One month

Today marks my one month anniversary in Hong Kong. In some ways I feel like I've been gone for a really long time, partly because I have done so much already, but partly because I haven't been always living in the present moment. One of the hardest things for me has been to live in the moment here. When I got here, I was hung up on some things that I had left behind, and I also thought a lot about what would happen in the future instead of just living presently and fully.

In this past week I have really settled in here. I know where to get groceries, I know my local coffee shop and I finally know how to get to and from work. It doesn't mean that exploring where I live is over, it just means there is more familiarity to me now. I am no longer living in the past, or hoping for things in the future. I am living in Hong Kong in the moment--fully and presently. Despite the title of this post, I am not counting down days any more. That, more than anything so far, has been my greatest learning. Once I gave that up I felt more at home here and much more at peace.

Here is one of my favourite quotes, which I am applying to daily life here in Asia, as well as some shots of my HK 'hood. This is where I live.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

-Buddha

My current playlist:

Behind the Moon - Matt Costa

Tenuousness - Andrew Bird
Skin - Sade
While We Wait - Jack Johnson
The Rain - The Swell Season
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
Forest of Tears - One Hundred Dollars
Walking Wounded - Everything but the girl
Dos Gardenias - Buena Vista Social Club
Walk Away - Ben Harper

(Don't forget I have more pictures on Flickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathleenpics/)

Springtime in Hong Kong

I may be wrong, but I think spring has arrived in Hong Kong. The temperature spiked, and so did the humidity. Gone are the jackets and scarfs--the shorts and sandals have arrived.

I have started exploring the outer islands of Hong Kong. In an effort to break out of the concrete and claustrophobia of the downtown core, I have boarded a ferry two weekend in a row to explore what else Hong Kong has to offer. Last weekend I made a trip to Discovery Bay, a half hour ferry ride from Hong Kong. Discovery Bay is on Lantau island and is owned by a resort developer. The main square is full of restaurants and shops, townhouses line the beautiful beach and apartments pepper the periphery. It is not dense, and I was actually able to see green. I took a deep breath when I got off the ferry--even though the air quality is probably the same as in Hong Kong, it just seems fresh. After a walk along the beach, we sat down for a long, champagne filled lunch. I knew that this was my new favourite escape in Hong Kong.

Yesterday, I boarded a ferry again in the hopes of finding a beach. The weather is very unpredictable in Hong Kong. In fact, I have yet to see an accurate weather forecast. As I headed to Cheung Chau island, a fog settled over the city and the clouds rolled in. There would be no beach for me, but I was all set to Cheung Chau. The island has been inhabited by fishermen for at least 2500 years. The island still supports a small fishing industry and from what I saw, the industry was still alive and well. Cheung Chau is also home to the Bun Festival. A festival where giant towers of buns are created (over 50ft tall) and somehow children are suspended by cables and float up to the top of the tower. I'm still not clear on the bun festival, but I am looking into attending this. It sounds too unusual to pass up. Yesterday, the community was getting ready for a Lantern Festival - thousands of lanterns were strung up throughout the main square and the streets. I gather from what I saw it is part of Chinese new Year celebrations.

I also visited the amazing Pak Tai Temple. A fortune teller sat in the entrance, and my donation to the temple is supposed to bring me health. Sitting under the Banyan tree next to the temple is supposed to bring me fertility. I didn't sit under the tree because an old man had made what looked to be a permanent seat under the tree. When he saw me taking pictures of the tree, he started to pose. It made for some pretty funny pictures. The temple was built in 1783 and is dedicated to the "Supreme Emperor of the Dark Heaven". I saw a statue of the emperor, and believe me, he sure embodied Dark Heaven. No pictures were allowed inside, but he was a pretty scary dude. The temple also houses an iron sword measuring 5 ft that was found by local fisherman and is said to be over 1000 years old. So much history here in Hong Kong.

Last night, I headed to Stanley, a small, expat heavy seaside community in Hong Kong. I sat out on the patio eating mussels with friends and then took in a football (not the American kind) ball game and then headed to an Irish pub to watch Rugby. I don't know a think about football, but I instantly loved it. I can't wait to watch my next game and a Toronto FC game is definitely on the agenda when I come home.

It's spring in Hong Kong. I can hear the birds chirping somewhere outside. I don't know where they live among the concrete, but I can hear them. The palm trees look more alive and green. I expect cherry blossoms will bloom soon too. Yep - it's spring.

The Circle Game

I've had an unusual few days. I have been blessed to see the circle of life in Hong Kong and to experience it first hand.

I am in Hong Kong working, taking over a maternity leave. Maternity leaves are generally quite short - only 6 weeks here- but the woman I am filling in for is taking longer (four and a half months). Her last day was supposed to be on Friday. When she was getting ready to leave the office on Thursday, we were talking about an outstanding project that needed to be completed. She said, "Don't worry - I'll be here tomorrow." I just knew when she said it, she wouldn't be, she would be having her baby. And you guessed it - the next morning I got an email from her saying that she was in labour and that the baby was on her way early.

Yesterday, as I was wrapping up my weekend, I took a cab up the very steep road all the way up to the Peak to visit her and her husband and their new addition. This was not a typical Canadian style hospital. First, it was a private hospital. BIG difference. The views from the hospital were unbelievable and were probably the best I've seen since coming to Hong Kong. My friend and I donned masks as we entered the hospital, which is normal practice. *As an aside, it is very common for people to wear masks in public here. Ever since SARS hit this city in 2002 there is very little tolerance for spreading germs. * The hospital was gorgeous and looked more like a hotel. The balcony of their room had lounge chairs to lay out in, and their dinner menu was complete with steak and salmon - a far cry from the food in our Canadian hospitals. I visited the very small (but sturdy) newborn boy who had only been in the world two days. He slept peacefully the entire time and I reflected on the fact that this little wonder had his whole life ahead of him. A clear and bright path.

Today, I got to experience another part of life in Hong Kong. Over Chinese New Year my new friend's father died. It was especially traumatic for her as she had only arrived in Hong Kong a month ago to spend more time with her family. Despite the fact that her parents live here, she is very much "Canadian". She doesn't speak Cantonese, nor does she know all the in's and out's of Hong Kong yet. Her father had been ill, but his death was sudden. Funeral homes aren't pleasant at the best of times, but in Hong Kong they are known for being especially sterile. The building was huge with many rooms hosting different visitations. I travelled up to the third floor, where the smell of lilies mixed with incense took my breath away. As I approached the room, I could hear the chimes of a Buddhist funeral taking place down the hall. Monks lined the stark, tiled hallway, swaying in their brown robes. I paid my respects to my friend, met her mother and sat in the funeral home staring at the hundreds of flowers - all white - in the room. I felt for my friend. Here she is in this land that is so familiar to her, but so foreign. When her father died she didn't even know that you don't call 911 here. It's 999. I would have never ever known that. How was she to know that? She told me that there are only four morgues in Hong Kong, so they get over crowded and can't always refrigerate, making identifying bodies (everyone has to do it here) very difficult and traumatic. She told me that there are so many people in Hong Kong that you have to book a cremation slot - sometimes is takes six weeks. She told me that it was hard for her. Hard for her because she can't speak the language. Hard for her because she doesn't know how to navigate through the bureaucracy. Hard for her because her dad just died. And all I could do, all I was meant to do, was to just listen. She told me that usually it is Chinese custom to place a somber picture of the deceased at the from of the visitation room- her family had chosen a smiling picture of their father...enjoying life. The picture was taken of him smiling on the ferry on the way to Lantau island. As I left the room, I looked over at the Buddhist mourners down the hall and I realized that they weren't mourning in the way we might think of traditional mourning, because they don't believe in death. They believe in life. Reincarnation is life, and life carries on. This blog is not meant as a forum for my political or religious beliefs, although I suppose they are bound to seep in, but I looked at the Buddhists engaged in the celebration of life, and it reaffirmed my belief in the never ending circle of life. It was comforting, and in such a sterile place, in such a crazy, chaotic city, it brought me warmth and peace.

The circle continues in Hong Kong for the cherished newborn son, and for the beloved father.

Chinese New Year (Part III) - Fire in the Sky

One of the big events in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year is the fireworks display at the harbour. My friend decided to do it up in style - we were in Hong Kong afterall...might as well splurge just once. We made dinner reservations at Sevva, a swank restaurant at the top of the Prince's building in Hong Kong. It wasn't a cheap night, but we had a front row view for the fireworks. As as I sat on the terrace, sipping my champagne cocktail, and munching on a caviar hors d'oeuvres, I though to myself, "WOW! I am in Hong Kong!". I think it was the first time that it actually hit me. I am in Hong Kong. Not for vacation, but working in Hong Kong. The meal was fantastic and the drinks kept flowing the whole night long. The pictures don't do the fireworks justice--they were fantastic.

It was a wonderful extra long weekend. Tomorrow--I'll get back to what Hong Kongers do best...work.

Chinese New Year (Part II) - Post Valentine's Day Massage Massacre

It was supposed to be relaxing. Never. Not once. Not for a minute, did I think it would be anything but relaxing. The reflexology foot massage was fantastic. My masseuse educated me (in Cantonese) on the foot and how pressure points on the foot will stimulate other areas of my body. I thought, "This is good. Here I am in Asia indulging in reflexology, this is where it's at. I am relaxed, I am peaceful, I can't wait for the full body massage."

How wrong I was.

Let me describe the Little Tyrant to you (aka masseuse). She is probably 4 foot 7, speaks no English, is maybe in her late forties or early fifties, hard to tell. Her smile is made of sugar she was so sweet to me, running around getting me water, fluffing pillows. Little did I know that the initial foot massage was a means of tenderizing me for the kill--the full body massage.

In Hong Kong, you have massages with your clothes on, they give you shorts and a t-shirt and then they lay a towel over you to start the massage, which is not as much of a rolling, kneading type massage, as a poking, painful massage.

In broken English, the Little Tyrant kept saying, "Tight! Tight! So tight!", and she delved deeper into muscle (or bone). When I could not clench my jaw any harder for fear of breaking it, I raised my head and said, "Too hard! Too hard". Oh. My. God. She thought I meant HARDER!! Owwww. Owwww. Owww. When she hopped up onto the table to get more leverage whilst sticking her elbow into my vertebrae, I knew I was in trouble. The real shock came when she started to hit me. Now I know that this is often used as a good massage technique, except for the fact that she spanked me. Yep. That's right. I was totally spanked by the Little Tyrant. Apparently, my bum is pretty tense too. Finally, it was over. I felt like I had been steam rolled. My friend Sabita was in the room with me (it was a couples massage - don't ask), she looked all peaceful and blissed out. Her massage was relaxing.

"Ummm...did she spank you?" Sabita asked.

Yes Sabita. Yes she did.

Chinese New Year (Part I) - Eat, Pray, Love

I had the pleasure of being in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year--the year of the Tiger. I had actually wanted to leave Hong Kong for this holiday, but so do 7 million other people, and usually trips are booked a year in advance with a huge mark up. I decided that instead of pay a fortune and fight the crowds, I would make my own Chinese New Year tiger fun, right here in Hong Kong.

I have been dying to see a temple, and I'm sure my friend and work colleague Sabita has had enough of me constantly saying, "I want to go to a temple! I want to go to a temple!", like a three year old. The weather has been really crappy in Hong Kong, so each weekend, my "I want to go to a temple!" pleas are met with one look out the window at the pouring rain, and are put on hold for another week.

But no more.

On Valentine's day I woke up like a child at Christmas. Today was temple day. Window check - pouring rain. It didn't matter. There could have been in a typhoon, I was going to the Wong Tai Sin temple on the edge of Kowloon and the New Territories today. So did thousands of other people who did not leave Hong Kong for New Years.

We queued up at the entrance...masses of people, moving in slow intermittent herds, sheltered by wilted umbrellas in a rainbow of colours. It was dangerous work. I was frequently speared by umbrella spokes, but I quickly learned to keep my head down, shielding my eyes from the rogue spokes. This was not for the faint of heart or the impatient. As I looked around me, I soon realized Sabita and I were the only "non-Chinese" people at the temple. No one else was as adventurous (or stupid) as us to visit the temple on what I would find out later is the busiest day of the year.

When we finally got in, we paid a donation to the temple, took some incense, lit it on a fiery pyre, and entered the temple. My breath was taken away by the smoke billowing up from the stacks of incense that each worshipper clutched in their hands. I couldn't figure out why every one had so much incense. Was it that the more incense you had, the more pious you were? The amount of incense is directly proportional to the offering you are making or the luck that would be granted to you the following year? We shuffled up to the front of the temple, said a prayer, made our incense offering and quickly exited the temple.

After our temple experience, we were famished. A quick MTR trip to Tsim Tsa Shui led us to a fantastic Chinese restaurant, where we gorged ourselves (this is not an understatement) on dim sum, and I actually, for the first time in a while, (gulp) ate pork. I ate pork. I did. I know I am a vegetarian and all that, but the fluffy pork bun just looked SO good, and I was so hungry. And so, with a devious glare in my eye I took a large bite, chewed it slowly, savouring it's pork flavoured goodness and then I swallowed. I looked down at the pork bun, wondering when the guilt would hit me, but it didn't, so I took another bite. Yum! I'm not back on the meat bandwagon, so please stop cheering my carnivorous friends, it was a minor slip up, but one that I don't regret. It was an amazing pork bun and an amazing (and unexpected day).

In actuality, I forgot that it was Valentine's Day today. To me, it was Temple Day. A day in which I would share in something very personal and very important to so many people. I would stand, one among the thousands, and pray, to the same God, a different God, it doesn't matter really. Strange thing is, when I am in Toronto, and I am single on Valentine's Day, despite my very best efforts, I do occasionally get a pang for someone. I do get that little feeling that makes me wish I had someone to tell me Happy Valentine's Day. I fall prey to the commercialism of it. This year, I didn't even think about it until I was reminded by a friend. My day had filled me up, and there was no emptiness left to fill. To me, February 14th was temple day and the day I ate pork again. And my heart was in it 100 per cent.

Dried Oysters Anyone?

I think there are probably foods that are meant to be dried and others that are not. For example, a dried grape to yummy raisin, plum to prune, and generally most fruits are acceptable in dried form. Some meat eaters would also claim that dried meat is good, perhaps even some types of fish. Dried oysters do not fit in this category. They should not be dried, and there should not be recipes calling for dried oysters. This opinion is mine of course, and I learned recently that likely millions of people in Asia (and throughout the world I suppose) enjoy eating and cooking with dried oysters. I say “yuck” to this because I now know from experience.

On Thursday night I went to a Chinese cooking class. On the menu were dried oysters with moss. Yes, you read correctly. The moss looks like black hair and then when it is prepared turns into a sort of goop. Yum. Our instructor started off the class by giving direction in English. I don’t think the expats in the class were as enthusiastic as we should have been about his English skills though, because he quickly reverted back to the comfort of Cantonese. This was going to be a demo class only for me. Watch and learn.

I won’t go into the details of the recipe except to say that I really enjoyed the detail that went into it. We had to create a “mold” within a bowl so to speak and to succeed at the recipe, you had to be quite delicate and precise with the layering of the dried oysters, moss and then fried lettuce. Have I said yuck yet? Yuck. So I was detailed and my cooking partner (fellow expat Sabita) shared equal responsibilities in making this delicacy popular during Chinese New Year. We felt the pressure. As expats we couldn’t eff up so to speak or else we would be made fun of. We had to produce something more extraordinary than everyone else in the class. When the time came, with the Cantonese chef looking on, we removed the bowl that was keeping our mold together and VOILA! We had a beautiful dried oyster moss dish.

Did I try it? Of course I did. Would I have it again? Not a chance.

Lost in Hong Kong

I have just returned to my apartment from an after work adventure that led me through the streets of Hong Kong.

This morning was my first ever trip to work by bus and MTR (subway). I figured after a week of taking taxis from my apartment to the office, it was time to travel with the locals. I do live in Hong Kong for the next five months after all. I did have some help this morning. A colleague of mine from work lives on my street, so we met up and he led me onto the right bus, showed me where to get out, what train to take and the way to walk to work. It was about a 40 minutes trip. So far so good.

This evening, after an intense day at work I decided that I would make the trip on my own. I told my colleague about this and he said, "Oh - actually it's a different route home, you should take the #720 bus, it goes all the way to the Mid-levels and will drop you off right near the Mid-level escalators, but don't get on the #720A." My colleague even walked me to the bus stop. Things began to go downhill when he left me to my own devices. I got on a bus that I still really think was the #720. The thing is, there was a massive line waiting for the bus and only a few people got onto the one I got onto. That should have been my first clue. My second clue should have been the fact that there were no visible expats on the bus with me and there a LOT of expats that live in my area. Before I knew it I was in a part of Hong Kong that I can't even describe to you - alley night markets, rows and rows on food huts with fresh cooking on the street and then we arrived at a dark bus terminal. The bus driver turned off the lights on the bus and left the bus. Hmmmmm.....I think I am lost I thought to myself. So I got off the bus, found another driver, pointed to the sign and said, "#720 to Central, yes?" and then motioned furiously at the bus. "Grunt, grunt," he said. Okay, I must be on the right track. So I hopped on the bus again and before I knew it, I was right back where I started.

My next option was to take the route I travelled this morning, but in reverse. I got on the subway - no problem, got off at the subway stop, no problem. Now I needed to catch a bus again. But where do I catch that bus, it's going in the opposite direction? I was able to find my way across the busy street, popped into Mrs. Fields cookies for a mid-adventure treat, and then waited for what I thought was my bus. As I boarded the bus I realized again, this is not my bus. After a while I decided, well I might as well get off and try to find my way home by foot. I walked through the zoo (scary at night btw), walked across busy non-pedestrian roads, walked up stairs, under bridges, down quiet streets and then --A BAR!!!! A BAR I RECOGNIZE!!! Yes! I knew then I was safe. I soon found the Mid-Levels escalator and then I knew my way home. Two hours later I walked into the comfort and sanctuary of my apartment. Thing is, it wasn't time wasted. The only way to truly get to know a city is to get lost in it...but maybe not by bus.

My current playlist

House - Trevor Hall

If it Kills Me - Jason Mraz

The Heart's A Lonely Hunter - Thievery Corporation

A Well Respected Man - The Kinks

Between Two Lungs - Florence and the Machine

Jackdaw - David Grey

Reggae Got Soul - Toots & The Maytals

Time after Time - Cyndi Lauper

Careless Love - $100

Ask - The Smiths

Sugarcane - Missy Higgins

Wheat Kings - TragicallyHip

Picture of Jesus - Ben Harper

Rain, Rain, Go Away

It's been pouring rain all day in Hong Kong. Even as I write this, I can hear the rain intensify hitting the windows of my apartment. I haven't been outside all day. I have decided to take this Sunday as a day of rest. I had a great day yesterday, but today I am finding myself with a little case of the rainy day blues. It's a good time to reflect, write, read and sleep.

To recap yesterday - I hopped on the famous Star Ferry to explore Kowloon with one mission in mind - to purchase a DSLR camera, one that I have been looking at for a few months now. I first laid eyes on the camera on a date actually. A guy I had been dating in the fall was a photographer and one day we decided to go camera window shopping. I knew then that I would be coming to Hong Kong so I decided to hold off on my purchase until I arrived in Hong Kong.

The ferry ride costs about $0.20 Canadian. Just one swipe of my Octopus card and I was sailing away to Kowloon. Kowloon is just on the other side of the harbour and is one of the most crowded places on earth. After battling the crowds to find my camera store, I ducked into the Kowloon Park to take a breath and gather my thoughts. Kowloon, like the Central District on Hong Kong Island has many, many designer stores. I have never seen so many Prada, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton stores all in one place. There was also a substantial line up in front of Chanel and Louis Vuitton--all people waiting to drop thousands of dollars on luxury goods.

I did end of buying my camera and I got it for a great deal. I'll still be using my point-and-shoot for night's on the town, but I am hoping to put my new camera to good use very soon.

Last night I had dinner with friends and decided to have an impromptu bar hop. We went to the Feather Boa an "exclusive" bar that used to be an old antique store where only members are served. Luckily, one of the women I was with is a member and knows the owner quite well and before I knew it I had a massive daiquiri in hand and the people (or expat) watching began. A few bars later and I found myself in Lan Kwai Fong. I think the pictures will describe it best, but basically Saturday night just becomes a massive street party. Everyone is out on the streets drinking and I actually don't think the bars close until people are done for the night. I was home by 2 a.m., but I know the party kept going after I left.

Another work week begins tomorrow. Hard to believe I've only been in Hong Kong for a week. Given the amount I have done in a week, I have no doubt I will be able to pack in all of Hong Kong in the next five months!

Remember - full sets of photos can be found on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathleenpics/

Pissing Prawns

I ate one, before I knew it was called a Pissing Prawn. Apparently they excrete some sort of liquid out of their tail. Just to be clear it's not piss, but because of this excretion they are called Pissing Prawns. I had the pleasure of eating one of these yummy creatures on Friday night on my first trip to a wet market. One of my colleagues said to me that visiting and eating at a local wet market was a quick way to integrate into the Asian lifestyle. That's for sure!

About eight of us sat at a large circular table in what is one of Hong Kong's most famous wet market restaurants for traditional Chinese food. Reservations are made well in advance at this popular 'no-frills' restaurant. We were served beer in cold bowls, chicken with the head on the plate looking up at us (thank goodness I don't each chicken), crab, local spicy fish, pissing prawns, vegetables in garlic and ginger, lots of squid, and a fantastic noodle dish. It was a wonderful meal, even though I didn't know what I was eating half of the time. Drinking beer in a bowl - what a wonderful concept. I think I may have had 13 bowls of beer, but it really didn't feel like much. I am definitely bringing the beer in a bowl concept home with me!

Thoughts from the week

My jet lag has worn off now. My night is your morning and my morning is your future. It all seems so normal to me now – I can’t believe I have only been in Hong Kong for five days. It already seems like five months. I know my neighbourhood like I’ve lived here for years. Take me out of my neighborhood and that’s a different story. My trusty map has become a piece of me…like my house keys or lip balm, I can’t leave the house without it. But I use my map less and less – Lai Wai Fong, Tai Koo Fong – these places have meaning to me now.

The sky has been grey for the past two days, even if the skyscrapers didn’t reach upwards seemingly endless, I still wouldn’t be able to see the sky. It's considered cold here right now, but it's really just damp with a slight chill. I know cold. Canadians know cold...this is not cold.

There is a local debate about whether or not the fog is actually smog. Apparently if it is patchy it’s fog, otherwise it’s smog. I sat in a meeting yesterday morning and looked to the mountains ahead of me…patchy but yellow. Does that count as smog or fog? I’m still not sure… Many people wear masks here. Some wear them to ward off infectious diseases; others try to protect themselves from the pollution. I can feel heaviness in my lungs and I have no doubt it is caused by the exhaust fumes of the traffic and the pollution floating down from Mainland China. It's something I know I won't be able to escape, so I will just need to accept it. It makes me appreciate the pollution level in Toronto. I always thought it was bad, but pollution has new meaning to me now.

It’s difficult being out of my comfort zone. At times I thrive on it, the adrenaline pumping through my veins thrilled that everything and everyone is new to me. Other times I just feel exhausted, wanting something or someone to be familiar to me. Work is overwhelming. I see the pace that people work here and it puts my “busy” in Toronto to shame. I am quite certain that if I can succeed in the next few months I can certainly succeed anywhere in any job no matter how big it is. There is also the absence of familiar faces. However I made a new “friend” today. I felt like a little kid - so excited that someone had just asked me to go out to play. I did go out to play, with a lovely expat from London who moved here recently with her husband. I have come to the conclusion that this type of move is so much easier when you do it with a partner. While it’s exciting for me on my own, this is something I wish I could share with someone.

Hong Kong attracts an interesting group of people. They are all so transient, so unsettled and loving that life. I feel so blessed that I can have a glimpse of it,. But I don’t think it will be long term for me. For now, I am content to live in the moment and experience everything that is in front of me – a trip to Lantau to see the Big Buddha, fireworks in Victoria Harbour for Chinese New Year, a wet market dinner, a junk trip…these are all things I am looking forward to in the next couple of weeks, and all part of the Hong Kong life. Until then, I just put one foot in front of the other and make sure I have my map.

1 in 7 million

I am 1 in 7 million in Hong Kong. Today was my first day experiencing this astounding fact, and I don't think it's even really hit me yet. My apartment is situated in the Mid-levels - and area known for its ex-pat community, the residential lifestyle, and the fact that if you live in the mid-levels your air quality is better...it's half way up Victoria Peak. I arrived late last night and the thing that struck me most about my apartment is that I am really high up and I am surrounded by other apartments even taller than mine. This morning I realized that when I looked out my apartment window I could only see a sliver of sky.

I am still battling the end of my flu bug, so I took it easy today and will be starting work tomorrow. I did however want to become familiar with my neighbourhood. A little walk though the mid-levels led me to the Botanical gardens where I witnessed three children quite enthralled with an animal that is pretty familiar to me - the mysterious raccoon. While the majority of the spectators were captivated by the raccoon, I preferred to hang out with something a little more slow moving.

I found my way to the Peak tram and decided if I really wanted to get the lay of the land, I should get a different perspective from up top. Here are a few pictures from my day. A full set can be found on Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathleenpics/

Tomorrow the real adventure begins - work. In true Hong Kong fashion, legend has it that the office I will be working in operates at an inhumane pace. Good thing I have a daily meditation practice going!