Month: December 2017
Heading to the US
Christmas was wonderful! We felt so blessed to have Danny with us and enjoyed a relaxing day at home as a family. Since Christmas trees are pretty much non existent in Bali, we used a potted bamboo plant as our tree.
The creatures lined up just like they did when they were little, and were such a joy – as always full of love and sweetness with each other. We shared so many laughs and made many more priceless memories.
Emma was so surprised when Mycah gave her this crazy looking jacket for Christmas. Emma likes wild looking stuff and saw it in the store a while back and loved it. Mycah recently purchased it on a good sale and Emma is so excited! She plans on wearing it everywhere she goes in the US! It’s grand…just like her personality.
Jude and Mycah went to the Bali airport the day after Christmas to leave on their trip, just to find out that China Southern Airlines has cancelled all travel to and from Bali till January 8th. The girls quickly rerouted with Korean air and left later that night. Max also left to return to New Zealand. It was fun to have him hang with us. Just for the record, we’ve had several of our blog reading friends ask if Max is in a relationship with any of the girls, and the answer is no. He’s an awesome friend and the creatures love him like a brother. Thanks for trying to play match maker though lol.
When the girls reached Seoul, Korea, I told them they were now Seoul Mates. The two of them are having so much fun traveling together. Their sisters, Ashley and Aundrea, will pick them up in Salt Lake City, and wait for the twins and I to arrive tomorrow. We’ll be kidnapping Aundrea and taking her back to Idaho with us since she’s on school break.
Danny left to return to Hong Kong yesterday morning. I missed him the second he was gone. It has been such a treat to spend 10 days with him! We’ll see him again in February.
The twins and I have been playing tourist as we wait for our flight out tonight. We left home yesterday and stayed the night in a hotel, as our villa is being prepped today for Airbnb guests to arrive and stay while we are gone.
It’s been fun exploring streets and alleyways here in Seminyak. It’s definitely a touristy part of Bali, with tons of little stores and scooters everywhere we look.
Hindu offerings have been reverently laid at every intersection and doorway as we walk through town,
and some have been artistically arranged in interesting places…
We passed this little stand, and I thought it was funny.
Aidan and Emma are so much fun to be with. It’s strange being Momma to 11 creatures and having only 2 left to hang with right now. I feel kinda naked.
But, they certainly have enough spunk, creativity and humor to make up for several people though, so in some ways it still feels like there are more of them around. Our little cabooses! I love them!!!
We will arrive in SLC tomorrow and begin our month long adventure in the US. We are so excited to see friends and family and are a little nervous for the cold. It’ll be a blast and a half.
Who’s the Alpha?
When we returned to Bali from Phuket, the dogs greeted us with major tail wags and kisses. Stanley ‘talked’ for some time, telling us all about their adventures while we were gone. Angel was so happy as well, but let Stanley do all the talking. I realize now, that part of the reason he was quiet is because he was silently stewing about the fact that Danny was home…he recognized that he had competition for the Alpha Dog spot, and wasn’t very happy about it.Usually when we get home, I unpack completely, put everything away and get a load of laundry going before I sit down to relax. Danny, on the other hand, opens is suitcase in the middle of the floor and as each day goes by it looks more and more like a textile factory exploded in our room. Angel saw Danny’s open suitcase as an opportunity and lifted his leg to the open suitcase, then scrambled outside to continue marking his territory. The new rule: no dogs in the house. Angel couldn’t care less but Stanley is fighting it and thinks it’s unfair.
It rained so much the first few days that we were home. The parking area of our yard right outside the main gates, were completely flooded.
Outside our villa the street flooded and the canal overflowed. The local kids broke out a surfboard and played in it all day.
When Danny and I had to leave to run some errands, we had a blast riding through the flooded streets.
We drove an hour up to Ubud to visit with our friends, the Amat family, and loved snuggling with their sweet baby.
What a sweet little guy.
This short 10 day span we have here in Bali, before heading to the US, is action packed with errands and preparation for Christmas, continued preparation the get our villa Airbnb ready and then traveling. Since we will be gone for a month we have listed our home and have just booked our first guests. Danny and I have been so excited.
Right after I’d cleaned the living room really well, Danny had spoken sternly to Angel about his territory marking issues, and about five minutes later we walked into the living room to find that he had opened the door, brought two birds in and spread feathers EVERYWHERE! The poor birds had naked patches and sat starring and wondering what on earth had just happened. I’m not entirely sure who Alpha dog is at this point, but I think Danny must be in the lead because he’s in the house and Angel isn’t!
Being back in Bali has been wonderful. I never tire of the 100’s of shades of green, the crazy scooter rides and the smell of incense and spices in the air.
Mt Aging continues to blow steam and ash, which has made for some very quiet streets and beaches. Though it’s more peaceful, I realize it’s financially devastating for the community.
We recently received word that our tickets to the US with China Southern Airlines, were cancelled, so I’ve been on the phone each day trying to reschedule.
Life is good. I am so grateful for this Blessed time of year as I contemplate our Saviors birth.
Making memories
We had a nasty experience a few days ago…I was driving our rental car and was preparing to make a U turn (in a legal spot), and just as I began to make the turn, a 20 year old woman on a scooter slammed into the car just by the front right tire. She flew off the scooter and slid along the road into the on coming lane, and her scooter continued sliding several feet farther. I ran over to her as she lay on her side, and I felt for obvious broken bones, and found her to be ok. I could see several people speaking in Thai on their cell phones around me, so I knew EMS had been called. Her mom showed up in tears and I put my arms around her and tried to comfort her as we waited and I kept her daughter still until the ambulance arrived. She was quickly whisked away to the ER. Several hours later, we left the police station with the plan that they’d call me once they’d reached the car rental insurance agency.
I felt so terrible. I also felt incredibly grateful, because the mom told me that this was the first time her daughter had ridden the scooter without her two year old child, and of course they never wear helmets.
The following morning the creatures were so sweet and made me breakfast in bed.
That afternoon Danny arrived and it was wonderful to see him. We had beautiful places to show him and adventures to embark on. I had already told him about the accident and he swooped in and took charge of the situation. We finally met with the insurance and police again, (the rental car insurance will pay for all medical bills and bike/car repair) and we voluntarily paid her 3 months wages so she could heal up then get back to work. We were told that if a foreigner gets into an accident here, no matter what, the Thai is never at fault. We found that to be true and figured rather than making a fuss, we’d just show compassion and sympathy and move on. I’m grateful we’ve been kept safe on our scooters back in Bali.
We took a long boat out to a little island, just 10 minutes away. The long boats have especially long prop shafts so they can be maneuvered in shallow waters. Our Captain was a cool little man and performed well.
I love how the Thai people are so quick to smile. The Island was beautiful, with white beaches, large granite boulders and thick, green foliage.
The color of the water took me away to places we’d been with Tanda Malaika.
We found a good place to set up camp, and waded out for some snorkeling.
While exploring, we came across this beautiful cuttlefish, who didn’t seem too bothered that we wanted to admire it.
We also saw this beautiful spiny sea urchin that displayed bright fluorescent colors.
After surfacing for a while, we relaxed, picnicked and played cards In our tranquil setting.
The following few days were spent exploring with Danny.
We’ve eaten lots of good food, explored just about every beach in the book,
ridden jet skis,
sipped cold coconut water,
and had so many laughs.
I’m so grateful for this time we have had here, and especially for the time we’ve had with Danny. These past 5 days have been the longest we’ve been together in the last 3 months!
Tomorrow we will head back to Bali, and can’t wait to see the dogs and our sweet friends. We have less than 2 weeks there, then will be off to the US for a month.
Northern Phuket
Northern Phuket is far less touristy than Southern Phuket – which is what we prefer. It means less people on the beaches, less vendors trying to sell us things, more real Thai experiences and more peace and quiet.
The first beach we stopped at was Surin Beach, and it was gorgeous. Lots of wide open beach and wide open ocean.
A friend of ours suggested that we visit a beach that not many know about, called Banana Beach. We found it and trekked down to it through the trees and down a muddy slope.
Once we reached the sand, we were instantly taken in by the exquisite beauty that surrounded us. Thailand just like the magazine pictures…
We picked a good spot to stay a while and lay our towels down to go take a dip.
Just before strolling into the surf, a couple approached us with a bucket of fresh honey. They were selling it by the bottle for about $10. We of course had to buy some since we are honey lovers. For our picnic we had honey and peanut butter sandwiches!
The creatures immediately headed for the water and I followed shortly. It felt so good – the perfect temperature and so incredibly beautiful.
We stayed and played in the surf till late afternoon, then finally pulled ourselves away to continue exploring. We still had a waterfall to reach. We began driving down the road and Mycah exclaimed, ‘what was that??? It was a rhino cross baby elephant!’ After making fun of her and listening to her insist that she saw what she saw, we had no choice but to turn the car around to see what kind of animal she’d seen…it was a water buffalo!
The road to the waterfall was beautiful, with large forested areas and thick, lush grass. Aidan decided he had to break out the skateboard and ride the road for a while, so we obliged.
He had a blast and only ended up with a small amount of road rash.
The hike to the waterfall wasn’t much of a hike. We strolled down a road for a while,
Jude, Mycah and I were barefoot – which is our favorite way to hike, and after a short distance we followed a path through the trees, vines and bamboo, which ran parallel to a beautiful stream.
What a beautiful place! The air was thick with humidity but so clean and fresh, allowing us to feel each breath we took so completely. Fresh air in nature is such a precious gift.
We finally reached Bang Pae Waterfall, and sat for a while enjoying the beauty.
While the creatures sat I jump in and cooled off in the refreshing water. They had spotted an area farther downstream that was more inviting to swim in, so we headed that direction for a while.
As usual, all sorts of goofiness and shenanigans took place.
Max and Aidan were goofy too.
I love every second I spend with these crazies.
We eventually made our way back to the rental car, enjoying part of our adventure. The walk back…
the drive home, and the conversations that constantly flow. I find myself in fits of laughter on a regular basis as I listen to the chatter. Jude loves puns and she loves playing with words. We passed by this sign,
and she said, “Guys, I see all these signs and I just feel like I’m saying dam wrong!”
She cracks me up!
Life is good. Our children are a priceless gift, and I am a happy Momma.
Old Town
The creatures and I have been exploring North Phuket, and love it. It is far less populated and less touristy, which is just the way we like it. Before heading north we ventured into Old Town, and looked around.
The streets were pretty clean and concrete structures stood proudly, wearing the wisdom of their years…
So many little details of beauty that one could easily pass by…
We came across a farmers market where so many items that are foreign to me, were sold.
Some of it I recognized, like this dried squid,
and of course all sorts of wonderful produce
and spices and dried fish.
I would love to take some Thai cooking classes and learn how to use all these fresh herbs…
and the dried ones too.
We stopped and tasted fried sweet potato balls and they were delicious.
Scattered about are several places of worship – brightly colored and open for all who are appropriately dressed and wish to enter.
When our stomachs began to growl, we stopped for some lunch and were served the most delicious, fresh Pad Thai we’ve ever tasted.
We spent a considerable amount of time on this beautiful beach, where we watched sailboats at anchor and dinghies coming and going. The water was warm and inviting.
We eventually pried ourselves away, but not before joining everyone else to watch the sun set on yet another beautiful day in Thailand.
Couples stood together in the dimming light, which cast a golden glow over all it touched. I would have loved to have reached over for Danny’s hand if he had been there.
The clouds burned orange with the last rays, and we turned to return home once again.
Exploring South Phuket
The creatures worked on school work for a while, and when Mycah was done, her and I ran to a laundromat and did laundry while the twins finished up. After returning and hanging the clothes up to dry, we set out to see what we could see. Our plan was to continue to work our way up the west coast of Southern Phuket and finally end up at the airport to pick Jude and Max up at 9:15pm.
We drove in the direction of Patong Beach area, and en route, made a few observations and comparisons. Traffic is FAR calmer in Phuket. After driving in Bali, I’m not sure we’ll ever find anything that compares to the madness we found there. Traffic is far more organized here and there is so much less of it. In Bali, robots go from green to yellow to red, then back to yellow before turning green again. Traffic zips out as soon as yellow hits and is in full action once green comes around. Here in Phuket, robots go from green to yellow to red, and while they are red, there’s a huge electric countdown that show you exactly how many seconds until the light turns green again. People actually wait for the seconds to reach 1 before shooting out through an almost green light. There’s also far less garbage lying everywhere here, and far more vacant lots with jungle-like foliage, rather than one building being connected to the next like it is in Bali.
Patong is a big tourist trap, with cruise ships coming in and lots of food and entertainment everywhere.
It’s a little crowded, but by no means, unbearable.The small streets are filled with a spaghetti bowl of electricity lines running by the dozens in every direction above bars and stores filled with people smiling, talking story and having a good time.
People slowly stroll the streets with bags in hand – filled with treasures to take home,
and the air is filled with the smell of sunscreen lotion and grilled meat.
Some of it looked really tasty!
The really popular carts sell fresh fruit and coconut water, which is served sliced in a tall transparent container that everyone around can see and crave the same.
We stopped for some delicious Thai food and paid about $2.50 for the most amazing meals. From Patong we continued north, stopping in Kamala to check out the beach.
Lush green hills serve as a gorgeous back drop to the beautiful, peaceful beaches.
There’s so much area to stroll and breath! What a peaceful place.
We continued north, stopping at each beach we came across – which are many.
My favorite view was of a small beach down below, which we will most definitely need to find a way to get down to. If I’m reading the map correctly, I think it’s called Laem Singh Beach. Absolute Gorgeousness!!!
We decided to stop and relax a while at Surin Beach, where we lay in the shade and read, ate ice cream and chatted with locals. Thanks to Aidan for this great shot…
As evening came, we grabbed our goods and continued up the coast in the direction of the airport.
The flavor of the day, was this one: Miengkam Krobros! It was quite delicious!
We reached the airport a couple hours early because we were just too excited to stay away, and the creatures entertained themselves by playing with foamy play dough. It’s impossible to feel bored with the yahoos around!!!
When the airplane arrived it was a race to see who got to Jude first! These guys have missed each other so much! It’s great to see our friend, Max, too!
I really love how our kids love each other!
Danny told me yesterday that there’s a chance he will be able to join us here on the 11th. We are excited for the possibility!
First day in Phuket, Thailand
The creatures and I were so tired when we finally reached our destination, and lay our heads down to rest at 4:30am. The day passed in a bit of a blur, but we got settled into the Airbnb, and finally in the early evening realized that we were hungry, and needed to pick up a few groceries. Right by the grocery store, was a great little restaurant – similar to one I went to in Hawaii, where small plates of food slowly pass by on a conveyor belt – kind of like the moving walk ways in an airport, and you pull any plates off that you want to eat and have a feast.
A pot of soup flavored to your preference, is placed before you on a heated pad, and anything thing one places in it, cooks right there.
There is also a buffet of prepared sushi rolls, seaweed salad and all sorts of other goodness, that is all you can eat. Mycah and the twins had a blast and a half eating their weight in sushi.
At one point some Dr Seuss looking stuff passed by, and Mycah and I decided to try it…next time I think I’ll let it just keep going. Some yellow fishy flavored paste was inside that smelled rank and tasted like 7 day old toe jam.
This morning, while Emma was doing her school work at the dining room table, this bird of prey caught her eye. It appears to be some sort of hawk. I need to do some studying on what birds and animals are found here in Phuket, because all we’ve heard about thus far, are the pythons and cobras.
Once school was over, our adventures began with a trip to Phuket’s Big Buddha, named Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri Buddha. It was built in the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata in 2004 and stands 45m (135ft) tall.
It was constructed with concrete and Burmese White Jade Marble.
Right next to the giant Buddha statue, is another smaller one which is gold and made from brass.
Around the base of the giant Buddha are statues of reverend monks, as well as more Buddha statues.
Tied on to several trees on the grounds, are messages from visitors. These metal hearts are provided for those who wish to write messages in memory of deceased loved ones, as well as messages for good luck.
Off to one side, stands 32 statues each with at black pot before it, symbolic of 32 organs. Those who wish to, can place coins in each pot to bring good luck and health to ones body. The creatures joked around saying I should especially focus on the pots representing the liver (since I have polycystic liver disease) and the heart (since I have a pacemaker). We figured we’d have to return with a duffle load of coins for those!
Monks were blessing those who came to them, while sprinkling water on their heads and offering a prayer.
It was all such a peaceful setting and I admired their goodness and desire to help those around them.
Apon leaving, we were given the opportunity to sign the guest book, which lay open on a table next to a stack of filled guest books from previous years.
While driving back down the mountain, we stopped to see some elephants who were on the side of the road.
It always breaks my heart to see animals in captivity, especially when the owners use hooks like this one.
On my bucket list, is to set every elephant and dolphin free. One of these days…..
We made our way down to Karon Beach to take a look around the area. This is a particularly touristy beach, with many of the tourists being from Russia (unlike Bali, in that they are mostly from Australia.)
The sky was filled with thick grey clouds, and the ocean was calm.
The creatures and I had a picnic on the beach,
and made friends with a sweet dog who I’m pretty sure has a dislocated jaw. She shyly nibbled on some things we shared with her, then came over for me to scratch her head before she continued on.
Those who know me, know that I love trying funky new potato chip flavors, and we found one here that we hadn’t seen before: Sweet Basil
I could take it or leave it, and the girls felt the same way, but Aidan really enjoyed them. We also found this crazy looking stuff that appears to be pork cotton candy! It actually tastes jolly good.
It was fun to sit and breathe the fresh air, enjoy the ocean breeze and relax for a while.
Afterward we wandered through the market for a short time, enjoying the sights and smells of a new country.
En route home we passed through the Kata Beach area, where we stumbled upon a glorious scene that brought back beautiful memories and feelings….
Seeing sailboats anchored out in the bay caused us to feel the need to swim out, climb aboard, and feel the soothing motion and sound of water beneath the hulls. That feeling of peace and freedom that comes with boat life.
Our day will come again…..
Until then, we will continue to explore, follow signs we can’t read,
and at the end of the day, return home to our homes away from home, where we cool off, laugh, love and learn together, and prepare for the next adventure.
Changing plans
Our ‘go with the flow’ attitude and spontaneity really pay off when things don’t go as planned. Our motto this time is, when life hands you lemons, go to Phuket! Jude was supposed to fly home to us in Bali on 12/4, but she received word that her flight there from Australia has been cancelled due to volcanic activity. She was further informed that she could either stay in OZ for an indefinite period of time, or could be flown free of charge to one of five different destinations. Phuket, Thailand was one of them. So, we told her to fly there and we’d meet her and explore for a few days before trying to return to Bali. The creatures and I are flying to Phuket tonight, and Jude and our friend, Max (from NZ), will join us on the 6th. We can’t wait to be reunited with her again. On the 27th, we are supposed to be flying to the US for a month, and are hoping we can still do that.
This morning Danny had to fly off once again, so once he’d left, the creatures and I set out on an adventure…We loved our two days with him and hope to see him before Christmas.
We decided to catch the shuttle to Tung Chung, where we would catch the Ngong Ping 360, which is a cable car on Lantau Island.
The line runs 5,700m (18,700ft) and carries 109 gondolas on a 25 minute trip to Ngong Ping, which is home to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The view from above is quite spectacular!
Lantau Island is far less congested with buildings and people than Hong Kong.
We had views of the South China Sea, the Hong Kong International Airport,
the Tung Chung Valley,
and the Ngong Ping Plateau.
For the first time in months, we actually felt slightly chilled.
As we began our descent we had a clear view of the giant Tian Tan Buddha, which overlooks the beautiful mountain and valleys.
We exited the gondolas into a tourist trap of small stores, cafe’s and restaurants. We saw Starbucks and fell victim to it as it beckoned to us. It’s the first time in many, many months we’ve had Starbucks.
Some things we found interesting there, were the giant tree with fake oranges and red tags hanging from it. We still aren’t sure what the significance of it is, but I’m sure it’s something special!!!
Several healthy bovines meandered among the many visitors, and are obviously used to the chaos because they didn’t seem phased by the countless tourists taking selfies with them. They are seen as sacred and have free run of the place.
Tian Tan Buddha is a huge bronze statue of Buddha Shakyamuni, and was completed in 1993.
It symbolizes the harmonious relationship between nature, people and faith, and stands 34 m (112ft) tall. We hiked up 268 steps to reach the top and it was definitely worth it.
The sun was in the wrong spot for photographing it, but hopefully I captured enough photos to give you a glimpse of what it was like…
At the base of the statue, are six smaller bronze statues, known as ‘The offering of the Six Devas,’ and are offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit and music, to Buddha. These symbolize the six perfections of generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation and wisdom, which are all necessary for enlightenment.
The Buddha faces North, which is really interesting, because all Buddha statues usually face South.
The view from the top was beautiful, as we were able to see mountain ranges echoing into the distance.
The creatures and I loved our time up there, and as usual their crazy and sweet personalities kept me laughing and so filled with gratitude for their goodness and their eagerness to learn and explore.
Hong Kong has been such an interesting place to visit. We’ve loved our time here, and are excited to continue on now to Phuket, settle into an Airbnb, smother Jude with kisses when she arrives and explore the island! We live in a fascinating world and there is so much to explore!
Hong Kong
Surprisingly, the remainder of our travels to Hong Kong went quite smoothly. To reach our final destination, we took 2 car taxi’s, 4 scooter taxi’s, 1 ferry, 3 buses, 1 shuttle and 3 airplanes. Mycah chuckled and commented that the saying is correct; ‘smoke follows beauty’, because as we headed to Lombok to catch a flight since the airport in Bali was closed, the ash cloud followed us to Lombok and ours was the last flight out before it closed too!
Hong Kong is a busy place! Extremely densely populated and as a global port, it has become a major destination for shoppers. As we walked the busy streets I couldn’t help but notice the lack of anything natural – aside from the odd potted pant on a ledge or porch up high on a building or a tree here and there in business landscaping.
With a population of over 7 million people in 1042 square kilometers, it’s no wonder there are so many sky scrapers…the only way to fit everyone in, is to go up!!!
The main religions are Buddhism,Taoism and Confucianism, and the remaining 16% are either Atheists or Christians.
The main languages spoken are Cantonese and English. Hong Kong has become famous for being a leading financial center for East Asia, and transports large volumes of exports from China to the rest of the world. The streets are lined with stores in every size and are filled to overflowing with everything one could imagine.
Some signs are pale and worn, rusted from rain and age, having hung, advertising year after year as brighter and newer signs are hung close by. So many have seen them and followed their direction. New signs are brightly lit with hundreds of lights in every color.
We smiled as we read the name of a street – so fit for its surroundings.
Hundreds of vendors sell knock offs of major name jewelry, clothing, shoes, electronics and toys. It’s difficult to tell a difference with some, but not so tough when things are misspelled. Star Wart…nail biting suspense and action in space, close to the star of Papillomavirus…
We used the subway system to travel from Kowloon to Hong Kong City Center. It’s a fun, cheap way to travel and saves a ton of time.
Once we reached City Center, we felt like we’d been completely swallowed up in the concrete, brick, asphalt and glass, and commented on how crazy it was that all this business happens every day! So many people coming and going, rushing, working, pushing, racing against the clock. The endless movement and buildings, people, alleys and roads.
So much traffic…buses, taxi’s, vans, trucks, cars, shuttles and trolleys.
At times I felt dizzy as I looked up, higher and higher, so much glass reflecting sky and clouds. It made me feel better to know there was still a big beautiful sky out there some place.
We wanted to check out Times Square, and were amazed at the number of people coming and going through the area.
Here and there are signs of Christmas, including a Snoopy Christmas display at Times Square.
The clock tower was interesting to see,
And as always it is wonderful to be with Danny and the crazy creatures.
As evening fell and business and street lights began to glow, the concrete maze turned colorful.
I kept wondering to myself why all these people aren’t home for dinner. Where are they all going?!
How late will they work before returning to their families. Their pets. Their homes.
We caught the subway back to our hotel in Kowloon, along with hundreds of others headed in the same direction, and I wondered if our paths would ever cross again?
Then, we exited the trains and went off in our separate directions – some down this corridor, some down that one…some into the loving arms of partners, parents and children. Some to empty apartments. Some to no homes at all.
It all made me feel so grateful for the friends and family in my life.
The sky grew darker as we neared the hotel, as clouds moved in for possible rain.
The street in front of our hotel was busy with people shopping for last minute ingredients for dinner.
It’s been a busy day for everyone.
We’ve walked many roads today, seen many new things, felt the rush of city life and loved the energy. Tomorrow we will explore once again, and who knows what adventures that will bring!
Hong Kong
Surprisingly, the remainder of our travels to Hong Kong went quite smoothly. To reach our final destination, we took 2 car taxi’s, 4 scooter taxi’s, 1 ferry, 3 buses, 1 shuttle and 3 airplanes. Mycah chuckled and commented that the saying is correct; ‘smoke follows beauty’, because as we headed to Lombok to catch a flight since the airport in Bali was closed, the ash cloud followed us to Lombok and ours was the last flight out before it closed too!
Hong Kong is a busy place! Extremely densely populated and as a global port, it has become a major destination for shoppers. As we walked the busy streets I couldn’t help but notice the lack of anything natural – aside from the odd potted pant on a ledge or porch up high on a building or a tree here and there in business landscaping.
With a population of over 7 million people in 1042 square kilometers, it’s no wonder there are so many sky scrapers…the only way to fit everyone in, is to go up!!!
The main religions are Buddhism,Taoism and Confucianism, and the remaining 16% are either Atheists or Christians.
The main languages spoken are Cantonese and English. Hong Kong has become famous for being a leading financial center for East Asia, and transports large volumes of exports from China to the rest of the world. The streets are lined with stores in every size and are filled to overflowing with everything one could imagine.
Some signs are pale and worn, rusted from rain and age, having hung, advertising year after year as brighter and newer signs are hung close by. So many have seen them and followed their direction. New signs are brightly lit with hundreds of lights in every color.
We smiled as we read the name of a street – so fit for its surroundings.
Hundreds of vendors sell knock offs of major name jewelry, clothing, shoes, electronics and toys. It’s difficult to tell a difference with some, but not so tough when things are misspelled. Star Wart…nail biting suspense and action in space, close to the star of Papillomavirus…
We used the subway system to travel from Kowloon to Hong Kong City Center. It’s a fun, cheap way to travel and saves a ton of time.
Once we reached City Center, we felt like we’d been completely swallowed up in the concrete, brick, asphalt and glass, and commented on how crazy it was that all this business happens every day! So many people coming and going, rushing, working, pushing, racing against the clock. The endless movement and buildings, people, alleys and roads.
So much traffic…buses, taxi’s, vans, trucks, cars, shuttles and trolleys.
At times I felt dizzy as I looked up, higher and higher, so much glass reflecting sky and clouds. It made me feel better to know there was still a big beautiful sky out there some place.
We wanted to check out Times Square, and were amazed at the number of people coming and going through the area.
Here and there are signs of Christmas, including a Snoopy Christmas display at Times Square.
The clock tower was interesting to see,
And as always it is wonderful to be with Danny and the crazy creatures.
As evening fell and business and street lights began to glow, the concrete maze turned colorful.
I kept wondering to myself why all these people aren’t home for dinner. Where are they all going?!
How late will they work before returning to their families. Their pets. Their homes.
We caught the subway back to our hotel in Kowloon, along with hundreds of others headed in the same direction, and I wondered if our paths would ever cross again?
Then, we exited the trains and went off in our separate directions – some down this corridor, some down that one…some into the loving arms of partners, parents and children. Some to empty apartments. Some to no homes at all.
It all made me feel so grateful for the friends and family in my life.
The sky grew darker as we neared the hotel, as clouds moved in for possible rain.
The street in front of our hotel was busy with people shopping for last minute ingredients for dinner.
It’s been a busy day for everyone.
We’ve walked many roads today, seen many new things, felt the rush of city life and loved the energy. Tomorrow we will explore once again, and who knows what adventures that will bring!
Adventures of a Tribe 