We were told that if you wanted a respite from Shenzhen that Hong Kong was the place to go. I honestly thought that, "How much different can it be than Shenzhen? We are only 45 minutes apart by ferry and it is China..." So, I was wrong. Hong Kong, if you haven't been, is this awesome mix of Europe and Asia, old and new, English and Mandarin, green spaces and dense urban areas. A cheap and easy ferry ride from Shekou, where we live, but seems like a different continent. Folks are very diverse-- not just Asian and the food is reflected in that. We went to a great English pub for pitas and chicken and chips and the waiter understood us. We went to an English bookstore. $7 for a People magazine was a bit steep, but I bought it anyway:) Because the area in which HK was developed is mountainous, the shops and streets are built going up. We learned that the longest outdoor escalator is here in Hong Kong. A very cool peak tram carries you up to the Victorian Garden, the region that original British colonists inhabited. Chinese natives were not allowed as far up the mountain, except for the servants who had to travel 3rd class. Same old, same old story of colonization. At the top of the mountain are various trails, Victorian architecture, and the ever present Starbucks. Both pictures featured here are taken from the peak. We walked down on this long green path-- outstanding really for such an urban environment. Streets have British names like Wellington, Queen's Road, Shelley Road. Traffic passes on the right, not left. You should consider coming....
HK sounds gorgeous! Not sure when our trip to China will be -- we had to re-arrange some things on this end with a school in Beijing.
ReplyDeleteWant us to stockpile gossip magazines and send them? You'd be a few weeks behind knowing things like Paris Hilton was busted for cocaine possession and claimed it was gum (really? gum??), and vital news like that, but still, imagine going a whole two years without knowing who got butt implants? Those magazines make such good gym reading -- big pictures and not a lot of complex plot to follow!
HK sounds steep like San Francisco -- I bet you'll get great calf muscles! When did Renata get so insanely tall?
I think I am going to bake a cobbler this afternoon. Did I tell you I messed up the ones I made last week -- it was very demoralizing after all that peeling and peeling and chopping and chopping! Seriously, I must have laid waste to half an orchard, only to leave out the baking powder at the last minute. I blame the cats for throwing up in the middle of the process and distracting me. Garvan nicely offered to eat it anyhow. I've discovered that cobblers are the best way to get him to have some fruit every day (he even eats it for breakfast!).
Is it in China that they have those pedicure places where the flesh-eating fish nibble your toes in the soaking water? I triple-dog dare you to go to one. Just make sure the fish aren't too hungry or it's no more sandals for you and you will have to be re-named "Stumpy."
Go on youtube and look up "pug batman". It makes Garvan cry with laughter every time.
H
Hey I tried to reply to your email and it bounced back as "undeliverable" (now I am sad).
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of you now because I am listening to an old-time radio program playing "Salty Dog Rag" and it is just the time of year we all danced to it at Dartmouth TWENTY-FOUR YEARS AGO! Oops. Hopefully none of your other blog-followers will do the math on that one.
It feels like fall is coming here and I just cooked a peach and apple cobbler the size of Iowa. This time I remembered to put in the baking soda so it is much better than the one I complained about last time.
We have the Navy 5-miler next week. I'm off for a long run outside tomorrow and then lower mileage this week (my legs have been pretty stale -- you know that feeling?).
Go on google and look up "who's your froggy" -- but not when there is anyone else there. Trust me.
H
I can't believe how grown-up the kids look! Wow! How did THAT happen?!
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