Emma and Wenwei's Apartment on the campus of the Institute of
Education
(near the top on the left side)
FRIDAY December 24
Christmas Eve
SATURDAY December 25 (Christmas Day)
The two cousins at about the same age (4 months)
Ordering food in Campus Restaurant
SUNDAY December 26
On Boxing Day, we took a walk in a park near the Institute. We
followed the blue-red-blue dotted pathway in the following map,
covering about 1.5 Kg uphill then 0.5 Km down to the road, going in a
northerly direction from the "You are Here" sign).
It took about an hour and was good exercise after the wonderful meals at
home and in the campus restaurant during the first three days!
The Buddha being built on the hillside within sight of Emma & Wenwei's
apartment. The first photo shows the view from the apartment balcony,
followed by a close-up. The third photo shows the front of the statue
taken as we were going by taxi to the Plover Park walk - we had been
able to see only the side view from the apartment, and it had been
difficult to figure out what it was going to look like - now we have a better idea.
Wenwei thinks this will probably be Guan Yin (no relation) who is the
female equivalent ot the Indian Buddha of Compassion, who was a man.
(See Guan-Yin---The-Chinese-Female-Buddha
THURSDAY December 30
Henry, Jasmine and Momo arrived in the afternoon of Thursday, December 30.Here are some pictures soon after their arrival and dinner that evening at Emma & Wenwei's.
In the common room at the hotel - Adam isn't really eating solid food,
but he's willing to explore new tastes.
Momo and Adam, modeling their new sweaters (From Ruth Ann and Dean - knitted by Ruth Ann herself!)
FRIDAY December 31
The Market (as seen from Subway Entrance)Henry is at the stall where we found the swimsuits
If you can't see Henry, click on picture to see a really big version - he's in the middle
On Friday, Gus and Henry went to a market near the middle of the city to get a
swimming suit for Momo at a street market on Hong Kong Island - exercising
extreme efficency, they got off the subway, exited onto the street level, found a stall
within 50 feet selling exactly the kinds of swimsuits they were
looking for, bought two for Momo and one for Henry, haggled the price down
from 100HK to 90HK (equivalent to around $11.50 or £7.30), looked
around a bit just for the fun of it, then returned home. Shopping in the
classical masculine tradition (no offense intended - I'm not saying it's the
best way, just the quickest).
FRIDAY EVENING December 31
New Year's Eve - dinner at a great Thai Restaurant then champagne
back
in the hotel. A good time was had by all though all of us were
exhausted
the next norning. Wenwei went off to see his family in Guangzhou for the
day.
SATURDAY January 1
On Saturday we walked from the Hotel to the Science Park, which is a centerfor scientific research but also has a park-like atmosphere,
with restaurants and sculptures.
Walking to the park, Emma discretely nursing Adam, and the strangely shaped auditorium
Click on the image to see a larger version
. . .
. . .
SUNDAY January 2
On Sunday, we spent some time at the pool and had lunch.
Afterwards, we walked over to the Buddha on the hill, getting fairly
close but not being able to get entirely to the construction
site because it was prohibited. We walked thought the village
below the statue, taking a narrow pathway that luckily led to the highest
point on the road leading to the construction site.
. . .
(Click on picture to see larger version)
We then walked most of the way home but it was getting late and we eventually took a taxi to get home in time to make dinner.
MONDAY January 3
On Monday we had a relaxing morning, with a visit to the exercise room as usual.
Then we headed of to the Science Museum, where electricity, mirrors, and
physical fitness were featured. There was also an excellent exhibit of
Leonardo Da Vinci's inventions (models created from the drawings in his
notebooks - including submarines, flying machines, milling machines and the like).
-----
Dinner was at an excellent Indian Restaurant in the center of Hong Kong,
with live music (viola and percussion - later a singer joined the group).
(click on picture to see larger version - choose audio clip for a sample of the music)
.
.
.
.
fine view
of the colorful buildings on Hong Kong Island.
.
.
TUESDAY January 4
On Tuesday, Henry and Gus went by ferry to the Island of Lantao to see a Trappist
Monastery (interest stimulated by reading "Pillars of the Earth" by
Ken Follett about the building of a cathedral next to a Monastery in 12th
Century England). The others went to IKEA for a fun shopping trip.
Quick Lunch in a coffee bar at the end of the ferry trip (Discovery Bay)
Walking up the path to the Monastery (about 3 Km)
View of the small harbor below the mountain where the monastery is located
View of Monastery from trail
Chapel attached to Monastery
Stonework on chapel bell tower
Inside Chapel - there were two monks present, sitting silently on the left side
Tuesday night we had a farewell party in the hotel
WEDNESDAY January 5
With a considerable sadness and a desire to have stayed longer, weheaded back to Michigan, arriving in the early afernoon. This had been an
outstanding visit and we are grateful to Emma and Wenwei for being such great
hosts. We were particularly pleased with Momo's continuously improving
English and her clear desire and intention to get better at communicating
with us (sometimes she would go to Henry or Jasmine and ask how to say
something she wanted to tell us - great strides were made even in
the short week we were together).
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Last changes Monday 24 January 2011