Happy New Year to everyone! I started the new year on a wrong foot, literally. On the first day at work in the new year, I forgot to get off at the right stop. I could not blame the relocation because I was busy reading free Hong Kong morning newspaper. Instead of Yuen Long, I stopped at Long Ping, took the return train that shared the same platform, disembarked to catch the local bus and made it to office a minute before 8:30 a.m. Just when you think things could not be any worse, it did. On my return trip home I noticed the train leaving the platform, so I sprinted into the coach, only to realize it was heading in the opposite direction from my home. I was so embarassed that I walked to the nearest coach to get off, not to disappoint those who marveled at my athleticism just a minute ago. Overall, it is aboout 45 minutes from my Mei Foo home to Yuen Long office, not much different from my travel to the Tsim Sha Tsui office, except that there are snacks, fruits and drinks to buy in the TST district, whereas there is nothing but a roadside eatery around the Yuen Long office. I heard there is a Parkway at the Yuen Long station. Hopefully I can buy some goodies and make it to school by 8:30 am. At least I brought an apple today but I also bought Vitasoy for $6 from the nearby vendor/store. Before moving I was enjoying Sesame flavored soymilk. Lunch was at the same store with those present at school today. My pork chop rice costs $26. Pictures only will do justice to the neighborhood I am describing.
I finally succumbed to flu today (Jan 9). The day started off innocently. I must have caught it in between using the restroom after waking up and walking to the West Rail line. In vain I zipped up my windbreaker that did not stand a chance aginst the winds. Soon my eyes were red and I sneezed my head off non-stop, so badly that the staff encouraged me to leave 45 minutes before office ends. After dinner with a friend I popped into the local MTR station and got a bargain, two Hang Ten sweaters for $80. On the way home I stepped into the library and sneezing ensued inside the building and at home later. That was when I realize I was most likely to sneeze when the surrounding temperature changes, even when it is warm after the cold, not necessarily when it is cold.
I bought a pullover sweater from M & S on the weekend (Jan 11). Things are really expensive at the mall. I paid HK$175 for a sweater already discounted, but other stores are more expensive, from $200-500. Things are not that expensive in the States, but I doubt if locals believe it. 50%-75% discounts are common at the right time. On Tuesday (Jan 13) I found an inexpensive but inferior $99 sweater from a roadside vendor.
After two weeks in Yuen Long I am quite an expert in taking the West Rail, stopping exactly by the down escalator to the mall exit. It takes less than 20 minutes from Mei Foo. Food is another matter. I could not find a restaurant I like. Not that there are none, but I do not know what's what yet. Yesterday (Jan 14) I took a bus home instead. The travel was 25 minutes.
My wife laughed her head off as I told her I had to track down to a store farther from our residence to buy hair gel today (Jan 19) because our neighborhood store sells my father's Brylcreem only! How ridiculous. I thought the brand died out years ago. That must be the biggest joke in Hong Kong yet for me. I went to two good restaurants in Macau over the weekened, Savory Crab in Taipa for breakfast and the ground floor restaurant in Macau Tower.
Service is as good as it gets in Hong Kong. Today (Jan 20) I returned the sweater I bought exactly a week ago from a ROADSIDE VENDOR because the seams ripped apart at the bottom of the V-neck after five days of use. I can hear Wife's remarks at the back of my mind: "Nobody in Hong Kong returns things!" To trump it all, the lady politely gave me a new sweater without questions asked; she just threw it behind the cart without checking.
Exactly two weeks had passed and I have the flu again today (Jan 24), I cannot believe my misfortune! This morning as I left home, I noticed my nose was running. After lunch at Causeway Bay's Curry-in-a-Hurry, which I have not frequented since moving to Yuen Long, relatives suggested going to New Year Fair to see flowers at full bloom, but what I got was a full-blown running nose and non-stop sniffing and sneezing visiting the stalls at Victoria Park in cold weather. Hong Kong weather is around 10 degrees Celsius (50 F). Curry-in-a-Hurry is still the best fastfood curry around. Now I am worried as I have to preach tomorrow. Postscript: Preaching yesterday was well-received.
Today is Chinese New Year in Hong Kong (Jan 25). Wishing everybody a spiritually prosperous new year! At first, I thought all I have for the ocassion was a pair of new socks, a new singlet and a new sweater (the replacement sweater from the roadside vendor), but later I realized I have brought home from USA an old but unused shirt, a pair of unused pants and shoes, so here I am all brand new, feeling like a million bucks, wearing the whole nine yarn, just like when we were kids. I don't think I can do better next year. Unfortuantely, Wife said, they are mostly black. I called relatives and friends at 9 am. The festive mood here is good but not great due to the financial crisis reminders in the media. We meant to head to Tsing Yi but took the wrong West Rail coach to Kowloon, where we unexpectedly stumbled upon the exquisite Elements Shopping Center. We were impresssed. Even Shanghai Tang was there. We were surprised most shops were open. The mall was designed and arranged according to the five elements: gold, wood, water, fire, earth (金、木、水、火、土). The xiamian noodles we ordered for lunch were merely average. After dinner with Wife's sister at our place, we went to Kwai Fong for the first time and had my favorite dessert at Honeymoon Dessert (for the first time too), where I had Durian & Thai Glutinous Rice (榴槤忘返). It was really good, gives Shau Kei Wan's Ming Kee a run for the money. The latter offers durian and mango. By now I am an expert at Chinese desserts. Kwai Fong is one of those MTR stations with exits ("E" exit) leading into huge malls. We hope to visit all of them, one by one, someday.
On the third day of Chinese New Year, which is still a holiday in Hong Kong, we took a tram to The Peak, hiked the hour-long trail there, had a surprisingly pleasant lunch at 360 and enjoyed a cup of coffee while reading the papers at Starbucks, then caught a bus downhill to enjoy more sights. Hiking at the Peak trail is the lowest level of diffculty, according to Wife's side. It was truly enjoyable. No steps, low elevation, wide roads. Riding the bus, not the subway, is the way to see Hong Kong. Sometimes we take the hour's drive from relatives' place to home, just to see the streets and scenes of Hong Kong.
I finally succumbed to flu today (Jan 9). The day started off innocently. I must have caught it in between using the restroom after waking up and walking to the West Rail line. In vain I zipped up my windbreaker that did not stand a chance aginst the winds. Soon my eyes were red and I sneezed my head off non-stop, so badly that the staff encouraged me to leave 45 minutes before office ends. After dinner with a friend I popped into the local MTR station and got a bargain, two Hang Ten sweaters for $80. On the way home I stepped into the library and sneezing ensued inside the building and at home later. That was when I realize I was most likely to sneeze when the surrounding temperature changes, even when it is warm after the cold, not necessarily when it is cold.
I bought a pullover sweater from M & S on the weekend (Jan 11). Things are really expensive at the mall. I paid HK$175 for a sweater already discounted, but other stores are more expensive, from $200-500. Things are not that expensive in the States, but I doubt if locals believe it. 50%-75% discounts are common at the right time. On Tuesday (Jan 13) I found an inexpensive but inferior $99 sweater from a roadside vendor.
After two weeks in Yuen Long I am quite an expert in taking the West Rail, stopping exactly by the down escalator to the mall exit. It takes less than 20 minutes from Mei Foo. Food is another matter. I could not find a restaurant I like. Not that there are none, but I do not know what's what yet. Yesterday (Jan 14) I took a bus home instead. The travel was 25 minutes.
My wife laughed her head off as I told her I had to track down to a store farther from our residence to buy hair gel today (Jan 19) because our neighborhood store sells my father's Brylcreem only! How ridiculous. I thought the brand died out years ago. That must be the biggest joke in Hong Kong yet for me. I went to two good restaurants in Macau over the weekened, Savory Crab in Taipa for breakfast and the ground floor restaurant in Macau Tower.
Service is as good as it gets in Hong Kong. Today (Jan 20) I returned the sweater I bought exactly a week ago from a ROADSIDE VENDOR because the seams ripped apart at the bottom of the V-neck after five days of use. I can hear Wife's remarks at the back of my mind: "Nobody in Hong Kong returns things!" To trump it all, the lady politely gave me a new sweater without questions asked; she just threw it behind the cart without checking.
Exactly two weeks had passed and I have the flu again today (Jan 24), I cannot believe my misfortune! This morning as I left home, I noticed my nose was running. After lunch at Causeway Bay's Curry-in-a-Hurry, which I have not frequented since moving to Yuen Long, relatives suggested going to New Year Fair to see flowers at full bloom, but what I got was a full-blown running nose and non-stop sniffing and sneezing visiting the stalls at Victoria Park in cold weather. Hong Kong weather is around 10 degrees Celsius (50 F). Curry-in-a-Hurry is still the best fastfood curry around. Now I am worried as I have to preach tomorrow. Postscript: Preaching yesterday was well-received.
Today is Chinese New Year in Hong Kong (Jan 25). Wishing everybody a spiritually prosperous new year! At first, I thought all I have for the ocassion was a pair of new socks, a new singlet and a new sweater (the replacement sweater from the roadside vendor), but later I realized I have brought home from USA an old but unused shirt, a pair of unused pants and shoes, so here I am all brand new, feeling like a million bucks, wearing the whole nine yarn, just like when we were kids. I don't think I can do better next year. Unfortuantely, Wife said, they are mostly black. I called relatives and friends at 9 am. The festive mood here is good but not great due to the financial crisis reminders in the media. We meant to head to Tsing Yi but took the wrong West Rail coach to Kowloon, where we unexpectedly stumbled upon the exquisite Elements Shopping Center. We were impresssed. Even Shanghai Tang was there. We were surprised most shops were open. The mall was designed and arranged according to the five elements: gold, wood, water, fire, earth (金、木、水、火、土). The xiamian noodles we ordered for lunch were merely average. After dinner with Wife's sister at our place, we went to Kwai Fong for the first time and had my favorite dessert at Honeymoon Dessert (for the first time too), where I had Durian & Thai Glutinous Rice (榴槤忘返). It was really good, gives Shau Kei Wan's Ming Kee a run for the money. The latter offers durian and mango. By now I am an expert at Chinese desserts. Kwai Fong is one of those MTR stations with exits ("E" exit) leading into huge malls. We hope to visit all of them, one by one, someday.
On the third day of Chinese New Year, which is still a holiday in Hong Kong, we took a tram to The Peak, hiked the hour-long trail there, had a surprisingly pleasant lunch at 360 and enjoyed a cup of coffee while reading the papers at Starbucks, then caught a bus downhill to enjoy more sights. Hiking at the Peak trail is the lowest level of diffculty, according to Wife's side. It was truly enjoyable. No steps, low elevation, wide roads. Riding the bus, not the subway, is the way to see Hong Kong. Sometimes we take the hour's drive from relatives' place to home, just to see the streets and scenes of Hong Kong.
Hey Pastor! Why the web move???
ReplyDeleteHey Happy Chinese New Year!!
ReplyDelete