From... a cup of coffee in Shatin

Today is the last day of this trip.  Instead of going with my friends to the Hong Kong airport together, since their flight was earlier than mine, I decided to stop by the Shatin Mall and do a bit more of an exploration.

I know it would be a great challenge walking around carrying my luggage containing... my Seroquel, a laptop, a power strip, a battery charger, a mouse, a few sheets of paper, a skirt, a pair of pants, a shirt, undergarments, a few loose packs of cigarettes, my IDs, a music CD, a map of Shanghai and another one I got from Hong Kong, and some light and loose items.

A backpack should be able to hold it all although I decided to split the weight and put them in two bags.

Actions have consequences... so said the Frenchman.

I know my body would get out of the whack with the weight.  Yet, I thought I would like to have a cup of coffee in Shatin, do some people watching, and, perhaps, do a bit of work.  And, I did... not at the first cafe I spotted but after I ventured a few floors more.

So my body started to do its own thing and to move in all funny ways... including walking into the wall at several points.  Walking into the walk is fine since I can use the wall as some sort of support... as long as I don't walk into people.  Moving not so elegantly?  Not my issue... as long as still mobile.  lol

I then caught the airport bus A41, which dropped me right in front of the departure hall. I successfully moved myself and the luggages to the counter, monkeying around a bit and a bit more and did a little bit of work. I also discovered that there was this type of the airport luggage cart that functions mighty well as a walker... It made it so much easier easier to move with five legs (since the cart has three wheels)... though, Puerto Plata principle... I absolutely avoided slopes.

Then the time came when the lady came to wheel me all the way to the door of the airplane where the flight attendants took over the luggages for me while I walked in funny fashion and in pain to my seat.

After I took the painkiller I got from this nice flight attendant, I leisurely waited there for the med to take effect. The reality is that... never mind the pain and the walking into all directions... What a lovely trip and how wonderful the body is still relatively in one piece with the minimum minor inconveniences in life induced!"

Le Voyage... Yours Rambler

Last night in Hong Kong and going back to Taiwan tomorrow.

Although I have not making too many postings on my trip, I have been "tripping" since July 23rd with yours dedicated sojourner doing her tourist thing on days of the never-ending record-breaking heat in Shanghai to the Typhoon days in Hong Kong.

Many a walk I took, many a places I went, many a thing I saw, and many a experience afforded.

It surely has been an excellent trip (while I did do my work here and there at points).

Albeit the limits and the fact that I get support and assistance here and there many a time, with my body still in one piece, the efforts I made to get back to walk absolutely paid off... (especially considering that it was this January when I started to walk with two feet (as opposed to three)!

C'est un bon voyage para yours rambler (a new word I learned in Tianzifang this time)!

My first Typhoon experience in Hong Kong-- Utor No 8

I have lived through many a typhoon in Taiwan... today marks the first time for me to witness what a Typhoon in Hong Kong is like.

"The No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal has been issued at 1:40 a.m. to replace the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal" for the Typhoon Utor that's approaching... around the time when I got done today's translation work.

Apparently, No. 8 and above means everyone has to stay in... thus... however a dedicated tourist in Hong Kong you might be... stay put.

Following is the copy of the warning texts issued by the Hong Kong Observatory at 1:40 Hong Kong Time.
 1. No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal ( 01:40 HKT - 14.08.2013 )

Ding ding tram in Hong Kong

Because my visit to St. Paul and them canons on Mount Fortress killed my dear body really bad, yours having a lot of difficulties moving had to figure a way out to see Hong Kong yesterday-- with the solution- taking the tram to the far east on da town Shau Kei Wan 筲箕灣 to visit, and, taking the tram to come back to Causeway bay.

On my tram ride back from Shau Kei Wan 筲箕灣 back to Causeway Bay 銅鑼灣, the tram was jammed packed. Yet, I tried very hard to listen to the ding ding ding...

Despite of my propensity for tinnitus and auditory hallucinations, I think I heard it... or did I? 8-O lol

Above the clouds the sun shines

Believe me if I tell you that the skies are blue and the sun was shining today in Hong Kong or in Taiwan though others might tell you it was overcast with drizzles.

Roses are red (can't prove that).  Yet, the skies are blue and the sun is shining in the skies. I have pictures and clips to prove it..





Aren't them skies blue and the sun shines.

HKFA -- Asian Challenge Cup in Hong Kong Stadium from afar

Watched the HKFA -- Asian Challenge Cup in Hong Kong Stadium today... sort of... from my brother-in-law's balcony.

Guess it marks the first time for me to watch a game in Hong Kong? lol

Unfortunately, my dear canon camera is not all that high quality... hope you can find some little people running around on the field...

Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System in Hong Kong

The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System (中環至半山自動扶手電梯系統) is made up of a whole bunched of escalators.    The entire system is considered the longest outdoor covered escalator system according to Guinness World Records.

I was really liking its design at the beginning.... because I haven't been able to do the mountain climbing thing since 2007.  The higher it went, the more worried I was about how I was to get down. 8-X lol



And, yes, buses are available on the other end.

The only problem... it was around the rush hour.  We eventually took the bus down to Central instead of going to Causeway Bay directly instead... long story.

When in Central, my dad wanted to take the train.

I went immediately, "No way Jose."

So they say... people have gone back to work today.  Thus, I will not and will not be able to do the train/subway thing at the busiest station around rush hour.  "No way Jose." 8-X lol

The peak tram in Hong Kong

The trip on the Peak Tram in Hong Kong-- going from the Peak back to Central.

Chinese Lunar New Year's fireworks in Hong Kong

Saw the Chinese Lunar New Year's fireworks today in Hong Kong.

First time I saw fireworks in Hong Kong in situ and first time walking up and down the ordinarily busy street of Nathan Road!  (I am liking the feeling of walking up and down busy roads going against or along the direction of the traffic. 8-O lol)

i Square

Quite a trip getting out cause we were running around trying to look for an entrance to the MTR station that doesn't require me walking down for one simple reason, by that point, my body was mostly done and it only allowed me to do the horizontal move... big bad bug style or not.  Eventually, we figured out that you can take the escalator to go down to the isquare MTR station in the basement.

Yes, none of the escalators goes directly to the ground level.  Not even exit A as indicated in the map inside of the station. The only place you can enter or exit the MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station (尖沙咀站) without having to walk up and down them stairs is by going through the i Square entrance/exit.

Hope this helps.

Following is the clip I took for the Chinese Lunar New Year's fireworks in Hong Kong tonight.  If it is too long, feel free to skip to the end of the clip for the grand finale.

Hong Kong Chinese Lunar New Year Parade 2012

A long trip in life it took for me to get to see this parade.

Gotta share with ya.

Hong Kong Chinese Lunar New Year Parade 2012 

My Chinese New Year's Eve dinner (2012)

My Chinese New Year's Eve dinner (2012) at the restaurant 豐竹 (Affluent Kitchen) in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, tonight.

All the weights I have been trying to lose for the past few months are back in place these past week or so... especially after this meal. 8-O 8-X lol

Times square- HongKong

Got back to Times square today-- already? 8-O

... yet, for the first time.  Times Square in Causeway Bay (銅鑼灣), Hong Kong.

So they say, this area is equivalent to 西門町 (Ximending) in Taipei where young people hang.

Sorry, the white dots weren't no snow.  They were either the rain drops or dusts on the lens of my dear grandpa canon camera.