Weekend in Hong Kong - Sunday

Imprudently, I stayed up last night to watch Liverpool play Arsenal, so bed at three am, and in danger of missing the day.  Fortunately, I was saved from myself by feeling inspired by a description of the joy that some time out on a bike can bring (it's so weird that, but seldom disappoints) - and off I went to get some.  I'm still smiling about it hours later.

Big Blue under the pagoda at the Kite Flying area in the country park. 
Misty, winter's morning overlooking the islands - with kites :-)

Big Blue at the stables

Weekend in Hong Kong

Its really lovely to be in Hong Kong and neither working nor running between football matches and village events (notwithstanding my liking for all three).  It kicked off with a morning visit to the Hang Hau wet market with Ange, who was intent on getting some fresh Vietnamese noodles to make a black bean Udon stirfry with.  The place is so cool, fixed stalls selling a huge amount of weird stuff (plus veggies, many of them properly foreign too.)

Ange strikes out with purpose, armed with wet-market carry bags.  

For example, what on earth are these balls?  I like the yellow and white striped ones, visually.  And those cake-like things?

Later on, we had to go pick up Ev in one of the villages near Sai Kung where his mate Liam lives.  It's nice to be taking a drive - flat white-grey overcast sky - cold wind blowing down from the winter plains of China.  

On Clearwater Bay road, a quintessentially Hong Kong mini-bus, and a village flying the Chinese flag; the mildest of nationalism, but nationalism none-the-less.  It's something that seems not to serve humans well.

Heading up into the hills to Liam's village, one of those-one-lane wide roads running next to the river.  Hong Kong
is so grungy, and so fabulous at the same time.  It's as if you can see the passage of time in the decay lines on the wall on the right, whilst dig the little windows in the pristine sidewalk wall?

The vegetation along the roads is richly diverse and colourful, even now in the dry season.

Cool driveway winding up off the road, Buddhist iconography, jungle and smallholdings.

On the way back home, after dropping Evan and Liam off at the football pitch (both of them spending the nigh at Jasper's house - for an overdose of tiredness and eyes-spinning from Fifa overdose :-) we stopped at Hebe Haven for a bite.  Hebe is waiting to hear its fate, a new road is going in, and it seems that part of it will go through the old clubhouse (as you do, in Hong Kong).  So at some point, it is going to change - but hopefully not disappear.

Aiden on the deck overlooking the jetties with the clubhouse in the background.  It's really simple and lovely.

In the parking lot out back, this guy on a bike had stopped to give an old dog a drink of water.
Human kindness, always cool.

On the way home, passing the divine little farm on the side of the road, before heading down the hill towards SSW.

Going past the school on the top of the hill, I like the colour and texture of the bricks;
High Junk Peak; which we are below, in the middle of the pic.

Hong Kong with teen spirit

So, a few glorious days off, hanging with AAE.  So I think I'll take a few photos, be a nice thing to be able to do.  But Aiden's main teen thing, in the everlasting inter-generational war, is defiance.  So for example, if asked "hey can I take a picture of you?" the defiant answer is "Ha ha!" and immediately ensure that the one thing that cannot be done is the taking of a photo.  Bob and weave.  Come in an out to throw the focus.  Pull faces, so this is how it unfolds:

Antisocial, to be sure, but plugged in in the car has advantages at times.  Heading off to Hebe for lunch....

Upon arrival; the best we could do is this: because, you know, the bright sky is making us all squinty.

Caught unawares; checking messages on the new phone.

But immediately into role; the sour sergeant-major look...

... the super-eager, breathtakingly optimistic village idiot...

... the scolding school-teacher.

Until ambushed by loving younger brother.

Who himself is all about physical contact: a couple of punches, a mini rugby tackle ... he has to be kept at bay.

The terrifying last moment for hapless foodstuffs; bolognese, hot-dogs, burgers, steak, chicken, fish.

Uh oh, there's something in his drink. (Foreign object?  Creature?)  Fish it out.

When we are ready to leave, Aiden has gone ahead and locked himself in the car, pretending now to be asleep and unwakeable ... it's all very busy and full of peculiar choices.

Cool sky; wild, weird colour outcomes

...with ufo-sighting style lights, hovering above the horizon.  Extremely cool.

Merry Christmas 2018

Sheung Sze Wan + Lobster Bay Twelve Days of Christmas singalong

Morning eyeballing of the loot under the tree, waiting for Aiden to wake up...

Holly kicking back on the sofa arm, watching the unwrapping. Cross looking owl-cat.

Evan and Aiden amidst the goods.

It's been a cool Christmas day, though of course it would be better if we could see you and Rose.  In cool, slightly watery winter light, we had a cross-water "12 days of Christmas" with our village singing the evens, and Lobster Bay across the water singing the odds - and the chorus for all.  It was bizarre and silly and delightful, with the delay as the sound travelled muted across the water.  Later on we had an all in Christmas late lunch at the Schatz's house (including a Christmas themed, inter-family combination of Charades and 30 Seconds called In The Bowl which was great fun ... except that we came last, followed by a Christmas Trivia competition, which was also great fun ... except that we came last again.  We've passed a family edict that we are going to invent a summer Christmas in South Africa version and get more organised as a team.  Giggling.

Passing Michael and Gracie on the way down the hill to the slipway rendezvous.

Rory, Elize and Christian

Alex with Tilly, Lara and Gracie

Waiting for the single carol to begin - the Twelve days of Christmas, alternate verses sung across the water, all in on the chorus.

Midway through, the Sheung Sze Wan crew, far in the middle on the other side, the Lobsters.

Fabulous Sunday

Aiden played this morning in Wong Chuk Hang - old semi-industrial area - buildings with round corners. Loved this repair shop - Kin Bong Motor Service company.  Most of the modern world's jobs come from small to medium-sized businesses.

At last, we are getting some colour in the village.  Legoland across a wintery valley.  They're soo cool.

A perfect Saturday

A perfect Saturday, Aiden left at 5.30am to launch his refereeing career, Under 10's at King's Park, lovely to see him engaged.  I was altogether slower out of bed, and we headed into Central with Tracy, Simon and Dylan for a huge feed at Dragon Eye.  I've never quite got people taking photos of food - is it about presentation?  This photo is about the aftermath, ferocious chilli, dumplings of various sorts - nom nom.  Then home for a long afternoon sleep.  Then some bicycle pottering. :-)

In the afternoon I replaced and rebuilt big blue's handlebars.  These are the originals, which are narrower, thin and slightly flexible - which seems like a poor choice (and hence my changing them to a stout aluminium pair).  But I think this was the cause of nerve numbness in my smaller two fingers of my left hand - long hours of road shock with nothing but your hands to soak it up.  A nice little lesson in not thinking you know better than the people who actually know bicycle building.  I chose some funky blue bar tape to ease down the humble pie.

Big blue near Po Toi O

Aiden in the early morning light

The ballet of soccer that is so super-slick improved, Sunday morning early, Aberdeen, playing for KCC.

So quintessentially Hong Kong, concrete all around, team talk and warm-up on the hard deck, pitch still inaccessible.

Winding up for a shot, now playing centre-midfield, the general

Head down and ... missed ... from a way out