Starbucks Everywhere

They are on almost every street corner in the U.S. and here in Hong Kong.

When I was living here in 2000 and the first Starbucks opened in Central, I was elated. Each time I walked in, I felt like Dorothy must have when she clicked her heels and returned to Kansas.  The smell, especially, transported me back to Seattle and everything tasted just like home.

Now, Starbucks is ubiquitous here, but they've made some changes to accommodate the local consumer preferences.  The buildings and ambiance are just like what we are used to in the States, but the drinks are very different.  The Asian palate is used to flavors that are more pungent and bitter, while the American palate prefers foods that are quite sweet in comparison. When you order your Frappuccinos or sweetened drinks, you will have to add your own sugar or sweetener if you want it to taste more like what we are used to drinking.

This Starbucks is my new favorite, located in TST on the promenade just past the Intercontinental Hotel.  Its view is one of the most amazing in the world, even on a very hazy (read 'polluted') day like today.  Where else can you sip your espresso and watch a sampan go by?  I'll have to go one evening to see the lights from this perfect vantage point.

Thank you., Mr. Schultz, for this fabulous treat in Hong Kong.

Skype rocks!

http://www.skype.com

If you are not on Skype yet, then I have a treat for you!

For free, you can video-chat with friends and family.  Yes, I said FREE!

It takes about 15 seconds to download and it's easier to use than Facebook.  Even if you do not have friends or family overseas, you can still use it just to see the loved ones with whom you are speaking.

(Hey you grandparents out there who do not live near your grandchildren...you should be ALL OVER this!)

I did purchase a package that let's me call landlines and mobile phones in the U.S. from my computer.  I have unlimited minutes for only $7 U.S. dollars a month.

You can also purchase Skype Premium which allows you to have group video chats.  We tested it for free for a week and my daughter was able to introduce some of her new friends here in Hong Kong to her friends in Atlanta.

Now that's cool.

Those Troublemakers - "the Oons"

It's raining here.  Again.  And it's all being caused by those pesky weather systems in the Pacific, whom I'll refer to as "the Oons".  Surely you've heard of them:  the Typhoons and the Monsoons.

People ask me about them and how they impact my life here, but there seems to be some confusion as to what they actually do.  Let's start with the definitions of these rabble rousers and go from there.

Typhoons are tropical cyclone storms in the Northwest Pacific Ocean.  Depending on where you live, you may know them by one of their other criminal aliases:  Hurricanes in the Atlantic, or Cyclones in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific.  Same storms, different names. This mug shot to the right is Typhoon Nesat, a recent offender.

Monsoons, on the other hand, are wind systems that change the levels of precipitation, which is why a Monsoon Season is often referred to as a "rainy season".*   Hong Kong's Monsoon Season is usually June through October.

There, definitions covered.  Now for the good stuff that relates to living here.

In Hong Kong, we have a very interesting warning system to let people know how to prepare if a Typhoon has formed.  The warnings are based on the threat level and they are taken very seriously.

Typhoon Signal 1 means that a typhoon has been spotted somewhere in the Pacific.  No need to worry just yet; you can go about your regular business.

Typhoon Signal 3 means that wind speeds are picking up and the storm is getting closer so you may want to tie down anything outside that could be blown around.  It also means to stay tuned because things could get interesting.  We experienced a Signal 3 while we were at Disneyland Hong Kong and they closed down the outdoor rides, but not the entire park.  

Typhoon Signal 8 (I'll explain why we jump to 8 in a minute) means that everything shuts down.  Wind speeds in the harbour are hazardous and people are supposed to stay inside.  Schools, offices, stores and taxis all stop operations. When Typhoon Nesat skirted by recently, Hong Kong hoisted a Signal 8.

Typhoon Signal 9 means it's getting pretty bad.

Typhoon Signal 10 means that there is a direct hit and you're basically toast.

So why do we go from Signal 3 to Signal 8, you may ask?

Well, Asian cultures are very big on luck and superstition.  The number "4" when spoken in Chinese dialects, sounds like the word that is used to mean "death".  Therefore, the number 4 is considered to be "unlucky".

So why not change the word for the number 4, you may ask again?  This is one of those times when you have to stop thinking like a Westerner and just go with it.

To counter the "unlucky 4" during typhoon signals, we jump up to "8" because 8 is considered to be very lucky.  People here LOVE the number 8.  That's why the Beijing Olympics started on 8/8/08.  Folks will even pay money to use as many 8's as they can in their phone numbers, addresses, license plates, etc., because it is believed to bring them "good fortune".

The symbol for 8 is to the left.

So if a typhoon is coming, why not go with the luckiest number as a signal in hopes that it won't be disastrous?
Makes sense to me.

The Hong Kong government does a very thorough job of keeping the public informed of weather-related issues.  Check out their website - the descriptors they use are often, but never intended to be, humorous.
http://www.hko.gov.hk/contente.htm

So for now, I will think of these rainy days as a much needed bath for this fair city.  Hopefully the sun will come out soon, the sparkle of Hong Kong will quickly be restored and any "Oons" which might be thinking of stirring up more trouble will think again.

And that means YOU, Tropical Depression Banyan.

* Definitions checked via The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

"Foon Ying" means "Welcome"

I LOVE the American Women's Association!

This fabulous resource is a networking group of expats located in many large cities around the world.  You don't have to be an American to join, but you would need to be able speak some English in order to participate as that is the language used.

The AWA offers all kinds of social and volunteer activities...Mahjong, Book Clubs, New Mom Groups, Dinner Clubs, Trips, City Tours, Hiking Excursions, etc.  Money raised from these activities is donated to various local charities here, so our socializing has a philanthropic purpose beyond helping expats get into their new groove.  Check out their website https://www.awa.org.hk/

This time, I have been part of what's called a Foon Ying group.  "Foon Ying" in Cantonese means "Welcome". The AWA groups newcomers together by their arrival dates, a fabulous coordinator (We love you, Elise!) organizes a few activities for us, and then we sort of take it from there.  Our last activity was a morning trip out to Lamma Island for a walk-about and lunch.

Something amazing happens when you get a group of women, who have all just arrived in Hong Kong, together for any length of time.  We can all come from very different backgrounds, be of different ages and at different stages of married life, with young kids, adult kids or no kids and still bond almost instantly via the unique experience of moving here.

My Foon Ying group has been absolutely lovely!  The women are all so interesting and I've enjoyed meeting each one.  A few of us are "Re-treds", meaning that we are returning to Hong Kong after a few years back in the States.  It is such a comfort knowing that someone else close by is going through the exact same process at the exact same time.

I look forward to getting to know the members of my Foon Ying group better and to future social outings with them.  And I thank each of them for the fun we've had so far.  Cheers, Ladies!

How many people does it take to hang a picture?

Today I had a couple of mirrors and a few pictures put up on our very bare apartment walls.  At our home in Atlanta, this would have a been simple task.  I would have made my husband do it.
Hammer, nails, hooks, items on walls...done.

Like many home repair tasks in Hong Kong, it's just not that straightforward.

Most of the buildings here have concrete walls, so in order to hang anything, a drill and special hardware is required.  I asked our building manager if someone from the maintenance staff could help me.  A very polite and dignified, "Yes, Madam," was the response.  Little did I know the process ahead of me.

There were not one, but two "Pre-drilling visits" during which the building manager surveyed what needed to be hung and where it was to be placed.  My initial impression was that these extra steps would ensure a speedy resolution to the job. Wrong again.

The "Final drilling" took place today, a month after my original request.  A total of 5 people were sent to perform specific duties assigned to each of them.  Yes, FIVE.  If you include me in the mix, the answer to the question "How many people does it take" is apparently 6.

Here's how it goes:

One guy marks the spot to be drilled.
One guy drills.
One guy (or gal in this case) vacuums up the dust created by the drilling.
One guy bosses everyone, including me, around.
One guy just stands there.

My role, or so I was told, was to look at the wall hanging once it was up and not a moment before then.

Just when we reached the last item to be hung, and faster than you can say Labor Union Utopia, the group of 5 broke for lunch.  In total, including the lunch break, the time it took to hang 3 mirrors and 6 pictures was 6 hours.


Now, all joking aside, these folks were extremely polite and genuinely cared about getting this work done properly.  They touched up paint, were meticulous about cleaning up after themselves and took great care in handling items in the apartment.  That level of service is standard here in Hong Kong and I am getting spoiled by it.

One thing I can guarantee:  my live-in handyman in Atlanta would not have performed these tasks with the same attention to detail, nor similar pleasant demeanor.  I'd better enjoy this, and the giggles that come with it, while I can.

Bird and Goldfish Markets

While out visiting the Flower Market, just a couple of blocks away are the Yuen Long Street Bird Market and the Goldfish Market.  Given that space is so limited here, the appeal of birds and goldfish as pets is easily understood.


Many of the older gentlemen enjoy walking around their neighborhoods carrying their birds in their cages, sort of showing them off to friends. They hold the cages by a handle on the bottom so as not to disturb the birds too much.  You'll sometimes see them gather for a cup of tea, birds in tow, and they seem to be comparing their avian trophies.




Everything you need for your birds or goldfish can be found at these markets.  The gentleman below is collecting live crickets to sell as food for the birds.  They make nests out of egg cartons and sell them after they hatch.

     Prefer goldfish?  No problem.  Just head over a couple of blocks
     to Tung Choi Street or "Goldfish Street" as the Westerners call it.
     Perhaps a new feather or fin-covered friend awaits.

 

Flower Market

The Flower Market area of Mong Kok is filled with amazing blooms!

Just a 15 minute ride on the MTR from Hong Kong island, can take you to a beautiful selection of shops with amazing flowers.

The prices are so inexpensive and the shopkeepers like to bargain, especially if you are buying in a large quantity.

Another bonus: they deliver to just about anywhere in Hong Kong. Or do what I like to do and take home as many as you can possibly carry.  The folks on the trains won't mind.

But don't tell Madonna that starting in October, the Hydrangeas will be spectacular.  There are Hydrangea farms in the New Territories that are beautiful to tour, so look for those photos soon.


If you have the chance to visit Hong Kong, and want an early morning activity, visit the flower markets even if you are just taking them back to your hotel.  It's worth it and the hotel staff will completely understand.

Cheung Chau Island

One of the great things about Hong Kong is that there are plenty of neighboring islands to visit on weekends when you feel like getting away from the intense hustle-bustle.  A new favorite of mine is Cheung Chau.

This quaint fishing village is a 30 minute ferry ride from Hong Kong Island.  Once you arrive, you can walk along the colorful boardwalk filled with vendors and food stands, rent bikes or hike to a hilltop that offers stunning views with the teal green sea below.

Charming alleyways, with private entrances to apartments and beautiful flower pots, surprise you at various spots along the pathways.

When you are hungry, the choices are numerous.  Dumplings, noodles, seafood, baked goods, and yes, even the token McDonald's and Subway are discreetly placed for those needing a fast food hit.  Many of the restaurants have their seafood menu items swimming in tanks at the entrances.

For the kids, the snow cones at Cheung Chau rival any I've ever seen.  The sizes are enormous and the flavors are intense with real fruit pieces in the syrup:  lychee, green apple, pineapple and strawberry seemed to be the most popular.

The cost of this day's excursion is very reasonable.  Ferry tickets are only about $10 US and lunch can easily be found for around $12/ per person.  That is a fantastic bargain for a day of exploring!

Cheung Chau island:  just another thing to love about Hong Kong.

We've arrived!

Apartment?
Check.

Bank Accounts?
Check.

Daughter adjusting to new international school?
Check.

We've arrived and we now have the basics covered.  But learning to live in Hong Kong again, is so much more involved than that.

Psychologists say that it takes expatriates about 6 months to get into the groove of their surroundings.
We are at month 3.

The sights are amazing here:  bright colors by day and even brighter lights by night.

The sounds are loud and cacophonous:  trolley bells, car horns, people speaking Cantonese and just about any other language on the planet, and then there is the construction.  So much construction.

The smells are crazy:  fuel exhaust, pungent odors from local food stalls, distinctive aromas from garbage bins and mildew in alleyways, expensive colognes on the most elegant ladies and gentlemen, as well as the unmistakeable lack of colognes on some of the world's hardest working folks.

And it is very expensive.

Many have asked me, "Now WHY do you want to live there again?"

The answer comes easily.  Living here is really LIVING.  There is such an intensity about Hong Kong, that it is like someone took New York City and boiled it down to it's super-concentrated state.  And then changed the language and culture.

I plan to post photos and short anecdotes about life here, and I hope that you'll join me on this journey.

Please give me your thoughts on what you see or would like to see.

Sharing this city makes it even better.

Perhaps you too will fall in love with Hong Kong.