Marathon Woman

These women athletes were running their Marathon on August 17th. Every one of them was full of hope at the beginning.


They went into the famous park called (天壇公園). It was a nice thing to do. While they were running, they could breathe the fresh air inside and enjoy the view there.
Unfortunately, there was mist at that time.








Back to the roads, they strode at regular speeds. Many fell behind as they ran further. The athletes split up into three groups – the leading, the chase and the hind.








The leader of the group was a Romanian “2716” who was a muscular woman, not young at all. The chase group is composed of 2 Chinese, 2 Kenyans, a Russian and two others.

The maps clearly showed the locations of the three groups of runners.








The Romanian lady with endless strength took the lead. She was running alone. Near the Stadium, she looked back for fear that the runners behind would chase close to her. She was over cautious. The chase group might be some 400 metres behind.








At last this strong lady, C. Tomescu Dita, reached the finishing line. Her running time for that 42 km was 2:26:44. She became the Marathon woman at Beijing Olympics.

Answers to "A Big Present to TVB"

The answers are:
[1] 4
[2] 4
[3] 2
[4] red
[5] 7
[6] TVB logos
[7] TVB building
[8] a birthday cake with "41"

The change from another button

By changing another button of my camera, it could create a different look of the scenery before my eyes.

The top photo was taken by using the “daylight” button. The sky appeared orange-red in colour. This was exactly the sunset view with my naked eyes.

The bottom photo was taken by using the “indoor-light” button “. The orange tone disappeared and the sky looked blue. It was an artificial one.

No matter it is natural or not, the sky looks beautiful.

Two mothers exchanging experiences

It was interesting that these two mothers sat together beginning to share experiences they had with their daughters. Their serious-looking faces could reflect that breeding babies could be another branch of knowledge called mother-care.

They talked of the milk-feeding habits, the brand of milk, the number of times of feeding each day, the sleeping habits and the interesting moments (Hayley would smile during her dreams).
Hayley’s father at times looked at his daughter who was fast asleep on the wooden bed provided by the restaurant. That’s father-care.

On the other hand, Jasmine’s father was eating. He added that the milk her daughter drank was tasteless. If he were she, he would not drink it. Meanwhile, his daughter was handed over to the domestic helper who took her to a far corner of the room. Jasmine had been crying for some time because she could not sleep well under the loud voices around her.

Both parents of the baby daughters benefited in the dinner. Hope that in future more sharing can be done through e-mails or Facebook or blog or whatsoever.

Our New Stonecutters Bridge

On October 30th, 2008, after I had boarded a ferry to Lamma Island, I sat in a seat near a window. After five minutes or so, I discovered a new bridge far head on my right. The visibility was not that good on that day, but I could recognize it to be the new Stonecutters Bridge, almost completed, except the central part. Please click the above photo to have a better look at the bridge. Can you see the mouth of the Nam Wan Tunnel to the left of the photo?

Let us study the following information extracted from Wikipedia about this bridge :

Stonecutters Bridge (昂船洲大橋) is a high level cable-stayed bridge which spans the Rambler Channel in Hong Kong, connecting Nam Wan Kok, Tsing Yi Island and Stonecutters Island. It will have the second longest cable-stayed span in the world. The approaches at Tsing Yi and Stonecutters Island are located near Container Terminal 9 and Container Terminal 8, respectively. Construction commenced on 27th April, 2004 and is expected to be completed in 2009 by Maeda–Hitachi–Yokogawa–Hsin Chong Joint Venture. It costs HK$ 2,760 million. The bridge is part of Hong Kong's Route 8, connecting Sha Tin, Cheung Sha Wan, Tsing Yi Island, Ma Wan and Lantau Island. Other major constructions along the route are Nam Wan Tunnel (completed in 2008), Eagle's Nest Tunnel (completed in 2008), Sha Tin Heights Tunnel (completed in 2008), Tsing Ma Bridge (completed in 1997) and Kap Shui Mun Bridge (completed in 1997). As a result of the difficulty of constructing this bridge, the project was featured on the Discovery Channel's Extreme Engineering series in 2006.

Highway Department (HKSAR) describes the bridge as:

Stonecutters Bridge is a 1,596 metre long dual 3-lane high level cable stayed bridge, with a clear span of 1,018 metres. It is a major part of the section of Route 8 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan. The bridge will straddle the Rambler Channel at the entrance to the busy Kwai Chung Container port. It will be situated at the back-up land of the Container Terminal 8 (CT8) at the eastern side on Stonecutters Island. At the western side it will be built on the back-up land formed for Container Terminal 9 (CT9) on Tsing Yi Island. The Stonecutters Bridge when completed will be one of the longest span cable-stayed bridges in the world.

After completion, the bridge provides an alternative route for vehicles of all kinds (except those carrying dangerous and inflamable goods, explosives and fuel) a short cut from Kowloon East through Shatin, Cheung Sha Wan to Tsing Yi Island. In particular, it aids container-trucks to carry containers to and and from Container Terminal 9.

0.86 metre tall

Abby was 0.86 metre tall on October 13th, 2008. It was by chance that we found a height-measuring ruler in a corner of our children’s play-area.

It was a historic moment to see Abby take a record of her height on this very day. Abby was so cooperative to stand near the ruler and I quickly took a photo of her.

She wore a red T-shirt with crosses at the centre which, at first glance, looked like the Union Jack. I remember that she wore the same T-shirt when she was at the Fishermen’s wharf of the city she resided at.

Hopefully, she will grow rapidly when she eats more on a foreign land.

A Big Present to TVB

Here is a counting as well as guessing game today.

A number of TVBuddies are pulling a very big present along a road.

[1] How many TVBuddies are pulling the present?
[2] How many large beams of light that go up to the blue sky are there in the first picture?
[3] How many pink and blue clouds can you find in the second picture?
[4] What is the colour of the ribbon at the top of the present?
[5] How many “Complete” stars are there on the lateral(side) face of the present in the third picture?
[6] Besides stars and stripes, what else can you find on the lateral face of the present in the third picture?
[7] To where do TVBuddies bring the present?
[8] What is inside the present? Guess!

TVBuddies

HKTVB 41st Anniversary is approaching. Recently, the lovely TVBuddies appeared on TV celebrating the event.








The cute figures of TVBuddies are really interesting. There are a father, a mother and three small children. The children are so happy that they jump and jump in the way like Ally does on a mattress in Australia.















A few months ago, I found a very large TVBuddy at the top of the International Trademart (九龍灣國際展貿中心). It was a big surprise to me at that time. Any cars that were running westward on the Kwun Tong Bypass could see it. Unfortunately I could only see and take a photo of it from behind because the bus I was taking was running in the opposite direction.

Hayley met Jasmine

Yesterday night, November 8th, a home-coming party was held in Happy Valley for Hayley to mark her first footsteps on Hong Kong.

Jasmine, dressed in pink, joined the party. Jasmine did not wear a hat because her fluffy hair could have given her enough warmth. On the other side, Hayley was different. She needed a hat because her first hair had been shaved (to promote better growth, I think) in Singapore. The face of a smiling clown added much fun to her.

Hayley did not cry at all. She slept most of the time during the party except at photo-taking periods. Perhaps she was tired of “face detection” at the party. On the contrary, Jasmine cried a lot. From her parent’s analysis, it might be too noisy (too many human voices) inside which she did not like. Jasmine used to sleep in very quiet environment.

Before we arrived at the party (not dancing, but dinner), I learned that their mothers put the BBs’ hands together, one clutching the other. This was the first “linkage” between the two B’s.
Although the two cousins did not recognize each other at that moment, after, say, two to three years or so, they would get to know each other better and might play hide-and-seek together. Abby, the eldest of the three cousins, will join them too and may lead games which she learns from Canada with them. Ha, they will soon form a small “market-place” in Hong Kong.

A Big Television Screen at the entrance of Victoria Park

On August 28 this year, I passed by the west entrance of Victoria Park. A big television screen, two storeys high, stood before me. At that time, it was broadcasting the news of the coming 5th East Asian Games that would be held in Hong Kong.

I think it is a good idea to have a medium at the entrance of the park because it will give new messages, promotion of sports, updated news if any, programmes that are going on in the park to the visitors to this park before they enter. Unfortunately there are no seats there, so visitors have to stand throughout, looking up at the screen.

The Olympic Games in Beijing were just over by the time I passed the entrance. I did believe days earlier in August the hot-favourite games such as volleyball, table-tennis weight-lifting games in which the Chinese athletes would likely to win had been broadcasted on the screen.

Look at one of Abby’s legs

What can you see on Abby’s leg in the above photo?
A. a trouser, a sock and a shoe
B. a trouser, a sock and a shoe, all painted on her leg
C. a trouser and a sock only
D. an entire trouser down to the feet

Halloween

Must Halloween be horrifying?
No, Halloween can be as happy as M & M.

Abby dressed in her red candy-promotion suit is ready to get sweets from adults.

To see Abby without a smile is interesting. Once she shows her teeth, it is even more interesting!

Change

Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States.

Hopefully he will bring “Changes”, “Betterment in Economy”, “Happier life for the Americans”, “More jobs”, “Better relations among different races” and “Union of Americans into a whole” and “Improvement in all aspects of life”.

I myself like him because:
1. he is young, energetic and thoughtful.
2. he lived a hard life in the past and that is why he knows very well what ordinary people need.
3. he has confidence in leading the nation.
4. he works for the benefits of his people and makes a stronger America.
5. he has the will to turn America back to the right tracks.
6. he has determination in bringing his people better lives.

He says, “Yes we can.” to promise his people that America can “overcome” its hardships and “change” into a stronger one.

A Miracle comes from AY1287

My mother used to take photos with new cars. In the year 1972, she asked me to take a photo of this Toyota Celica, bearing the registration number “AY1287”.

At that time, this was a brand-new powerful car whose owner was my elder brother.

I thought I had driven it before. It was a two-door sedan in its smart yellow coat.

My brother had changed his cars several times throughout all these years. He kept this car-registration number several times for his new cars, but finally abandoned it.

A month or two ago, my nephew ordered a new car and was going to give it to his father. He said it was a "toy "car. Today I learn that my brother regains the registration number because his son have somehow found it and sealed it onto the number plate of the new car.

What a miracle that happens in Wat’s Family! My nephew has done an incredible job in snatching the number back to his parents. Back from Singapore yesterday, my brother and sister-in-law got such a big, big surprise when they saw their new car at the airport with the number they used to see in the 70’s.

The Logo Design of London Olympics.2012

During the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, 2008, the logo of London Olympics 2012 appeared from far to near in TV.


I like this logo design very much because it looks like puzzles. The people who dislike it will say they are broken pieces of glass.

I can see the image of the British flag – its colours and stripes
I can also see the year 2012 (from top – left to right “20” and bottom – left to right “12”.
I finally see two people shaking hands.
What else can you see from the design? Please tell me.

At one time, there was a snapshot of the design entirely in black-and-white. Do you like this one to be the official one?

A New Report

To avoid bias, today, we went to Café D’C’ again to order a so-called “deep sea fish fillet”. It cost 21 dollars.

This is the report from my wife and me:
1. The fish fillet looks like a M’D’s harsh-brown(薯餅).
2. The fish is still protected by a hard shell of wheat flour(麵粉売).
3. The fish has fishlike smell (魚腥味).
4. The fish does not taste as fresh as that from Fwood.
The reports of last time and this time read the same. The file will be “closed”.

Interesting hanging flowers

Along the paths from the village at Yung Shue Wan (榕樹灣), Lamma Island (南丫島) to Hung Shing Yeh Wan (洪聖爺灣), I found these lovely hanging red flowers. They appeared like parachutes with petals bending up to form crowns. The stamens. stigma and pistils were hanging much lower down for free pollination and fertilization.

Certain tourists on the island focused on these beautiful flowers with their cameras. I was among one of them. They became parts of my memory and treasure in one of my folders in my computer.

Can any one of my readers tell me the name of these special plants which can bear such interesting flowers?

久違了，Star Ferries

On October 30th, I crossed the harbour by Star ferry. I did not miss the chance of taking photos of the Star ferries sailing in the harbour.

The original Star Ferry Pier at Tsimshatsui still survives, but not the one in Central. The latter has been abolished (torn down) and replaced by a new one seaward to the west. The former looks more or less the same except that the entrance gates to top deck has been moved upstairs. Fares are to be paid by either Octopus cards or tokens. For those passengers who do not use Octopus cards have to buy tokens from side-machines. Years before , there were machines at the entrances that could “swallow” coins of different values. Since our coins are of different sizes and shapes, it will be difficult for passengers and the machines to “think” if the coins inserted meet the correct fare.

It is a wise thought for other machines to handle the “coins" problems. The machines that deal with tokens at the entrances are simple to “accept” the tokens only. Old people over 70 years old have the privilege of free rides.

A few metres away from the gates on pillars on both sides, the “red” and “green” traffic-light boxes are still used. They indicate whether the gates are opened or closed. Chairs in better look are there for passengers to rest on for a short while. Newer machine-operated gates, hanging bridges and gangways are in service.

The compartments on the ferry are unchanged in their look. The front and the hind are wrapped up with walls and windows except the entrances. The middle compartment remains open and airflow–free. It would be windy and cool to sit there.

Outside a window, the Star ferry I first saw was still in its old look.The antique life-rafts on its roof top, the chimney with stars, the two flag-posts, the “unchanged” look of railings and life-rings at its sides all signature their glories in the 50’s and 60’s or even earlier because this kind of ferries shouldered lots of people across the harbour each day.














One interesting to mention here was that I found a even more ancient Star ferry which set sail for its “Star Ferry Harbour Tour” (天星維港遊). It is a good sightseeing voyage for tourists who come from different parts of the world.











The new Star Ferry Pier in Central is newly built. It looks a little “odd” to me. The designer wants to give it an “old” look with a clock-tower, but the rest of the pier looks “modern”. This pier confuses my sense of "time".

Inside a Red tube

Abby was really brave now. She found this new colon-like slide very interesting and exciting. A red surrounding, a closed area and without parental supervision did not scare her at all. I guessed Abby was beginning to adapt to the outside world, to explore more, to listen more, to eat more….. It must be a good and encouraging sign to everybody at home.

Her trials several times on this slide proved that she was ready to face new things. She walked up the steps by herself, without encouragement.





Perhaps she had observed other children play on it, so she gained confidence herself. She believed it was safe. In no way she should be scared.

I was really happy to see her put her legs into the tube and wriggle a little so that she was on her way down the red tube to its base. That was Abby’s bravery this October. Her facial expression showed that she enjoyed the fun!