Lesley in Hong Kong

Ray Lewis The Release Effect TRE

Ray Lewis is visiting Hong Kong from 17th April 2015 for two weeks and can be contacted on   9748 7538.

 

A few years ago I met Ray Lewis on a plane.  We had a very interesting conversation about his job which he told me was 'helping people'.  He explained a little about how he did this and it was so compelling that I followed up his suggestion of reading his website once I was home.  

 

The Release Effect     Take a little time to explore his method if you are interested.

 

 

I pursued his ideas and went ahead and did some, he recommends five,  sessions with him where he asked me questions and then asked me to sit quietly and listen to him.  I cannot really explain what happened after that apart from to say that I was aware of what was happening and could hear his voice.  It was calming and easy.

 

Afterwards, not immediately afterwards, and I can't really be precise about the timing of how my negative feelings were alleviated, but I had a complete change of feeling.  I felt lighter and no longer afraid.  The same old crap was going on but I felt Teflon coated after the sessions and it just didn't bother me in the same way.  I had more strength to live my life.

 

The Release Effect    Ray Lewis

 

Ray in visiting Hong Kong again and will be doing an informative free talk on 20th April at Reflections for all who are interested.   All the details are below from Ruby of Reflections.  

 

 

Reflections - TRE 20th April 2015

 

Ray Lewis spent most of his adult life (more than 20 years) battling severe  manic/depression or bi-polar as it has come to be known, and during that  time he spent thousands of hours and many more thousands of dollars trying  to get "the monkeys off his back".   He was addicted to therapies and would try anything to get relief from the nightmare of his own mind that he was trapped in.  He'd tried different types of therapies, attended umpteen different types of weekend seminar and read hundreds of self help books that inspired him, and according to Ray, they all worked, and provided some relief, but unfortunately, eventually the negative feelings would always come back again.
 

Fifteen years ago through a chance conversation, Ray stumbled across the missing link in the puzzle of the nightmare he found  himself in.  The answer came in the knowledge of a small part of the brain that was relatively unknown until the famous neuro-science professor Joseph  La Doux, (NYU) discovered aspects of a little part of the brain called the Amygdala in the Limbic System, which led to the development of The Release Effect.  

 

The Amygdala can store memories as a feeling memory even before our first conscious memories which usually start around the ages of 2-5.  For example, a baby left alone too long could feel abandoned, which to a baby would feel like a life threatening situation, and then in the future, anything even remotely similar to being alone can trigger the same fight/flight response that the Amygdala remembered from all those years before.  Even though the current situation is not logically relevant to that feeling memory.  The Release Effect does not require a memory of the original event that created the feelings, it does not use analysis of the past.

 

 

 

The Release Effect evolved and in the last ten years, Ray has successfully treated  nearly two thousand people with this technique, to help them get rid of their "monkeys" as well, and finally find that elusive peace of mind. 

 

Ray has been free of his depression and feelings of worthlessness, helplessness, failure, fear of poverty, unappreciated and unloved etc for over 20 years and has devoted most of his time to travelling to take this new approach to people all around the world.  He finds people in Hong Kong to be very open-minded and looks forward to meeting you at an almost free talk on April 20 evening, where you can learn more about The Release Effect.

  Love Offering :     HK$77

 

To join the evening talk on April 20 with Ray, call Reflections on 2504 1333. 

 

 

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Ray Lewis The Release Effect TRE

Peripheral Vision

I am truly aware that the subject of walking along the pavement does not, on the face of it, seem like a subject to spark much interesting conversation. And for those of you who absolutely and completely disagree with the above and before you start yelling at your screen.

 

I feel your pain.

 

I am truly aware that walking along the pavement in Hong Kong has been covered and at the risk of seeming hyperbolic - seven million times before! It even has a name 'Asian drift'

 

Moreover (*see below) I am truly aware that people, and by that I mean people who are my friends or could be a potential friend) understand, appreciate and embrace the unwritten rules of pavement etiquette. The subtext meaning, and I feel it necessary to be completely transparent here, because if you don't understand pavement etiquette you may not get that you are not and never will be my friend if you don't practice pavement etiquette.  I have standards. 

In an all embracing positive educational lesson in personal growth the following is the previously unwritten, unspoken pavement etiquette for those of you who need it spelling out.

Pace

Keeping a pace or speed that enables the rest of humanity on the pavement  to smoothly convey themselves from lets say, their home to their work place, and not make them explode out of frustration due to the snail pace adopted by many pavement etiquette challenged people is the number one essential skill.   Walking faster than a depressed sloth is unacceptable.  Speed up!

One foot in front of the other

Getting from point a) to point b) can be much more efficient if each footfall is approximately the size of two of your own feet, one in front of the f***ing other.   This is simply achieved by picking up each foot and moving it swiftly forward.  It is essential to miss out dragging the heel of the shoe, sandal or flip flop along the pavement in a sluvenly manner.  I may need to point out that once the first foot has made it the second one should follow for the sake of succinct progress.

Stelthness

I am not suggesting you adopt a cat burglar style of walking simply a quieter one.  Pay attention to any noise you tend to make whilst in the act of walking.  If you can hear a rhythmic shushing noise which stops when you stop walking, that's you.  If you are unaware of how the noise occurs try picking your feet up as you walk and resist the temptation to drag making an annoying shushing.  I am also  aware of podiatrist advice that flip flops are really bad for your feet and also posture and cause long term spine damage, so get some shoes that stay on your feet and allow you to run for a bus if you need to.

Straight Line

In these days of smart phones there is the fairly new phenomenon of texting/viewing/sexting/lisening/adding/capturing while walking.  But, dear reader, the phenomena of drifting off the unmarked walking in a straight line - line is not new.  It is common and has been common for years and years that in Hong Kong pedestrians are given to literally wandering along pavements in a meandering fashion.  The indecisiveness of  the drifitng walk is frustrating given that pavements here are busy, in fact chockablock full of folk, all meandering along causing difficult access for others who simply want to overtake.  Without actual lines drawn on the pavement (and that is another idea hatching) the drifters are simply unable to sense another pedestrian in their peripheral vision resulting in a person (me for instance) in several failed attempts to get past. 

I try approaching from the left and just as I am in danger of getting my foot entangled with theirs they veer off to the left so I have to slow down and hang back in their slip stream while I change tactics and try the maneuver from the right.  Then there may be a possible elbow touching or shoulder bag blockage once again forcing me back into their slip stream and once again, getting frustrated now, having to walk behind a slow paced, flip flop dragging pavement etiquette challenged individual who has no peripheral vision capability.

My advice for those of you who do not realize when other people are overtaking you is to turn you head to the right or left occasionally and look.

Groups

Now to tackle the group walking along the pavement which is difficult enough to negotiate when in the group.  But to be forced into an encounter with a group and by that I mean three or more, is incredibly frustrating.  A group becomes an impenetrable mass impossible to overtake and who so often adopt a sloth paced shuffle blocking access to shop door ways or various differing turn off points along the pavement.  Should an innocent solo pavement user, like myself, decide that she wants to break away from her straight line, fairly fast paced, stealth-like walk and enter a shop,  then a group is present on  said pavement, it is near impossible to make them aware of the necessary change of direction she wants to take. 

The present situation means that a shoulder tackle of some force has to be used in order to get through the group who are heading straight (ish).  Unbelievably at these times when barging and pushing has been absolutely necessary, the members of the group adopt a hurt and shocked attitude as if they are completely unaware of the blockage they are causing.  In fact I believe they believe they are the only people on the pavement or actually in the world because their empathy with other pavement users is zilch. 

My advice to group pavement walkers is to adopt some semblance of good manners and try standing to one side while gesturing with one hand a clear and unobstructed path for any other solo pavement user to pass in front.  You could make this experience a little more enjoyable for all concerned if you said "After you" or similar, at this point. 

Couples

Walking down a crowded street holding hands is particularly annoying and blocks the steady flow of other pavement users.  Stop it!

Door Holding

Holding a door for anyone is an alien concept in these parts.  There are two ways to improve this situation.  If you go through a door first and someone is directly behind you it is good manners to hold the door for then as opposed to letting it go and risk it slamming in their face.  If you approach a door and there is a woman with a baby in a pushchair behind you, open the door wide for her and let her go first.  This goes for disabled people or injured people and is not grounds for a medal just expected behaviour in the civilized world.  Do it!

* moreover is a word that needs to be eliminated from Hong Kong.

See me - that is my teacher voice - all who continue - for detention and possible spanking.

Guilin, Yangshuo – Overnight Train from Shenzhen

A recent weekend break to China on an aeroplane actually involved sitting on the tarmac at Hong Kong International Airport for hours and hours, getting to the hotel way after midnight, feeling jaded and then experiencing the same frustrating delay on the return journey.  The result meant that instead of feeling invigorated and refreshed after my mini break I felt like I needed a week off work to recover from the ordeal. 

 So, in July I tried an alternative mode of transport into China and booked return tickets on the overnight sleeper train from Shenzhen to Guilin.  Tickets can be booked in advance from a small office in Hung Hom Station, TST.  They will charge an extra $100 commission for their service and be prepared to pay cash.  Even though they have a computer, once they’ve finished their noodles, their admin process involves hand writing receipts and keeping cash in a drawer under the desk.  There is a choice of hard seat, bottom hard sleeper and bottom soft sleeper and the price varies according to the comfort you desire.  I went for the soft sleeper which is approximately HK$500 one-way.  The journey takes around 13 hours leaving at 17.50 from Shenzhen each day. 

 As I had a China visa already I took the KCR to Lo Wu, passed through immigration into Shenzhen and walked to the Railway Station following signs for ‘long distance trains’.   

 

The waiting area bustled with travellers and once the call went out to board the train we were all duly and efficiently in our designated carriage to leave on time.  The soft sleeper is the first class area of the train and is a 4-berth compartment with clean sheets, a pillow and a duvet.  There was a chaotic buffet car which I declined to make use of.

 I was pleasantly surprised as the train pulled smoothly out of the station and after a picnic and a drop of wine, which I had cunningly prepared earlier, I simply made myself comfortable, stretching out on the soft (ish) sleeper, read my book, chatted to the nice polite Dutch couple in the same compartment, before sleeping for most of the night.  Certainly better than sitting up in economy class all night.  No one came to ask me if I wanted the chicken or the fish, no one made me put my seat belt on and I wasn’t squashed against another human wrestling for elbow space.  The toilets were better than anticipated and were even functioning and clean the next morning as we trundled into Guilin Station. 

 

Once off the train we found a local mini bus and headed for the small town of Yangshuo which is 90 minutes from Guilin.   The gorgeous limestone karst pinnacles are located right in the town of Yangshuo and surround it.  The countryside is stunning and away from the main road is quiet and peaceful.   It is possible to book a variety of tours from a variety of travel agents around the town and it’s also easy to hire a bicycle and explore without any prior, and more expensive, arrangement.   There are also options of rock climbing and kayaking for the more adventurous.

 

As it was very hot, early morning starts seemed to be the best bet to beat the crowds. We hired a couple of bikes and took them on a bamboo raft down the Li Jiang to the small village of Fuli, then to the village of Liu Gong Gu Pu where we left the raft and began a flat, easy ride back to the main town, keeping by the river, but not before sampling the freshly ground coffee at a small café offered to us by a charming waitress and her children.  We just couldn’t refuse.

 

 

 

The town of Yangshuo has a plethora of small craft shops selling any amount of trinkets and slightly quirky items to adorn yourself and your home.  There are tons of places to eat and as well as traditional Chinese food there is also a few places offering food from Italy and the USA, I’ll leave it you to guess the menu.

 

The return train left Guilin Railway Station at 21.40 so we ate a hearty meal before boarding and once back in Shenzhen at 10.30am we were ready for breakfast.    Not as luxurious or as expensive as flying first class but the benefits are equal.  All in all it was a refreshing and invigorating trip made easier by being able to sleep during the journey.  Recommended.

IKEA, MegaBox, Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong - a day out.

Going to IKEA can be fraught with difficulties.  Getting around the designated pathway takes an age, getting around other customers who don't appear to be there to actually buy something, merely to stroll around at a snail's pace for a leisurely day out, similar to a walk around the park but indoors.

Today I took photographs of the various showrooms at the MegaBox IKEA of people taking advantages of the furniture to have a little rest, a sit down and even using the desk to do a bit of homework.

                                           Homework space

 

                                            Texting in the lounge room

 

                                             Snoozing not even pretending to buy the chair

                                            More texting opportunities

                                            What's on telly?

                                            Girlfriend on the high stool, boyfriend on the sofa - just flirting.

Ode to the Transport Department - part 2

I've warned you!

Do you remember the thrill of receiving actual post.  Paper letters that dropped through the letter box, landing on the hall floor tiles, looking enticing.  What could it be?  A love letter from a distant boyfriend?  A cheque from a recently deceased uncle's estate?  A long newsie letter from a friend you haven't seen in ages?

How it used to be done

These days correspondence, meaning paper letters, are few and far between.  Email is the favoured mode of communication, even utilitiy bills and bank statements are online with a cocophany of security devices of such a high level that even Tom Cruise couldn't work out your user ID or password never mind operate the card scanning machine combined with a secure password generator to check if that air miles coupon has been received yet.

But today I got a letter.

The outside of the envelope revealed that it was On Government Service and from the Transport Department and as you know, gentle reader, I now have a deep and inimate relationship with them due to the high volume of correspondence that has been exchanged between us over the last two weeks.

Feeling nervous, a slightly raised heart rate and bit of a sweat, I tore open the white official envelope in the giddy anticipation of receiving confirmation that they now have my new address and all is well with the world.

Gutted!

They have returned to me, at my new address (this is the operative phrase here) {to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas} my used envelope with stamp, my original letter informing them of the change of address, their letter to me asking for proof of address, a photocopy of 2 utility bills showing the new address, their letter to me saying they cannot accept the new address because I did not send a photocopy of my ID card, a photocopy of my ID Card and photocopy driving licence just to be on the safe side, and now their new letter to me, at my NEW ADDRESS with the option of 'Other' ticked and then hand written on the line.

'The new address is different with the address proof'

meaning that although they have now returned my documents and their documents to me three times to MY NEW ADDRESS and I have replied plus they have phoned me and spoken to me about this matter, they are unable to process the 'application' at the moment.

This is because the way the telephone company has written my new address on their letter to me is slightly different to the way I wrote my new address on my letter to the Transport Department and now they are confused. 

I have now tried their online service where 'Change of Address' is an option.  I clicked on a few 'Agree to Terms and Conditions' boxes and then waited.  Nothing happened for a good 3 minutes and it warned me that the process could take 5 to 10 minues.  After a while up popped an error message telling my system did not support their requirements to complete this Change of Address online process.

I am casting my eyes upwards to a higher being for help now.

If I was Basil Faulty I would lash the whole of the Transport Department with a tree branch.

If I was Mr Angry from Purley I would throw the phone down.

 

 

Letter to the Transport Department HK - an ode.

Dear Transport Department,

The continuing saga of my change of address

When I wrote you a letter informing you of my change of address you kindly replied immediately to my new address returning to me my used envelope and stamp, my original letter plus a pre printed letter from you asking me to provide proof of my new address by sending you copies of a recent utility bill so that you could confirm I had, in fact, changed my address.

I obliged immediately and copied a recent phone bill which I put in a new envelope and addressed to you, put my first letter in the new envelope together with your letter asking for a photocopy of said bill, the photocopy bill and then posted it to you.

Upon receipt of the letter, your letter and the requested photocopy bill showing my new address, you very kindly phoned me to tell me that I had failed to include a photocopy of my HK ID Card so could I either fax a photocopy of the HK ID card to you (because you can't receive emails) or go to the Transport Department and produce the HK ID Card so that you could verify that I am the person I say I am and that I have in fact changed my address.

After a little bit of negotiation we decided between us that I would post a photocopy of my HK ID Card to you so you informed me that you would post the original letter I sent to you informing you of my change of address, the letter you sent to me at my new address asking for the copy utility bill plus another letter asking me to send a photocopy of my HK ID Card to you so that you could verfy my new address.

I received in the post this very morning a fairly bulky letter from you, at my new address, returning my original letter, you letter to me asking for a utility bill, my photocopy of a utility bill, your letter to me asking for a copy HK ID plus my used envelope with attached used stamp duly stapled to the whole pile of papers.

I have today sent you a (to the tune of '12 days of Christmas' now)  copy of my HK ID Card, your letter asking me to send my HK ID Card, my copy of my utility bill addressed to me at my new address, your letter to me at my new address asking for a copy bill and my first letter to you informing you of my new address.

I am now wondering if the information I have sent you will surfice or will you need a photocopy of my arse before you are satisfied.

Regards

Lesley in Hong Kong

 

New Passport British Consulate Hong Kong

 

Did you know that the procedure for applying for a British passport through the British Consulate in Hong Kong has changed?

It has.

the following is copied from the British Consulate Website

Changes to your application from 18 August

Please note the following changes that will affect your passport application. With effect from 18 August 2011, the Regional Passport Processing Centre in Hong Kong will process your passport. The passport will be printed in the United Kingdom. You will receive two packages, one containing the supporting documents you submitted, and the second package directly from the UK with your new passport.

 

Previously if you needed a new passport while living in Hong Kong you could go along to the Consulate, queue up to get through security, hand your phone in, then have your application processed in that office.   This has changed.  You can still submit your application to that office but it is sent to the UK, printed in the UK and sent back to you via DHL. 

This means it takes much longer than it used to so be aware - you need to give yourself at least four  weeks.  I suggest six to be on the safe side, plus you can apply for a passport nine months before it expires.

If you fail to do this and do need to travel and have no vailid passport then you can apply for an Emergency Travel Document (100 pounds) which you can only apply for the day before you travel.

How to apply from Hong Kong

All the information is on the website but I really thought I should make people aware of this change because you need to allow a lot more time since they changed the system in August 2011

How to get there

 

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Location and access

 

British Consulate-General, Hong Kong

---

The British Consulate-General is located at

1 Supreme Court Road,

opposite the Conrad International Hotel.

The closest MTR station is Admiralty. Use Exit C1 and take the escalator up into Queensway Shopping Centre and walk into Pacific Place. Take the escalators up towards Hong Kong Park. You will come out on Supreme Court Road. Turn left for the British Council and British Consulate-General.

Entrance to our consular, visa and passport services is located on Justice Drive.

There is no parking or waiting room for cars outside the Consulate building.

Mountain Bike Adventure - Lhasa to Kathmandu August 2011

 

 

Lhasa to Kathmandu by Fred Croft

Through Tibet on a bike - a journey not a destination by Fred Croft

 Last August HB embarked upon a most challenging cycle ride starting in Lhasa in Tibet and ending in Kathmandu in Nepal taking in some of the highest mountain passes in the world and also Everest Base Camp.  He covered a distance of 1100km in 18 days and came back 'lighter'.

 

Click on the link which will take you to www.blurb.com a self publishing website where you can preview the book and then place an order.  Its a beautiful coffee table hard back edition containing many breath-taking photographs capturing the experience.

 

New in Hong Kong part 2

 

There is so much ground to cover on the subject of being new in Hong Kong I feel it needs a second installment...

 

Learning Cantonese

In the beginning you will have positive intentions about learning the language.  You will imagine that it is possible to pick it up from other Hong Kong friends you meet.  You may even consider or even attend Cantonese lessons.  In about a year, or longer, you will feel confident to say the name of your street in Cantonese to a taxi driver and even though his reaction will undoubtedly be 'HA!" with a confused tone and you have to repeat it 27 times and have a conversation in English with his control room in English, you will have made progress because at least the words are being emitted from your mouth.  You will also be more confident to ask the taxi driver or minibus driver to stop in Cantonese.  Top tip on the bus 'Pass the Jam Old Boy' gets the mini bus to stop, try shouting it out from the back seat today and see what happens.  You are allowed to feel proud if it stops where you want.  

Even though some words people say to you are actually English they have a Cantonese twist which make them harder to understand.   Just because you start copying these words doesn't mean you can speak Cantonese although you will be understood.   For example  MTR low for MTR,  capak for car park, ecuse me for excuse me or the strange custom of saying Cheers when posing for a photograph when obviously the word is Cheese (what does it mean anyway?).

Public Transport

Hong Kong public transport system is the world's best, and I mean that most sincerely folks.    But to start with the names of the stations will be just noise and your journey will involve intense interest in the map with the little lights.  Your heart rate may increase as you near your station with the anticipation of what to do once you get to street level.   You will be one of those annoying people who dither and delay when scanning the magical Octopus card (have you got one yet!)  or, god forbid, at the bottom of escalators.  You may even be at risk of looking like a tourist - someone who reads the Exit signs and carries a map trying to find their way.  It is your mission not to look like a tourist by the way so avoid huge baggy shorts and socks with sandals especially in Central or TST and try not to be so pale. 

Exotic Food 

As a newbie in Hong Kong some of the food may be a challenge. Challenging Food   Chop sticks may hinder your progress but believe me you'll master those quickly.   I doubt that pig intestine, chicken's feet or a number of deep sea endangered species will ever become normal but try to be receptive to the new food and products you see in restaurants and supermarkets.   It could be a mistake to be constantly craving that particular gravy mix or condiment from back home.  It is known for some expats to bring back suitcases of their favourite consumable or even have their mother send it in bulk as a special treat.  Stop this at once.  You can get everything in Hong Kong.  Absolutely anything you want is available you just need to know where to get it (be prepared to pay for it) and if you don't then ask me!

Useful sites to make your life easier

Welcome Delivers

Park N Shop

Broadway Circuit art house cinema

Asia Expat for second hand stuff

Get into the Country Parks

Hiking Options - there is more than city

 

 

 

 

New in Hong Kong

Have you just arrived?

It is the time of year when a lot of new people arrive in Hong Kong.  There is a period of settling in and discoveries are made.  If you are new, let me warn you now, that you will feel a range of emotions on an hourly basis and the main focus of these emotions will be whether you have made the right decision about giving up your previous life to live away from your old friends and family.  You will change your mind depending upon the peaks and troughs of your experience, as I say, on an hourly basis.

OK may be I'm exaggerating about feeling differently every hour, but you will have moments of doubt.  

Spending Money

Obviously when you first arrive it is exciting and there are loads of things to do, organize and buy.  There will be a hemorrhaging from your bank account as you shell out two months of rent in advance, perhaps buy a car (not so much 2nd hand) tax a car (outrageous), Bonus Driving Blog FYI furnish your apartment.  And all the incidental purchases that make a home homely add up.  You will need mosquito, cockroach and ant deterrent, dehumidifiers to suck up the extra moisture that lingers in your wardrobes and rots your clothes, damp patch blog anti mold potions to keep the unsightly black film off your bathroom ceiling and new filters for your air conditioning units which may never have been cleaned. 

Funds will Fly

Your funds will fly out of your wallet in the flurry of socializing and meeting new people.  Hong Kong bar prices can be painfully high but you don't know that yet because you haven't established the exchange rate in your head accurately so you keep on buying drinks.  And because you are new and have no friends you say yes to all invitations because you want to come across as friendly and interesting.   After a while you will stop even attempting to remember any exchange rate and you will also become wiser about happy hours.

Oh and keep in mind that you will receive a lovely green envelope through the post probably just after Christmas,  this will be your tax bill.

Domestic Helpers

Guide to employing a domestic helper

You will have conversations with people who are not so new about 'helpers'.  In some cases it will be essential to hire a domestic helper so that you can actually go out of the house and do the job you have come to Hong Kong for, leaving your children to be looked after by the helper you don't know yet.  That will mean cooking, cleaning, delivering children to school, picking them up again, playing with your children and getting their pjs on just in time for you to come home, exhausted, to say good night!   A myriad of emotions just there.

Decadence

In some cases you might just want the luxury of having a cleaner.  Someone to wash and iron and make your apartment spic and span as if the fairies really did come when you were out, removed all dirt and make your home into a showroom.   You may not feel the need for such a service to start with.  You may not be used to such decadence, it may be against your principles to employ a third country national and pay them the minimum wage.  You may feel strongly that you should clean up your own mess.  Don't spend too much time beating yourself up about this - get a helper as soon as possible!

Weather Warnings

Hong Kong Observatory

Your first typhoon could be exciting, you might even have a day off from the new job and the government will infiltrate your mind through pubic service warnings encouraging you to tape over your windows, bring in heavy objects from the balcony and hide under the bed.  This will undoubtedly be unnecessary and you will be left wondering if the typhoon happened or not?  The same goes for the colour of rain, a science no one understands involving amber, red or lucky black.  Lucky because it could be a potential day off too. What to do 'official guide' Hot and Cold weather warnings are also there to protect the population so you will be advised to wear a vest when its cold and stay indoors when its hot.  A government official will call around to check on the vest wearing in winter, be warned!

Being a Giant

Map of MTR lines

Transport will be tricky.  Not only will it take time to become confident and not anxious about getting places on the MTR or mini bus you will also constantly feel like a giant person when travelling on public transport.  The seats and the width of the steps seem tiny as do every other asian person around you.  I cannot honestly say that this improves over time.   This is also a feature of clothes buying but I would need a few miles of blogging to vent my feelings about sizes of lovely clothes that don't fit and how my whole wardrobe has been purchased on holidays back home or from M&S.

Obey all Rules

Fun Police Blog

 Be aware that you must conform and do everything exactly as the Hong Kong Government and  every assosiated agency require.  If you try to buck any system you will not succeed.  Every form you are required to fill in must be 100% accurate.  If  you are asked to produce photocopies of your Grannies 25 yards swimming certificate to your last water rates bill don't for one second think they don't mean it, they most certainly do, so read every form 28 times before submitting it.  You will be asked for your HK ID card number every step of the way so memorize it immediately and be grateful for it.  Without it you will get no where, whether its getting a phone line or library book that ID card makes things happen.  

If you are an experienced Hong Kong expat what advice would you give the newbies?

 

 

 

Sea Foot Reflexology, Sai Kung

Pedicure, Shanghai Style

A few months ago I blogged about a wonderful experience I had in Shanghai involving a man with a head torch and a sharp blade.  He used this to rid my heels of hard skin and he was so incredibly skilled at this and I was so incredibly impressed I wanted to tell the world. 

You can get Everything in Sai Kung

I have now found that in Sai Kung there is an option of a Shanghai style pedicure at Sea Foot Reflexology House, 1/F, 60 Po Tung Road, 2791 0328. 

Sure enough I was attended to by a lady with a chisel/blade and a very bright light who attended to my feet while I relaxed and flicked through recent copies of Hello magazine.  Afterwards I was offered a foot massage and went away feeling truly attended to.  $260 thank you very much.

10th July, 2010

NB

For accuracy I have to now add that this morning I am in pain!  My left heel is so sore that I can't walk properly and have had to put a band aid over the sore patch so I can wear shoes.  This is bad news and I withdraw my recommendation of the Shanghai Style pedicure...

 

Illegal Structures in the New Territories

There has been a flurry of activity in the local Hong Kong press recently on the topic of so called 'illegal structures' and the blind eye that is metaphorically turned when residents of 700 square foot apartments get ideas of making their life better and giving themselves a little more space.  The press have conjured up headlines such as:-

Government Faces Pressure over Illegal Structures

Rural Roofs spur double-standard rap

Limited Agreement offered on Illegal Structures

But the fact remains that way back in 1972 the 'Small House Policy' came into force allowing indigenous males the right to build a 'small house' in the New Territories.  Under this policy, a person over 18 years old who is descended through the male line from a resident in 1898 of a recognized village in the New Territories in Hong Kong may apply to the authority for building a small house on a suitable lot once in their lifetime. 

Not surprisingly, for Hong Kong,  the rules that came with this policy are typically baffling and obstructive to anyone with an ounce of creativity or common sense.  What has been constructed as a result of this policy are masses of identical, ugly, houses in a mock 'Spanish' style.  All are three stories and all are 700 square feet per floor because... these are the rules.

We are now into 2011 but anyone who wants to build a new house or renovate an existing badly designed village house is restricted by the rules that exist because they exist.

Ecofriendly Houses

There are many examples globally of good design and sustainable living where materials and specifications blend in with the traditional style and scenery of the area.  Houses where the design takes into account growing families and the need for storage, efficient heating or cooling systems as well as appreciation of the way a typical family operates with need for privacy as well as spaces to interact.

Bad Design

What we have here in the New Territories are ugly, badly designed living spaces that are freezing cold in the winter with no appliances supplied to heat or cool the space.  Air conditioners knocked into walls as an after thought causing noise and drips.  More often than not the kitchens are simply a bench and any appliance such as a fridge or, wait for it, an oven, may not even fit into the designated area.  There is no whisper of storage space for kitchenware or clothing in any room.  If a family has an idea of washing their clothes at home then fitting a machine into the house will be looked upon as some alien weird idea so the only place to have one is OUTSIDE.  Yes its true.  You have to put your ELECTRIC washing machine on the balcony or on the roof and hope that it doesn't short circuit during rain storms.  I know you can buy washing machine covers from Japan Home Stores but come on, when did that start to become acceptable?

There is a lot of hot air and fuss being created about so called illegal structures in the New Territories when all residents want to do is improve their living space which was badly designed in the first place and too small.  Instead of fixating on old and outdated rules about the small house policy we should be accepting of the fact that it is possible to be flexible and allow differently designed houses that have humans who occupt them and the way we live in the 21st century in mind.

The very idea of restricting people to a smaller space when they have a rooftop available to them is draconian. 

Instead of harking back to a time when there were no illegal structures on rooftops the government should be employing creative architects who can move with the times, build sustainable housing for the population and start approving building plans that show initiative with appreciation for resources and human beings.

 

 

The Flower of Sai Kung

 FAMOUS TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Strategic tourist destinations across the world have had the sense to restrict the building style and advertising to preserve the natural beauty, charm, tranquility and originality of the area.  McDonald’s are only allowed to sell their tasty burgers on the Champs Elysees on condition they tone down their garish golden arches and red logo.  They conformed so on that avenue the M is white.  Sainsbury’s on Mayfair is situated in a stone built Victorian building and is restricted to keeping the original stone façade and window size to blend in with the elegant style of the area.   On the island of  Lanzarote the building of high rises and billboards competing for the attention of tourists was outlawed in the 1970s.   Local artist, Cesar Manrique, saw the way other Spanish holiday resorts had been encased in a ‘concrete coffin’ and his influence means that today the island remains tranquil which is the reason tourists want to go there.

Unspoilt Lanzarote

SHOPS FOR DOGS AND ESTATE AGENTS

Sai Kung Town

Some might say that Sai Kung, the back garden of Hong Kong is also a strategic tourist destination.  So far no one has come up with the amazing new and revolutionary concept of opening a place that has rooms with beds in.  People who don’t live in Sai Kung i.e. tourists, could, wait for it, sleep in the rooms overnight and then in the morning they could be given a breakfast.  There is a charge for this service. Yes, that’s right it’s called - Bed and Breakfast – but it seems so far removed from the consciousness of any business person in Sai Kung who instead are stuck in the rut of opening up shops exclusively for dogs or the buying and selling of property.  We do have to thank our lucky stars that the District Council allows alfresco dining these days although that seems to depend on the mood of the Fun Police who are in the habit of restricting the outside tables outside certain restaurants because…(answers on a postcard please).  I cannot imagine that when tourists have a meal in the Piazza del Signoria in Florence the establishments are at risk of being asked to remove the outside tables.  Of course not, they realize that is what people want the experience.

Fun Police

 

GARISH ADVERTISING - FLOWER PAINT FACTORY

If we are all in agreement that Sai Kung is a strategic tourist destination then why oh, why oh (there it goes again) is the Flower Paint Factory on the approach to Sai Kung, the back garden of Hong Kong, allowed to have the most gigantic garish sign of all time placed on their hideous concrete building showing a complete lack of appreciation and concern for local residents with blatant disregard for the aesthetic of the town.  Why does it feel the need to advertise anyway? It’s not like the general public can even go in there to buy paint so who exactly is the advert aimed at?

 

Don’t get me started on Star Plaza!

 

 

Ritz Carlton - World's Highest Hotel, Hong Kong

Ritz Carlton Hong Kong

The Ritz Carlton Hotel is situated on 1 Austin Road, Kowloon.  It is the highest hotel in the world.

More tea? 

It is 1,600 ft high although I have a strong suspicion that it won't hold the record for long because someone somewhere will get all competitive and want to go to even giddier heights.  The second, third and fourth highest hotels are in, surprise surprise, Dubai.

Flower arrangement Ritz Carlton The Lounge 
 
Even though this building is even higher than the famous IFC (1364ft) I hadn't even noticed it!  I put this down to being busy and having to go to work.  I thought it was just me who didn't know about its opening at the end of March but no, I got in a taxi in Jordon and asked for "Ritz Carlton, 1 Austin Road m goi"  I got the standard response 'Ha!'  At first he attempted to drop me off at BP International House also on Austin Road but come on, it didn't even sound a bit like Ritz Carlton and is not very high at all!  After one of those fraught journeys where the taxi driver talks on the phone in a confused way and gives you no confidence in actually getting to your destination he eventually made it and we ended as friends.

Before

 After ...
 
HOW TO GET THERE

For future reference ask for Elements Shopping Mall and the Ritz Carlton is actually situated at the top of a building called International Commerce Centre ICC which is the last building on the road - THE TALLEST ONE!  The hotel is actually perched on the top of the ICC on floors 102 to 118 and afternoon tea involves a lift ride with only stop from zero to floor 103 (it took ages and my ears popped) then a short escalator down one floor to The Lounge.

It is beautifully decorated with amazing views - obviously.  The tea involves everything you'd expect - three tiered plate full of goodies and copious amounts of tea from a wide choice.

For an extra thrill you can go even higher to the bar on floor 118 Ozone which even has a partly open area and yesterday there was quite a chilly breeze blowing around there.  I thought I was being quite brave getting close to the edge and looking down.  Gulp!

 
Afternoon Tea at the Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong 

The closest building on the right is the IFC, Hong Kong Side, across the harbour is the ICC - can you see me waving?

 

Cooking Turkey - the best way.

Good Cook

It has been said that I am a good cook.  I think that I can produce some delicious meals with the help of my friends Jamie, Gordon and Delia.  They have taught me a great deal in recent years and I have to mention the good grounding I got at home with my mother and grandmother who taught me the basics of pastry making, gravy making and the essential for all good northern women, the Yorkshire pudding. 

Bad Cakes

I have never mastered cake making and the only woman who helps me with that is Bettie Crocker.  And now that I am reminiscing about people who have helped my cooking skills along the way I have to mention Maurice.  He is not a famous chef just a bloke I shared a house with for a year or two.  The way I cook spag bol, beef stew (not so much of the white cabbage these days) is down to him, oh and OXO.

Turkey

But the way I cook the Christmas turkey is the Gary Rhodes way.  One day I happened upon the said Mr Rhodes on the telly giving me the secret of the best way to cook the Christmas turkey.  I taped it and have watched it every Christmas morning, just to refresh my memory, for the last 10 years.  Its a winner every time and now, dear reader I am about to give you the knowledge.

Method

Once it is defrosted (don't think for a minute it is possible to buy a free range fresh turkey in Hong Kong).  And while we are on the subject for those of you in Hong Kong, who actually have an oven, get your bird from the frozen butcher behind Steamers in Sai Kung.  Mine was $177 for an 11 pound bird. Top tip - take out the giblets BEFORE cooking ( I speak from experience).  Boil these up for the gravy.

The oven should be high for the first two hours - cover the bird with foil, for the last hour remove the foil so it gets a lovely golden brown.

Protect the Breast

The key is to protect the breast.  I cannot stress this enough. Protect the breast.  Gary showed me how to protect the breast and I've never looked back. Did I mention protect the breast - don't let it dry out.

Prise the skin away from the meat on the breast so it makes two pockets on top of the bird.  Use at least 4 dessert spoons of butter and push it into the pockets between the skin and the meat.  Really push your hand deep inside, underneath the skin.  As you do this it will ease the skin away from the breast meat but be careful not to tear the skin.  Once the butter is under the skin you can press it down, from the outside, to spread it over the breast.  You can also add some herbs at this point, Jamie suggests balls of stuffing under the skin too.

Then use many many strips of streaky bacon to cover the whole of the bird including the legs.  Do not scrimp on this bacon as this will stop the breast drying out in the cooking process.  Lay the strips over the breast and make sure you lay it so it overlaps the previous piece.  Its a bit like roofing.  Leave no part of the breast or legs uncovered.  A few thin bits randomly placed is not good enough.  Remember, protecting the breast is key.

 

Stuff it

Stuff the neck end with the stuffing of your choice.  I use paxo and I am prepared for a sharp intake of breath at this point.  I don't make my own because, frankly, I don't really like it  but I put it in because its traditional.  Then sew up the flap of skin..  Don't put too much in or it will burst out.  If you can't bear the sewing you can just fold the skin underneath or even stick it withtoothpicks.

Foil it

Place foil loosely over it, cook in the oven for prescribed amount of time.  My 12 pounder will be in for about four hours and during that time I will be basting it regularly to protect that delicate breast. My turkey baster was bought from Pantry Magic in Sheung Wan. 

Take the foil off for the last hour.

Sausages

You can also put sausages wrapped in bacon in the tray around the turkey during the cooking process.   They will soak up the turkey and butter flavour and be yummy.  I know that some people are passionate about the choice of sausage.  I am not a purist when it comes to sausages.  Walls pork are good enough for me.

Once it's cooked, and you can check this by stabbing into the meatiest part through the leg meat and into the body, the juices should run clear, if there is any blood then put it back in for a bit more.  It will be OK as long as that breast is still covered in the bacon and you give it a good coat of the melted butter and other yummy juices from the tray.

Hot Gravy

Let it rest out of the oven for at least half an hour before carving. It can be longer.  It doesn't really matter if it cools because your  gravy will/should be piping hot.

You can make the gravy from the juices that run off as well as the liquid from the boiled up giblets, although a word of warning, it could be quite fatty what with all that butter.  Spoon off the fat as much as you can before adding to your gravy.  The turkey baster is jolly useful for this process.

Veg

Roast potatoes, roast parsnips, and cranberry sauce are essential as well as any other vegetable of your choice.

Do I need to say that it is essential to have Brussel sprouts?  Whether you like them or not you just have to have at least one on Christmas Day otherwise its just not Christmas proper.

I have also just done a quick search on You Tube for tips on cooking turkey.  There is no one like Gary so take no notice of them!

Enjoy the whole process and eat while wearing a silly paper hat from the cracker whilst laughing at the joke

Gorilla Suit in Hong Kong

Is it real?

I am a proud mother, I don't deny it.  So have a look at my daughter's latest homework assignment.  She was asked to make a music video for her Media Studies course.  Click on the link and it will take you to You Tube where you can watch the video and listen to the music.  She borrowed two gorilla costumes from a children's party company then was filmed 'at large' in Hong Kong.  My daughter is the one wearing the scarf - otherwise she is unrecognizable!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGF8VULVSP4

 

Social Experiment

But I just have to comment on the social significance of this moment in time.  Where else in the world could you parade around on the streets of a busy 'world' city in a gorilla suit and not be acknowledged unless, of course, you jumped in front of people and scared the life out of them.  I think this says a lot about the compliance and inverted politeness, which may be misconstrued as aloofness, of Hong Kong people.  They just want and expect things to be safe and to run on schedule, to be expected and routine.  When, unusually, two people in gorilla costumes board the MTR their reaction is either "Ignore" "look down" "pretend it is not happening " or to whip out their mobile phone and take a picture of it preferably with the standard two fingered peace sign.  This features in EVERY photograph ever taken by people from Hong Kong - if they don't do that particular pose then the photograph just gets deleted and lost forever.  

Hello!  Who the **** is Kitty?

often imagine Hong Kongers looking through their photograph albums looking at pictures of themselves in the same pose at various times of the year, all photos taken in shopping malls with some sort of Hello Kitty or Mini Mouse theme going on in the background.  How dull!

Cheese or Cheers?

Actually there are a few more standard 'take a photograph with me" poses.  As well as the two fingered peace sign there is the tongue out and sticking up to one side pose, this is borderline porn star but because of the naivety in this city it passes off as cute (some would say - but not me) and then there is the finger poked in the cheek pose while at the same time making a screwing motion with said finger, oh and obviously, the grin has to be unnaturally large and cheesy (or is that cheersy - saying 'Cheese' while having your photograph taken has been lost in translation and becomes 'Cheers'.

Dog Clothes

Oh and how could I forget photographs taken while posing but with the added interest of a dog dressed in clothes.  Come to Sai Kung on a Sunday afternoon and see this for yourself.

Tourist Reaction

Significantly the Western tourists on Nathan Road were the only ones to embrace the fun in the situation and have some sort of concept about how to react.  These people may possibly have travelledto other 'world' cities such as Paris or Barcelona or London and seen street theatre or just plain old busking.  They know it's for fun, they are on holiday and up for a good time.  Their reaction is different from the residents.

When I decide to do my Masters in Sociology I shall use this empirical evidence as the corner stone of my research.