Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Hong Kong: Day 3
I lived in HK until I was about 10yrs. My world then was made up of my parents, my sister, my school friends and the occasional conflict between these elements. Life was simple and I had no need to distinguish Hong Kong as rich, poor, modern, or any other labels. It was simply home.
My last visit was about 8 years ago. On that trip, the Hong Kong I experienced was a fast-paced metropolis. I was impressed with the advanced transportation system and of course the newest electronic gadgets. The trip was only a week long and I stayed with the same relatives. Naturally I experienced HK life as my relatives did. I lived in an expensive residential area close to the business district, with easy access to luxury goods stores and posh restaurants.
This time around something new struck me. My idea of this wealthy and prosperous city was slowly breaking down, as we wandered into some new (to me) neighbourhoods. Although this was the place where I was born, I felt like I was discovering a city for the first time.
Sham Shui Po (深水埗). I'll talk more about these buildings in future posts.
鴨寮街, I love this street. It's all electronics, parts, randomness.
This street is dedicated to wholesalers of toys, stationery, accessories, basically the cute and useless stuff they sell at Asian stores, at 1/10 of the price. I was very intrigued (c'mon an entire street of funny trinkets!) but no I didn't spend a dime here. There was a store filled with fake guns and war memorabilia. It scared me.
LOL!
Kelvin's uncle W on the left. He seemed to know a lot of people in this neighbourhood, such as this shop owner.
We ate lunch about 2hrs ago. In HK you never really stop eating. Here we are in a typical "tea restaurant".
Kelvin's auntie E and family. If you see something craft-looking in this picture, she made it. Some people are interested in crafts but auntie E is truly gifted. From delicate rice-sized clay models to shadowboxes made out of hundreds of paper layers, her house is filled with truly unique handiwork. On top of her creations, she uses her gift to teach and connect with the community. A lady who is inspired and inspiring.
We had dinner that night with my mom's side of the family to celebrate aunt S' birthday. I don't know how but she looks younger and younger every time I see her. Uncle W looks just like my mom. Haha!
The black stick figures represent our aunts and uncles that were in Hong Kong during our visit. Add our cousins, their spouses, the kids, and this picture suddenly multiplies like wild fire. In the next few posts, you'll meet some colourful lovelies, known to us as family.
My last visit was about 8 years ago. On that trip, the Hong Kong I experienced was a fast-paced metropolis. I was impressed with the advanced transportation system and of course the newest electronic gadgets. The trip was only a week long and I stayed with the same relatives. Naturally I experienced HK life as my relatives did. I lived in an expensive residential area close to the business district, with easy access to luxury goods stores and posh restaurants.
This time around something new struck me. My idea of this wealthy and prosperous city was slowly breaking down, as we wandered into some new (to me) neighbourhoods. Although this was the place where I was born, I felt like I was discovering a city for the first time.
Sham Shui Po (深水埗). I'll talk more about these buildings in future posts.
鴨寮街, I love this street. It's all electronics, parts, randomness.
This street is dedicated to wholesalers of toys, stationery, accessories, basically the cute and useless stuff they sell at Asian stores, at 1/10 of the price. I was very intrigued (c'mon an entire street of funny trinkets!) but no I didn't spend a dime here. There was a store filled with fake guns and war memorabilia. It scared me.
LOL!
Kelvin's uncle W on the left. He seemed to know a lot of people in this neighbourhood, such as this shop owner.
We ate lunch about 2hrs ago. In HK you never really stop eating. Here we are in a typical "tea restaurant".
Kelvin's auntie E and family. If you see something craft-looking in this picture, she made it. Some people are interested in crafts but auntie E is truly gifted. From delicate rice-sized clay models to shadowboxes made out of hundreds of paper layers, her house is filled with truly unique handiwork. On top of her creations, she uses her gift to teach and connect with the community. A lady who is inspired and inspiring.
We had dinner that night with my mom's side of the family to celebrate aunt S' birthday. I don't know how but she looks younger and younger every time I see her. Uncle W looks just like my mom. Haha!
The black stick figures represent our aunts and uncles that were in Hong Kong during our visit. Add our cousins, their spouses, the kids, and this picture suddenly multiplies like wild fire. In the next few posts, you'll meet some colourful lovelies, known to us as family.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Hong Kong: Day 2
The excitement of day 1 plus our jetlag setting made day 2 a slow and uneventful day. I spent most of the morning at Starbucks so we could use their Wi-Fi to do some trip research. As usual Kelvin tried to make our day better by cooking. The kimchi jigae was delicious but so much fish bones! One of our rare home-cooked meals during the trip.
Here's a picture of breakfast. Macaroni in broth. If you didn't grow up with this, it probably looks weird and gross, but this is popular HK cuisine and it is definitely comfort food for me. This McDonald's breakfast (soup, hash brown + coffee) is about $3.30 Canadian. There's no tax on food in HK.
I think the only thing we did that day was meet up with Phil and his wife (still fiancé then). Nice to catch up with old friends, especially when Kel was going to be a groomsmen at Phil's wedding in Toronto, one week after our return.
Here's a picture of breakfast. Macaroni in broth. If you didn't grow up with this, it probably looks weird and gross, but this is popular HK cuisine and it is definitely comfort food for me. This McDonald's breakfast (soup, hash brown + coffee) is about $3.30 Canadian. There's no tax on food in HK.
I think the only thing we did that day was meet up with Phil and his wife (still fiancé then). Nice to catch up with old friends, especially when Kel was going to be a groomsmen at Phil's wedding in Toronto, one week after our return.
Hong Kong: Day 1
Jet-lagged but overly hyper to be out of transit, we woke up wide-eyed after 4 hours of sleep. Oh I forgot to mention in Day 0 we were greeted by the apartment with the smell of mothballs. Hong Kong people love mothballs, even after they move to Canada. When I was in high school, I baked some cookies for Kelvin. He said they tasted ok but smelled like mothballs.
With no destination in mind on our first day, we were happy to just wander around. Funny enough, I saw some students with my old uniform on Nathan Road. We followed the uniforms and eventually arrived at my grade school. Then we accidentally walked up the stairs that led to the area where Kelvin used to live, and then somehow that road brought us to my old apartment. We were amazed that our worlds were actually so close. I couldn't help but think of my parents. I missed them and my sister lots that day.
The view from our HK headquarters. Remote in HK standards.
A 5 minute walk from our building brings us to phase 3 of our complex, where there's a "mini" shopping mall. Inside you will find a dozen or so restaurants, a supermarket, convenience store, book store, stationary/gift store, clothes and shoes retailers, basically enough retail to meet one's basic needs.
The weather in Hong Kong is sub-tropical and much hotter compared to Canada, but there are so many shaded areas like this bridge here.
"Wai?! Eees TzanKnee Ah!" Fob face in full effect. I'm trying to arrange some quality time with my cousin here. 慧珍家姐, I miss you!
Breakfast was fast food. Here's more carby goodness. I LOVE RICE!
As instructed by my sister, here's photographic evidence of how insanely clean the subway is.
After what seemed like hours, we arrive at the hub of the city. Right: Starbucks at Langham Place Shopping Mall
One of Hong Kong's largest vertical malls, this one has 15 floors of retail. On top there's another 40+ levels of office space. Modern and grand.
The "patio" area of Starbucks. Take note of the pink-ish building on my left.
Here's the same pink building adjacent to Langham Place. Two different worlds facing each other.
I LOVED how my grade school had not changed a bit. It was a bit emotional walking into the little gym that used to seem so so big.
Shocked and happy to see the stores from my childhood. My parents would take us to that McDonald's after Sunday service, do some shopping at Crocodile or the Wing-On department store. I never guessed an intersection would bring back so many memories.
Kelvin: "C'mon honey, it's just a few steps."
Me: "uh...are you SUUURE?"
Just to clarify, it took half an hour to walk up those few steps.
My mom's old place. C A N N O T believe we're seeing all these by accident on our first day.
The more affluent condo complexes have their own minibuses.
This is where I used to live. It was fun recalling stories from the past, like how my mom and I would go to the nearby market and she would never agree to buy me blood-jello congee (?!) no matter how hard I begged and pleaded, or how my dad would take me to the secret cafeteria in the building across the street for breakfast. I have the best mom and dad and yes, I know I'm a pig.
Kelvin used to come here quite a bit for toys and McDonald's.
10PM on the subway. How's my party-smile looking?
With no destination in mind on our first day, we were happy to just wander around. Funny enough, I saw some students with my old uniform on Nathan Road. We followed the uniforms and eventually arrived at my grade school. Then we accidentally walked up the stairs that led to the area where Kelvin used to live, and then somehow that road brought us to my old apartment. We were amazed that our worlds were actually so close. I couldn't help but think of my parents. I missed them and my sister lots that day.
The view from our HK headquarters. Remote in HK standards.
A 5 minute walk from our building brings us to phase 3 of our complex, where there's a "mini" shopping mall. Inside you will find a dozen or so restaurants, a supermarket, convenience store, book store, stationary/gift store, clothes and shoes retailers, basically enough retail to meet one's basic needs.
The weather in Hong Kong is sub-tropical and much hotter compared to Canada, but there are so many shaded areas like this bridge here.
"Wai?! Eees TzanKnee Ah!" Fob face in full effect. I'm trying to arrange some quality time with my cousin here. 慧珍家姐, I miss you!
Breakfast was fast food. Here's more carby goodness. I LOVE RICE!
As instructed by my sister, here's photographic evidence of how insanely clean the subway is.
After what seemed like hours, we arrive at the hub of the city. Right: Starbucks at Langham Place Shopping Mall
One of Hong Kong's largest vertical malls, this one has 15 floors of retail. On top there's another 40+ levels of office space. Modern and grand.
The "patio" area of Starbucks. Take note of the pink-ish building on my left.
Here's the same pink building adjacent to Langham Place. Two different worlds facing each other.
I LOVED how my grade school had not changed a bit. It was a bit emotional walking into the little gym that used to seem so so big.
Shocked and happy to see the stores from my childhood. My parents would take us to that McDonald's after Sunday service, do some shopping at Crocodile or the Wing-On department store. I never guessed an intersection would bring back so many memories.
Kelvin: "C'mon honey, it's just a few steps."
Me: "uh...are you SUUURE?"
Just to clarify, it took half an hour to walk up those few steps.
My mom's old place. C A N N O T believe we're seeing all these by accident on our first day.
The more affluent condo complexes have their own minibuses.
This is where I used to live. It was fun recalling stories from the past, like how my mom and I would go to the nearby market and she would never agree to buy me blood-jello congee (?!) no matter how hard I begged and pleaded, or how my dad would take me to the secret cafeteria in the building across the street for breakfast. I have the best mom and dad and yes, I know I'm a pig.
Kelvin used to come here quite a bit for toys and McDonald's.
10PM on the subway. How's my party-smile looking?
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Hong Kong: Day 0
A few months ago, Kelvin and I were trying to decide where we should go after his graduation. It would be the last time in a long time for Kelvin to take more than a week off. Hong Kong was the last place on my mind, but Kelvin found some super cheap plane tickets, and his last trip back was in 1992 (!!), so with the blessing of my super nice boss, we were headed to the motherland for three weeks.
The weeks leading up to our trip, I felt nervous all over whenever I thought about the tropical heat, the obligatory family visits and the Asian crowds. I can't even stand Pacific Mall Pacific Mall for more than 20 minutes, so Hong Kong might be a bit of a challenge.
First transfer at Detroit.
After 22 hours and 2 transfers, we arrived safely in Hong Kong. Here is the sweet (not to mention hungry) man that cooked us our first meal at 1:00 am. It was instant noodles of course!
No internet, no phone. Grumpyhawk takes over.
The weeks leading up to our trip, I felt nervous all over whenever I thought about the tropical heat, the obligatory family visits and the Asian crowds. I can't even stand Pacific Mall Pacific Mall for more than 20 minutes, so Hong Kong might be a bit of a challenge.
 | Enough babbling. C'mon, let's get on with it! |
First transfer at Detroit.
After 22 hours and 2 transfers, we arrived safely in Hong Kong. Here is the sweet (not to mention hungry) man that cooked us our first meal at 1:00 am. It was instant noodles of course!
No internet, no phone. Grumpyhawk takes over.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Happy Birthday, Beautiful
1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self,
the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
Wishing you a life time of beauty.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)