Same Same

I copied this from Google the other day.  It must be the most similar weather that Hong Kong and Canberra will ever have.  It is really nice weather here at the moment!  The humidity has dropped, there is sometimes a nice breeze, the temperature is just right.  There was even a night last week when I slept without the air conditioner on! (Ok, so the minimum temps might not be that similar...)

Of course having the temperature in the mid 20's means that the shops are now full of clothes like this, and people are actually wearing them!

Official library opening

We did it!  The new library has had its first party and first bottle of champagne, and the ribbon has been cut.  We invited all the parents and staff to the party, and all the important people from the department, of course.

Debra and I worked our butts off getting everything ready so the library could look its best for all its visitors, and I must say we were pretty proud of ourselves.

Elections coming up

I have known for weeks now that there is a local election coming up.  I know this, because of the young politicians standing at the bus stop outside my building EVERY WEEKEND with megaphones and loud recordings.  They are there from about 9.30 - 6.30, and sometimes on weeknights as well.

I do admire them for spending so much time on their campaigns (they all seem very young and dedicated) but I can't wait until it's over!  It is driving me nuts.  I think it must be very close to election day, as today there are about 5 different parties down there, all with their loudspeakers. 

They are on both sides of the pavement, and both sides of the road, and I think they are having a competition to see which one of the parties can bug me the most.  I walked through them to the shops and it felt like I was walking through a human tunnel, as they were all holding their banners over my head.  I now have my ipod plugged in and cranked up but it's not helping much.  Sometimes I wish I was on the 30th floor instead of the 7th.

Random bits

I haven't blogged for a while as I haven't done anything very exciting since I got back from China.  But I have taken random photos in the last few weeks so will dump them here all together.
We had Diwali a couple of weeks ago, and the lovely Indian teachers and staff at our school put on the most delicious morning tea for us - home made samosas etc.  Yum!  It was so nice that Chris and Chris and I decided to have Indian again for dinner that night.  I meant to take a photo and do a Diwali blog but forgot... so here are the left overs of our dinner, and Chris about to enjoy the last of the curry chicken :-)











I went shopping last weekend over at TST - the massive shopping centre that always has huge decorations of some kind.  The current display is a massive skateboard ramp looking thing with a car on top!  Not very clear photos :-(

There was also a big car display - in the middle of the shops!  I think it was the release of some new Audi.  Don't know, but I liked the look of this one.

I seriously didn't ever realise Barbie has her own entire fashion stores!

And here's the good old Star Ferry.  Such a classic old boat, and so cheap to get across the harbour in just a few minutes!

Today Chris C and I were wandering the streets of Sheung Wan and had a good giggle at the man working from the back of his truck.  Need fire?  No problem, just carry one with you for when you need it!

This last photo is for Jane and Amanda.  Last year we all went to dim sum for brunch, and the restaurant was so busy they put us in a room the size of a cupboard, out the back of the restaurant.  I haven't been back since, and neither had Chris, but we did today.  We joked about being in the cupboard... and then they sat us in a cupboard room again!!  Too funny.

Madame Tussuards

Our last day of holidays together :-(
We had a list as long as my arm of things we all wanted to get done before Jane, Grant and Amanda left Hong Kong including Madame Tussuards, views from The Peak, and lunch and shopping at Stanley.
Thanks for a great holiday, JAG!

Our week in China

Where to start??  Amanda, Jane, Grant and I had a few days in China - Guilin and Yangshuo - and it was fabulous!!

We left on Sunday and had a night in Guilin.  We had a little time on the Monday for exploring, then caught a bamboo boat down the Li River to a town called Yangshuo.  The amazing landscape there is different from anything I've seen and it was a beautiful place to spend a few days.

These photos are from our night in Guilin.  We found a restaurant that had a (huge) menu in English - with many unusual dishes on offer!  (can you read  'bamboo rice in fried frog'?)  The other menu was from the massage place in our hotel. None of us were game to have the kidney, ovary or bosum treatment!



There was a park called Elephant Hill Park near our hotel, so we spent a bit of time wandering the gardens there, before heading to Yangshuo.

On the way we stopped at the Tea Institute and had a tour of the tea plantations, and also had a lesson on formal tea ceremonies from the Tea Master.  It was really interesting.

These boats were fun!  It took us 2 hours to get down the river, sitting on little wicker seats with our luggage around us.  It was beautiful weather and very peaceful.  One of us (I won't say who, but it wasn't one of the girls) not only broke the wicker seat, but also sat on a small stool and it broke through the bottom of the boat!

Once in Yangshuo we saw the most amazing light show on the river, shopped till we dropped in the gorgeous old market streets (poor Grant never wants to see another handbag shop in his life...), we did a Chinese calligraphy course with a lovely lady called Lily, had massages, ate Chinese junk food, ate plenty of meals at our favourite restaurant (voted by us to have the best toilets in China), drank cocktails etc etc.

And we hired bikes and a tour guide, Moi, and did a 4 hour tour around the farming areas of Yangshuo.  It was a fantastic way to see China and we were so glad we did it.

I could add plenty more photos of our time in Yangshuo, but this post is far too long as is.

Aqua Luna

I went on my first junk last night - an old fashioned boat that sails around the harbour.  The 6 of us - me, Chris, Chris, Amanda, Jane and Grant - had booked it for the evening sail, in time for the light show.  I didn't get a good photo of the whole boat, but the sails showed up ok.

The light show is on every night and I've seen it plenty of times, and enjoy it every time.  It is where all the lights of the buildings along the harbour light up and "dance" in time to music.  But last night was the first time I had seen it from a boat, and it was really nice. 

The rain stopped and the weather was perfect (although a little windy in places as you can see!).  A unique Hong Kong experience.

Canberra friends!

I am feeling so lucky - I have 3 Canberra friends visiting me all at once!  Amanda arrived on Saturday, and it is really nice to have her here.  She has done some hard relaxing while Chris and I have been at work.  This photo is when we found a delicious new yoghurt shop after dinner.

Then Grant was next to arrive last night.  He is also working on his relaxing, and so far doing a good job.  He and Amanda went to the Hong Kong Museum of History today, something I've been meaning to do and never have.

And Jane has just arrived today, so we all met up at Rat Alley to have rat soup.  Just kidding, Mia and Joel!  We really don't eat rats when we go to Rat Alley.

Another couple of days of work, and then I will have a week of holidays to spend with my Canberra friends.  Can't wait!