So after the Swine Flu, I thought I would just do a random blog about my life in Hong Kong, So here is a little bit of this and a little bit of that!
Let us just talk about HUMIDITY for a minute – I could probably talk longer about it but you might lose interest real fast. It is very Humid over here, so when you go out in the morning after you have showered and done your hair 
– the Hong Kong air gives you another shower and your hair goes straight for me – for others it become kinky curly! I often wonder why I bother – but at least I smell fresh, that is until I start walking all over the city! Everyone carries a fan, wash cloth or bandana – to wipe the lovely water droplets off faces, necks and arms. (I am convinced that they would wipe off their backs if they could reach! – the water just runs down your spine!) In our home we need to have a Dehumidifier – we actually have 4 and the tanks need to be emptied every 4-6 hours depending on the humidity outside. That is a lot of water in the air! No wonder I feel like I am swimming!
– the Hong Kong air gives you another shower and your hair goes straight for me – for others it become kinky curly! I often wonder why I bother – but at least I smell fresh, that is until I start walking all over the city! Everyone carries a fan, wash cloth or bandana – to wipe the lovely water droplets off faces, necks and arms. (I am convinced that they would wipe off their backs if they could reach! – the water just runs down your spine!) In our home we need to have a Dehumidifier – we actually have 4 and the tanks need to be emptied every 4-6 hours depending on the humidity outside. That is a lot of water in the air! No wonder I feel like I am swimming! 
Now some of you probably do not care about cooking in Hong Kong – but I do so you are going to get a little idea of what it is like for me. As many of you know I left my big beautiful remodeled kitchen with lovely BIG appliances back in our home in Washington. So my next picture is for all you who know how much I love my ovens and refrigerator. Check out how small my refrigerator is, I can almost fit a ½ of a watermelon on one of the shelves! I had to buy my own, because the one that came with the apartment kept freezing my lettuce and keeping my milk warm! It is so small, I feel like I am playing house with my little nieces. (Annalisa, are you enjoying my big refrigerator?)
John and Ron like it when I make bread, the bread here in Hong Kong is like eating a sponge – dry and no flavor. It has taken me two months but I finally made a loaf of wheat bread! (See the photo – it taste yummy) – Now you might not think this a heroic feat – but look at what I have to cook it in – the photo says it all! This is the smallest oven in the world. I am feeling like heroine for having defeated the machine!
The Beautiful Bread!
The OH so SMALL oven in which I make my beautiful bread!
I also have to have the ugly “BLACK BOX” on my counter – it really messes up my fung shui in the kitchen! It is the power that will run my large American cooking items without blowing the circuits or destroying the appliance. (I learned the hard way on a hairdryer and straightener!)
So you might what to know what we eat over here. I have mastered the art of making my granola for Ron so he is happy! I am learning to prepare Asian dishes like this soup – which was pretty delicious as and it looked authentic too! Dinner is ready, come on over!
LUNCH TIME......
As for me, I eat brown rice and mangos practically every day for lunch. The fruit here in Hong Kong is wonderful and the mangoes are divine! Cut them up add a little Cilantro (which they call Chinese parsley) add some fresh lime juice and grab your chopsticks and dig in! John likes to try all sorts of new things – he doesn’t always like them. Just last night he wanted to try a fresh fig, so I bought one, he washed and cut it up and took a big bite and promptly spit it out – and said “Hey, this doesn’t taste like a fig Newton!” I have to give him credit for trying new things.
Going out to eat is a necessary here – so I have my favorites and no it is not CHIPOLTE! They don’t have one here, come to think about I should write a letter asking them to put one close by – but I digress that is a topic for another day. I do have my favorite restaurant it is in on the Stanley water front. I go try to go there at least once a week. I order the same thing – Green chicken curry with rice! It is hot, spicy and so very yummy! My table always has a view and I am making friends with the owner – maybe he will show me how to prepare it one day.
I sit and read a book while enjoying my curry and the view. It is a great place to people watch and let me tell you I have seen some pretty funny things. And fashion over here is what a personal thing. If you happen to have time, drop by I will be happy to buy you a nice curry lunch. - Laura, I will make sure to order a Quesadilla and fries for you next time I am there!
We went out to eat with friends, yes we do have friends! On this night we went to a floating restaurant called JUMBO’S – not sure that is a good name for a restaurant, but the table and view was wonderful.
We are our dinner out side under the canopy and the China Sea for a back drop, doesn't get much better then this!
Oh, well maybe it does - they come and pick you up in there own version of a JUNK! No taxi's to this restaurant you come by boat! So no parking problems and it is free with dinner!
Okay now what you have all been waiting for, drum roll please.........
This picture was taken at night and well the reflecting articles I have wear for class don't take great pictures. But, I still look pretty COOL!
Motorcycle Momma – that is my new title around here. And as you can see, I fit the title! I finished my last 4 hour class on Saturday, in 95 degree weather. It was so hot wearing jeans and that helmet – and riding the bike around the school’s course. But, my instructor said I was doing great! Well at least that is what I thought he was saying - it is hard to tell sometimes they speak Chinlish! I will take a test in November to see if I can get my learners permit then it is out on the course with an instructor for about a month and a half and then I take another test to get my license. Then for a whole year I have to have a “P” on my license plate that let everybody know I am a new rider and to watch out! It is not as quite as bad as the scarlet letter but still – this is 2009! So, I have been
accused of not having any pictures of John. So I took my camera to church and decided I would take a picture of him with what he calls his "Homies" When I took out my camera and had the boys pile on the couch in the entry way - Michael wanted to be in the picture too - and just sat down right in front. Michael is one of my favorite people. He is eighteen, a senior in high school and just happens to have Downs Syndrome. Michael loves every body. He gives me a big hug every Sunday and two kisses on the cheek and then he holds my face in his hands and looks me in the eye and tells me I am pretty! And if I am really lucky he tells me I am HOT! Now that is how I like to start my week. Thanks Michael for being my Sunday angel!I am enjoying my new life, it is indeed an adventure. John is doing well in school and tells me all the time that Mandarin is a foreign language. He can s
ay a few words and is learning character writing as well. He is in a humanitites class - that does service in the community as part of classtime. This past Saturday John was out on the Hong Kong city streets collecting money for the Down Sydrome socity here in Hong Kong. He will go and work in an ophanage in mainland China is next month. John is on the High School baseball team - JV and in the last game, played first base and made an out! It was great and he thinks the uniform is cool too!
ay a few words and is learning character writing as well. He is in a humanitites class - that does service in the community as part of classtime. This past Saturday John was out on the Hong Kong city streets collecting money for the Down Sydrome socity here in Hong Kong. He will go and work in an ophanage in mainland China is next month. John is on the High School baseball team - JV and in the last game, played first base and made an out! It was great and he thinks the uniform is cool too!Well that is a little bit of this and a little bit of that... Stay tuned for more adventures of my life in Hong Kong!
