Displays in Hong Kong

I will say that I have seen some of the coolest displays in Hong Kong.  This year I am attempting to take more pictures of the displays.  Yesterday I went to Pacific Place, a mall in the Admiralty section of Hong Kong.  I venture there occasionally to go to a grocery store.  While there, I noticed one of the coolest displays I've seen.  It is called "Elephants on Parade".  I went back today with my camera.  Here are some pictures:

Here are some pictures of three displays that were not a part of "Elephants on Parade" that I thought were pretty cool.  There first one is made of pencils and the second one is made from gold kazoos, recorders and whistles.

First Day of School--Year Two

The first day of school in our second year in Hong Kong is looking a lot like the first day of school last year...postponed!  Once again it is typhoon season.  While there was no typhoon today, there was a Red Rain Warning issued just long enough this morning to cancel what was supposed to be Grace's first day of school.  Of course it wasn't issued until after I checked the website and then woke her up at 6:30:)  She was happy at first, and then disappointed that she was missing the freshmen orientation.  The disappointment turned to happiness again later in the day when PJ very excitedly said, "No school for me tomorrow! Grace, you have your orientation."

Instead of sitting around and playing cards this year, the girls and I walked through the rain to get their school supplies.  We managed to keep the supplies dry while completely soaking ourselves.  PJ and friends put on bathing suits and went down to the field to toss around the frisbee.  They really wanted to locate a tarp and make a slip and slide, but apparently those didn't make the move from Pennsylvania.

The rain is due to slow down tomorrow and be gone by Friday.  It looks like it will be a very hot and steamy weekend.  At least we will have a chance to clear the "wet dog" smell out of the house!

Sunshine Organization

The weekend before last Meg and I had the opportunity to volunteer with the Sunshine Organization. We went in small groups and delivered bags of food to elderly people living in the Central district of Hong Kong.  Our group delivered bags to four individuals, three women and one man.  Three of these individuals were thrilled to see us and so happy to tell their stories.

One of the women was grief stricken.  She had lost her husband three years ago and has one daughter who never visits her.  She suffers from health problems and was so sad that she had several of us near tears.  She had a very difficult time getting around.  I was happy to hear her say that the westerners who live in her building do offer to help her frequently.

The other three individuals appeared to be in great health and none of us would have ever guessed they were as old as they were.  Each of them was very happy.  Their children visited.  One woman told us she has dinner with her son twice a week.  The only thing she was sad about was that her son and his wife don't want children so she will never be a grandmother:)  All three of these individuals told us they exercise for two hours a day.  They were all well into their eighties!  The gentleman of the group had worked at many different jobs including for an American hotel, so he spoke English.

All four people communicated with us through our group leader who spoke Cantonese.  It was so interesting to hear their stories and to see how they live.  Our group leader told me that he believes they all own the flats in which they live.  They were very simple flats, but had everything you would need.  Three of the four were quick to turn on their small air conditioners when we entered.  The woman who was so sad said she can not afford to run her air conditioner.  Therefore she keeps her windows open and has trouble with bug bites.  Three of the four have one child, however, the gentleman has six!  Very unusual for Hong Kong.  His home was filled with pictures of his children and grandchildren.  His wife passed away 20 years ago.  He was such an inspiration.  At 85 he was happy, healthy and full of life.

I would say that the biggest difference I saw between these four individuals and many of their age in the States was the exercise.  My lesson, and Meg's as well, was that it is important to exercise everyday and children should visit their parents:)  Meg promised she will always visit me.

Bad Hair, Pit Stains and Monkey Butt

Aww, the rainy season.  With it comes humidity that would make even a southerner cringe.  I just returned from walking our cooler two complexes up the street and I'm completely soaked.  It looks as though I will need another shower before attending the "pre-prom party" this evening.

I'm not sure why I take the time to wash and blow dry my hair.  After two minutes outside it is a complete mess.  It is usually wet from sweat, sticking to my head with all of the little grey hairs sticking straight out.  It is good that I am not a vain person because everyday is a "bad hair day".  PJ and Meg sweat like their mother, so they usually have wet heads as well.

Meg came home from school yesterday and said, "Mom, would you please get me more white uniform shirts?" "Why?"  She lifts her arm and says, "Because this is embarrassing." That is why I stick to sleeveless shirts.  No pit stains.  PJ texted me from school a few days ago, "Mom, please bring me a new shirt." "Why?" "Because mine got soaked walking to school."  It wasn't raining that day.

Our dear friend, Tim Lorge, taught us the term "monkey butt" (I won't tell you what Dave calls it).  Well, I am in a constant state of "monkey butt" these days.  I can't bring myself to use powder they way I did with my kids when they were in diapers.  Instead, I have decided that it is best to wear loose clothing and not sit down until I have had a chance to cool off in the air conditioning.  Otherwise it looks as though I suffer from bladder control issues.  I'm old, but not that old!

The funny part of all of this is that we seem to be the only ones with these issues when we're walking down the street.  A cousin recently asked me, "Don't the Chinese ladies sweat?"  Apparently not.  They wear pants, or shorts with tights, and long sleeves and there are no signs of sweat on them. Some might say you get acclimated and you won't sweat as much.  We lived in Chattanooga for two years and I can tell you that I never stopped sweating.  So my guess is that I won't stop sweating here either.

I will keep drinking my water, stick to loose clothing (or workout clothes), seek out the air conditioning, and make sure I shower before seeing any of you:)

Shenzhen, China

Many expats in Hong Kong take day trips to Shenzhen, China (directly across the border) for shopping and to have clothes made.  I made my first trip, followed quickly by two more, the week before last with one of my neighbors.  She had made her first trip the week before with a friend and had some clothes made.  She needed to go back to pick them up.  I went with requests from Dave and PJ for a few shirts and intending to buy a few gifts to take back to the States this summer.  I had only intended to have two skirts made for myself.

My friend's driver drove us to an MTR station in the New Territories directly across from Shenzhen.  The drive takes about an hour from our side of the island and then it is one stop on the MTR and a trip through customs.  Very easy to do, but you have to have a China Visa which is the reason I hadn't gone before.

Now I have been to the fake market and the fabric market in Shanghai, so I was expecting something similar.  In many ways it was, but the "mall" was much newer and cleaner.  It was also easier to navigate the way the shops were set-up.  I was not ready for how much more aggressive the people were.  As soon as we entered the mall we had someone following us asking what we were looking for and offering to take us to a shop.  "You want purses?  Best quality.  Brand name.  Sunglasses?  Oakleys, Ray Bans?  I show you."  The mall is four levels and the person literally followed us all the way to the top level even though we kept telling him we were all set.

We made it to the tailor shop.  I sat down to choose the fabric for Dave's work shirts while my friend tried on the clothes she'd had made.  I was so impressed with the workmanship on my friend's clothes that I ended up ordering 3 dresses and a skirt and jacket for myself!  After selecting the fabric for Dave's shirts the tailor then took me into the fabric shop to select the fabric for my dresses, skirts and PJ's shirts.  The fabric shop consists of many small booths selling different types of fabric.  The tailor directed me to a couple and then I wandered through to find others.  In the process of doing this I found one booth that sold quilts.  I liked them so much that I ended up buying bath towels and quilts for all of our beds in San Diego!

Once we finished with the tailor we were back into the masses of shops.  Once again we picked-up a follower who was trying to direct us to shops.  Just like in Shanghai, you have to be careful to look at the quality of what you are purchasing.  Continually ask for "best quality".  When they bring it out, check it and ask again.  Bargaining is key and don't be afraid to walk away.  Use the price another place gave you as a bargaining tool.  Many shop owners will start with a price three times higher than what they are willing to take.  There were clothes, shoes, glasses, electronics, toys, jewellery, you name it.

My first trip was on a Wednesday.  Dave and I went back on Saturday to pick-up his and PJ's shirts.  Dave drove to the MTR station across the border.  It was a pretty drive and we were pleasantly surprised by how easy it was.  Dave was so impressed with the quality of his shirts that he ordered more and I ordered a couple of short sleeve shirts for PJ.  This meant another trip back the following Wednesday with my friend.

On my last trip, as we were leaving a local picked up my suitcase (always go with a suitcase on wheels to carry all of your goods) and carried it down the stairs for me.  He then thanked me and it was obvious he was hoping for money.  I continued to say "No" and thank him.  He then started rubbing his belly like he was hungry.  We were passing a shop selling duck, so I told him I would buy him food.  I spoke to the person at the shop and ordered the gentleman a duck.  He was thankful, but looked a little less than happy.  After he was given the food I thanked him again and my friend and I turned and left.  As we were walking away I happened to glance back and saw something I have not seen before.  The gentleman was attempting to sell the container of duck back to the shop!  I guess he wasn't really hungry for food.

If you are willing to pay the $200-$300 for a China visa I recommend a trip to Shenzhen if you visit Hong Kong.

Thailand River Kwai -- by Grace

Hi everyone, this year for PEAK (Program of Extended Activities for Kids), my trip was focused on service and adventure. I went to River Kwai in Thailand for five days, and did a number of great things in my time. Not only did I have service and adventure, but there was also a big aspect of history and culture in my trip, since River Kwai is famous for its POW camp and the Bridge on the River Kwai.

Day One - On Monday morning, I had to wake up at about 4:45 am to get to the school and catch the bus to the airport. After a 3-hour plane ride and a five-hour bus ride (which was torture; 100 degrees and humid, no air conditioning, and 60 kids in one small bus), we got to the Bridge. It was nothing like I expected, there was really nothing there except the bridge. After we walked across it, we left to go to our accommodations, which were the exact opposite of what they told us they would be. No air conditioning, bugs everywhere, tiny rooms shared by five people, rock-hard beds, and whenever the showers where turned on, storms of beetles, moths and hornets flew around the bathroom.

Day Two - On the second day, we started with what would be our daily meal; fried rice, steamed rice, fried chicken, watermelon, and pineapple. We ate this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Then, we took our first strange form of transportation to Hellfire Pass. It was a truck, but it reminded me of going on a hay ride, and we were sure someone was going over the side with all of the bumps and turns. We then hiked Hellfire Pass for about 6 kilometres. For anyone who doesn't know, Hellfire Pass is the name that was given to the railroad made by the POWs. It was made by hundreds of thousands of POWs and Chinese laborers, many of whom died. They were forced to work for up to 18 hours at a time using small hand-held tools to dig into the ground and create a path for the train. There were times where the ground level was a good 30 feet above where the path was dug.  Given the horrible conditions and health of the workers, they decided the name was appropriate. After the hike, we went to a museum dedicated to the POWs and learned about history. For the rest of the day, we practiced our kayaking skills.

Day Three - This day was probably the highlight of my trip. We started the day with our second (and best) strange form of transportation: a party bus. Even at 7 in the morning, the disco lights and blasting music woke everyone up. We drove to a local Thai school. I forget the Thai name, but I know that the translation is School of Heaven. There were about 60 kids, ranging from ages four to ten, waiting for us. From the very beginning, two or three little girls latched onto me and literally didn't let go for the entire day. Most kids didn't know a single word of english, and none of us knew any Thai, so it was really interesting. We did songs like the ABC's and Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, which were both great hits, and the kids loved singing along. We also played games including soccer, tag, and patty cake. By the end of the day, I knew the entire Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes song in Thai (that I of course forgot by dinner time). We also built a fish farm and a mushroom farm, but as I said before, there were always little kids dragging me around, so I didn't have too much time to work on those. We were at the school from about 8am to 6pm. The girl in the picture below that is standing in the back wearing the red-orange shirt is one of the girls who wouldn't leave my side. At the start of the day, I was sitting down, and she came behind me, stole my hat, then sat next to me. She wore it for the rest of the day.

Day Four - On the fourth day, we took a third strange form of transportation: still a party bus, but with louder music and doors/windows that didn't close so that everybody could hear us. (Someone lost a hat out of the window inevitably) We went to the school again, and the same group of girls found me. They decided that they were going to teach me the numbers 1-20 in Thai. They got a huge laugh when I couldn't pronounce a single word, and were taking turns trying to teach me. While I was playing with all of the little girls, I saw that all of the boys from my school were getting pinned down and beaten up by a few Thai students. They said they didn't want to fight back, but we all agreed they couldn't have done anything to save themselves. There was one little boy in particular, who we named Boxer Boy, who was probably about nine. He ran around chasing any boy in sight, knocking him to the ground, and punching him until a teacher would come over and try to stop the fight. He even threw a few punches at the male teachers, but not a single girl. Boxer Boy is in the picture below in the black shirt.

Instead of staying until 6 again, we left the school at about one in the afternoon. About half of the students had done this the day before, but I did it on the fourth day. We got to kayak about 25 kilometres along a beautiful river. We were allowed to jump out of our kayak several times just to float in the water along side our kayaks. This was a lot of fun. We got out of our kayaks right at the spot we were staying for our last night. This was a river-side resort that was really just a village made up of one huge hotel. It was called Home Phu Toey, and it was a huge upgrade from our previous nights. I'm pretty sure everyone took an hour-long shower, still not completely getting the dirt off. But, of course, they were just building us up to let us down.

Day Five - We were woken up at 4 in the morning to get onto our fourth and final strange form of transportation: three camouflage-painted pick-up trucks with platforms built on top of the back so that more people could be seated on the top level. At this time in the morning, no one was awake enough to complain. If someone did speak up, they were hushed by 30 tired teenagers. Luckily, after about fifteen minutes, we switched onto a normal bus, this time air conditioned, and drove back to the airport. Every single person slept for the entire bus ride. I finally got home at about 5pm, ready for a nice long shower and a bug-free room all to myself. I got all of the dirt off of my legs only to reveal a huge tan line from my tennis shoes.