ADDENDUM!

I just had my morning shower and as I turned my head there was the biggest goddam cockroach on the wall next to my shoulder! Damn! It was about 2 inches long and bloody mean. I kicked the sh*t out of it, but it just lay on its back and twitched! Now I know that you gotta check the showers here....

I am the Lord of my phone

While I was waking up today it occured to me that maybe the answer to unlocking my phone could be found where all the mysteries of life have already been catalogued....the internet.

So after a couple of hours of web diving I found the answer. Now my phone works! I rule! So to celebrate I have breakfasted on orange juice and vending machine cheese and crackers. Probably a bad move since vending machines probably aren't the best source of fine cheese. Hmmm....especially since the brand name is "SiSiSic". That kinda sounds like "super sick".

We went out for dinner last night at the Star Seafood Floating Restaurant. Imagine 400 international students all spilling into this floating restaurant in Sha Tin.


Here's some friends from Denmark. They are a lot of fun and they can appreciate beer. So naturally we get along.

In true seafood style, the lobby of the restaurant was more like an aquarium. Now I've seen a lot of different things, but even I was surprised at some of the fish they had. Some of those crabs and shrimp I've never even seen before.

Unfortunately, one of my buddies wasn't used to the food and when the chicken plate came to our table with the chicken's head prominently mounted on it, he had to leave. I followed him out to make sure he was ok and to get him a cab. Unfortunately the hostess didn't speak english or manadarin so I was left using my survival cantonese. Luckily before I left Canada for some reason I learned how to say nauseas. "Siu je, ngor pang yaugh hai jok au loh. Mgoi nngei giu yat leung dik-si a?"

Robin and I then ditched the ride home and walked back through Sha Tin and went to the exotic Ruby Tuesdays for a pitcher. But even b4 we arrived we were smoothly hammered on Skol.

Here is a shot I took from the bridge on the way to Ruby's. I kinda like the effect here. The shot was a complete accident as I didn't realize the camera lens was foggy from the humidity.

5 day, and 4 th hangover. I am on par. I am on par.

I am in Hong Kong!

I am on day 4 of my stay in Hong KOng and its been a real adventure. A lot of ups and downs, but I think I am getting used to everything now.

The weather is hot and humid here. It's like walking around in cream soup all day. But the locals here are wearing extra shirts, jackets, and even smoking! It's weird since it is Third World hot here!

So I've settled into my dorm now but not without some bumps along the way. Internet wouldn't work, cell phone wouldn't work, air con wouldn't work, I got stuck in the wrong dorm, and I still have to go back to the International Students Office to curse them out. But aside from that stuff things are getting great!


This is my residence and my room. It's quite sparse but at least it isn't as bad as some other peoples' rooms. In fact I guess mine isn't too bad. The view is great though.

These are just some random shots I took the other day when I went poking around Sha Tin. Its a city near campus. Quite nice but it seems to be a giant assortment of interconnected malls. Yes there are food courts a plenty.

Last night my old friend Eve and her boyfriend took me out to see Tsim Sha Tsui. Its a popular part of Kowloon where people gather. It's also the site of the infamous Chung King Mansion that was in Wong Kar Wai's "Chungking Express" movie. (Your right Robin. It was a sleazy mega dive that reminds me now of a sort of brothel with restaurants). Well last night was great and I saw "Old Skool" Hong Kong: Temple Street and Nathan Road.

This was a Dai Pai Dong they took me to. This style of "restaurant" has been around for a long time and eating here was like re-living scenes from my life over 20 years ago. A collection of tables next to a giant wok sitting on an 3 foot fire, and an old lao ban (manager) who does everything in his head and on paper faster than a cash register.

Here are some more scenes from this neighborhood. It's like time stopped here. We still have the street operas where people play the old time music from generations ago for cash. And here I spotted a tired and worn down flat that was probably around during the war....without the air con of course.

I can't put my finger on it, but something is different now. I am starting to feel something warm about HK. I still don't understand it, or the people, but as every city has a unique flavour, I am getting addicted to this one.