Lesley in Hong Kong

The Future - what happened to it?

Space 1999

In the lead up to the year 2000, I was extremely disappointed that the shiny future I felt I'd been promised would not be ready.   There would be no flying cars or silver catsuits.  There would still be food, as opposed to nutrition-packed pills.   My formative years were filled with images on TV showing me the fabulous futuristic future.  The Jetsons and Space 1999 have a lot to answer for!

 

The year 2000 came and went - still no flying cars or silver catsuits.  I still had to peel carrots and wash-up. 

What will 2020 be like?

2020 will soon be here - I know, I'm shocked too -  That futuristic dream of how science and technology would be so advanced it would be mundane, even domestic, is in tatters.    I dreamt that by the time I reached 2020 (fingers crossed)we would all be living in a peacefully perfect world where all conflicts had been forgotten.  I truly thought that the concept of working from home would be embraced by most people while the amount of leisure time would have been increased.  All folk would have terrifically stimulating hobbies that meant they bonded with others in a warm and comradery way.  No one would need to make the tea because a robot would deal with that, oh and everyone would fly around in their flying car or, even better, use The Transporter from Star Trek. 

In my imagined future, everyone would be warm enough or cool enough and technology would be able to supply all energy for free as that is just a human right.  If we want to keep the world populated then heat and light is a given.  Surely no one needs to profit from that? 

We have spoilt it

But it seems that we have spoilt the future for ourselves in an attempt to make convenience king.  The convenience of buying fresh food has become a multimillion-dollar industry involving factory farming and air transportation for lettuce.  The fast-food industry has fueled our craving for instant gratification so we can now walk around eating and drinking, then dump the plastic containers on the street.  There is now more plastic in the ocean than fish and more landfills than forest.  

Inconvenience should be king

Right now there is a riot going on in my neighbourhood and the conflict seems to have no resolution.  That is tragic enough.  But the most important issue is the unsustainability of our lifestyle.  The future I used to think was possible, those flying cars and silver catsuits, is as far away as the concept of peace in our time because the reality of the future, the air we breathe and the water we drink is filled with pollution created by the craving for convenience we thought we wanted.  

Our future is not one where science and technology make everything convenient.  If we do have a planet to live on, we will have to get used living a much simpler life where inconvenience is king because it is the only sustainable way to keep the population going.  Instead of that flying car, I imagine if I can't get anywhere by walking then I won't be going.  I still fancy that silver cat-suit though... 

 

Hong Kong has a monumental waste problem. (BBC Future)

Dialogue in the Dark

http://www.dialogue-experience.com.hk/web/subpage.php?mid=6

 

Address: Shop 215, 2/F, Nob Hill Square, 8 King Lai Path, Mei Foo, Kowloon
Telephone: 2310 0833 (General) / 2891 0438 (Group Booking) / 2310 8610 (Birthday in the Dark / Special event)

 

Mei Foo MTR Exit C - 5 -7 minutes walk

 

Online Booking

I pre booked an experiential tour in the dark for 22 people.  Their website booking system was a little too restricting for my dates and times but after some very helpful email exchanges I managed to book what I really wanted.

 

This is a very unique experience for adults and children alike.  You'll be outside of your comfort zone and that is something we should all do from time to time.   The basic point of the tour is to experience what it's like to navigate yourself around a busy city (Hong Kong) and all the challenges that involves as a visually impaired person using a white stick.

 

90 Minutes in the Dark

After some instruction about how to hold a white stick, in small groups of eight, we were lead by our visually impaired guide for 90 minutes in complete darkness.  When I say dark, I mean complete and utter blackness for the whole time.  There was no time that my eyes made an adjustment to the environment.  There was no time that I had any idea what the environment looked like or where my guide was.  Although I knew I was with seven other people, there was no time I knew how many where in front or behind me. However, our guide used his voice in the most comforting way.  He gave clear instructions about which direction to walk and when.  

 

The Route

The route took us through various places which we had to feel with our feet, hands and stick as we walked slowly, with trepidation, through the space.    Within the dark dark space a recreation of a wooded area with leaves to feel and a gravel floor to a street scene and even boarding a ferry has been constructed to give sighted people the disarming experience of beginning to know what it's like to be without the sense of sight.   I say beginning to know, because I feel sure that living without sight has many more restrictions than the 90 minutes can ever tell us, but at the same time gave our group an appreciation of the skills required.   It also gave us an idea that our guide was much much more perceptive in the dark than any of us.  He was so aware of us and where we were, remembering our names and guiding, directing and giving us confidence to know where to go, we began to think he was actually wearing night vision goggles.   HE WASN'T.  

 

Back in the Light

Once we were back out into the light and our white sticks returned is when we could see our guide for the first time.   He has been visually impaired since birth.  It was most humbling to meet him and have the opportunity of having a Q&A session with him.  We also had a go at writing braille and using a special plastic device to work out which bank note is which.   There are many gadgets and techniques to help visually impaired people to cope in many different areas of life.

 

Dialogue in the Dark offers many options where, if you are brave enough, you can celebrate your  birthday with  a party in the dark and musical concerts in the dark.   Instruction can be in English or Cantonese. 

 

 

 

 

Island Yoga, Koh Yao Noi Island, Phuket

 

Island Yoga, Phuket

 

 

My bungalow

 

I spent a week at Island Yoga at the beginning of July and had a most wonderful time.  I am slightly hesitant to even write about it just incase people start flocking to Koh Yao Noi and spoil the tranquility.  

Their website is easy to use and I booked myself in for six nights.  Once this was done communication came through email and instructions on how to pay the initial deposit with PayPal were simple and clear.  

They are also very flexible {pun is intended}  so there is no specific 'course' or set period of time that you have to fit into.  You can arrange the dates to suit your own schedule and join the classes upon arrival because they are always different, challenging and interesting.  

How to Get There

Koh Yoe Noi Island is situated to the east of Phuket Island.  I took a taxi from the airport to Bang Rong Peir which took about half an hour and sat and waited peacefully, with a few Thai's and a monkey, for the small speed boat to take me on the 200 Baht trip to the Island.  There were a few tuk tuks waiting at the pier and they knew exactly where Island Yoga was.   Last boat each day is 5.30pm.

 

 

On the speed boat

 

Koh Yoe Noi

This small island does have some lovely places to stay including Sixth Sense Koh Yoe and Koyao Island Resort , is unspoilt and very quiet.  It has one circular road so it's impossible to get lost.  The local population is mostly muslim.  It was Ramadan when I was there and perhaps that made it even quieter, I'm not sure, but I liked it.  If you are familiar with the heady markets and bar world of Thailand this is the complete opposite.  It is an unspoilt place with no one pushing their wares at you. The locals were very friendly and would even stop and offer a lift just to be nice.  There are a few basic shops, 7/11 and one or two ATMs. The roads are empty so hiring a scooter or even a bike is relatively safe.  

Just as an example of how friendly it is, the  chain on my bike popped off. Once my fingers were covered in black oil and I realized I had no idea how to put it back on, I pushed it to a sleepy massage place and asked them if they could get me a tuk tuk to take me back to Island Yoga.  They quickly found a tool and fixed the chain for me and happily waved me on my way.

(Secretly, I wanted to ride in the tuk tuk)

 

Accommodation

Within Island Yoga there are a few options.  Some basic bungalows, meaning just a fan.  You can opt to share or you can stay in another location on the island and do pop-in classes to suit yourself.  I went for my own bungalow with air con.  I'm too used to air con to not have it!  I loved my bungalow, it had a comfortable bed with mosquito net, plenty of cupboard space for hanging clothes, a very nice hammock on the little deck for relaxing after a hard morning in the sala.

Food

After the first yoga session of the morning, which finished at 9.30am, breakfast was waiting for us.  A delicious spread of cereal, yoghurt, fruit as well as Thai vegetarian dishes.   This is included in the package.  If you want food at other times the wonderful Ning and her Thai family, who run the catering side, can russle up meals or snacks and this is added to your bill at check-out.

 

Me after yoga and breakfast.

 

Yoga - Two Classes Each Day

There are two classes per day.  The morning one is 90 minutes and starts at 7.30am.  This was a really excellent energising start to the day and each day the class was different.  One day we were out on the beach, one day we did laughing yoga, one morning we all were taught the secret of the netty pot and one session involved absoltuely no downward dogs at all.  The second session at 4.30pm for an hour, was Yin Yoga which involved a much more 'cushioned' variety where poses were held for longer periods of time.  

The instructors (I had Heather and Kierra) were highly knowledgable and committed to their practice.  They were bursting with creativity and filled everyone with the confidence to be strong and really enjoy each pose.  Afterall if you don't like something it'll soon be over and in the past anyway!

Yoga Sala

End of class relaxation

psssst  - So just between you and me and the gate post, sssshhhhh this place is fantastic.  I want to go back but don't tell anyone, ok!
 

 

 

Lesley in Bangkok - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

I have taken myself out of Hong Kong so temporarily I am officially Lesley in Bangkok.  

As there is huge shopping mall about two minutes walk from my hotel and after a day of tiring Grand Palace -ing I couldn't face more walking around and so I purchased a ticket for 150 Baht and went to see Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

Having suffered at the mercy of arctic air conditioning in Hong Kong I was prepared with my extra clothing to stave off hypothermia and I did truly need it.  I was pleasantly surprised at the comfiness of the seats.  They were big, sumptuous velour  that were high enough for even a tall man's head to rest on so no matter who sat in front of you there would never be a problem of a blocked screen.  They even tipped back a little for ultimate comfort and the bonus option of a double seat, more of a sofa,  for cuddly couples at the back.

Do Not Use Your Mobile Phone

While I waited for the main feature to start I had to endure what I felt was hours of commercials in Thai but they were clearly all good clean public service announcements about not using your mobile phone while driving in case you die and not using your mobile phone in the cinema and causing light pollution in case I kill you - whoops sorry, I didn't mean that last part obviously.  It was a truly welcome advert and I think Hong Kong audiences would get the message if it was pitched in such a way.  Hint hint anyone who texts in their bag and doesn't think it bothers others (me!).

National Anthem

Then after loads of trailers it felt like it was about to start.  Wrong.  Before we could settle down to watch Dawn of the Planet of the Apes we were all instructed politely to stand for the Thai National Anthem.  Everyone did, most respectfully.  It was played while we watched images of the King doing good things  It reminded me that the BBC used to play the British National Anthem before the station closed down for the evening (telly used to stop in those days)  and my Grandad used to stand up, and make whoever was with him, also stand up and show respect.  

Andy Sirkis

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is part two following on from Rise of the Planet of the Apes which stared James Franco as the 'human' and Andy Sirkis as Caesar the Ape.  The skill of playing an animal who so clearly has strong emotions has become Sirkis's unique talent.  Through motion capture technology and his eyes, we become strongly involved with Caesar.

There is no Franco in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes but Sirkis again plays Caesar and we see him as the dominant male in a colony of apes in a time when nearly all humans have been killed by a Simeon flu.  Or have they?  I don't want to throw in any plot spoilers only to say that its one of the best films I've seen in along time and if you are considering going along to see it, watch the first one so you understand how Caesar's role in the film and as leader evolves.  

The CGI  is breathtaking.  The sound quality in that particular cinema meant I kept looking over my shoulder to see if there was a monkey making too much noise behind me.  The score worked perfectly to build scenes to their climax.   The stilted dialogue communicates just how two different points of view can be the same yet equally confused and misunderstood.  It touches on racism, religion, stereotypes and is a study of the human condition in adverse circumstances.  A reflection of what is still going on in certain parts of the world this very day.

 

Street Food Beijing Wangfujing Street

Scorpion on a stick!

                                                                                                  Chili Sparrows

 

More scorpions, star fish and sea horses - on a stick.  Are you getting the culinary theme now?

 

 

 

 

 

I had a trip to Beijing.  The food was terrific and so, as is the way in Asia I took photographs of the food and have posted them for your delight.  Some are on Facebook, obviously, because that is the sole reason for its existence.  ie  Go out to eat, take photos of your plate of food (even if it looks like dog vomit) and then post the image on Facebook to show everyone just what a good time you had.

The street market at Wangfujing Street had some delicious snacks (I could have put snakes there for a hilarious typo but it would have been true not a joke) which reminded me of the scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian "Rat on a stick" - I know you understand my inter-textual reference because you are clever.  The People's Front

I have to tell that I couldn't actually eat anything that looked like a bug or a small bird especially when some of them were still wriggling their poor little legs.  They were not dead just speared on a stick and waiting to be grilled. 

 

I did try the toffee coated strawberries though and can highly recommend them.

Stuff White People Like by Christian Lander

 

 

I saw this and thought "It must mean me?"

Hooked by this title I read on...  to a point it is very true and full of witertaining observations from a white, western point of view although it is based on the assumption that all white people live in America and have an affinity to Canada so that part fell on stony ground for me, and to some extent also assumes a maleness and even possibly an under 40sness.  I'm just saying!

He has a website also full of wise words about 'stuff' Stuff White People Like and if you like that you might also like a quick surf at White Whine.com A Collection of First-World Problems  which puts 'stuff' into perspective for those rich spoilt brats out there.

Here is a snippet from SWPL

Outdoor Performance Clothes

As white people get older, they like to have clear boundaries between their professional and personal lives.   They don't mind talking about their personal life at work, but they hate talking about their work life when they are enjoying a weekend or vacation.  But with BlackBerry's and laptops, white people could be working anywhere, at any time.  So how do you know when they are off the clock?  It's easy;  just check their clothes.

When white people aren't working, they generally like to wear outdoor performance clothes.  The top suppliers of these garments and accessories include North Face, REI, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Columbia Sportswear and Patagonia.  When you see white people wearing these brands, it is important that you do not discuss business matters.  Instead you should say things like 'Where did you get that fleece?" and "What's that thing holding your keys to your shorts?" White people will be more than happy to talk to you about their sustainably produced possessions.

The main reason white people like these clothes is that they allow them to believe that at any moment they could find themselves with a Thule rack on top of their car headed to a national park.  It could be 4:00pm on a Saturday when they might get the call. "Hey, man, you know what we need to do?  Kayak then camping, right now.  I'm on my way to get you.  There is no time to change clothes."

Though this is unlikely that they will ever receive this call, white people hate the idea of missing an opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities just because they weren't wearing the right clothes.

If you plan on spending part of your weekend with a white person, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a jacket or some sort of 'high-performance' T-shirt, which is like a regular shirt, just a lot more expensive.

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.

 

Hiking in Sapa, Northern Vietnam Highlands

ET Pumpkin Adventure Travel

                                            Black H'Mong Tribes women and children

Location of Sapa

 The Journey Begins

I arrived at Hanoi Railway Station in the dark in time to get on the night train leaving at 9.10pm and arriving in Lao Cai at 5.30am.  It was quite a chaotic scene, once the ticket collectors let us through the entrance and onto the platforms.  In the dark it was quite difficult to see where any platform was and which train went where, but the night train to Sapa is a well travelled route and it was easy enough to follow the crowd and find the right train, the right carriage (special ET Pumpkin carriage written on the side) and the right berth and soft sleeper. 

I joined a jolly friendly couple from New Zealand (hello Steve and Veronica!) who were originally from England and we immediately exchanged life stories and bonded.  The young lady from New York who entered the berth a few minutes later thought we knew each other already and seemed perturbed at the easy way the conversation flowed.  Perhaps New Yorkers are more reserved?

Soft sleeper

The soft sleeper was soft enough and we were all supplied with water, a pillow and a quilt to keep us warm during the night.  The train is air conditioned.  It pulled away on time and we were on our way. 

Rocking and Rolling

After about half an hour the speed picked up and the rocking started.  And my goodness did it rock!  I can only compare it to a fair ground ride which went on for hours and hours.  None of the rocking or the metal grinding noises seemed to bother my three sleeping buddies who all settled down quickly and went to sleep.  I watched Veronica across the aisle from me and I guess she was being nudged up and down with the motion of the train by about a foot each time.  I could feel the contents of my stomach being shook.

The train arrived on time and all went to plan.  We then took a mini van to the town of Sapa itself and as we pulled up outside the first guest house to let some passengers off what seemed like an invasion of screeching Black H'Mong women dressed in their traditional costumes came rushing across the road to greet the new tourists.  At first I thought it would be a hard selling mission but actually all they wanted to do was accompany the travellers.

Tribeswomen

The same happened when I got off at Pumpkin Guest House.  The H'Mong women gathered outside on the steps all giddy and excited to join the new people.

                                       Waiting in anticipation

 Breakfast was served, scrambled eggs but not the way I have ever had them before, that is not a positive comment and I thought about offering a quick cookery lesson...

By 9.30am our group was gathered and our friendly guide was leading us up the hill and into the vast valley of stepped rice paddies.  Dih, the guide had excellent English and was able to point out all the important landmarks on the way.  Surprisingly the H'Mong women and young girls who walked with our group, and I would say we had about 15 with us, had really good basic English skills.  Enough to ask how old I was! How many children do I have and where I am from.  Then they were able to tell me about themselves.  Dih explained that none of these women or their daughters went to school but learnt English from tourists. 

The weather was cool, drizzly and very slippy underfoot, especially on the downhill sections.  I was well equipped as I had planned this in advance although for some of the group this must have been an afterthought as they had sandals with no grip or borrowed purple wellies also with no grip.  This meant slow progress down hill as well as a few falls and muddy bottoms.  Each time it got a bit tricky or slippy the H'Mong women were really helpful, assisting us and ensuring we didn't fall.  Their footwear was merely plastic sandals and they do that walk every day.

Mavis

New best friend

Sue

Rita

The hike lasted until 5pm with lunch in a H'Mong village on the way which consisted of fried chicken, rice and salad and chocolate bar.  This was eaten in a little hut, which had a tv, while we were viewed by the children of the village through the window.  I felt like a novelty item or feeding time at the zoo but they were actually very polite children who then really nicely shared any food we didn't want between each of them very fairly which was lovely to see.

In the evening I was given a basic three course meal in the guest house and then had an exploratory look around the town which has typical shops selling Vietnamese style silk clothes and H'Mong items all embroidered in the traditional style.  There are a variety of places to eat from Vietnamese to Thai, Indian and a few western choices too.  Because of the French influence there are a few lovely patisseries.

The next day was a similar hike although it was shorter and was over by 12 o clock.  Frankly the first one was the best and all the things we saw and were explained to us by Sue

We'd already heard the day before, plus the route was very touristy following concrete steps to a waterfall.  The route was lined with market stalls for most of the way although they were not overly pushy.  Of course if you go down hill you must go up again and that was a bit of a slog but we had a break and a cold drink and a lolly looking over the valley at the beautiful rice paddies.

ET Pumpkin, Ma May Street, Hanoi

I used this company for a two day hiking trip to Sapa in the North Highlands of Vietnam.  Their website was clear and easy to use and the trip turned out to be exactly as it said in their information.  It short it was a really interesting and very different holiday experience.  I would have every confidence in recommending this company and would definitely use them again.

I paid for the trip in advance, before I got to Vietnam, by transferring money via Western Union, that was really easy and straightforward.  Pumpkin acknowledged receipt of the money by the next day. 

The price of the trip included an overnight train ride from Hanoi to Lao Cai Railway Station and then a half hour bus ride to Sapa itself.  One night in a basic guest house, all meals and then an overnight train ride back to Hanoi.  All in all I had three nights away.

Luang Prabang, Laos

Giving alms to Buddist monks

I have just spent three wonderful days in Luang Prabang, Laos (in travel speak 4D/3N) and now I am wondering why I left.

It is a truly wonderful, peaceful, town that offers calmness I have hardly ever experienced in a tourist destination.

This trip was an unexpected detour which I hadn't actually planned when I set off to Hanoi but as number one daughter was passing through Laos and it seemed so tantalizingly near I got online to find Vietnamese Airways offering flights and in the blink of an eye I was winging my way from Vietnam to Luang Prabang in Laos when the day before I hadn't even heard of it.

I did have a slight visa issue because once I had left Vietnam I used up my single entry visa which, cleverly, I realized on the Thursday when I arrived.  This meant a couple of trips to the Vietnamese Embassy in Luang Prabang and US$50 to that I could return to Hanoi and continue my original trip.  The office is open from 7.30am-11.30am, closed for two hours and then open until 4.30pm, it is closed at the weekends and public holidays so I count myself clever to realise I needed to get the new visa in my passport before arriving at the airport on a Sunday.  Could have been tricky...

But now I wish I hadn't been so clever and been made to stay in Laos longer - then I could still been there saying "Oh dear, I have to stay because I don't have a visa for Vietnam!"

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it has such well preserved  temples and was the chosen capital of King Sisavangvong and his family.  Ho Kham is now the Royal Palace Museum.  The main event happens at sunrise each morning as hundreds of monks dressed in orange, who all live in the well preserved temples, walk along the main street to collect alms.  To see this sight means getting up very very early which I can smugly announce I did.

My room at Villa Santi Hotel and Spa was literally 20 steps away from where the procession walks by.  Did I say how early I got up - 5.30am!  But because in my head that is still night I didn't actually wash or dress.  You've guessed it, I was one of those people in the street in their pyjamas.  I did avail myself of the hotel's robe so I wasn't so indecent. 

Three ladies immediately flocked around me pushing rattan plates with sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves.  I sat on the pavement and as the monks walked by I put food in their bowls, as did many others also crouching on the pavement.

I then had a row with the three ladies who seemed to want far too much money for their services and tutted a lot when I refused to give them what they asked for.  This didn't seem fitting for the previous spiritual experience of feeling so close to the monks and soaking up the calmness of the early morning. They wanted 80,000 kip whereas the younger crowd were asked for 10,000 kip.

 

Number one daughter's opinion about this is that I don't look like a backpacker so they think I'm rich.  She suggests I get myself some tie dyed items and a t-shirt stating the last place I visited. (I went tubing in Vang Vieng Tubing)  That way I cease to be a target for explotation.  I might try it. 

Water Falls

Outside of the town accessable by affordable tuktuk are two sites of water falls.  Tat Kuang Si falls.  There are freezing plunge pools and rope swings for the thrill seakers.

 

The night market which is set up each evening from 5.30pm to 10pm is the quietest market in the world.  The traders remain polite yet attentive and there is no hasstle.  Not one stall holder shouted "Pound of bananas"  they had class.  The items for sale were exquisite and very origianl.  I have visited tourist markets many times but his one had very high quality items at reasonable prices.  But not being hussled and bussled to buy was such a refreshing change.  As well as the market there are wonderful boutique style shops lining the main strip on Sikavangvong Street plus wonderful cafes and restaurants offering Laos, Thai and Indian food as well as western style coffee shops.

Laos sausage

I intend to go back and stay longer and perhaps take a slow boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai as number one daughter is doing right now.

 

 

 

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...

 

Fish Maw and Sea Cucumber - Weird Chinese Food

Fish Maw Wikipedia say  (swim bladder, gas bladder, air bladder of a fish)

The Menu Madam

I love reading menus.  Its all  part of a good night out.  It is a most satisfactory experience and I have a great sense of satisfaction when the decision has been made and the order is in.  It means that I have carefully considered every dish on offer and chosen the best one, the one I am in the mood for.

Be Adventurous why don't you?

It was put to me recently that I should put myself in a situation of trying food that I would not normally try.  'What on earth for?' was my reply.  I know I have lived in Hong Kong for ten years and I also know that in my heart I am a roast beef and Yorkshire pudding kind of girl. 

I know what I like.

Ordering Skills

But I was cajoled and coerced into trying something a little bit different this evening.  It was actually built up over a week when the words fish maw and (It is not a vegetable, more like a slug) sea cucumber, fungus and pork intestines were banded around willy nilly.  This was all a sneaky underhand plan to make me feel boring, unadventurous and inadequate in my menu browsing and ordering skills.  Quite offensive really but the tactic worked.

Bush Tucker Challenge

By the time I sat down in the Chinese Restaurant at the HKUST  I was bigged up to order the weirdest stuff on the menu, in fact I was looking forward to the challenge.  I thought it of it like  Fear Factor or a Bush Tucker Challenge (see I'm a Celebrity Get me Out of Here) and so after some banter and a sharing of reading glasses Failing eyesight blog (I always have at least one pair on the table these days) the order was placed:-

fillet of groupa in an orange dressing

scallops with lily bulbs

fish maw with sea cucumber

lotus, black fungus with honey beans

and then just in case we really couldn't put any of that to our lips we also had:-

sweet & sour pork

fried rice with chicken and ginger

You want WHAT?

I was watching the waiter's face for signs of surprise, perhaps he would challenge us politely, carefully suggesting that we had made some culinary mistake because it's not what us folk usually order.  It wasn't to be, and why should he be in any way doubtful that we wouldn't like it.  Hundreds of other people order this stuff every Friday night. 

It all arrived and was placed in the middle of the table for a shared experience, as all Chinese food is.  No one gets a whole dish  to themselves that is just not cricket.  Everyone gets a taste of everything.  It the way things are done.  

Where is your napkin!

I saw the sea cucumber lurking among the fish maw and went for it.  Stabbing a piece with my chopsticks and carefully transporting the slippery little sucker to my plate.  But it jumped!  It left my chop stick grasp and landed in my lap covering my beige trousers in soy sauce and a greasy mark over both legs and on the crutch area.  Damn! 

Offensive or not?

Eventually it made it to my mouth and so did the fish maw.  To be frank, sea cucumber is just weird.  This is a technical term in the foodie world.  I detected no flavour apart from the oil and soy sauce it had been cooked in so it was not offensive but I hated the jelly-like texture.  As I chewed it just broke up into smaller jelly-like lumps in my mouth but never melted away like say a raspberry jelly does.  The fish maw, see picture above,  on the other hand was ok, not fishy.  I had quite a few bits of it and now I have identified it I could now spot it at the local supermarket and purchase it for my own cooking (but I won't!).

The groupa was great and the orange dressing a delight. 

lotus root

Lotus with black fungus and honey bean - quite nice although no distinguishable taste, it is the a textural difference between the ingredients which is to be appreciated.

cooked black fungus

Lost in Translation

Now don't be put off by the name.  Fungus is merely a name for mushrooms and I guess that in translation this type of mushroom becomes fungus, after all that is what mushrooms are.  This translation just doesn't sound too appetizing does it?  Don't be frightened, try it!

Once the plates were cleared away (there was plenty of sea cucumber left for a doggy bag although I declined the offer - funny that?)

The obvious sequence of events leads us to dessert and the more weird stuff on the menu was just crying out to be tasted:-

Wolf berry and osmanthus jelly and

glutinous dark pudding with coconut

wolf or goji berry

Osmanthus dried flower

Have you got jam rolly polly and custard?

This turned out to be lumps of plain gelatin with a few bits of dried flower (can be used as tea) and chopped up wolf berry and sugar.  Nothing of any significance.  Is it that the Chinese just don't do puddings?  For sure the cake in these parts is totally tasteless unless you happened to like synthetic cream and sponge.  The glutinous dark pudding with coconut had a nice light flavour and was the texture of a mouse although brought back vivid memories of Angel Delight.

Not much gagging

So to sum up the array of flavours, textures and tastes delivered to our table during the evening were stimulating, interesting and - well to be honest - Chinese food flavour.  It is all much of a muchness whatever the main ingredients are the cooking process (wok with soy sauce) is much the same for nearly every dish.  On a more positive note  there were no real retching or gag moments as I had imagined may happen.  That would have been the worst case scenario and apart from the sea cucumber on the trousers  it was actually rather pleasant and has opened my mind to, perhaps one day may be soon, ordering at least one dish I haven't tried before next time I find myself in a Chinese restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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?

 

Weekend in Shanghai

Chen Yi, the first communist mayor of Shanghai

I have to admit to being not very well travelled when it comes to China.  I have lived in SAR for nearly ten years now but have been some how magnetically repelled from the mainland because of the horror stories I hear on a daily basis about:-

• dirty toilets
• dirty air
• dirty streets
• dirty trains

Then there is the danger angle people like to thrap on about:-

• risk of earthquake
• risk of flood

Not to mention the general physical risks of:-

• being robbed
• being in a car accident
• being swindled

Taking my life in my hands I visited Shanghai, China's most populous city to find it was none of those things and whats more I had a great time and came back all in one piece.  I enjoyed it, I felt safe and I would go back.

ART

There is lots of art to see and the first stop was Shanghai Museum of Art situated next to the People's Park.  At the moment there is an exhibition of American Print Makers and we saw famous pieces by Jasper John's and Jim Dine.  After that we headed for 50 Moganshan Road which is a higgledy piggledy complex of converted warehouses filled with a vast variety of contemporary art.  Hundreds of visitors are attracted to this area every day and as well as the art there are trendy cafes and coffee to be had.  There is also the Museum of Modern Art, a state of the art glass building inside the People's Park but at the moment it just has a cafe inside - no art.

Pervert taking photograph of young girl's legs

 

THE PEOPLE'S PARK

The People's Park itself is a myriad of life.  A well looked after garden plus a few small theme park rides, it attracts a variety of people.  Sit on the grass and enjoy your picnic.  Practise tai chi to your hearts content.  Dress up in a panda outfit and thrill the children.  Advertise your unmarried grown up children being available for marriage (there was loads of that).  Play chess.  Beg.  Stop bewildered tourists and ask them questions to practise your English then offer to take them to a tea ceremony (we had that lots of times). All very friendly and non threatening.  I was even protected from a particularly annoying beggar in the park by some Shanghai people who felt the need to keep me safe and send her on her way.  They then translated what they had said for me which was basically 'get a job and stop bothering the tourist's!

Weeeee!

WANTED - GROOM FOR MY DAUGHTER

 

NANJING ROAD

Upon arrival on Nanjing Road pedestrian street the hawkers selling copy everythingyoucanthinkof pounced but being used to it on Nathan Road the usual technique of eyes front and ignore was implemented.  Although I wasn't quite ready for the wheelie shoe sellers who zipped about on a type of roller skate wheel that can be attached to any shoe.  They obviously felt that I was in the market for wheelie shoes but I politely declined, at first, after the 8th person zipping up to me on their trendy wheels I had had enough.  That's when Fairy Land Foot Massage lit its beacon and led me up their wonderful staircase to wonderfulness.  See previous blog.

Fairyland Foot Massage, Shanghai

THE BUND

In the evening, after one of the most delicious and interesting meals of my life at Lost Heaven.  See previous blog. 

Lost Heaven

We did The Bund.  The most famous area by the river lined with magnificent historic stone built structures dating back to a time when the west had a strong influence on the city.  On The Bund side of the river are the neo classical and art deco style buildings while across the river are the futuristic modern buildings all lit up and pretty.  Having said that it was Earth Hour when we arrived which meant that most of the lights had been switched off for an hour so the impact of them all coming on again at 9.30pm was thrilling, albeit not environmentally that friendly!

JAZZ IN SHANGHAI

On The Bund is the Peace Hotel which contains a very cool jazz club.  We look our positions on high stools at the bar and enjoyed the band.  Wow!  Excellent live music.  I didn't enjoy the cigarette smoke quite so much and it was a surprise to be in a bar full of smoke these days.  There is talk that China will ban smoking in public places very soon.  Let's wait to see how it goes?  A bit more jazz after the Peace Hotel involved a taxi ride to JZ Jazz Bar, 46 Fuxing Road, near Yongfu Road which was, again filled with smoke, and a zillion more people.  It is Shanghai's hippest jazz club.  After a difficult attempt at trying to get close to the stage and being told we had to pay 500 RMB for the privilege, we moved back to the free seating and let the jazz wash over us.  Yeh daddio!

OLD SHANGHAI AND YU GARDENS

Next morning more exploring was on the itineray and a visit to Yu Gardens and Old Shanghai.  It was crowed.  Very crowded.  But very exciting and filled with atmosphere and tourists being lead around by ladies in red caps and the dreaded electric megaphone.  Oh dear!  The buildings and temples were stunning and food stalls overwhelming.  We made our way out of the more crowded tourist shuffle area down some back streets where the real people lived and enjoyed a lunch which was cooked for us as we watched.  There were ceramic dishes already prepared with the ingredients, vegetables, fish or meat or just a veggie options with noodles or rice.  Once you choose your dish it was placed over a gas flame until it bubbled and cooked everything.  I think it was the original Pot Noodle.

So I wasn't in any danger as far as I know and I now know the horror stories are just that - stories.  There was even a Marks & Spencers with a sale on with a great coat just wating for me!

 

MORE PHOTOS WILL BE POSTED SHORTLY

 

Strawberry Picking - Hong Kong

Here I am snipping the strawberries

 

http://yl.com.hk/sbg/index.html

 

STRAWBERRY PICKING - SHA TAU KOK ROAD

Today I picked about 5lbs of strawberries on a pick-your-own-farm up towards Fanling in the New Territories.  In fact it's almost in China and there is the border with a policeman and a big sign saying Permit Holders Only'.  There is a big Buddhist temple on the right of Sha Tau Kok Road with many people burning paper offerings to their ancestors, some quite nice gardens with some carp swimming about although it could do with a clean and general prune.  One Buddhist temple is much like any other round these parts but this one has stalls with dried and fresh produce for sale.  The added bonus is the strawberry picking field.

My punnet (see below) cost $140 and right now I am making jam!

I would never have believed it possible but its really true.  It is strawberry picking for softies in that the plants are grown on plastic sheeting so no need to get any dirty soil on your Guccis plus they provide a handy pair of kiddie scissors for snipping the stalks.

 

A basket full of strawberries    $140 please

 As well as that I have now made organic carrot and corriander soup.  It's all good.

BREAKING NEWS - JAM IN JARS

Extra bonus addition to this blog - it is now Tuesday 5th April and the jam is now in jars.

The first attempt resulted in 4 jars of jam but it didn't set.  So I put two jars back in the pan, added apple skin and boiled for longer.  This resulted in set jam but it reduced down to only one jar.  It is yummy but in no way economical. 

Fairyland - Foot Massage and Hard Skin Removal - Shanghai

 

Feet

SOOTHING MASSAGE

After a tremendous amount of walking around Shanghai one Saturday on a weekend mini break our feet were throbbing and in need of some attention.  We didn't plan to visit Fairyland Health and Beauty on Nanjing Pedestrian Street, it seemed to find us.  I think it had a magnetic charm that lulled us up the stairs into completely unknown territory.  There was a short period of uncertainty until I was sure it was a respectable establishment because its just awful when it's not, don't you just hate it when that happens?

RELAXING MUSIC

In the blink of an eye we were made comfortable in a darkened room with relaxing music and our feet were soaked in fragrant water while the masseurs paid our shoulders much need attention.  A special bonus of a shoulder rub just to make up the time while the feet are cleansed and softened up ready for the foot massage.

HARD SKIN REMOVAL

The massage was excellent and I would have no reservations in recommending Fairyland if you are ever in need of stress relief and are in Shanghai at the same time.  But actually the best bit was the hard skin removal service.  For an extra 48 RMB a specially skilled man was summoned into the room yielding a blade.  Or was it a scalpel or was it an incredibly sharp chisel?  As I say it was a darkened room so it was hard to tell.  But the hard skin removal master was well equipped to work on feet in a darkened room.  He was wearing a head torch.  I guess he had a been boy scout when he was younger so was always prepared.  He set to work with the chisel and with the lightest touch he managed to  shave off what looked like snow flakes from my feet.  The towel was soon covered and I caught the masseurs looking sideways at each other at the surprising amount of dead skin building up as he dutifully shaved my feet.

The service was excellent, shoulder, feet and shaving of said feet. We floated out.  Wow!

Hard skin removal man wearing head torch

The man in the head torch made Fairyland an extra special experience and I want him to come and live in our house.

Putting it Together The Fringe Club, Hong Kong

Golden Voice Entertainment...

The cast of Putting it Together

GOLDEN VOICE

Sounds smooth doesn't it?  It just rolls off the tongue.  Say it with me "Golden Voice Entertainment" . Try again and this time think Barbara Streisand. All together - One, two, three "Golden Voice Entertainment"  Lovely isn't it?

DIRECTOR - FRINGE CLUB, HONG KONG

Michael Sharmon is the artistic director of Golden Voice Entertainment and it is actually true.  He does have a golden voice and so do the cast of Putting it Together, a Stephen Sondheim review performed at The Fringe Club in February. Once home and tucked up in bed I did a bit of googling (sounds a bit personal doesn't it?) to find that the story was creatively linked together based on previously existing songs from a number of different Sondheim musicals.  Stone me!  They all fitted together seamlessly to form a new story in its own right.  How clever. 

MUSIC

The Fringe Club is a very suitable venue for intimate shows like this with just 4 main characters up close and personal allowing us to see and feel their emotions but not allowing us to think about the uncomfortable seats.  The music was provided by two extremely experienced and talented musicians, Peter Lally on piano and Peter Scherr on double bass - terrific!  They were positioned at the back of the stage so were on view throughout.

JACQUELINE GOURLAY GRANT

The star was undoubtedly Jacqueline Gourlay Grant who played "The Wife" as well as being Musical Director.  What a woman!  I am sure that she has had a hand in many shows in Hong Kong and is a magical force on stage.  And by the way Jacqueline, great jacket.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Looking forward to the next one and thanks again to Michael Sharmon and the whole cast who take time to provide the community with such a tremendously high standard of local entertainment.  Beats that huge atmosphereless hall at the airport.

 

 

 

Enell Sports Bra - Opera's favourite

I have a never ending quest to find a good sports bra.  A bra that I can wear for exercise.  A bra that will do what it says on the box.  To be explicit it is a bra that will support my breasts during a moderate to hard run, in a public place, and ensure that 'the girls' are kept under control throughout a bout of jumping jacks, spotty dogs and even skipping. 

I have tried lots, some good, some not so much.  Even if they are good to start with, after a few months of sweatie workouts, washing and drying they loose their support and turn into an overstretched grey rag.

I have not found any suitable sports bras that fulfill my needs in any shop in Hong Kong.  I have given up and taken to buying online.

My latest online purchase arrived from Ladiesonlysports.com and I tested it out today.  Ladies, ladies, ladies!  Success.  It was advertised as Opera Winfrey's favourite sports bra and if its good enough for Opera it's good enough for me.

To quote the advertising blurb - Enell Sports Bra is designed for well-endowed women.  It minimizes breast movement, eliminates chaffing and provides back support.  Trust me it really is fab.

 

Matching Koreans

I am reposting this because the Daily Mail have caught onto to this phenomena.

Matching Ts mean true love - Daily Mail 14.11.11

Have a look at the photographs taken in Boracay last week.  Korean couples on holiday in matching outfits.  Are they children of mothers who insisted on dressing siblings in identical clothing so as to embarrass them in front of their friends and who, now, can't break away from the 'look'?

My reaction is to put my fingers down my throat and puke at the total patheticness of the whole phenomenon.  Or perhaps I am being a little harsh?

No - I stick with my first reaction.