Big Wave Bay

Big Wave Bay
Not just another beach!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Faces of China

Dear Excellent Ones,

One of the things I like doing is sneaking pictures of people.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not.  Yet when you take pictures of people and they don't realize it, you get a glimpse of who they really are.  So without further ado here are some sneaky pictures:

A flute player busking for money at a subway station.

Near the forbidden city.

Deep in thought.

In front of the Forbidden City.

Serious dude by the Forbidden City.


Hey how are you?

Everyone loves a baby,


Respecting your elder.

Huh what?  You are kidding!

Tough times.

Have a great week everyone!

Love adios and peng on!

Dirk

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Great People Great Walk

Hello Excellent Ones,
I work with a great group of people.  Smart, funny, and friendly.  This past Saturday I went with a few of them for a hike to Amah rock and Lion rock. The weather was just right for walking and the sights and smells were life giving.  After summiting Lion Rock we ended up in Kowloon City where we finished the day with a superb Thai meal.  Yes, indeed I am thankful and grateful for good friends, health, and the opportunity to go on great hikes.

Excellent people.  Left to Right; Evelyn, Vinci, Celia, Clem, Wing Yee (sorry for misspelling), Jim

We had some curious observers.

Amah rock with Shatin in the background.

On the back of Lion Rock.  Can you make out the the Lion Head?

Vinci and Celia overjoyed to have made it,

Overlooking Kowloon, Hong Kong is in the distance.

On top of Lion Rock, a marker that states Jesus Christ is Holy.  I agree.

Jim, using clues from the internet, found a treasure on top of Lion Rock.  Apparently these boxes are all over the world.  Who thinks of stuff like this…

Well have a great week everyone.

Love adios and peng on!

Dirk

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Interesting Times

Dear Amazing People,
A week does not go by without something interesting happening here in amazing, interesting Hong Kong.  Highlights this week included a picture scavenger hunt, with friends from school, in the market of Sham Shui Po, a gritty, worn down area of Kowloon loaded with character.  There were some interesting sights thats for sure.  Here are a few samples:

A little fan of mine.



Pig head for dessert anyone?  Anyone?


A little down on his luck.


This week I also ran a sports day for my kindergarten kids.  We have the sports day in November because the weather is usually ideal then, plus 25 sunny, little cool breezes floating along, think perfect Alberta summer day, sorry my dear Canadians who have shovelled snow this week, I should not really be taking a little dig like this.  No pun intended.  Nevertheless, crazy as this may sound the weather was actually a little hot for the kids and the millions or parents with cameras who joined us.  Highlight of the day was when 80 kids and some parents started blowing bubbles at the same time.  It was magical, amazing, we were in a bubble land.
Charmaine is pumped for sports day.


Bubble land


Finally I went to the "World Famous" Hong Kong convention centre and spent time sampling wine from around the world.  All the countries I have lived in were represented so I had a sampling from each:  Germany, Canada, USA, Austria, and China.  I also tried some french and italian wine since they are considered world class.  Note: I only took a few sips from each, and was still standing, moving, and talking coherently afterwards.  My fav wine?  ze German wine was best.  I like ze fruity flavour, und ze Germans had a very fruity wine.  Canada was a close second however.  Was fun to remember all the great bike trips I took in the Okonogon, going from vineyard to vineyard.  There were some pictures too at the Canadian display.  Ah sweet memory lane.

Believe it or not but the Chinese have embraced wine and are growing it themselves and of course have become a major market for wine.  Wine producers around the world are rubbing their hands in glee.  And then to top it off I went to the first art exhibition of a fledgling artist.  At first I was not that impressed with her art, but after some time and looking at the pictures again and again I am slowly coming around to appreciating the little details, like the reflection in the knife of the strawberry, blueberry dessert and the details of the bowl of rice and shrimp.

The convention center is that low, wide, building with the curvy roof right in the front, and middle of the picture.

A few wine bottles at the exhibition.

The American display was very cool.


Yuck.

Interesting


Not bad.

Well thats it for now.  Have a great week everyone.  God bless you all.

Love adios and peng on!

Dirk

Sunday, November 4, 2012

I love Chinglish

Dear Excellent Ones,
I will let the pictures do the talking this week.  I love CHINGLISH!

Love adios and peng on!

Dirk

Makes you almost want to cry, eh?

Good advise.

Ok.

I have sweet edible fungus clinging to my feet.  Actually it smells like Brie.  Care for some?

Water is cool?  Really?

Forbid to beam on?  By a subway station.  I think it should be forbid to lean on.