The rat and the monkey are off to Italy for the rat's brother's fairy-tale wedding followed by a honeymoon in a fiat 500. They estimate to return in around 10 days with around 1,000 photos.
Arrivederci!
27 August 2009
25 August 2009
This week on my crappy camera phone
Another one of my favourite Hong Kong habits: people who stuff a dirty tissue down the handle of a taxi door - there's just nothing quite like putting your hand in someone else's wet mucus handkerchief. Gross.
A more agreeable Hong Kong hobby: the mani-pedi. Bliss.
And in other news, leafing through a guide to Italy led me to realise that Krusty is in fact the spitting image of... Roberto Benigni (in the bottom left hand corner)! It's a wonderful life? Er....
A more agreeable Hong Kong hobby: the mani-pedi. Bliss.
And in other news, leafing through a guide to Italy led me to realise that Krusty is in fact the spitting image of... Roberto Benigni (in the bottom left hand corner)! It's a wonderful life? Er....
19 August 2009
Pop up
Today we're having a bit of fun in the office creating a pop-up layout for my Oriental Express story.
Some days work is good...
Some days work is good...
17 August 2009
The magic dragon
The best thing about Hong Kong is, without contest, its hikes. You can wake up to the sound of jackhammers building the next skyscraper to ruin your view in the morning, and within just 30 minutes, be surrounded by lush tropical trees and breathtaking sea views. Makes everything else worthwhile, without the shadow of a doubt.
A shadow would have been most welcome on Sunday, though. We seem to forget our lesson every time we embark on a new journey, and end up at the summit at midday, when the sun is at its gnarliest. One day we'll learn to leave a little earlier, or later.
But oh how it was worth the heatstroke - we hiked along the Dragon's Back, a mountain ridge within Shek O Country Park, actually on Hong Kong Island, as opposed to other hikes on the mainland. What's so amazing about this hike - apart from the fact that you are on top of a mountain, with views down on both sides - is that you can literally see the city below (and in fact the new ICC building that is still under construction on Kowloon is so high that its head pops out from behind Victoria Peak) while all you can hear is the rare breeze in the leaves, and all you can smell is the salt from the sea surrounding you (and that bead of sweat rolling down your, well, every part of your body really).
You couldn't be closer to the city, without being further away.
It was hot though. And if you don't believe me, check out Krusty's face after huffing and puffing up the first hump. It's a whole new shade of red...
A shadow would have been most welcome on Sunday, though. We seem to forget our lesson every time we embark on a new journey, and end up at the summit at midday, when the sun is at its gnarliest. One day we'll learn to leave a little earlier, or later.
But oh how it was worth the heatstroke - we hiked along the Dragon's Back, a mountain ridge within Shek O Country Park, actually on Hong Kong Island, as opposed to other hikes on the mainland. What's so amazing about this hike - apart from the fact that you are on top of a mountain, with views down on both sides - is that you can literally see the city below (and in fact the new ICC building that is still under construction on Kowloon is so high that its head pops out from behind Victoria Peak) while all you can hear is the rare breeze in the leaves, and all you can smell is the salt from the sea surrounding you (and that bead of sweat rolling down your, well, every part of your body really).
You couldn't be closer to the city, without being further away.
It was hot though. And if you don't believe me, check out Krusty's face after huffing and puffing up the first hump. It's a whole new shade of red...
14 August 2009
You know you're in Hong Kong when...
...you open the office fridge to find a bag full of chickens' feet...
12 August 2009
Creepy crawlies
This morning, I took a shower. So far, so "why am I reading this blog again?" But when I exited the shower and went for the towel, I discovered the biggest, scariest, most disgusting, monstruous, indestructible cockroach Hong Kong has ever seen.
At this point I should add that I am completely katsaridaphobic (that's right, there's a name for it - that's because cockroaches are SCARY... don't ask why) and that Krusty, who usually guards me against these intruders (quite commonplace in these humid climes unfortunately) is on a business trip.
So it was just me, my towel, and this monster.
Our eyes locked as I decided what to do, and I swear I saw evil in its stare. Considering the consequences of karmic retribution, I opened the window to allow it to leave by its own accord (actually I just didn't want to touch it) but no such luck. It stood its ground, defiantly.
I flew into a sudden frenzy, threw kind caution to the wind and grabbed the Biokill spray (my new best friend), chasing the beast while it scurried all over the place. Those things are FAST.
As it was cornered in the shower (actually even Biokill can't kill cockroaches, as can't nuclear explosions, or putting them in the microwave), I started aiming water at it, but it just started jumping out of the stream. Jumping. A JUMPING COCKROACH.
Anyway, it finally disappeared down the plug hole, who knows whether it was alive or dead, and now all that I can think about is whether it will come back with all of its mates to seek vengeance. I am wearing a long dress today, and every time my hem touches my foot I squeal in fear.
What if it tells the cockroach police and they decide to come and bring justice to this house?!
At this point I should add that I am completely katsaridaphobic (that's right, there's a name for it - that's because cockroaches are SCARY... don't ask why) and that Krusty, who usually guards me against these intruders (quite commonplace in these humid climes unfortunately) is on a business trip.
So it was just me, my towel, and this monster.
Our eyes locked as I decided what to do, and I swear I saw evil in its stare. Considering the consequences of karmic retribution, I opened the window to allow it to leave by its own accord (actually I just didn't want to touch it) but no such luck. It stood its ground, defiantly.
I flew into a sudden frenzy, threw kind caution to the wind and grabbed the Biokill spray (my new best friend), chasing the beast while it scurried all over the place. Those things are FAST.
As it was cornered in the shower (actually even Biokill can't kill cockroaches, as can't nuclear explosions, or putting them in the microwave), I started aiming water at it, but it just started jumping out of the stream. Jumping. A JUMPING COCKROACH.
Anyway, it finally disappeared down the plug hole, who knows whether it was alive or dead, and now all that I can think about is whether it will come back with all of its mates to seek vengeance. I am wearing a long dress today, and every time my hem touches my foot I squeal in fear.
What if it tells the cockroach police and they decide to come and bring justice to this house?!
11 August 2009
Muzak
The office torture continues, with tunes so boring they didn't even get the singers to suffer through an entire song - they just got them to sing 5 notes and then pressed copy and paste about 100,000 times.
At least it's better than the phlegm concert accompanied by the dispatch lady screaming orders down the taxi radio this morning.
I read today that in Chinese culture, and especially in Qi medicine, phlegm is called "sou", or "productive cough". I call it "rrhhhhuuuuhhhhhhk".
At least it's better than the phlegm concert accompanied by the dispatch lady screaming orders down the taxi radio this morning.
I read today that in Chinese culture, and especially in Qi medicine, phlegm is called "sou", or "productive cough". I call it "rrhhhhuuuuhhhhhhk".
09 August 2009
Kitchen confidential
With Krusty in town for just one night (back from a week in Australia and off for a week in Singapore) I thought it was high time for a dinner party at home. And by the same token, a great opportunity for the first installment in P and I's cook-off.
I can't say too much here, but my fabulous Colombian friend P and I have a secret project on the burner that involves a hobby we both very much love - food. So on Saturday, for the first time since our little plan was hatched, we whipped out our aprons and cooked to our little hearts' content.
My brother was in Hong Kong for the weekend too, so a total of nine of us - including J, who brought a selection of wines to conduct a tasting at the same time - enjoyed the results: my mother's traditional lasagne, a courgette and ricotta lasagne twist, a bitter mango salad and a berry cheesecake with mangosteen sorbet. Eclectic, yes. Delicious, double yes.
More details as the project evolves, but for now, a few photos!
I can't say too much here, but my fabulous Colombian friend P and I have a secret project on the burner that involves a hobby we both very much love - food. So on Saturday, for the first time since our little plan was hatched, we whipped out our aprons and cooked to our little hearts' content.
My brother was in Hong Kong for the weekend too, so a total of nine of us - including J, who brought a selection of wines to conduct a tasting at the same time - enjoyed the results: my mother's traditional lasagne, a courgette and ricotta lasagne twist, a bitter mango salad and a berry cheesecake with mangosteen sorbet. Eclectic, yes. Delicious, double yes.
More details as the project evolves, but for now, a few photos!
05 August 2009
Rain
It has been non stop rain since last weekend, with a typhoon coming through and another potentially on its way. What I'd like to know, though, is why are typhoons only strong enough to force us to stay at home on weekends or late at night?
02 August 2009
Beauty and the beast
With a glass of champagne in one hand and a madeleine in the other, I give you the beauty of HK – for those of you who thought that our adoptive home was just a harbourfront of skyscrapers such as this:
I give you the same skyscrapers at sunset:
Aaaaannnnd another sunset on Cheng Sha beach (albeit taken at a very low resolution on my rubbish camera phone):
I give you the same skyscrapers at sunset:
Aaaaannnnd another sunset on Cheng Sha beach (albeit taken at a very low resolution on my rubbish camera phone):
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