Tai O

As part of our day at Big Buddha, we took a side trip to Tai O. Upon arriving we find the fleet in port.

  
One of the principal sources of income in Tai O is the sale of dried fish and seafood. The businesses are is fill with stalls of all kinds of delicacies.

Tai O is home to the Tanka people, a community of fisher folk who've built their homes on stilts above the tidal flats. As part of our trip we took a boat ride through the village and out into the sea to get a glimpse of the pink dolphins. And we did!

On the way back in we saw a section of the island with a cemetery up in the hills above.

To cross the tidal flats there is a manually operated draw bridge which is fairly new to Tai O. Prior to that, the creek was crossed using an old-fashioned rope-drawn ferry that was in operation for over 85 years.

Following our ride we strolled through the village trying some treats and taking in the power of the simple life led by these happy people.

At first I thought there were repairs being made till Michael pointed out the contents of these sacks - MSG. That will make a lot of dried fish and there were tons of them.

And we could see it being put to good use.

A little garden shop featured Snow White and they were trying for a little match-making. And I can attest to the fact that this particular Snow could use a good orthodontist.

It was a lovely afternoon for all.

Another Visit to Big Buddha

One place that is a must see for visitors who have the time is Big Buddha. Although I have posted before (and recently) on this area, there is always something new and interesting to see. And I have become addicted to cable cars - I love them. This time I had Michael and Karen for company.

I have walked the path of the Twelve Generals several times and this time realized that each is related to an animal from the Chinese zodiac. So I had my photo taken with the general of the ox.

Some interesting facts about Big Buddha include his height at 34 meters (112 ft.), weight at 250 metric tons (280 tons) and on a clear day he can reputedly be seen from Macao.

There are 240 steps to the Buddha platform and 262 to the base of the statue.

The statue is actually named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. He sits on a lotus throne.

The Po Lin Monastary has been in existence since 1906. This time the monks were not at prayers so I could get some interior shots of the main hall.

One of the other things I enjoy when traveling to various places is the variety of signs that are somewhat unusual. Buddhists are vegetarians after all.

No question, you are at a Chinese village when in Ngong Ping.

And just in case you want an unusual souvenir, there is this one at the entrance to the cable car.

Perhaps there is good reason for that last one.

At the Races

My brother Michael and sister-in-law Karen arrived to spend a week with us following a two week hiking and biking trip on the mainland. 

We had a good start since they were already acclimated to the time in Asia. So on one of their first nights we joined with several of our Steelcase friends to enjoy a night at the races.

Racing is one of the oldest sports on Hong Kong. It began very shortly after the British acquired Hong Kong Island in the 1840's. In those days the races were held in Happy Valley. They still are to this day although the race track has undergone some improvements.

It was the first time for everyone to go to the races and we were not sure what to expect. PARTY is the operative word including some pre-race entertainment in keeping with the season.

Who would have thought we'd find a Polka band in Hong Kong for Octoberfest?

First order of business was figuring out how to fill in the forms for placing bets. It took a while, but we finally got it sorted and then it was off to the windows.

The first few races didn't bring much luck. But then we got our bearings and everyone started to win some. It was exciting to see the horses charging in front of us in the final stretch.

Later in the evening some of the longer races were run and the starting gate was right in front of our seats. It made looking at the field much easier and getting them into the gate was as entertaining as always.

And then they were off.

Coming down the final stretch we were all yelling.

And with a final win we closed out our evening a wee bit ahead in cash and way ahead in fun.

A Moment of Reflection

As Hurricane Sandy approached the East coast our anxiety grew with each report. With family and friends in NYC, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia we had much to be concerned about. Thankfully I can report that everyone made it through with minimal damage or disruption. We have truly been blessed.

Our local CNN International was devoted entirely to storm coverage. The papers kept reports coming to our doors. And as landfall grew closer our iPads and computers became appendages. So many have suffered and are continuing to suffer so much. Our hearts are breaking for them.

To see the photos of the Jersey shore near where I grew up in surreal. These are the places and memories of my childhood and it is hard to imagine the devastation. Our girls spent some time there as well when they were younger. Kyle is hoping the smell of iron-on T-shirts will return along with all the other memories.

New York City is another "home" for me and I am so saddened by its plight. Shayne was in a geographical safe spot and survived the storm well. But many of our friends are still out of their homes and struggling day to day.

Hurricane Sandy has been a humbling experience for all. No matter what our plans, life goes where it will. We need to take time each day to enjoy what we have and be thankful.

Halloween 2012

Halloween time is such fun in Hong Kong. Costumes are sold in all the markets and the parade of revelers in Lan Kwai Fong gets bigger each year. This year even the bakery staff got into the spirit.

My brother Michael and sister-in-law Karen were with us and along with our friend Janet we started our celebration at Cochrane's with our favorite libation - Painkillers.

After round two, Janet and I decided to get a bit more into the spirit of things.

With our favorite waitstaff we made quite the group.

By this time we were ready to face the Halloween throngs (although I am sure Michael & Karen had no idea what they were in for). Heading down into LKF it looked crowded but manageable.

Once you are in it all semblance of control goes away quickly. All you can do is move with the flow and enjoy the scenery.

Here's hoping you all had a fun moment or two this Halloween.