In a culture where the 'big guy in red' doesn't rank so highly on the list of legendary figures, it'd be remiss of me not to point out that Hong Kong is well and truly lit-up like a proverbial Christmas tree on steroids. I'm not just talking about a bit of scruffy tinsel wrapped half-heartedly around a street light or a few baubles dangling precariously inside a shopping centre, no no, this my friends is seriously decking the halls! Still a relative youngster in traditional Christmas terms, 'tis the season to be jolly' is something locals have really only embraced (with all their glitter-loving glory) in the last few decades. Given just ten per cent of Hong Kong's population is Christian, it's easy to see why Christmas hasn't long been on the festive radar. … [Read more...]
A date with destiny….
Since moving to Asia I've had many a 'chopstick moment' (and probably many times before if the truth be known). These 'moments' are when I fumble awkwardly with my two sticks, discreetly trying to determine whether they're the right way up before gingerly attempting to clasp my rice and other slippery suckers that lurk menacingly in my bowl in the most civilised way possible. (When no one's looking I've been known to stab my chopstick into the food for better leverage.) Naturally my inability has only been highlighted living in a country where the chopstick is a national icon. Invented in China, they're said to reflect the wisdom of ancient Chinese people. You can appreciate, eating at local restaurants (often one of the only Gwailos) is more than enough to feed my chopstick anxiety. Not that I've got a complex or anything, but it's hard to miss the amused looks as waiters circle our table like sharks, stifling their smirks and jabbering away in cantonese (clearly entertained by the white girl's clumsy attempts to get so much as a grain of rice into her mouth). In the beginning I would accept defeat immediately - ditching the sticks and humbly requesting a knife and fork. These days I'm more accepting of the challenge and proud to say, I'm gaining ground on the proverbial stick! … [Read more...]
Hotel Confessions: Fool’s Paradise!
"The great advantage of a hotel is that it's a refuge from home life." Great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw wasn't far off the truth with this pearl of wisdom. Married to an hotelier, I've been regaled with a few tales of the weird and wonderful antics of guests bunked-down in their 'home away from home.' Having worked in television for much of my career, strangely enough the two worlds aren't as different as you might think. The guest who turned up half-naked at reception covered in talcum powder springs to mind. (For the record it was at the hotel but with hindsight, it could've just as easily been the TV studios.) I digress... what I really want to know, is when it comes to hotels of the luxurious kind, what is it that provokes such extravagant and more often than you'd care to know, bizarre behavior? … [Read more...]
A for effort….This is Hong Kong!
We live on the forty-something floor. A pretty normal residential address in Hong Kong, which is home to around 8000 skyscrapers (almost double that of New York.) Last week one of the many notices we get through the mailbox from the 'building management' went something like this.… "….table tennis balls and a tissue have been found in the garden area after being tossed out of a window or balcony from a serious height. This is a serious criminal act and you will be liable for $10,000 hk and 6 months imprisonment!" A high price to pay for a carelessly thrown tissue? Given the extraordinary number of high-rises squeezed ever-so-tightly into this concrete jungle, it's a wonder there aren't more people being walloped on the head by falling objects. The perils of high-rise living! … [Read more...]
Moonlit Reflections….
“The moon, like you, is far away from me, but it’s our sole memento: if you look and recall our past through it, we can be one mind.” Saigo, Awesome Nightfall After a fantastic four-day 'moon gazing' holiday, I was keen to share the hallmarks of this annual chinese tradition that appeared to permeate a sense of joy and serenity through the usually hard-at-work, frenzied metropolis of Hong Kong. Sadly though, as the Mid-Autumn Festival (otherwise known as the Moon Festival or Chinese Lantern Festival) was coming to a close, tragedy struck right on our doorstep. As they did last year and the year before that… locals and expats gathered along harbour foreshores; in very tall buildings and on boats of all shapes and sizes - to watch the ever-popular fireworks display that also celebrates National Day - the founding of the People's Republic of China. Baby girl in bed, just as we did last year, we gathered in our bedroom to peek out the back window for the 15 minute showdown (if you perch on your toes you can see 'most' of the spectacle in all its glory.) Little did we know just half an hour earlier, two boats had collided further downstream and mayhem was unfolding on Hong Kong's waters. … [Read more...]