Being in the Eastern hemisphere has it's benefits. Specifically, whenever someone comes into town (town being anywhere in East Asia) I am promptly informed, my presence is inquired after, and advice is sometimes sought. The truth of the matter is, if a person means a lot to me, and they are within an 8 hour... Continue Reading →
Infinity Pool
Summer is a good time of the year to stay in the shade or in the air conditioned comfort of the indoor mecca that is Hong Kong. It is also a good time to get sunburned on a hike and jump into freshwater streams or the ocean, then eat a delicious meal on the beach,... Continue Reading →
Hiking!
I did a couple of hikes recently. One was actually boring, it didn't work out: Hong Kong trail 7. It was okay, there were some good moments: abandoned villages on HK island, gorgeous flowers, and Stanley Harbor. I went around one of the villages, overgrown with fig trees. You don't have to go all the... Continue Reading →
A rainy weekend in Taipei
I love Taipei. It is so chill. It has a city feel, but also seems more rural and friendly. I went for three days last week over the Dragon Boat festival holiday. (I missed the festival in HK, but it was great to get away for a second. I'll go next year?) It is like... Continue Reading →
Tiananmen and Turkey
June 4th is the 24th anniversary of Tiananmen square. In Hong Kong there is a yearly vigil in Victoria Park; last year saw 180,000 people participate, and last night tens of thousands braved a rain/thunderstorm to hold candles under umbrellas. This is a nice overview of it. Censorship has long been a problem in China,... Continue Reading →
Beijing and the Wall-too much for one post
Last week I took a trip to the Mainland. Terrifying, I know. People really do spit all the time. Still, incredible. Since I was a child, (I think I decided after I sprained an ankle and couldn’t walk for a while) I have wanted to run on the Great Wall. I decided this, and wrote... Continue Reading →
Hosting Friends
Being in Hong Kong there are constantly people coming and going. Whether they are here on a layover, vacation, visa run, working or actually visiting you, you are constantly seeing or meeting new people. I have seen old colleagues, classmates, acquaintances, friends from 15 years ago, friends of friends, all passing through our city in... Continue Reading →
Vietnam: a little history, a lot of beach
My vacation last week took me out of Hong Kong and into the scooter filled society of Vietnam. We spent the first day in Ho Chi Minh (and out of Ho Chi Minh) city, which, as our guide informed us, is "actually Saigon". We took a cooking class, made salad, ate pho, we went into... Continue Reading →
Passport Pages
A few weeks ago I filled up the last blank page in my passport. Cambodia uses a full page sticker, and entry and exit stamps, so it ended. I knew I would have to add pages eventually, and–with a trip to Vietnam on the horizon–eventually became now. I made an appointment at the consulate, queued... Continue Reading →