorable crew, and we had a ball with the others on the baot-- a couple from London and an American mom and her two girls living as expats in Singapore. We anchored at a white sand deserted beach, and Tripp and I sea-kayaked and found a lagoon and went swimming. We sailed all day, through a tropical "tropical Norwegian fjord” surrounded by steep limestone cliffs. We dropped anchor again at a bay, and Eva took Tripp and I on the dinghy to a recently discovered cave. We sailed back to the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club as the Andaman sunset was working its magic and stayed on the boat another hour and a half lingering with our new friends.
Hmmmm... let's see, other things I don't want to forget so I will write them in my journal-turned-blog...
- Batik art lesson (you know the fabric Muslims wear?) and painted my own masterpiece (using this term loosely)
- Rode the Langkawi Cable Car and walked the Sky Bridge
- ate most meals al fresco in beach side cafes swinging in hammocks or by tiki torches
- found a cheap doner kebab place serving Syrian food and met a new Palestinian friend, Tiger
- took a break from the sun for a foot massage and cucumber facial & Tripp had back massage
- Red Tomato Garden Cafe was this amazing garden bistro I want to recreate at home-- organic, healthy, delicious breakfasts in this secluded jungle style porch
- motor scooters to explore the rain forests in Kedah and stopped for fruit juice squeezed in front of me
- took an hour's boat ride to Pyar Marine Park with Coral Island to spend an afternoon snorkeling with sharks in the reefs
- jungle trekking up to a staggering view from a cliff with nothing but shimmering sea all around
- our new friend Sam we met on the beach is a Malaysian that made me a grasshopper out of palm leaves and brought me a growth of aloe vera plant when I burned
- water taxi to Tuba to explore the local island and slower way of life... mode of transport for all citizens is motor scooter
- I am sure there are more but there is a lice outbreak at school and it's time for my kids to read Cleo's Color Book. Tripp's pictures are up on his Picasa if you're interested in seeing our photos from the Chinese New Year trip.
One highlight was our first full day, we chartered a gorgeous teak sailing yacht to take us to explore private beaches and wild jungle. Check it out at www.damaiindah.com. It was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. Captain Eva, along with Jeff the first mate from California and the bartender Erika (it was open bar) and her husband who is an amazing chef (he made everything on board-- he made filet steak and grilled onion tapas; platters of fresh fruit; locally caught Spanish mackerel; prawns, marinated in honey, mustard, garlic and olive oil; paprika and lemon pepper marinated spring chicken; chicken curry; noodles-- all that for the few of us!) were a memorable crew, and we had a ball with the others on the baot-- a couple from London and an American mom and her two girls living as expats in Singapore. We anchored at a white sand deserted beach, and Tripp and I sea-kayaked and found a lagoon and went swimming. We sailed all day, through a tropical "tropical Norwegian fjord” surrounded by steep limestone cliffs. We dropped anchor again at a bay, and Eva took Tripp and I on the dinghy to a recently discovered cave. We sailed back to the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club as the Andaman sunset was working its magic and stayed on the boat another hour and a half lingering with our new friends.
Hmmmm... let's see, other things I don't want to forget so I will write them in my journal-turned-blog...
- Batik art lesson (you know the fabric Muslims wear?) and painted my own masterpiece (using this term loosely)
- Rode the Langkawi Cable Car and walked the Sky Bridge
- ate most meals al fresco in beach side cafes swinging in hammocks or by tiki torches
- found a cheap doner kebab place serving Syrian food and met a new Palestinian friend, Tiger
- took a break from the sun for a foot massage and cucumber facial & Tripp had back massage
- Red Tomato Garden Cafe was this amazing garden bistro I want to recreate at home-- organic, healthy, delicious breakfasts in this secluded jungle style porch
- motor scooters to explore the rain forests in Kedah and stopped for fruit juice squeezed in front of me
- took an hour's boat ride to Pyar Marine Park with Coral Island to spend an afternoon snorkeling with sharks in the reefs
- jungle trekking up to a staggering view from a cliff with nothing but shimmering sea all around
- our new friend Sam we met on the beach is a Malaysian that made me a grasshopper out of palm leaves and brought me a growth of aloe vera plant when I burned
- water taxi to Tuba to explore the local island and slower way of life... mode of transport for all citizens is motor scooter
- I am sure there are more but there is a lice outbreak at school and it's time for my kids to read Cleo's Color Book. Tripp's pictures are up on his Picasa if you're interested in seeing our photos from the Chinese New Year trip.
Wednesday, February 24
Today was the YWCA Siu Pong School's Chinese New Years party. Everyone dressed in the traditional silk attire, and it made for a really fun day at school. The kids looked great all decked out in their Traditional finest. They even gave me a silk blue shirt, complete with dragons and lion heads. hope you enjoy these as much as i do!
Sunday, February 21
Click the link "On the Beach"
Okay, forgive the corny lyrics-- Tripp's newfound photography skills are the star of this little clip anyways. Here is a quick glimpse at our holiday in paradise.
On the Beach
On the Beach
Yeah i can pump my own gas. . . wait a second
Thought this was so cool. We headed out for Pulau Tuba, and rented this little bike. Nevermind that they needed no deposit or ID, and it only cost $7 for the day, how bout this gas pump?!?!?
Malaysia: Payar Island
Wednesday, February 10
Chinese New Year
Bear with us as we travel through Malaysia the next two weeks and likely will not update until our return! Lots of adventures to share when we get back! Love yall!!
Monday, February 8
Well, I'm not even sure where to start. Truthfully.... the most gifted writers would be unable to convey the amount of excitement and joy i found in our latest adventure. Hopefully, i can manage make sense of it all. Nevertheless, In less than 48 hours of tramping around Bangkok, i experienced things that will stay with me for the rest of my life. SB says that expectations can be the theif of joy... This is often so true, though thankfully, I didn't even know what to expect.
The people of Thailand, their laid back way of life, and of course, thier amazing food, gave me the greatest birthday gift i could have ever asked for. In one day, we went temple touring, palace wandering, riverboat riding, and market hunting. In all, it was the greatest adventure SB and i have set off on yet. Heres just a few of our photos, ill be trying to get the rest up very soon.
Oh, the center picture of SB shows her at a stop light with our lovely Tuk-Tuk driver. whats a Tuk-Tuk.... picture a dirt bike, that seats 3, no seat belts and a top speed of Mach 1. It was as close to an extreme sport as i would like to experience.
Thursday, February 4
Off to Thailand!
I resent Tripp making fun of my Amazing Race. Mysteriously he had a sprained foot so he could not compete. Probably was afraid to be beat by a girl. (Liza, ovbiously, not me.) Just kidding, he does have a pretty nasty sprain from playing pickup ball last Sunday. It was a purplish black color all week until it drifted down into his toes. Then the bruising went away but the swollen cankle remained. Picture to follow when I am not blogging from the office (the kid’s computer area at my kindergarten).
I’ve got a few things to note related to my school—one is that parent/teacher conferences were last week. I literally read my Kindle (an amazing gift if you are in the market needing a gift for a voracious reader) the ENTIRE day. No parent could really communicate with me.
The day before that, we tested out the fire alarm. Usually whenever a fire alarm goes off, even in a drill, I bolt to the closest exit. It was such a dose of reality that now I am responsible for all these teeny lives. Corrall my kids and get them out the door first, then get myself out. Conferences, fire drills… I am a real teacher!
I can’t remember if I have mentioned this to my dear readers yet, but there is an unspoken hierarchy here that is strictly adhered to. The kids and teachers ALWAYS address the pincipal, then assisant principal, then me, then Mandarin teacher, then Chinese teachers, then the sumsums (wonderwomen who cook, cleane, change diapers, decorate) [so like Mom?] when greeting parents and kids at the door. Even if the kid looks at me as he is walking in, his head whips to the people “above” me to say hello to first. Or if he sees another teacher and me, he will always say, “Good afternoon, Miss Sara”, before saying something to one of my coworkers. Just unusual and clearly there’s no afterthought from the tradition here.
That’s it for my school updates—on to bigger and better news bulletins. I was contacted by an alumni worker from Clemson who asked if I’d mentor a student interested in learning more about Chinese culture. Of course I said yes, and was absolutely thrilled to find out the student is actually living in Hong Kong this semester! I took her to dinner last night ands she’s adorable! What a small world this is, right?! Anyways, had a lovely time with Sarah and think she is meeting up with my friends tonight at the Solas reopening party! Should be fab.
Annnd tomorrow we will be celebrating Tripp’s birthday. How? By going to Thailand, of course!! What better gift than a trip to Bangkok for your 23rd right? (Except the Kindle, if you are me.) So postwork we are jumping on an Emirates plane to the Land of Smiles, hopefully to discover a new and wonderful country in a very quick weekend. Bringing the camera to share the excitement with you!
Safe weekends to yall! Love, SB
I’ve got a few things to note related to my school—one is that parent/teacher conferences were last week. I literally read my Kindle (an amazing gift if you are in the market needing a gift for a voracious reader) the ENTIRE day. No parent could really communicate with me.
The day before that, we tested out the fire alarm. Usually whenever a fire alarm goes off, even in a drill, I bolt to the closest exit. It was such a dose of reality that now I am responsible for all these teeny lives. Corrall my kids and get them out the door first, then get myself out. Conferences, fire drills… I am a real teacher!
I can’t remember if I have mentioned this to my dear readers yet, but there is an unspoken hierarchy here that is strictly adhered to. The kids and teachers ALWAYS address the pincipal, then assisant principal, then me, then Mandarin teacher, then Chinese teachers, then the sumsums (wonderwomen who cook, cleane, change diapers, decorate) [so like Mom?] when greeting parents and kids at the door. Even if the kid looks at me as he is walking in, his head whips to the people “above” me to say hello to first. Or if he sees another teacher and me, he will always say, “Good afternoon, Miss Sara”, before saying something to one of my coworkers. Just unusual and clearly there’s no afterthought from the tradition here.
That’s it for my school updates—on to bigger and better news bulletins. I was contacted by an alumni worker from Clemson who asked if I’d mentor a student interested in learning more about Chinese culture. Of course I said yes, and was absolutely thrilled to find out the student is actually living in Hong Kong this semester! I took her to dinner last night ands she’s adorable! What a small world this is, right?! Anyways, had a lovely time with Sarah and think she is meeting up with my friends tonight at the Solas reopening party! Should be fab.
Annnd tomorrow we will be celebrating Tripp’s birthday. How? By going to Thailand, of course!! What better gift than a trip to Bangkok for your 23rd right? (Except the Kindle, if you are me.) So postwork we are jumping on an Emirates plane to the Land of Smiles, hopefully to discover a new and wonderful country in a very quick weekend. Bringing the camera to share the excitement with you!
Safe weekends to yall! Love, SB
Monday, February 1
Hey Y'all, I wanted to send out some pictures from this past weekend. What we've got here is Sara Beth and Liza, doing their best to fend off the locals, in a footrace. Sunday morning in Tsim Sha Tsui played host to the annual World Cancer Charity Run. This translates into Sara Beth and Liza, preparing for this 3K thriller like Usain Bolt does for the World Finals. Pure speed folks, thats what was on display from this former Gamecock Track Standout and Clemson's speed walkers club. They were great, and it was a great way to start Sunday morning. My ribs still ache from the laughs. Thanks for reading and click on the pictures to have a better look at the magic.
Friday, January 29
Thursday, January 28
Chinese Theater
Well not quite. It was theater, but mainly Eastern European performers. The Global Arts Center at the absolute end of the bus line is closing down, and in a last bid effort to leave on a high note, they have slashed ticket prices 90%!! Instead of 200HKD, the prices for last night's 8pm show were only 20HKD. That's less than three US dollars! It was essentially a variety show, with dance performances, acrobatics, magic tricks, Cantonese singing, and the like. The show was narrated in Chinese, but a dance number from Moulin Rouge or Chicago can be enjoyed by all! Grabbed my favorite dinner in Hong Kong-- Thai green curry, ice lemon tea, and roti bread. A little mixup when ordering got us a basket of regular roti bread and garlic cheese and gee roti. The latter is the. best. thing. you. have. ever. tasted. At just over three US dollars per basket, our appetizers were more expensive than the live performance that night! Add to that figuring out the bus line and riding the whole of it for less than a buck, we had a random, good for the wallet Wednesday night!
Saturday, January 23
Busy Week
Last week was great! Wednesday I was thrilled to hear from Stephanie Laubacker, saying she was in town on business. She only had one night in Hong Kong, so Liza and I arrived at her Tsim Sha Tsui hotel to greet her and her co-worker John (from Rock Hill!) and show them around after work. The recent acid attacks and chilly weather prevented us from enjoying the atmosphere at Temple Street Night Market, but it worked out nicely because we went to Knutsford Terrace to share a meal. The tucked away street of upscale international flavors in TST is charming and boasts its own unique experience. I had tiger prawns over linguine drizzled with truffle oil (yum!) and we had a blast hanging out with fellow South Carolinians. They had to be jetlagged, and were Shanghai-bound the next day, yet John and Stephanie had the energy so the four of us headed to AquaSpirit—the swanky, ultra modern bar on top of One Peking Tower. The view of the Central skyscrapers and neon lights over the harbor is breathtaking. I loved showing my temporary home to someone else, which is why I am thrilled my sister Amelia has officially booked her flight to visit in May!! Can’t wait!
Thursday after work (while it was still light out) Tripp and I met at the Chungking Mansions in search of some authentic Middle Eastern kebabs. It seems everyone is familiar with the Mansions, a gritty, smorgasbord of sketchy hotels—by far the cheapest accommodations in the city. The pungent smell of foreign spices and body odor blasts your nostrils as you walk deeper into the place. This is the first stop for many immigrants coming to find a new life in Hong Kong, thus you can find a true melting pot in this place of cultures, languages, and ethnicities. It’s a sociologist’s dream. Many vendors set up stall with about six feet of retail space selling items from their native country—calling cards to various African countries, fake Rolexes, and legit naan bread abounds! One promising stand packed floor to ceiling DVD’s, but they were all Indian films! We ate chicken kebabs (with one eye on the exit!), caught the Symphony of Lights show at the harbor, and walked the Avenue of Stars (with Jacky Chan and Bruce Lee’s handprints in the cement, of course!)
I got a big surprise at work Friday when a teacher told me I would accompany the K2’s on an excursion to the Jusco supermarket! I never really know what is going on at school, so the fact they were going anywhere at all was news to me! K2’s are my four year olds, and I have three separate groups to take, each one lasting an hour. Very nice, as I got out of all but two teaching lessons that day! We walked over a footbridge and up the elevator to the grocery store, so it was very close. The entire field trip was spoken in Cantonese, but the idea that fruits and veggies are healthy and the tempting bakery goods are not is universally understood. I wish yall could have seen the level of discipline these children have. The matching uniforms are immaculate, and they marched in perfect formation holding their assigned buddies hand the whole time. No one spoke out of turn, and everyone listened to the teachers as they stopped and spoke about different types of food. At the end, one child got to hand over cheese to the teller and put the new purchase in a reusable grocery bag. Too cute.
This weekend we made the most of this unusual city. We took to the street Saturday afternoon with an excellent guidebook full of little known local points of interest and Tripp’s new camera. We looked like the ultimate tourists. It was fun to explore places right near our apartments that have been previously undiscovered in the past months. We moved around the bustling flower markets, which smelled fantastic and were full of people buying up flowers in preparation for the Chinese New Year. We wandered through the bird garden, where elderly men hang their pet birds in cages outside for fresh air. The bird market vendors were selling rare species of parrots that performed tricks for the humans and mingled with the wild birds hoping to get some bird seed. We covered a lot of ground on the Kowloon side. We beat closing time at the Jade Market, so I was finally able to see the 400 stalls full of jewelry and Chinese curios. Moving up through Temple Street, we found deals on two movies that are still in theatres, and also a pair of speakers for my laptop!
Once dinnertime rolled around, we headed into the heart of Kowloon City, where it seems more Thai is spoken than Chinese. Many Thai expatriates have settled here, so the curries are authentic and delicious. The Thai food here is spicier and less oily than the “Hong Kongified” versions. We were searching for a particular place our book suggested, but along the way met a man who took us across the way to his friend’s restaurant. He yelled into the kitchen through the throngs of diners, presumably to tell the owners to take care of us. Tripp got red curry and I chose the green, so we sampled both. I loaded my rice and veggies with the curry sauce and the hot flavor brought tears to my eyes. At the end of our meal, our new friend popped his head back in the restaurant to ask how we liked it! No guidebook can give you that!!
On the walk home, we happened upon a home goods store. “Just a quick peek” turned into a new oven, electric toothbrush, bathmat, and towels for my place, and bedroom slippers and an electric razor for Tripp. He hauled my little oven onto a minibus and we were able to enjoy homemade potato chips the next day!
Sunday we met up to hit Lamma Island, the hippie, semi-lawless commune accessible by a ferry from Central. It is a bedroom community for expatriate and local commuters, and is famous for its fresh (so fresh it’s still swimming in the tanks!) seafood restaurants with sea views. The best way to see the island is by hiking the Family Trail. We started near some stalls of tie-dyed clothing and beaded blankets. One gift shop was run by a Malaysian girl named Dolly. Chatting with her, we learned she studied at Tri County Tech for four years! She lived in the Anderson ghetto and said her church members in the Upstate donated furniture to her and the three Malaysian friends she was living with! Malaysians in Clemson!! Can you believe that?! We were the first South Carolinians she met on the island.
We left Dolly and climbed a hill up to the massive71 meter windmill that’s the focus of Lamma Winds, an alternative energy research facility. The weather was sunny, clear, and just the perfect crisp temperature to be active outdoors. It was probably in the 50s, and yet I still saw a girl wearing HUGE earmuffs! ) The trail led us by a beach and over mountains. Once we made it to the village on the other side of the island, we took a ferry back and brought our fantastic weekend to a close!
Yall are amazing for reading our play-by-plays! I love you and appreciate you keeping in touch!
Thursday after work (while it was still light out) Tripp and I met at the Chungking Mansions in search of some authentic Middle Eastern kebabs. It seems everyone is familiar with the Mansions, a gritty, smorgasbord of sketchy hotels—by far the cheapest accommodations in the city. The pungent smell of foreign spices and body odor blasts your nostrils as you walk deeper into the place. This is the first stop for many immigrants coming to find a new life in Hong Kong, thus you can find a true melting pot in this place of cultures, languages, and ethnicities. It’s a sociologist’s dream. Many vendors set up stall with about six feet of retail space selling items from their native country—calling cards to various African countries, fake Rolexes, and legit naan bread abounds! One promising stand packed floor to ceiling DVD’s, but they were all Indian films! We ate chicken kebabs (with one eye on the exit!), caught the Symphony of Lights show at the harbor, and walked the Avenue of Stars (with Jacky Chan and Bruce Lee’s handprints in the cement, of course!)
I got a big surprise at work Friday when a teacher told me I would accompany the K2’s on an excursion to the Jusco supermarket! I never really know what is going on at school, so the fact they were going anywhere at all was news to me! K2’s are my four year olds, and I have three separate groups to take, each one lasting an hour. Very nice, as I got out of all but two teaching lessons that day! We walked over a footbridge and up the elevator to the grocery store, so it was very close. The entire field trip was spoken in Cantonese, but the idea that fruits and veggies are healthy and the tempting bakery goods are not is universally understood. I wish yall could have seen the level of discipline these children have. The matching uniforms are immaculate, and they marched in perfect formation holding their assigned buddies hand the whole time. No one spoke out of turn, and everyone listened to the teachers as they stopped and spoke about different types of food. At the end, one child got to hand over cheese to the teller and put the new purchase in a reusable grocery bag. Too cute.
This weekend we made the most of this unusual city. We took to the street Saturday afternoon with an excellent guidebook full of little known local points of interest and Tripp’s new camera. We looked like the ultimate tourists. It was fun to explore places right near our apartments that have been previously undiscovered in the past months. We moved around the bustling flower markets, which smelled fantastic and were full of people buying up flowers in preparation for the Chinese New Year. We wandered through the bird garden, where elderly men hang their pet birds in cages outside for fresh air. The bird market vendors were selling rare species of parrots that performed tricks for the humans and mingled with the wild birds hoping to get some bird seed. We covered a lot of ground on the Kowloon side. We beat closing time at the Jade Market, so I was finally able to see the 400 stalls full of jewelry and Chinese curios. Moving up through Temple Street, we found deals on two movies that are still in theatres, and also a pair of speakers for my laptop!
Once dinnertime rolled around, we headed into the heart of Kowloon City, where it seems more Thai is spoken than Chinese. Many Thai expatriates have settled here, so the curries are authentic and delicious. The Thai food here is spicier and less oily than the “Hong Kongified” versions. We were searching for a particular place our book suggested, but along the way met a man who took us across the way to his friend’s restaurant. He yelled into the kitchen through the throngs of diners, presumably to tell the owners to take care of us. Tripp got red curry and I chose the green, so we sampled both. I loaded my rice and veggies with the curry sauce and the hot flavor brought tears to my eyes. At the end of our meal, our new friend popped his head back in the restaurant to ask how we liked it! No guidebook can give you that!!
On the walk home, we happened upon a home goods store. “Just a quick peek” turned into a new oven, electric toothbrush, bathmat, and towels for my place, and bedroom slippers and an electric razor for Tripp. He hauled my little oven onto a minibus and we were able to enjoy homemade potato chips the next day!
Sunday we met up to hit Lamma Island, the hippie, semi-lawless commune accessible by a ferry from Central. It is a bedroom community for expatriate and local commuters, and is famous for its fresh (so fresh it’s still swimming in the tanks!) seafood restaurants with sea views. The best way to see the island is by hiking the Family Trail. We started near some stalls of tie-dyed clothing and beaded blankets. One gift shop was run by a Malaysian girl named Dolly. Chatting with her, we learned she studied at Tri County Tech for four years! She lived in the Anderson ghetto and said her church members in the Upstate donated furniture to her and the three Malaysian friends she was living with! Malaysians in Clemson!! Can you believe that?! We were the first South Carolinians she met on the island.
We left Dolly and climbed a hill up to the massive71 meter windmill that’s the focus of Lamma Winds, an alternative energy research facility. The weather was sunny, clear, and just the perfect crisp temperature to be active outdoors. It was probably in the 50s, and yet I still saw a girl wearing HUGE earmuffs! ) The trail led us by a beach and over mountains. Once we made it to the village on the other side of the island, we took a ferry back and brought our fantastic weekend to a close!
Yall are amazing for reading our play-by-plays! I love you and appreciate you keeping in touch!
Friday, January 15
Tuesday, January 12
Thanksgiving at the Peak Lookout
Picasa Web Albums - Sara - Thanksgiving at the Peak Lookout
A few holidays back at this point, but dredged this picture from the depths of my memory card I just uploaded. :)
A few holidays back at this point, but dredged this picture from the depths of my memory card I just uploaded. :)
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