http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/dancywalden/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from dancywalden en-us Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:21:26 +0000 Sun, 03 Jan 2010 14:21:26 +0000 December 17 2005 Hong KongI write this from the relative safety of our apartment in Sheung Wan. We are just back from the fracas in Wan Chai where WTO protesters staged a huge parade that blocked traffic on several major thoroughfares. The parade was a planned event and began in Victoria Park with the route passing through Causeway Bay and Wan Chai then on to the Convention Center. Well th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-31675.html Hello I hope this blog finds you well and happy This post is mostly from Martha actually all from MarthahellipWhere to start First off for those of you who had no idea that Tony and I moved we are in Hong Kong now thanks to Tony nabbing a cool gig over here. When Tony was hired for the gig we decided to give him a while to determine how permanent it seemed then take the plunge and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7340.html Good Evening Itrsquos April 21sthellipThe fried vermicelli was excellent Xiamen vermicelli slices of pork and small shelled shrimp in an exotic tasting sauce with sweet pickled julienne veges sprouts very fresh tropical a huge dish that could have served both of us but of course we ordered a second dish too. Piggish Americans. The other was slices of beef flat rice noodles http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7470.html Today is really April 23 2005 but Irsquom continuing to backtrack on the log.March 21First day could only sleep till around 9am very much still on the LA clock. Like a trooper I was up and ready for my first venture out into Hong Kong. Tony said we would take a short walk. Right. Not with himhellipit always turns out to be an unending trek. Being it was a bit chilly I wore my boots w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7538.html Rest of the first week herehellipMarch 22Did some more walking around the neighborhood. Most of it went by in a blur as I became very disoriented pun ha on my whereabouts. The streets are angled and curve so the direction I think is home is completely the opposite. Tonyrsquos circuitous routes donrsquot help much. He travels in a straight line even if it takes you up 100 steps and http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7738.html Itrsquos a beautiful day in this neighborhood a beautiful day for a neighborWould you be mine could you be mineHuh I never got what Mr. Rogers was aiming at.Anyway herersquos a look at our neighborhood and our swell little apartment. As I mentioned before we live in the Sheung Wan district a mainly Chinese working class area. Our apartment building is owned by the same guy who owns http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7844.html Ok so I'm waaay behind on the journals...March 27Itrsquos Sunday and Tony finally has a day off poor boy hersquos worked 13 days in a row. All that scrambling for a China visa for me and we chuck the whole idea. We were up late. Drank wine. Watched silly television. Slept in. Besides Irsquom still under the weather.Speaking of the weather I realize I havenrsquot spoken of the we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-7959.html March 28Woo hoo Tony has another day off Itrsquos Easter Monday here in HK.We get our normal late start but what the heck Irsquom retired. For the moment. Destination Victoria Peak 552m let me get my calculator out about 1820ft highest point on HK Island.Itrsquos a fabulous day puffy clouds and blue sky above warm with a pleasant breeze first decent weather since I arrive http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-8045.html March 29More grocery shopping today. The fridge is so tiny that you have to shop nearly every day cuz therersquos just no place to put large quantities of food. You couldnrsquot lug large quantities of anything up here anyway. Besides it gives us a chance to wander about and get familiar with the city. Stopped at a new restaurant for lunch one that we pass nearly every day heading toward http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-8156.html April 3Itrsquos Sunday and wersquore going to Lamma Island today. The usual late start gets us to the ferry pier off of Man Kwong St in Central by the early afternoon. The piers are all clearly marked so there is not a problem getting to the right one. However there is plenty of construction going on by the harbor that makes it hard to find your way sometimes. Construction is the biz to b http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-8508.html Summing up April Part 1April 5Finally got the Internet access up and running Had the usual Language Barrier when it was installed the previous Saturday I asked if my other connection via SBC needed to be removed but that did not compute with the tech. The install tech didnrsquot know much about Macs but then I donrsquot know much about Macs either. Signed off on his installation and i http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-9121.html Summing up April Part 2April 10Big day off What shall we do I know letrsquos kill Martha with an exceptionally fast hike in 85 degrees 100 humidity with cloud cover at 25 ft.Late start. Whatrsquos new. Figure out which bus to take to Aberdeen because thatrsquos where we shall pick up the Hong Kong trail. Catch one on Queens Road it turns out to be a rather a long bus ride takin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-9714.html OK I know it's June but even if it kills me I'm finally going to finish up April Part 1Foam We are seeking a simple piece of foam to lay on top of our rock hard bed so that I can avoid permanent damage to my skeletal structure. The Chinese think sleeping on a slab of stone they call a mattress is good and healthful. I donrsquot. This task doesnrsquot sound difficult as you should be ab http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-11083.html Finishing up April Part 2April 24 Tonyrsquos day off get a late start as usual. Up till 3am the night before beer burritos and a movie at home hmmm seems like a familiar activity oh yeah just like what we did in Milw LA only the setting has changed.Want to hike but arenrsquot sure where it is late and threatening to rain a very gloomy day indeed. Head out about 3pm but are st http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-11206.html Pics from our walks around the city in AprilHere are some photos for you to enjoy while I devote time writing the Mainland China blog. Yes Zoe and I spent our birthdays in Beijing Xirsquoan and Shenzhen during the first week of June and you shall hear about it soonGage StreetGage St hosts just one of hundreds of wet markets around HK. We buy produce at them but not the meat or fish I'm http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-11764.html Zooming thru May Part 1May 1stJust hanging out wandering the streets. Very hot today and when we stop at Tonyrsquos favorite ldquomorningrdquo place that designation just means generally early in the day not really morning there is no AC. On this very hot day the Bagel Factory in Soho on Elgin Street is undergoing aircon repairs. Guess there will be no bagels decide to go to D http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-13668.html May part deuxMay 16thBeautiful day. Stanley is our destination a peninsula district located on the south side of HK island. This part of the island is less populated and from what I gather has the quick ldquogetawayrdquo spots for HKrsquoers complete with beaches seaside picnicking theme parks aquariums and of course shopping. No MTR on the south side of the island so we hop a n http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-13768.html Rest of MayMay 18thTake the MTR to Lok Fu to buy a mattress. Waste of money. But not a waste of time because we take a look around the area and find Kowloon Walled City Park a truly elegant place built to replace and commemorate an old walled city slum. Serene it is landscaped with ponds flowers and greenery surrounding Qing styled pavilions part of the original wall still exists at the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-13772.html End of May Planning our Mainland China trip Zoe and I are in the midst of planning our adventure into China. She has given me an early birthday present of the China Lonely Planet guide itrsquos a huge weighty thing. Since we donrsquot have much of an idea of where we want to go except that the Great Wall is top on her list it will be helpful in the discovery process. But first we mu http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-15376.html June 2We are still laughing about the silly documentary we watched last night on the only English channel on Beijing TV. Did you know that Beijing Duck is less greasy now than it used to be Customers demanded that it be less greasy so chefs developed new nongreasy ways to prepare it. The traditional way of cooking Beijing Duck by pumping it with water and roasting in a wood fired oven gave it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-16800.html