Carnation Night

The carnations presented by Connie & Philip, Tony and especially Abby pleased my wife on Mother’s Day this year to a high point.

A joyous dinner came to the dining table. A prayer was conducted by Philip and during that time, Abby looked at everybody with eyes opened.

There on the table were dishes of delicious food:

(1) A whole chicken (全隻雞) - a Must dish for Philip

(2) Sweet pork strips (甜豬腩條) – 調味用南乳加糖

(3) A big pad of prawn and scrambled egg (蝦蛋餅) – a dehydrated piece of egg and prawn

(4) Choy Sum (菜芯) – 幾綠, 幾嫩

(5) Birds Eye (Brand name) Fish fingers (魚手指) – 雀目牌(幾乎絕種了)

(6) Soft rice (軟飯) – 最適合Abby和我

On that night, a large number of photos and several short videos were taken. They all marked this great day to the Mothers at the Gathering.

The carnations stay fresh and beautiful in our grey vase at home. They, I believe, may last for at least one week. I will consider this week as Mother's Week.

紅十字布偶義工

在五月四日途經順利邨, 在中央休憩花園的一旁擺放了一個細小舞台. 一眼看過去, 已經明白將有布偶劇演出, 連忙趨前捕捉一兩個鏡頭, 以作網誌題材.

細看整個表演(活動)目的其實是香港紅十字會希望引起附近居民注意, 招攬義工去推廣布偶劇表演, 帶給各區的兒童一些歡樂, 蠻有意思的!

這時候, 在錄音廣播聲中, 正是幾位年青義工在綵排布偶劇, 一些在演劇, 一些在觀看, 觀後給意見.

我相信這布偶劇演出是精彩的, 也希望這次義工招募是成功的!

What was Abby holding in her right hand?

She was holding a piece of

(1) cake (餅)

(2) Ma Lai Ko (馬拉糕)

(3) yellow ginger (黃薑)

(4) jelly (啫喱)

(5) thick potato strip (厚薯條)

The Sole of a Sports-shoe

I can’t believe that the sole of a sports-shoe can be so complicated.

The sole of the sports-shoe in the photo alone is made up of 11 parts. Wow! Each of these parts, as described in the advertisement, has its own function. I don’t believe it. How about you?

My reasons are that these combinations added up may be positive (comfortable) or negative (uncomfortable) or zero (no change) .

Two of the combinations are +-+-+-+-+-+ and-+-+-+-+-+-. Obviously, there are other combinations that make the shoes comfortable or uncomfortable.

Whether such shoes are comfortable to wear or not depends on many factors:

(1) The kind of socks (thick or thin) the person wears.

(2) The way the person walks or runs or jumps.

(3) The conditions on the walkway (whether it is rugged, sandy, hilly, soggy or muddy, slippery)

(4) The weather at that time (hot, humid, windy, snowy, chilled)

(5) The materials of making the sole (whether they are elastic, cushion-like or not, or serve as shock-absorbers)

I am sure the shoes cannot face all the adverse conditions and make the person feel comfortable. What do you think? Click the photo and you may study the function of each part!

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (7)

Felix and Audrey had to fly back to SFO at about noon on May 7^th. My wife and I arrived at Miramar around eight o’clock in the morning. They were ready with their 3 heavily loaded suit-cases at the doorway. Fortunately my car was able to house them and their luggage, otherwise, I would feel embarrassed….. It took me less than three-quarters of an hour to reach Chek Lap Kok. I dropped them first and parked my car at the car-park on the open ground.

My wife was with Felix and Audrey. They went to the UA counters in the Departure Hall to have their seats confirmed. Before this, they had their luggage examined first, several yards away from the counters. This was the same situation we faced last time we flied to U.S. We understood that it was merely a security measure.

While Felix and Audrey were at the counters getting the tickets, we discovered two familiar faces, both were my wife’s colleagues, Mr. and Mrs. Sun. It so happened that Mr. Sun was my classmate in QES. Here we gathered two families who were going back to San Francisco on the same plane.

To make ourselves comfortable and fill our stomachs, I suggested going to Maxim’s Restaurant to have tea and dim-sums. There six of us kept talking and talking until it was time for our guests ( I was proud to be the host at the table) to go to the Departure Gate. Felix waved his big hand at us to signal good-bye to Hong Kong and to me and wife. Next, my wife’s colleagues and mine had to bear those eleven-hour long flight home! Ugh, painful and boring!

Mother’s Day

This Sunday, May 11th, will be Mother’s Day. What is supposed to be the best gift to a mother?
Let us see some of the suggestions from newspapers:
Ice-cream cakes –
The cakes are so lovely that we dare not cut it up and eat it. They are expensive too, $218 for each. If you cannot afford buying one, consider those made of cheese or cream, $168 each.

Cakes with funny faces or decorations –The cakes are made by that chefs at a hotel. Each cake shows a different story. They look cute and tasty, less expensive than the ice-cream cakes mentioned above.

A Beautiful cell-phone –
This kind of cell-phones is obviously expensive. The chance of buying one as a gift is low unless your mother is still using a very old model. The fact that there are additional gifts of cosmetics may attract some people to buy the phones.

High-calcium milk powder –
To strength your mother’s bones, high-calcium milk powder may be considered as a gift. To increase the sales, the milk product company promotes its product by bringing about a lucky draw in which cell-phones become fabulous prizes.

Swallow saliva – It is believed that saliva from swallow is good for health, but it is really quite expensive.

A feast -
The feast listed here costs $3888 a table. Half a table costs $1988.

Sometimes, a simple cake or dinner made by the son or daughter will make the mother happy for a year. Buying flowers to a mother is not worthy because the flowers will soon become stale and turn bad. Eating outside at a restaurant, not necessarily expensive food, may be another good choice.

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (6)

Around 3:15 p.m., Felix and Audrey, Miss Ng, my wife and I were to meet in Tsimshatsui. Together we went to an optician’s where Felix got his pairs of spectacles.

There we stayed for more than half an hour. Since it was quite hot outside and still early, we went to a nearby restaurant to have afternoon tea. We ordered some dishes of light food and drinks and chatted for some time.

Later we took an MTR train to Kowloon Tong and went through Festival Walk. Coming out of this shopping centre, I took a photo of this U.S. couple. I did not notice when and where Felix bought a can of drink for himself. Perhaps the drink would somehow drive the heat from him.

Felix, Audrey and Miss Ng would go to meet some CCSC old students who earlier invited Felix, through e-mails, to attend their reunion dinner. Since my wife and I were not on the invitation list to the dinner, we just accompanied them to Yau Yat Chuen Club-house.

It was a nice walk from Kowloon Tong to Yau Yat Chuen. On the way, we met Miss Fok’s brother, Fok Wai Shing, who was going to attend the dinner too.

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (5)

On the third day of Felix’s visit in Hong Kong, they had their private time going to places they wanted to see. Let’s look at his own story of spending the morning of May 6^th, 2006 on Hong Kong Island.

His first message to me:

“3 days are definitely not enough, both for the US traveler (you) and HK (me). Last year I only used 1/2 day to go to places while I should instead take 3-5 days. With 1/2 day I really didn't know what to show Audrey (she was from HK but left when small -- so she know very little about HK Island etc.) so I only went to Central, had tea/dim sum at Luk Yu, then walked up and down the escalator (first time) to central... From Central I took #7 bus to HKU and nearby area... then took #23 bus to Causeway Bay.... went around some streets... then that's about it.... -- so these need not be "famous" places, but just places I wanted to see again. I would also go to try more food of diff. types....”

In his second message to me, he added:

“Because of the compactness of all these get-together, private time as you said became even more precious. We went to Luk Yu Tea House in early morning in fact, and was probably one of our first destinations when we crossed the harbor and walked all the way from Star Ferry to Stanley Street. (I think we did take a Tram ride first to Sheung Wan and then back to Central, then walked up to Stanley Street.) Luk Yu was only just open and we could easily find a table ("Car seats"). It was nice to try the old-style Chinese tea pots (metal, though) and see the dim sum carried in a metal tray on a middle-aged woman server's waist (hope you know what I mean). I think we only had 3 or 5 "lungs" of dim sum, and the bill was HK$320. Not too bad, actually, as it is about US$40. A lunch at a better Bay Area restaurant (not even as equivalent as Luk Yue in fame) can easily be US$60.

We also went to the neaby Yung Kee (remember its well-known barbecue goose) but it was not yet open, so I took a picture at the door....just too early.

Then we walked back to Central for just a little window-shopping as we walked along, then in Central we took a bus to HKU and nearby areas....then bus 23 to Eastern District. Next we went to different places in Causeway Bay, bought some movies and disks, and to Sogo. At Sogo, Mr. Leung called me (your cell-phone) and said he had the pictures for me....and asked where he could see me.... I said, "Great.... I am just at the Sogo MTR Station.... and he happened to be at some MTR Station, so within 30 minutes I met him at Sogo platform and got his DVD."

北京奧運標誌

今屆奧運在北京舉行, 其標誌非常簡潔, 有人物化及動感化的白色”京”字樣, 用代表中國的紅色襯托. 整體形狀像豎起的手指公, 暗指中國非常棒, 又像一個圖章印出來的印鑑. 下面的英文及年份字樣像用毛筆書法寫成的, 特別有神韻. 再下面當然不可缺的奧運五環標誌.

另外一個我要介紹的是為傳送奧運火炬而設計的標誌, 其獨特之處是火炬的火焰燒得特別燦爛, 有兩位跑著的火炬手在傳送火炬. 也有紅色的英文字樣”Torch Relay” 顯示”火炬傳遞”. 其他部份的設計同上.

總括來說, 這兩個標誌的共通點是富有動感, 一個有首都象徵, 另外一個有熾熱及傳遞的感覺, 非常不俗!

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (4)

It was early in the morning on May 5^th, 2006 when Felix and Audrey arrived at City One by bus. My wife and I took them to a nearby restaurant to have breakfast. Felix chose congee with 炸兩 while Audrey congee with糉. They both liked Chinese styled breakfasts.

After breakfast, they visited our flats. Felix had seen them from photos, but then he could see them with his naked eyes. It was a big surprise to me that he brought me some new U.S. quarter dollar coins a long way from America.

Not long, we started our way to Tai Po in my car. We visited a monastery and then headed our way to Sai Kung to have a seafood lunch.

After I had parked my car in a multi-storey car-park, we took a walk at the waterfront. Connie, Philip and Tony joined us at the bus terminus. We took group photos and went directly to a nearby seafood restaurant. Philip found the person-in-charge who knew his brother well and asked him to prepare for us a nice meal of seafood. We totally enjoyed the lunch because it was really delicious.

We had to leave at 1 o’clock because I had to drive Felix and Audrey back to New Town Plaza so that Felix could meet one of his students, Tang Lai King and family. On the way back from Sai Kung, Mr. Leung called me. I told him that I was already on my way to Shatin. He said he would wait for me and Felix somewhere around Shatin Plaza.

It was quite congested on the road near New Town Plaza so I dropped Felix, Audrey and my wife at the nearest spot. Then I drove my son home first. Later I drove back and parked my car into a car-park and hurried on foot to meet Felix’s party with his student. Mr. Leung had already arrived in the vicinity and so I had to end the conversation between the teacher and his student as soon as possible. The next thing was to find the shortest and the quickest route to go through the crowds of people along the passageways back to Shatin Plaza. There at the front of Bank of East Asia, I handed over Felix and Audrey to Mr. and Mrs. Leung who were waiting for quite a long time and had circled round and round the area in their car.

I heard a little from Felix that Mr. Leung drove him and wife to see the horses at the stables at Sheung Shui and ate a big dinner at Jockey Club. That’s all I know.

Felix’s visit in Hong Kong, 2006 (3)

It was time for Felix and Audrey to take a short break and returned to their hotel to take a rest or somehow a shower if time allowed before we went to meet our CCSC colleagues at a restaurant in Wanchai.

Connie, my wife and I accompanied Felix and Audrey back to Miramar Hotel. Their room was quite luxurious. They washed a little and changed clothes while we sat at the arm-chairs chatting with either one of them.

Connie and wife would have to leave us because they were not going to join our reunion dinner.

I took the lead, taking Felix and Audrey into a MTR train heading for Admiralty and another train to Wanchai. Within half an hour, we met our colleagues at the restaurant. Felix was most happy to shake hands, hug and talk with them. A lot of photos were taken and Felix went round the tables to greet everyone and shared his life in the U.S. with us. Actually Felix had been away from Hong Kong for 15 long years. Obviously this gathering brought everyone high spirits and a good memory of meeting this “Star” of CCSC!

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (2)

Miss Ng was so generous to be the host of the lunch at her usual restaurant. We together walked along Nathan Road from Yau Ma Tei to Tsimshatsui. I took a photo of Felix and Audrey in front of the statue of hands showing courtesy, so their hands naturally came together as well.

Earlier, Felix went into a shop to buy some bright coloured T-shirts and that was why you can see his carrying a yellow plastic bag of T-shirts. On we went to a shop at Ocean Centre in which Felix bought a new memory card for his camera. Then we reached Star Ferry Pier and strolled along the waterfront. Photos were taken there to catch the harbour view, but the sky seemed not to cooperate. It was a little foggy around.

After those two hours of walking, Miss Ng suggested to go into a café to take a “high tea”. We all welcomed this idea. There we sat at a large semi-circular sofa, sipping our drinks and eating tarts, cakes and funny snacks.

Felix’s Visit in Hong Kong 2006 (1)

Two years ago, the same day as today, May 4th, Felix and Audrey were to arrive at 京港酒店 near Prince Edward MTR Station at about 10 something in the morning. They took a tour bus directly from their hotel at Guang Zhou to Kowloon.

I was lucky enough to find a vacant parking space in a side street behind the hotel for my car. My wife and I began to watch out for Felix. It was around half past ten that I suddenly saw Felix walking on the opposite side of the street where we were waiting. I rushed at him and he told me that Audrey was looking after their luggage while he went around to find me.

I guessed they would be hungry by that time, so I suggested them to get inside a nearby restaurant to take a simple breakfast. After feeding them, I drove them to Miramar Hotel in Tsimhatsui. On reaching the hotel, Felix gave me some Chinese ham as a gift.

Next I drove home, parked my car and went back by train to meet Felix, Audrey, Miss Ng and my wife at Tsimshatsui and walked to the restaurant which Miss Ng usually went to. It was the happiest moment of all having lunch with this old colleague of mine and his wife in Hong Kong. Talking among us was more important than those Dim-sums on the table. Connie was able to join us in the midst of the dinner, so our family met Felix’s couple once again. We did meet in the U.S. just two weeks before.

Te Anau - Landscapes

At the south west of the South Island, there is a town called Te Anau, the gateway to Milford Sound. The town is famous because of Lake Te Anau which is the second largest in New Zealand.

Here you are the beautiful sceneries of this town and a motel which provides quiet warm quality units, as its board says, to tourists like Yin Ping and Ho Keung to “anchor” their car there and stay inside.

“Our Sliced-up Chiq Qua”

April 9^th was harvest time for Yin Ping and Ho Keung’s Chiq Qua. It was plucked from the mother plant, weighed and cut into two halves.

The weight of this giant Chiq Qua (節瓜) reached 1.22 Kg (equivalent to 2.684 lbs).

I guess the happy couple would consider this healthy green product from their garden as a “New-born Baby”. I know, but have not seen a first-born baby being weighed in a hospital.

After the Chiq Qua was sliced up, it appeared white in colour. It was a good sign because if it was bad, the colour ought to be yellow or brown or black, the worst.

I don’t know what dish Yin Ping had made from this big vegetable, but I believe it could be very delicious.

Please refer to the photos in my article, “Our First Chiq Qua”, on April 19^th. Just click the green words“April 2008” archive and you can find it.

Olympic Torch Relay at Shatin

Today was a great day because the Olympic Torch was delivered from Kowloon to Lantau Island and back to Shatin, then to Tsimshatsui, Central , Wanchai by our 119 torch bearers.

At the riverside of Shing Mun River, I had been waiting inside a large crowd of people for more than 1 hour (starting from 11:45 p.m.). Rain kept dripping down from the sky most of the time. Most of the spectators here wore red T-shirts or clothes in supporting this Olympic Torch Relay event for the second time in Hong Kong.

At about 1:10 p.m. this afternoon, the Olympic Torch Relay team reached Shek Mun.

I was glad to see our 64^th torch bearer, Sze Hang Yu (施幸余), holding her torch high up and standing at the front of a leading dragon boat crossing Shing Mun River, escorted by another 8 dragon boats from behind.

Let me show you the people at the riverside and the First World Torch Relay on a Dragon boat.

A Book which has been forgotten

My daughter, Connie, went to San Francisco to visit her best friend, Gladys Leung, in 1995. I asked Connie to buy my old colleague, Felix, a bottle of Coke when she arrived at SF because it was Felix’s favourite. She did her job well!

In return, Felix asked Connie to bring home a picture book of San Francisco to me. The book did come home safely, but Connie forgot to give it to me. From then on until recently when she packed her books, she found the book and told me that she was supposed to bring home to me this book which was actually kept in her bookshelves in different homes for almost 13 years. I knew nothing about the existence of the book because I never touched her books. I did not find this surprising because anything might happen to my daughter. Forgetfulness may be a virtue to her and a good thing to me because if I did read the book, my brain would always remind me that I have to visit San Francisco at least once in my life. It was not until March in 2006 when Connie said that she would attend Gladys' wedding at Fremont that my wife and I had the idea of joining a tour to Los Angeles and Las Vegas and drop by San Francisco to visit Felix and family. The fact that the original luxurious tour was cancelled almost turned us down. With the encouragement from my daughter and son, they said they would accompany us to the travel agency again to see if we could join another tour. We finally joined a cheaper one.

Thanks to Felix who helped me book the motel called Travelodge, near San Francisco International Airport that made our stay at San Francisco possible. Felix and his wife were so kind to bring us around the Bay Area on April 19^th, 20^th and 21^st in 2006, host us at their home, restaurants, cafes, fast food shops, to wineries, Muir Woods and parks. Please refer those articles I wrote in April 2007 Archives.

Another happy moment came when I met some of my students at a dinner held on Grand Avenue. We were surprised to meet Mrs. Sinn, another colleague of mine. Here I have to thank Chan Kwok Kwong who drove us to Travelodge from Airport and to San Francisco City proper to take a look and he was so kind to drive Connie to Fremont. Rebecca Wat was so nice to drive Connie from Fremont to the airport so that my daughter could come home safely.

When I turned over the pages of this book, I found very beautiful photos in which I found my favourite building, the Transamerica. It attracted my attention long before 1995 because it shaped like a pyramid.

On the inside front page of the book, Felix wrote:

“Dear Wat,

I ask Connie to bring this little souvenir back to you in the hope that the nice pictures inside will lure you into coming to San Francisco some day.

Felix Ching

June 26, 95.”

It was really a touching piece of note, well-written, in “artistic” scripts. Thank you, Felix! Sorry that I could not come earlier, but I did come almost 11 years later!