Thursday, May 11, 2006
Hong Kong day 1
Nei ho, greetings from the Eastern Pearl, Hong Kong!
I arrived yesterday and took the bus straight to Tai Wo (Whoa!). If you look at a HK map, I'm about 3 short train stops away from Mainland China in the New Territories side. Elaine, my host, works as an English teacher at a local school. I suppose being almost an hour away by train from the bustling city center has its benefits. There's a palpable difference between Tai Wo and Central or Mong Kok. For starters, the air seems so much fresher.
This morning on our way to the congee shop/ train station, I could hear more birds chirping than the usual harsh staccato of cantonese. Although, some of that melodious singing might have come suspiciously from resident tree frogs (important later). My host says there's quite a population of them here (Tai Woe!). Luckily, we live on the 6th floor. ;)
My mission for this trip is to get dad's equipment repaired. So at Oh-nine-hundred hours, I found myself at Citic tower, bearing cookies and pleading for the technicians to get our bulk repair done by Friday. For good measure, I checked out their new Hassy digital back.
At 39 mega-pixel, it produces a raw file of 100MB. In a 700MB cd, you could probably only fit 2-3 developed photos if you're lucky. Your prints will come in the size of an average billboard, and after each shoot, you'll probably have to dedicate one whole shelf or more for archiving. Yeah oh well, the back only costs about the same as my entire college education. 'Nuff said, I'm not bringing one home, at least not on this trip. ;)
After completing 50% of my to do list, I went to hunt for a sim card. China sells on average (local market) about 100,000 new cellphones each year (News factoid), and it was perplexing to find that none of the 711s carried sim cards, and that there were still more giordano shops on each block than Orange, Sunday or Vodacom combined. Steve (my editor) suggested that I check out the "Filipino Square," which made sense. After all, I do come from the world's txt cptal.
Dropped of cookies at the Action Asia office and invited my editor to have lunch with me at the best wonton shop I know. The shop is a tiny crack located right beside the stationary shop, on the left of Stanley street before ladder street. There are only 3 same-ish looking shops on that street. one sold duck, and the other, ninja turtles (red-eared slider terrapins). I was drooling over the prospect of sinking my teeth into plump, juicy wonton. One prawn per dumpling. Yum. Dad, while in Hong Kong, would take every single meal here. That's how good it was. And the memory of the gustatory experience, sustained through the years was probably one of the most motivating factors for me to come to this island (aside from visiting friends of course).
Something just felt different when I entered the shop, and it wasn't just the newly installed air conditioner that was blowing in my direction. The newspaper clippings were gone, and the place looked like it had a facelift. The walls were much brighter than I remembered, and place, although far from sterile, was actually much cleaner than I remembered (which in most normal cases is a good thing). Sign of success? Maybe...
My waltz through memory lane was brought to screeching halt the moment I bit through the first dumpling. Prawn missing. Outrage. Maybe it was fluke. Dissect next. Our scientific findings show that there's only 1/8 prawn in each wonton. Maybe they removed most prawn to make up for air-conditioning? It didn't make sense, I'd have gladly suffered the humidity of Hong Kong for that particular bowl. Found out later that a couple of years ago, that "dad's wonton shop" had shut down due to rocketing-rent, and this joint was run by an imposter, out to cash in on the original store's good reputation.
I'm completely devastated. As you can see from four paragraphs of text, we really liked it there. To console myself I had dinner at what Elaine thought was the best wonton shop. After 3 years, I'm surprised I found it on my own. Exit Mong kok on the Beard Papa side, look for the KFC, it's the shop peeking from the corner. The soup is white, and they serve the garlic and spring onions separated on spoon.
The rest of the day was spent either in Kent's studio or on a grand adventure through the MTR system. It's amazing how Hong Kong looks in the subway system, still all glamed-up and dressed to the nines. I saw shoes that need a license to be worn, they're pointed enough to be considered murder weapons. You can actually criss-cross and go through most of Hong Kong without ever surfacing from the tube. Above ground, put me anywhere, anywhere at all. For as long as I see the MTR sign, I'll be able to find my way home. Almost.
Elaine and I decided to meet at the house instead of in the Tai Wo station. She asked me if I remembered how to get back. Like a chinese legend, my directions I must say sounded fairly poetic. Through the shopping mall, down the escalator, through the subway with the chirping frogs, down a narrow bike path, behind the shell station. Tired and slightly bewildered from the train-ride (first class car mix-up), my eyes lit when I saw the Shell sign. I'm almost there. Never thought that Shell would help me so far away from home. Headed to the yellow and red lights, and got lost. Wrong station.
I figured that out when I saw Caltex, which I didn't remember and I also didn't get to cross under the frog-ridden tunnel. I got really worried when I didn't see another gas station though. How one misses a sports arena boggles the mind. I was just dumbstruck with what sort information my brain decided to retain, tree frogs, road width, and petrol parks instead of sports complexes the size of a city block, numbered bus stations and street signs. Someone send me on an orienteering course. I haven't gotten need-to-be-rescued-lost yet, but I'm also not picking the right markers. :) God help me when they change shops. I'll be lost.
Can't wait to see what adventures are in store tomorrow. :)
Hugs to all!
Kathy
P.S.
Mat: Would've been great to have you back here. Sequel to the ICEE trip. ;) Sorely tempted to bail at Lantau and catch the connecting flight to JNB. Realized I didn't have visa for it. *sigh* (mom, I'm kidding!) You need a break. Come visit. Also, how do I make peri-peri sauce without a blender? X- K
Karen/ Puch: You're haunting my subconscious and saving me from getting lost. Thanks! ;) See you on Tuesday for the
shoot. Do we need to arrange a gate pass?
Ian: The article on commercial divers came out. I think your guys are on it. Will post you the article. Tomorrow or so. Scarf
traveling. :)
Sacha: I'll send you a leche flan recipe.
________________
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
www.kathychua.com
I arrived yesterday and took the bus straight to Tai Wo (Whoa!). If you look at a HK map, I'm about 3 short train stops away from Mainland China in the New Territories side. Elaine, my host, works as an English teacher at a local school. I suppose being almost an hour away by train from the bustling city center has its benefits. There's a palpable difference between Tai Wo and Central or Mong Kok. For starters, the air seems so much fresher.
This morning on our way to the congee shop/ train station, I could hear more birds chirping than the usual harsh staccato of cantonese. Although, some of that melodious singing might have come suspiciously from resident tree frogs (important later). My host says there's quite a population of them here (Tai Woe!). Luckily, we live on the 6th floor. ;)
My mission for this trip is to get dad's equipment repaired. So at Oh-nine-hundred hours, I found myself at Citic tower, bearing cookies and pleading for the technicians to get our bulk repair done by Friday. For good measure, I checked out their new Hassy digital back.
At 39 mega-pixel, it produces a raw file of 100MB. In a 700MB cd, you could probably only fit 2-3 developed photos if you're lucky. Your prints will come in the size of an average billboard, and after each shoot, you'll probably have to dedicate one whole shelf or more for archiving. Yeah oh well, the back only costs about the same as my entire college education. 'Nuff said, I'm not bringing one home, at least not on this trip. ;)
After completing 50% of my to do list, I went to hunt for a sim card. China sells on average (local market) about 100,000 new cellphones each year (News factoid), and it was perplexing to find that none of the 711s carried sim cards, and that there were still more giordano shops on each block than Orange, Sunday or Vodacom combined. Steve (my editor) suggested that I check out the "Filipino Square," which made sense. After all, I do come from the world's txt cptal.
Dropped of cookies at the Action Asia office and invited my editor to have lunch with me at the best wonton shop I know. The shop is a tiny crack located right beside the stationary shop, on the left of Stanley street before ladder street. There are only 3 same-ish looking shops on that street. one sold duck, and the other, ninja turtles (red-eared slider terrapins). I was drooling over the prospect of sinking my teeth into plump, juicy wonton. One prawn per dumpling. Yum. Dad, while in Hong Kong, would take every single meal here. That's how good it was. And the memory of the gustatory experience, sustained through the years was probably one of the most motivating factors for me to come to this island (aside from visiting friends of course).
Something just felt different when I entered the shop, and it wasn't just the newly installed air conditioner that was blowing in my direction. The newspaper clippings were gone, and the place looked like it had a facelift. The walls were much brighter than I remembered, and place, although far from sterile, was actually much cleaner than I remembered (which in most normal cases is a good thing). Sign of success? Maybe...
My waltz through memory lane was brought to screeching halt the moment I bit through the first dumpling. Prawn missing. Outrage. Maybe it was fluke. Dissect next. Our scientific findings show that there's only 1/8 prawn in each wonton. Maybe they removed most prawn to make up for air-conditioning? It didn't make sense, I'd have gladly suffered the humidity of Hong Kong for that particular bowl. Found out later that a couple of years ago, that "dad's wonton shop" had shut down due to rocketing-rent, and this joint was run by an imposter, out to cash in on the original store's good reputation.
I'm completely devastated. As you can see from four paragraphs of text, we really liked it there. To console myself I had dinner at what Elaine thought was the best wonton shop. After 3 years, I'm surprised I found it on my own. Exit Mong kok on the Beard Papa side, look for the KFC, it's the shop peeking from the corner. The soup is white, and they serve the garlic and spring onions separated on spoon.
The rest of the day was spent either in Kent's studio or on a grand adventure through the MTR system. It's amazing how Hong Kong looks in the subway system, still all glamed-up and dressed to the nines. I saw shoes that need a license to be worn, they're pointed enough to be considered murder weapons. You can actually criss-cross and go through most of Hong Kong without ever surfacing from the tube. Above ground, put me anywhere, anywhere at all. For as long as I see the MTR sign, I'll be able to find my way home. Almost.
Elaine and I decided to meet at the house instead of in the Tai Wo station. She asked me if I remembered how to get back. Like a chinese legend, my directions I must say sounded fairly poetic. Through the shopping mall, down the escalator, through the subway with the chirping frogs, down a narrow bike path, behind the shell station. Tired and slightly bewildered from the train-ride (first class car mix-up), my eyes lit when I saw the Shell sign. I'm almost there. Never thought that Shell would help me so far away from home. Headed to the yellow and red lights, and got lost. Wrong station.
I figured that out when I saw Caltex, which I didn't remember and I also didn't get to cross under the frog-ridden tunnel. I got really worried when I didn't see another gas station though. How one misses a sports arena boggles the mind. I was just dumbstruck with what sort information my brain decided to retain, tree frogs, road width, and petrol parks instead of sports complexes the size of a city block, numbered bus stations and street signs. Someone send me on an orienteering course. I haven't gotten need-to-be-rescued-lost yet, but I'm also not picking the right markers. :) God help me when they change shops. I'll be lost.
Can't wait to see what adventures are in store tomorrow. :)
Hugs to all!
Kathy
P.S.
Mat: Would've been great to have you back here. Sequel to the ICEE trip. ;) Sorely tempted to bail at Lantau and catch the connecting flight to JNB. Realized I didn't have visa for it. *sigh* (mom, I'm kidding!) You need a break. Come visit. Also, how do I make peri-peri sauce without a blender? X- K
Karen/ Puch: You're haunting my subconscious and saving me from getting lost. Thanks! ;) See you on Tuesday for the
shoot. Do we need to arrange a gate pass?
Ian: The article on commercial divers came out. I think your guys are on it. Will post you the article. Tomorrow or so. Scarf
traveling. :)
Sacha: I'll send you a leche flan recipe.
________________
Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
www.kathychua.com
