Blog Feed: WEBS OF SIGNIFICANCE

Creative and Famous Places (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-05-25 22:52:00

  The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre played host to Art HK, one of the Big Lychee's premier cultural events, for a few days last week and I spent some of last weekend there checking out the 2012 edition of the international art fair.   While wandering about viewing the many creative works temporarily on view inside one of Hong Kong's more recognizable architectural > read more

The South Lantau Country Trail west of Pak Kung Au (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-05-23 10:09:00

The first year that I moved to Hong Kong, a friend I met through Hong Kong movies -- but came to realize is a major hiking enthusiast -- took another friend and me on an enjoyable -- even if longer than we had anticipated -- excursion along the section of the South Lantau Country Trail that lies east of Pak Kung Au.  Indeed, I had such good memories of that trail that a few years later, I > read more

Impressions of Art HK 12

Published on 2012-05-20 09:11:00

Works by Joan Miro, Roy Lichtenstein and more at Art HK 12 Also at Art HK 12 were works -- like Tintin Wulia's Lure -- that effectively forced people to literally change their movements Other works -- such as Daniel Buren's Photo Souvenir:  From Three Windows, 5 Colours for 252 Places --  at the art fair appeared to invite audience interaction My favorite "discovery" of > read more

Magical and City Hall (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-05-18 21:18:00

What do the three photos above have in common and to do with this week's themes for  Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts?  Really, truly, the answer does involve City Hall and the magical!  (But, yes, I think this requires some explanation.  So please read on...) Before anything else, here's pointing out that Hong Kong does indeed have a City Hall (along with several town halls -- > read more

On Sai Kung East Country Park's Luk Wu Plateau (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-05-15 10:08:00

It may be only 4.7 kilometers in length but as the Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department's hiking website notes, the Luk Wu Country Trail is a route for fit and experienced hikers.  One reason, as at least one person who checked out my previous photo-essay of my hike along that trail observed, is that quite a significant portion of it involves an uphill trek. And I have to say > read more

Common but still pretty photogenic :)

Published on 2012-05-13 07:59:00

A moth so colorful it's easy to mistake for a butterfly! Easy to spot, they like to congregate and also are very good at staying still for photos! ;b In contrast, tiger beetles seem to hardly ever stay still --  so I'm really happy I managed to get this photo of one today :) Now that it's close to mid May, the temperatures have gone up considerably here in Hong Kong -- with > read more

Scoop and Children (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-05-11 21:17:00

"You little monkeys!"  That's something I remember an obviously frustrated Convent school teacher of mine regularly shouting at the children she was charged with teaching Catechism class to.  But after observing the behavior of the Hong Kong monkeys whose range includes Shing Mun, Kam Shan and Lion Rock Country Parks, I wish I could reach back across the years and tell that older > read more

An ultimately disappointing dinner at Bo Innovation

Published on 2012-05-10 10:25:00

Oysters with spring onion, lime, ginger cloud and "parfum  du Hong Kong" -- the first -- and best -- course of  a 15 course meal I had at Bo Innovation this past Monday Caviar served on top of a smoked quail egg and "nest"  of crispy taro was a close second best as well as  the second course of that evening's chef's table menu Har mi (prawn egg noodles) with chili and > read more

Hiking along the Luk Wu Country Trail (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-05-08 09:20:00

Last month, on my second hike up to the Luk Wu Plateau, I spotted a fairly sizable lizard on a tree and snapped some photos of it that I felt bound to share the very day that I took them.  But it's only now that I'm putting up the following photos taken on my first hike up to Luk Wu Plateau -- one that saw the friend I've taken to calling my regular hiking companion and I going along the Luk > read more

Siu Ma Shan spider spottings

Published on 2012-05-06 10:45:00

Small spider, big meal?!   I think this is the species of bug that  the dead and dessicated form in the photo  at the top of is a member of... :S A slightly larger spider also spotted on Siu Ma Shan Earlier today, two friends and I hiked along Section 2 of the Wilson Trail which went up first to the top of 433 meters high Jardine's Lookout and then -- after a descent of > read more

Zap and Advertising (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-05-04 22:34:00

  How does one capture a zap in a photograph?  And how does one link images of zap with advertising?  Those were the questions that Sandi and Gattina got me pondering by way of their choice of Photo Hunt themes for this week. Fortunately, I had a (zappy?) "eureka" moment that involved my realizing that lots of advertising in Hong Kong requires zaps of electricity in order to > read more

A dinner at the Hong Kong branch of RyuGin

Published on 2012-05-03 09:54:00

Charcoal grilled Alfonsino covered with roasted rice -- course #6 of a 10 course (not including a bowl of post food   matcha) modern kaiseki meal I enjoyed earlier this week Kuroge Wagyu beef sirloin with white asparagus,  morel mushroom and onsen tamago -- course #7 of the same kaiseki dinner -196 degrees Celsius "Candy Strawberry" and  +99 degrees Celsius "Strawberry > read more

From Ham Tin Wan to Wong Shek Pier (via Chek Keng) (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-05-01 08:35:00

My previous photo-essay ended with a photo taken at a beach cafe in Ham Tin Wan where my regular hiking companion and I broke for lunch -- an unusual thing for us as we usually don't eat during a hike, reserving room in our stomachs for a nice dinner later in the day.  But Ham Tin Wan really is so very idyllic that we couldn't help but linger there for a while before resuming our hike > read more

This is Not a Film at the 2012 HKIFF

Published on 2012-04-29 10:34:00

The filmmaker who is the subject of this work  (that is a film despite its title proclaiming that it is not so) - This Is Not a Film (Iran, 2011) - From the Master Class program- Jafar Panahi and Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, directors- Starring Jafar Panahi Finally, we (or, rather, I) get to discussing the final work that I viewed at what turned out to be an actually pretty satisfying - > read more

Texture and Local Streets (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-04-27 23:04:00

Images that capture the texture (as in the substance and character) of local streets.  That was what I set out to look for for this entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts this week.  And I think I've found them in the three photos taken in different parts of Hong Kong at the top of this blog post. The top-most photo shows a street in Hong Kong's Central District.  > read more

An art house film viewed at a multiplex courtesy of the 2012 HKIFF

Published on 2012-04-26 11:46:00

The dominant colors of Goodbye are gray and muted -- and so is the mood of the film Goodbye (Iran, 2011) - From the Auteurs program- Mohammad Rasoulof, director- Starring Leila Zare, Hassan Pourshirazi, Behname Tashakor Close to three weeks ago now, I went to UA Langham Place for the second last screening on my 2012 Hong Kong International Film Festival schedule.  As I sat in the > read more

To Sai Kung's Tai Long Wan once more! (photo-essay)

Published on 2012-04-24 10:02:00

One hot Sunday in July 2010, a friend and I decided to hike to Sai Kung Peninsula's Tai Long Wan from the Sai Wan Pavilion.  After getting there and enjoying the gorgeous sights and more than the place had to offer, we decided to head back along the route that we had come from to get the bus back into Sai Kung town rather than press ahead and go along the rest of Stage 2 of the Maclehose Trail. > read more

Robo-G (Still another movie viewed at the 2012 Hong Kong International Film Festival!)

Published on 2012-04-22 09:02:00

In lieu of my not having a photo of Robo-G, here's going ahead and offering up a photo of various Robot Ks instead! ;b Robo-G (Japan, 2012) - From the I See It My Way program- Shinobu Yaguchi, director- Starring Mickey Curtis (AKA Shinjiro Igarashi), Yuriko Yoshitaka, Gaku Hamada, Ianky Junya Kawashima and Shogo Kawai, etc. In recent years, various articles have been written about > read more

Reflect and Humour (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-04-20 21:03:00

As those of you who have become acquainted with my Ponyos know, Puppet Ponyo is the Ponyo plushie that I take on vacation and appears in my travel photo-essays (like this Japanese one and this German one).  And as many of you probably also realize, my Ponyos help inject some often very welcome humour and whimsy into my life.  So it shouldn't take much reflection to figure out > read more

Kuk Po and the neighboring spaces bordering Hong Kong's Frontier Closed Area

Published on 2012-04-17 09:17:00

So what lay ahead after on the 15 kilometer Northeast Hong Kong hike (chronicled thus far in five previous photo essays here, here, here, here and here) that two friends and I went on whose main objective was to get to the picturesque walled village of Lai Chi Wo after we made it to our main destination?  The answer: quite a bit of a trek out still; one that involved going northwest-wards and > read more

Lizard on a tree in Hong Kong!

Published on 2012-04-16 09:42:00

Lookit what I spotted while out hiking  in Sai Kung East Country Park yesterday! :O  Since it's on a tree and has a crest, I'm guessing that it's a member of the crested tree lizard species that lives  in Hong Kong (and also Malaysia!) This photo gives a good idea of how long this lizard's tail was relative to the rest of it! :O Back when I was in > read more

A Hong Kong kung fu comedy and a German dramedy viewed at the 2012 HKIFF

Published on 2012-04-15 10:27:00

Large posters, including for the 2012 HKIFF, hang on  the outside of City Hall -- one of the film fest's screening venues   Dreadnaught (Hong Kong, 1981)- From the Once Upon a Hero: The Wong Fei Hung Saga program- Yuen Woo Ping, director- Starring Yuen Biao, Kwan Tak Hing, Leung Kar Yan, Yuen Shun Yi, Fan Mei Sheng, etc. In what was another lifetime, one in which I was an > read more

Sturdy and Home (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-04-13 22:28:00

    When most people in the world think of Hong Kong, they tend to conjure up vistas filled with high rise buildings -- some of which house offices and shops, others of which are home to a substantial number of the Big Lychee's slightly over 7 million inhabitants.  Images, in short, akin to the top most picture in my entry this week for  Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts ( > read more

A Letter to Momo viewed one morning at the 2012 HKIFF

Published on 2012-04-12 11:22:00

The 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival has ended but my reviewing of films I viewed during the fest continue! A Letter to Momo (Japan, 2011)- From the Animation Unlimited program- Hiroyuki Okiura, director The morning after I attended an evening screening of 13 Assassins and then went with two fellow film fan friends -- one visiting from Britain, the other from Canada - > read more

Lai Chi Wo -- reached at long last! (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-04-10 09:22:00

A couple of years after I first learnt about the existence of Lai Chi Wo -- and three photo-essays (see here, here and here) chronicling the hike I went on to get to that which once was the most prosperous as well as Hakka walled village in northeastern Hong Kong on -- I finally made it to this scenic locale.  Although my hiking party knew that we still would have some way to go to finish that > read more

Two of the seven Japanese films I viewed at the 2012 Hong Kong International Film Festival

Published on 2012-04-08 10:02:00

I Wish... was the title of a Japanese movie that screened at this year's HKIFF -- and, as it so happens,  the words on one of my Hello Kitty handkerchiefs! ;b  I Wish (Japan, 2011)- From the Auteurs program- Hirokazu Koreeda, director- Starring Koki Maeda, Oshiro Maeda, Nene Otsuka, Joe Odagiri, Isao Hashizume, Kirin Kiki, Kyara Uchida, Hiroshi Abe, etc. Famed Japanese auteur > read more

Awesome and Yellow (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-04-06 22:34:00

  When hunting through my photo archive for suitable photos for this week's Photo Hunt themes determined by Sandi and Gattina, I came across a number of photos of yellow flowers that I had taken while hiking in Hong Kong.  But as pretty as the flowers were, they didn't fit the "awesome" bill to me.  (For, yes, it's true enough that however eye-catching Hong Kong's flora can be > read more

Scabbard Samurai and People Mountain People Sea at the 2012 HK International Film Festival

Published on 2012-04-04 11:15:00

Japan may no longer be a feudal society but, to judge from some of the films screened at the HKIFF, samurai and their ilk still have salient places in  the Japanese contemporary (cinematic) imagination  Scabbard Samurai (Japan, 2011)- From the I See It My Way programme- Hitoshi Matsumoto, director- Starring Takaaki Nomo, Sea Kumada, Itsuji Itao, Tokio Emoto, Jun Kunimura, etc. > read more

From Sam A Tsuen to Lai Chi Wo (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-04-03 10:50:00

As I noted a couple of weeks back, the first Chinese New Year that I spent in Hong Kong, two friends and I went on a northeastern New Territories hike (see here, here and here) whose first half I covered again some three years later with two other friends. But the second time around that I was in that part of Hong Kong where not that many people venture into these days, my party didn't turn > read more

He's a Woman, She's a Man's two main men

Published on 2012-04-01 10:43:00

 Flowers for -- and tributes to -- Leslie Cheung outside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel  on the 9th anniversary of his tragic death He's a Woman, She's a Man posters on display at the  Hong Kong Cultural Centre as part of a tribute to the 2012 HKIFF's Filmmaker in Focus Director Peter Chan Ho Sun was on hand for a > read more

Fresh and Artificial (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-03-30 20:53:00

  Is this what people -- besides NCAA basketball fans, that is! :b -- mean by March madness?  Weather-wise, this March has been a mixed bag of a month -- with the early part feeling like winter just wasn't ready to end and the latter part having days that make one think that summer is truly fast approaching. Visually, the first couple of weeks or so were filled with gray > read more

The Look and Postcard at the 2012 HK International Film Festival

Published on 2012-03-28 08:57:00

 In case anyone wondered, I book my HKIFF tickets in advance and get them sent to me by snail mail :) The Look (Germany-France, 2011)- From the Galas programme- Angelina Maccarone, director- Starring Charlotte Rampling More than two decades ago now, I found myself waiting in a queue behind a tall and strikingly poised lady at a counter of a branch of Habitat.  Having recently > read more

Venturing deep(er) into Plover Cove Country Park (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-03-27 09:24:00

For those looking forward to more 2012 HKIFF movie reviews: there will be more of those soon, I promise! But after my recent text laden blog post (and a day of work that involved a lot of writing), I'm in the mood for a picture laden entry. So here's continuing to document the same Northeastern Hong Kong hike that passed through both inhabited and abandoned villages early on -- but now with a > read more

A culinary documentary and crazy comedy viewed on successive evenings at the 2012 HKIFF

Published on 2012-03-25 02:00:00

Even in the online age, some people still liketo check the film fest schedule on hard copyat the HKIFF screening venuesEl Bulli: Cooking in Progress (Germany, 2011)- From the Reality Bites programme- Gereon Wetzel, director- Starring Ferran Adria, Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch, Eugeni da Diego, Aitor LozanoFor many foodies, El Bulli was the culinary equivalent of Mecca for Muslims -- a not easy to > read more

The 2012 Hong Kong International Film Festival has begun!

Published on 2012-03-24 05:11:00

Three out of four of Beautiful 2012's directorsgreet the audience at the film's world premiereIts official site may state that the 36th Hong Kong International Film Festival began on March 21st and will end on April 5th but the truth of the matter is that there the first HKIFF screening took place on March 20th and -- the last time I checked -- additional screenings have been announced that will > read more

Spicy and Shoes (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-03-23 19:59:00

Before I moved to the Big Lychee, I watched the Hong Kong episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations -- and salivated over some of the food he ate on that show. So it should come as no surprise that after I moved to Hong Kong, I determined to track down some of the eateries featured on that food and travel program, and eat at them myself!Of these, two of them have become favorite eating spots > read more

A hike that passed through villages -- some still inhabited, others abandoned long ago (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-03-20 09:56:00

The first Chinese New Year that I spent in Hong Kong, I went hiking on the very first day of the year along a 10.5 kilometer trail that took two friends and me on a route that began in the northeastern New Territories village of Wu Kau Tang and took us eastwards to the small hamlet of Sam A Tsuen before circling back to Wu Kau Tang and ending up near Bride's Pool. And so pleasant was that > read more

Gunther's Frog in greater Mui Wo

Published on 2012-03-18 09:07:00

Photo of a small animal more easily heard than seenThe same male frog displaying -- by inflating --its vocal sac while making a loud callSome time back, I saw great frog pics over at sbk's Pictures, Thoughts and Comments and got to realizing that even while I had spotted a variety of animals since moving to Hong Kong, I actually had not caught sight -- and thus taken any photos -- of frogs. > read more

Play and Creative (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-03-16 21:01:00

Hello Kitty haters -- look away! For yes, my entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts this week is going to focus on the kawaii cat -- and, in particular, sights seen and photos taken during a pilgrimage I made to Sanrio Puroland last fall.Located in the self designated "Hello Kitty's Town" of Tama, Sanrio Puroland is a place where cuteness overload and incredible commercialism meet -- and to > read more

Views of another side of Hong Kong

Published on 2012-03-15 08:44:00

Rich and not so wealthy living not that far apart (especially as the crow flies) on thesouth eastern side of Hong Kong IslandSquatter type homes and way more expensive housingalso located not too far away from each other --this time over in the Discovery Bay area of LantauAs regular visitors to this blog may have noticed, I generally try to highlight the more positive and/or fun parts of life on > read more

More Wilson Trail Section 3 sights and observations (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-03-13 08:28:00

More than one friend and visitor to this blog has asked me: how many photos do you take on a single hike? In the case of the one I went on that took me along most of Section 3 of the Wilson Trail (i.e., my regular hiking companion and I elected to start our hike from Yau Tong rather than Lam Tin MTR station and thus shaved off a kilometer or so from the beginning), the answer is close to 80 > read more

Remembering March 11, 2011 one year on

Published on 2012-03-11 07:49:00

Signs of damage from the March 2011 earthquakewere visible during my visit to Japan last fallBut so was evidence of parts of Japan thathave managed to survive more than one disaster..and signs of life and the ability to (still) enjoy,appreciate and make good what the fateshave decided to bestow upon usOne year ago today, Japan suffered a terrible series of calamities. A major earthquake lasting > read more

Symbolic and Power (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-03-09 20:36:00

In the last six months or so, thanks to the convenience that has come with having been issued a one-year multiple visits Japan visa, I have paid two visits to the Land of the Rising Sun. In early 2012, two friends living elsewhere in the world and I got together for an Okinawa rendezvous. A few months before, I had gone on my own to Tokyo and points nearby, including the sacred space(s) of > read more

Spotted while hiking last Sunday...

Published on 2012-03-08 09:08:00

Please focus your attention on the yellow spotted creature -- and yes, it really is not a leaf!Can anyone tell me what it is? If so, I'd be most grateful! :bP.S. Please feel free to click on the photo in order to view an enlarged version of it!Update: Positive ID made by tngan -- see more on this entry's comments thread! :) > read more

Along Stage 3 of the Wilson Trail (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-03-07 06:49:00

Last week, my previous photo-essay about my hike along Stage 3 of the Wilson Trail ended with photos at the redoubt atop Devil's Peak. Although for some people that might seem to represent the high point of the hike, the truth of the matter was there more cool stuff actually lay ahead -- including a few more peaks... some of which were more challenging than others to go up and also down -- and > read more

Sham Chung surprise

Published on 2012-03-04 07:24:00

A picturesque spot on the Sai Kung peninsulathat's accessible only via foot, mountain bike or thrice daily (at most) ferryA place with the kind of vistas that it can bedifficult to believe are to be found in Hong Kong!A part of Hong Kong that still is home to a rare -- and still in use -- building dating back to 1936!Earlier today, despite the weather forecast including mention of "rain patches" > read more

Drop and fluffy (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-03-02 20:41:00

As regular visitors to this blog know, it contains no small amount of photos I took while out hiking in Hong Kong (with my blogging routine tending to include weekly hiking photo-essays (like this one) as well as my also being prone to offer up exultant post hike entries on Sunday evenings (see an example here)). But, in truth, the Hong Kong hike photos on view on this blog are but a mere drop > read more

A Chinese garden in southwest Lantau

Published on 2012-03-01 08:56:00

One of my first glimpses of what turned outto be Lung Tsai Ng YuenView of a pavilion and part of a zigzag bridgewithin that which is also known as Ng Yuen GardenAlthough clearly in need of better maintenance,there's (still) a romantic aura to the placeLess than a year after I moved to the Big Lychee, a friend living in Malaysia e-mailed and asked if I had seen everything there was to see in Hong > read more

Up Devil's Peak to its summit and now ruined redoubt (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-02-28 08:16:00

More than a year ago, my regular hiking companion and I went along Stage 3 of the Wilson Trail. Now that no small amount of time has passed since that we went on that excursion, I can look back and remember enough good things about that hiking experience to actually think that it might be worth taking other friends along that particular section of the 78 kilometer long hiking trail named after > read more

Grilled blowfish sperm -- and more -- at Sushi Kuu!

Published on 2012-02-26 07:40:00

Feast your eyes on this sumptuoussashimi starter selection! :bThe main event: grilled fugu milt (sperm)in all of its delicious glory! ;bThree years ago, I made the first of my now annual visits to Sushi Kuu for an omakase (trans. chef's choice) dinner with people including my über foodie friend. Because she and I both had gotten a great urge to try eating grilled fugu sperm after watching > read more

Loud and Old (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-02-25 01:45:00

Back in fall 2009, my mother and I went on a visit to The Land of the Morning Calm. On the morning of our third day our South Korean vacation, we went to Jongmyo Shrine, South Korea's oldest Confucian royal shrine which has existed in its present form since the 16th century. Although this UNESCO World Heritage-listed locale is indisputably old and dedicated to commemorating the dead (specifically > read more

The Lin effect -- Brigitte Lin, that is!

Published on 2012-02-23 08:12:00

Even when she's in the background, Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia can't help but stand out in a picture!For much of this month, much of the world (including myself, actually) has been in the thralls of Jeremy Lin mania -- Linsanity, as the phenomenon has been termed. But long before Jeremy Shu-How Lin first appeared on the professional basketball and pop culture scene, another Lin with Taiwanese roots > read more

Ma On Shan Country Trail done in reverse (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-02-21 08:39:00

Many moons ago now, I went on that which I've come to think of as "the hike from hell" -- an arduous excursion that had me seriously wondering at one point whether I'd need to call on Hong Kong's helicopter rescue service for help! Happily, that experience didn't put me off hiking in Hong Kong altogether. And close to three years later, I decided to go along the Ma On Shan Country Trail with my > read more

Unusual sightings while hiking in southwest Lantau

Published on 2012-02-19 08:10:00

While it's true enough that most Hong Kong hikesyield their share of mountainous or hilly vistas... ...I do think it's pretty unusual to come across a herdof super placid cows near the summit of 490 meter highLing Wui Shan -- like was my experience earlier today! :OMany probably will be of the opinion that it's even more singular to spot a flying dragon (statue) while out hiking -- in Hong Kong, > read more

Point and circles (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-02-17 20:30:00

This year's edition of the Hong Kong Arts Festival started a month earlier than is usually the case but I've yet to check out any of its offerings. This time last year, however, I already had taken in a performance of Hobson's Choice by the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Power Plant show (which also originated from Britain) that were two of the 39th Hong Kong Arts Festival more unusual -- and, > read more

Okinawa's UNESCO World Heritage listed-Shuri Castle

Published on 2012-02-16 07:33:00

Pass through these gates that are part of Shuri Castle......to get to inner sections of this complex, includingthe ornate Seiden (Main Hall) of the castle complexAlthough it may not look like so, pretty much allthat you see at Shuri Castle are reconstructionsdue to the castle having been reduced to ashesduring the second world warOnce upon a time, Japan was home to hundreds -- thousands even -- > read more

Okinawa's Underwater Observatory and Glass Bottom Boat Ride (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-02-14 08:32:00

On the morning of the same day that my two friends with whom I rendezvoused with in Okinawa and I made our way out to Manzamo, we headed for two cool attractions located near each other that both are part of the Busena Marine Park. What with our visit to Okinawa's world class Churaumi Aquarium the day before having thoroughly whetted our appetite to view more of the islands' marine life, we > read more

On Okinawa Honto's Manzamo, and more

Published on 2012-02-12 07:45:00

View of the elephant trunk-like featurethat's Manzamo most famous sightAnother part of the scenic Okinawan cliffs thatcaught many a photographer's attention and fancyThese two islands joined together by a ropethat I viewed from that vantage point surely have an interesting story surrounding them...Two weeks ago, I was in Okinawa. Perhaps because that part of Japan feels like a majorly different > read more

Heart and vintage (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-02-10 21:10:00

As regular visitors to this blog (including fellow participants of Sandi's and/or Gattina's Photo Hunt memes) can't help but realize, I love hiking in Hong Kong -- and really heart that there are plenty of cool sights for me to check out when I'm on the trails. To be sure, when out on a beautiful, clear air day hiking such as the Tai Tan Country Trail (that I like so much I've happily hiked it > read more

Okinawa hotel seaside views

Published on 2012-02-09 08:12:00

Sunny morning view from the balcony of the seaside hotel I stayed in for the bulk of my recent Okinawa holidayAnother beautiful vision beheld fromthe same balcony that same morning Photo taken from that same balcony -- this time around sunset that same dayIf anyone had told me before my recent Okinawan vacation that an enjoyable time could be had by just sitting on a hotel balcony and gazing out > read more

Okinawa's Churaumi Aquarium and Ocean Expo Park (Photo-essay)

Published on 2012-02-07 08:54:00

In deciding where to go on vacation, I usually do some internet research and also consult a guide book or two with regards to the place I have in mind to visit -- and to see what attractions there I should prioritize checking out. For Okinawa, I went through the additional step of comparing my "places I wanted to visit" list with that of the two friends I'd be meeting up with there.As it turned > read more

The Lady (film review)

Published on 2012-02-05 08:12:00

Michelle Yeoh as The Lady -- Aung San Suu Kyi*The Lady (France-United Kingdom, 2011)- Luc Besson, director- Starring Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Htun Lin, Jonathan Raggett, Jonathan Woodhouse, Benedict Wong, Teerawat Mulvilai, etc. More than one and half decades ago now, I rented a VHS tape of a Hong Kong movie dubbed into English and known as Supercop in the USA (but known as Police Story III: > read more

Flat and twigs (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

Published on 2012-02-03 20:14:00

When out hiking in Hong Kong, I see a variety of subjects whose images I can't help but pause and attempt to capture with my camera. Early on, I tended to prioritize going on trails where I would be assured scenic views. But before too long, I got to realizing that the Big Lychee really has got plentiful, diverse and often pretty photogenic wildlife, so started to focus on looking near as well > read more

Okinawa Rendez-vous -- for real! ;b

Published on 2012-02-02 08:28:00

The squid ink yakisoba (fried noodle) lunch set at Ashibiuna, a restaurant located in an old, noble residence near Okinawa's Shuri Castle View across gorgeous, clear waters to Ie island from the grounds of the Ocean Expo Park on Okinawa HontoLate afternoon view from the -- I kid you not --private beach of the hotel that we stayed atin northern part of Okinawa island :)A few years back, a > read more

A hike with plentiful bug sightings as well as scenic views (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-07-05 09:59:00

Before anything else: thanks to those of you who wrote encouraging and empathetic/sympathetic responses to my previous post about blog content theft. And in particular because of comments like those of fellow bloggers duriandave and sbk, I've decide > read more

Blog content theft taken place

Published on 2011-07-03 08:16:00

A photo taken on a hike earlier today that I want to share with this blog's visitors -- and for the record, the blog in question's URLis http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.comToday, my regular hiking companion and I went on a cool hike that took us > read more

Busy (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-07-01 21:26:00

For most of my life, I've lived in a port city. I was born in one (George Town, Penang) and have lived in three others in very different parts of the world (Philadelphia, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar). And, of course, I now reside in Hong Kong.Althou > read more

Beginning of the Great Revival (movie review)

Published on 2011-07-01 09:17:00

The flags of The People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Adminstrative Region fly abovethe Court of Final Appeal (Hong Kong)'s buildingBeginning of the Great Revival (Mainland China, 2011) - Han Sanping and Huang Jiangxin, dirs.- Starrin > read more

Along Stage 10 of the Lantau Trail (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-06-28 07:21:00

Early on in my hiking exploration of Hong Kong, I looked upon the Lantau Trail with a degree of awe and fear; and this even though I knew that its 70 kilometers are divided into 12 stages (and thus aren't usually completed over the course of a single > read more

Hello again, Kitty-chan!

Published on 2011-06-26 09:01:00

Kawaii-neh! A particularly cute Hello Kitty (I can't help but want to make awww sounds when looking at those paws) on a t-shirt sold to raise funds for Japan disaster reliefHello Kitty-filled scene at the store where I put in my Hello Kitty Prays fo > read more

Card(s) (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-06-24 21:14:00

What would a museum be without label cards? A not very informative one is my feeling. So imagine my frustration when I visited the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences some years back before I moved to Asia's World City based on a Frommer's guide r > read more

Seasonal repasts

Published on 2011-06-23 09:37:00

A colorful dish for the summerHot food available throughout the year in Hong Kongbut best enjoyed during cold weatherIn no small part due to Le French May's gem-filled Noir film program, I have been frequenting the Broadway Cinematheque in Yau Ma Tei > read more

My favorite hike of the past year (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-06-21 09:29:00

As promised, here's continuing, without further ado (not least because we're already midway into a different year!), with my photo-documentation of my favorite hike of 2010: that which involved a trek to and then along the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail > read more

Hiking one Sunday in summer

Published on 2011-06-19 06:03:00

View from Siu Ma Shan that includes Central and the International Finance Centre to the left and Kowloon and the International Commerce Center to the rightView of the southern section of Hong Kong Islandthat includes Tai Tam (bay, a couple of the res > read more

Informative (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-06-17 20:46:00

When out hiking in Hong Kong, I like to have a relevant Hong Kong countryside map on me. For although there are people who seem content to just rely on the many informative signposts and signs erected by the country park authorities, I find that some > read more

Nei Lak Shan Country Trail hike (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-06-16 09:55:00

Before I continue with my photo documentation of the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail hike that my regular hiking companion and I went on last summer, let me first set the scene by detailing how the temperature at sea level was around 35 degrees Celsius th > read more

Bug identification help sought!

Published on 2011-06-12 09:50:00

Tiny insect spotted while hiking last Sundayin Sai Kung East Country ParkA furry looking bug spotted hanging fromthe back side of a bench on the same hikeA little more than a month ago, I put up an interesting looking bugs encountered while hiking bl > read more

Triangle (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-06-10 19:29:00

Tnchick sure does like triangles! That was my reaction after seeing this week's theme -- for I've put up Photo Hunt entries on this theme not once but twice before (on April 11th, 2009 and July 7th, 2010) !! So it was a triple more difficult challe > read more

Dangerous Encounter -- 1st Kind and post-screening Tsui Hark Q&A

Published on 2011-06-09 08:34:00

Tsui Hark listens and waits to reply while Broadway Cinematheque's Gary Mak asks a questionDangerous Encounter -- 1st Kind (Hong Kong, 1980)- Tsui Hark, director- Starring Lin Chen Chi, Lo Lieh, Albert Au, Lung Tin Sang and Paul CheSay Le French May > read more

A scenic Lantau Island hike (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-06-07 09:19:00

At long last, we get to putting up a photo-essay of that which got my vote for best hike of 2010: one that saw my regular hiking companion and I going along the Nei Lak Shan Country Trail which had been closed for a time due to landslide damage -- an > read more

Twenty-two years on

Published on 2011-06-04 21:02:00

Two points of light at Victoria Park yesterday eveningTwo of many of the many thousandsat the candlelight vigil to mark the 22nd anniversaryof events that took place in Beijing on June 4th, 1989 Back in the summer of 1989, I was in London doing an > read more

Dirty (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-06-03 18:47:00

On first glance, the village of Pui O on Lantau Island can appear unremarkable or even on the too dirty side to be a good place to visit. I personally reckon it's quite the charming and interesting place -- and unusual on account of two of it being > read more

Hong Kong ferry experience

Published on 2011-06-02 10:03:00

Workaday vessel (a Victoria Harbour ferry) in the foreground,junk trip junk (specfically, the Aqua Luna) in the backgroundOn board the uncrowded North Point-Kwun Tong ferryone week day afternoonI recently returned to Hong Kong from a place where good > read more

From misty Ngong Ping to sunny Cheung Sha Beach (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-05-31 09:49:00

Hi once more -- and much thanks who registered their concern, etc. elsewhere on this blog. The news from my computer doctor is that my computer has been subjected to a virus attack -- albeit a low level virus. So touch wood that things are relative > read more

Quick note

Published on 2011-05-27 19:52:00

Sorry, no Photo Hunting for me. Among other things, my notebook -- along with the thousands of photos in its memory -- has gone to see the computer doctor! Fingers crossed, its health will be restored soon...(All text -- and images in posts with "YTS > read more

At ART HK 11

Published on 2011-05-26 08:34:00

Liu Wei's oxhide, wood and metal Don't Touch at ART HK 11Art works, the absurd and crowds come togetherat Hong Kong's premier visual arts eventAt opening night, some eye-catchingly attired members of the audience compete with the art for attention an > read more

Ngong Ping Plateau hike (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-05-24 10:06:00

Back on July 4th (American Independence Day!), 2010, my regular hiking companion and I headed up to the Ngong Ping Plateau to temporarily escape the summer heat and hike along Section 4 of the Lantau Trail. Upon getting to the starting point of that > read more

Oyster meal memories

Published on 2011-05-22 08:07:00

The raw seafood platterthat I had for lunch yesterdayYesterday, I ate my first raw oysters since a dinner platter worth of them gave me food poisoning around a year ago. I am happy to report that nothing physically untoward has happened to me in the > read more

Cluttered (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-05-20 21:01:00

If truth be told, one very easy way for me to get appropriate photos for this week's Photo Hunt would have been to go about snapping shots of the cluttered interior of my apartment. But rather than doing that, here's presenting more interesting and > read more

Seasonal Musings

Published on 2011-05-20 09:52:00

Autumnal colors on view while out hikingin Tai Lam Country Park one day last NovemberHeathery colors of the sort I associate with cool(er) climeson view on a December hike in Lantau South Country ParkAs I write this entry, tunes from Antonio Vivaldi' > read more

Hike along Hong Kong Trail Stage 4 (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-05-17 09:09:00

Back on a wintry day early in 2008, I went hiking with a friend along Stage 4 of the Hong Kong Trail from Wan Chai Gap to Wong Nai Chung Gap. Although misty conditions prevented us from having stellar views along the way, it still was an enjoyable e > read more

De-stressing afternoon on quiet Peng Chau

Published on 2011-05-15 08:20:00

Quiet beach area along Peng Chau'snorthern Peng Yu PathFarmland and secluded house with the.99 square kilometer island's highest point, 95 meter high Finger Hill, in the backgroundFamously low crime as well as car less, Peng Chau is the kind of place > read more

Missing/Missed (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-05-13 21:52:00

Yesterday (Friday the 13th, more than incidentally!) and for much of this morning, I was wondering whether I'd be able to take part in this week's Photo Hunt because Blogger went wonky (doing such as not allowing new posts, making me think I had acci > read more

A Hong Kong landmark and movie location

Published on 2011-05-12 10:04:00

Recognize this brick and stucco striped buildingfrom its appearance in more than one Hong Kong movie?This stairway within that building has featured in at least two movies I rate highly (i.e., He's a Woman, She's a Man and, more recently, Beast Stalk > read more

Central and northern Lamma Island sights (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-05-10 10:07:00

Continuing from two Mondays ago with my account via photo-essay of an easy and/but enjoyable hike I went on Lamma Island with my mother one afternoon close to a year ago now; with today's entry focusing on the central to northern Lamma Island section > read more

Bugs that visually enthrall more than... bug! ;)

Published on 2011-05-08 09:31:00

An insect known as a skipper whose shape looks closer to a fighter plane'sthan any other one I've seen before!One of the most prettiest butterflies I have ever seen(especially in flight) -- and that I saw for the only the first timeever this afternoo > read more

Digital (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-05-06 19:34:00

When I saw this Photo Hunt theme on the tnchick's list a few weeks back, my reaction was along the lines of "Oh, an easy one". After all, every single snap in the photo archive on my computer was taken on a digital camera. However, when I decided t > read more

Visa-free vs -required travel musings

Published on 2011-05-05 08:09:00

Himeji Castle -- located in a country (Japan)which I need a visa to enterView of Heidelberg -- a picturesque town in country (Germany)which I can enter without applying in advance for a travel visa"Where in the world do you want to holiday next?" Th > read more

An easy but still scenic Lamma Island hike (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-05-02 09:36:00

Close to a year ago, my mother came over to Hong Kong for her first post triple bypass-surgery visit -- and I discovered that she actually was able to complete the Lamma Family Walk. Granted that the easy hike we went on that took us from Sok Kwu Wa > read more

Square (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-04-29 20:48:00

This Photo Hunt entry contains photos taken in Hong Kong and its sister Special Administrative Region of Macau.The upper photo shows the kind of square table with a permanent Chinese chess board (marked out in ways that divides the playing areas into > read more

Romance and Sex -- Hong Kong Cinema-Style!

Published on 2011-04-28 09:56:00

Love, lust or just doing what comes naturallybutterfly-style!Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Hong Kong-Mainland China, 2011)- Johnnie To, director- Starring Louis Koo, Gao Yuanyuan, Daniel Wu, Lam SuetThis past weekend, more than a month after the 35th H > read more

A hike of two halves (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-04-26 09:38:00

Close to a year ago, my regular hiking companion and I went on a hike along Smuggler's Ridge and more that I've come to think of as one of the worst I've been on in Hong Kong on account of our encountering a bunch of stupid people in cars doing such > read more

Dressing for a Hong Kong hike

Published on 2011-04-24 10:41:00

Please click on the photo to enlarge and take a good look at the fellow in the photo!For contrast, check out the attire of a sporty femaleout on the same trail today! :bEarlier today, my regular hiking companion and I hiked along Stage 5 of the Hong > read more

Dusty (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-04-22 21:24:00

Talk about showing two different sides of Hong Kong in a single blog entry but this week's Photo Hunt theme has given me the opportunity to do precisely that! In that here's offering up two photos of Hong Kong featuring a dusty dirt trail in Ma On S > read more

Only connect...!

Published on 2011-04-21 08:45:00

One of the more old fashioned looking utility polesI've seen while out hiking in Hong Kong"Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted..." Thus goes one of the more famous passage > read more

From Violet Hill down to Stanley via the Tsz Lo Lan Shan Path

Published on 2011-04-19 09:10:00

After going over Violet Hill from Wong Nai Chung Gap, my regular hiking companion and I went down it to Tsin Shui Wan Au (AKA Repulse Bay Gap). At that intersection, we found ourselves with various trail options including one that would take us down > read more

2011 HKIFF addendum: two films by Minoru Shibuya

Published on 2011-04-17 09:01:00

A familiar HKIFF sight: a waiting queue of film fans at venues such as the HK Science MuseumAs I write this, the 2011 Hong Kong Film Awards are taking place (and The Golden Rock, for one, is live blogging about them). But although my mind is on film > read more

Road (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-04-15 19:40:00

"Hong Kong's roads are among the most heavily used in the world." So goes the opening line on a page on the Hong Kong road network on the Highways Department's website. And when looking at the above photo of a jammed Gloucester Road, few would disag > read more

Eat Japanese!

Published on 2011-04-14 09:32:00

A Japanese delicacy I tried for the first time recently -- hotaru ika (i.e., marinated firefly squid)Not your usual bowl of ramen --one with a surprisingly large lobster in it!As regular readers of this blog know, I'm a big fan of Japanese food -- bo > read more

A scenic Violet Hill hike (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-04-12 09:48:00

Back to regular programming now that I've finished reporting on the 21 films I viewed at this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival... and that means the first hiking photo-essay since the one I put up close to a month ago about the Lau Shui H > read more

Bringing my 2011 HKIFF coverage to a close with a film each from South America and Africa

Published on 2011-04-10 08:21:00

2011 HKIFF advertising -- featuring festival ambassador Miriam Yeung and mascot Puppet-kidWith this blog entry, my coverage of the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival comes to a close. Beginning with Carlos on the afternoon of March 20th, I vi > read more

One more 2011 HKIFF report (the Devils on the Doorstep edition)

Published on 2011-04-09 08:59:00

Scene inside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre -- my favorite of the HKIFF venues due to its Grand Theatrehaving by far the largest screen of the festAs I write this blog entry, the most recent Nobel Peace Prize winner and a famous artist-activist who se > read more

Trees (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-04-08 21:29:00

When many people who think of Hong Kong, they seem to either envision it as place with a harbour exotically filled with sampans and junk or as a more modern concrete jungle. Neither of these conjured visions have a place for all that many trees but > read more

The 2011 HKIFF coverage continues with two more movie reviews!

Published on 2011-04-07 08:33:00

The stars and director of Punished at the film's HKIFF screening and world premiereA more close-up shot of the trio of (from left to right)Janice Man, Anthony Wong Chau San and Lo Wing CheongAlthough Part I (i.e., the main part) of the 35th Hong Kong > read more

Two 2011 HKIFF offerings with just one word each in their title :)

Published on 2011-04-05 07:43:00

As one of the HKIFF offerings I recently took in served to fully remind me, vast swathes of planet Earth are covered by salt waterPart 1 of the 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival comes to an end today, April 5th. Since March 20th, I've take > read more

Two films viewed at the HKIFF this past Wednesday

Published on 2011-04-03 09:50:00

Puppet Ponyo this past Wednesday eveningwith a film prof friend in town for theHong Kong International Film Festival :)This past Wednesday, I took a day off from work to take in two afternoon screenings at the Hong Kong International Film Festival. > read more

Yet another 2011 HKIFF Report (The dark edition)

Published on 2011-04-02 07:53:00

Some of the colorful banners that can be seen aboutAsia's World City around this time of the yearI'm listening to music from a Leslie Cheung CD as I write this entry. And yes, this time of the year, it's hard to not be aware -- especially if you're > read more

Closed (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-04-01 19:30:00

"I don't want to go to China," a friend of mine declared to me. "But you're already in China!" I retorted -- since our conversation was taking place in Hong Kong. "Oh, you know what I mean," she said -- and in fact, I do. Because even while the Bi > read more

Two more movies viewed at the 2011 HKIFF last Sunday

Published on 2011-03-31 09:49:00

The Blue House -- an Wan Chai tenement buildingthat has been in danger of demolition but nowhas been classified as a Grade I heritage buildingNot so long ago, I'd have tried to not let a day go by without a film screening when the Hong Kong Internat > read more

Another HKIFF 2011 Report (this one written in less than an hour!)

Published on 2011-03-29 23:13:00

Singaporean director Han Yew Khang (left) speaks in Mandarin and the HKIFF's Bede Cheng does the translation (into English) duties) As I begin writing this entry, I'm aware that it's just about two hours before another HKIFF screening that I've got a > read more

Another 2011 HKIFF report (The not so viva edition)

Published on 2011-03-27 09:54:00

Director Cheung King-wai (far left) answers audience queriesafter the world premiere screening of his One Nation, Two CitiesChalk it down to my being a glutton for punishment -- or just a fanatical movie geek. For despite having being down to view f > read more

Cage(d) (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-03-25 21:33:00

Sad but true: when many people see the word caged in Hong Kong, what will come to mind first is the existence of people known as cagemen -- whose terrible living conditions was the subject of Cageman, Jacob Cheung's 1992 Hong Kong Film Awards best fi > read more

HKIFF 2011 Report (Love and Lust Edition!)

Published on 2011-03-25 10:31:00

Two actresses I admire (Carrie Ng and Patricia Ha)and the director of their latest filmDirector Calvin Poon and some of his film's cast membersanswer questions from the audience post-screeningA couple years back, a then colleague of mine told me she > read more

Two more movies viewed at the 2011 HKIFF

Published on 2011-03-22 09:48:00

View of the village of Tai O -- one of the parts of The Big Lychee in which Quattro Hong Kong 2 was shotEarlier this evening, I attended my fourth screening of this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival. But this entry will focus on the two f > read more

The 2011 HKIFF begins... with 5 1/2 hours of Carlos!

Published on 2011-03-20 10:43:00

A HKIFF program guide/booking booklet andthe many tickets I've got for this year's HKIFF :)The 35th Hong Kong International Film Festival got underway today -- with the very first screening of the day being the complete 325 minute version of Olivier > read more

License Plate (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-03-18 20:59:00

Spotted at Wong Shek Pier up on the Sai Kung Peninsula a while back... a sight that made me and my friend who saw it simultaneously think "how philosophical" and "I guess the Bimmer's owner's message might also be along the lines of "how great it is > read more

Japanese encounters over the years

Published on 2011-03-17 08:13:00

Peaking through a gateway into an inner part ofthe Engyoji Temple complex on Shosa-sanAs regular visitors to this blog realize full well, I love Hong Kong. But Japan is the Asian country I feel much more culturally partial to rather than that which > read more

Lau Sheung Heung Country Trail hike (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-03-15 08:27:00

If truth be told, part of me is feeling a bit weird for blogging about a hike I went on last spring at a time when Japan remains in crisis and so much else is going on in the world. But, as a Christian Science Monitor blog headline asserts, Japan kn > read more

Rejuvenating weekend

Published on 2011-03-13 09:39:00

Flowers in bloom amidst still bare branchesalong the side of Tai Au Mun Roadin Clear Water Bay yesterdayMy regular hiking companion looking back and downat part of the Luk Wu Country Trail in scenicSai Kung East Country Park that we hiked on earlier > read more

On a dark day for Japan

Published on 2011-03-11 09:25:00

Statue of a Buddha in Engyoji on Mount ShoshaMy thoughts, condolences and good wishes go to the country and its people who have come up with so much to make me happy. May they weather the major disaster that is the magnitude 8.9 earthquake and its a > read more

Eating and strolling about in Macau

Published on 2011-03-10 08:43:00

Quiet alley just off Lilau Square within the UNESCOWorld Heritage listed Historic Centre of MacauMother and child (and holy spirit) stained glass window at Penha Church on the Macau Peninsula's Penha HillPuppet Ponyo posing in front of thetemporarily > read more

Hiking along the Pat Sin Leng Country Trail (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-03-08 08:58:00

A former colleague of mine once told me a story of how, shortly arriving in Hong Kong from Britain, she was taken along a hike up Pat Sin Leng without realizing that the word pat in Cantonese means eight and the northernmost mountain range in Hong Ko > read more

Striped beach of Pui O

Published on 2011-03-06 07:59:00

No, your eyes are not deceiving you......rather, the sand at Pui O beach really is alternately (and naturally) yellow and black!Strange but true: even though it's not quite optimum beach weather time yet here in Hong Kong, the past two weekends have > read more

Self-portrait (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-03-04 18:39:00

Self-portrait taken with the help of a mirror in an abandoned house* deep in the Hong Kong countryside... I think that the fact that this house still contains some furnishings, yet clearly has not been lived in for some time, helps make for an eerie > read more

Colourful Youth at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre

Published on 2011-03-03 08:01:00

Just a small portion of the audience there at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre this past Mondayto take in a screening of a restored 1966 filmSome of the film's stars (from left to right -- Nancy Sit Kar Yan, Connie Chan Po Chu and Woo Fung (aka Wu Fung) > read more

From Tai Mei Tuk up into Pat Sin Leng Country Park (photo-essay)

Published on 2011-03-01 08:13:00

One of the great things about going hiking in Hong Kong, observed a friend some time back, is that it can feel like one has gone out of the territory since hiking allows one to visit areas of Hong Kong whose landscape dramatically differs from the st > read more

Pigging Out at the Kimberley

Published on 2011-02-27 07:41:00

A whole suckling pig all roasted, stuffed and waiting to be a dinner's piece de resistanceFor those who were wondering: in keeping with its Chinese roots, this pig(let) was stuffed with glutinous rice!In the middle of this week, I texted my regular h > read more

Mostly Black (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-02-25 21:44:00

More than a decade and a half ago, I spent two years working and living in Tanzania. Towards the end of my East African sojourn, I treated myself to a safari trip that included visits to Lake Manyara, Serengeti and Tarangire National Parks and the N > read more

What watching movies made me do!

Published on 2011-02-24 10:08:00

Not your average tempura platter...nor your average bowl of chawan mushiBlame it on Departures -- more specifically, the particular scene in the multi-award-winning Japanese movie whose protagonist is a cellist turned nokanshi (embalming master) wher > read more

From Mount Butler down to Braemar Hill (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-02-22 08:42:00

Last Tuesday, I put my first photo-essay of an 11 kilometer Hong Kong Island hike I went on last spring that conveniently began at the junction of the busy thoroughfare that is King's Road and the uphill bound Mount Parker Road halfway between two MT > read more

Power Plant in Kowloon Walled City Park

Published on 2011-02-20 08:53:00

Smoke and shadows......and sound and light make for a memorable Hong Kong Arts Festival evening show at Kowloon Walled City ParkMake no mistake: the Hong Kong International Film Festival remains the numero uno item on my cultural calendar. But since > read more

Silhouette(s) (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-02-18 19:21:00

Victoria Harbour is one of Hong Kong's greatest assets, a jewel that people marvel at, no matter how many times they visit the city. People come from all over the world to see and admire it. Thus states the Hong Kong Tourism Board website about the n > read more

Lantern festival musings

Published on 2011-02-17 17:57:49

Lanterns hanging from a tree at Lai Chi Woearly into this new lunar year of the rabbitWider angle shot of the same tree andthe village square where it stands in one cornerMore than two weeks ago, those who use the lunar calendar celebrated a new luna > read more

Quarry Bay to Braemar Hill via Mount Parker (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-02-15 06:59:00

How convenient is it to go hiking in Hong Kong? For hikes which effectively begin approximately halfway in between Quarry Bay or Taikoo MTR stations at the junction between King's Road and Mount Parker Road, it may seem extraordinarily convenient. > read more

All's Well Ends Well 2011 (movie review)

Published on 2011-02-13 00:31:00

Chinese New Year of the rabbit advertising-- including for All's Well Ends Well 2011All's Well Ends Well 2011 (Hong Kong, 2011) - Starring Louis Koo, Donnie Yen, Cecilia Cheung, Carina Lau, Chapman To, Raymond Wong, Yan Ni, Lynn Xiong, Ronald Cheng, > read more

Education (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-02-11 19:13:00

If these walls could talk, they would have much to tell us about education -- particularly that which takes place in far flung rural areas in Hong Kong --for they belong to the now ruined buildings of the abandoned Lin Fa Shan School that now lies in > read more

Yung Pak Corridor hike (Photo-essay #2)

Published on 2011-02-08 08:13:00

Continuing from last week's Yung Pak Corridor hiking photo-essay... and for those who're into numbers, this was an 11 kilometer hike -- and my 56th post moving to Hong Kong! (And to give you an idea of how far behind I am in my hiking photo-essays, > read more

Borderland views

Published on 2011-02-06 08:55:00

View from Kuk Po, Hong Kong,across the border to Mainland ChinaJust one more from the over one hundred photosI snapped over the course of the hike I went on today Earlier today, I went on a hike that took some 7 hours to complete -- if you include a > read more

Fashion (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-02-04 20:32:00

As those who know me well know full well, being fashionable just is not my style. (E.g., I still regularly wear an old school scarf that is now decades old and a couple of sweaters that date to my undergraduate days!) Consequently, this week's Photo > read more

I Love Hong Kong (movie review)

Published on 2011-02-03 05:51:00

...and I love this movie! :)I Love Hong Kong (Hong Kong, 2011) - Starring Tony Leung Kar Fai, Eric Tsang, Sandra Ng, Anita Yuen, Stanley Fung, Aarif Rahman (AKA Aarif Lee), Mag Lam, Clorinda Chan, Bosco Lam, Wong Cho Lam, Lam Suet, Wayne Lai, Wu Ma, > read more

Yung Pak Corridor hike (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-02-01 07:10:00

When I was young(er), I used to love poring over maps and planning -- or just plain fantasizing about -- where in the world I would like to go visit. Maps produced by the National Geographic Society that came with copies of their monthly magazine th > read more

Revealed: the inventive trick behind the balancing 'magic'!

Published on 2011-01-30 06:21:00

Two men at work in a Cheung Chau streetwhile a boy watches and waits......to get 'dressed' and thereby prepared to take part in the 'balancing' actfeatured in the parade of the 'floating' childrenIn my previous blog entry (one with Standing as its th > read more

Standing (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-01-28 21:02:00

For more than a century (a very long time by Hong Kong standards!), the islanders of Cheung Chau have been honoring the god Pak Tai with an annual commemorative event that has come to popularly known as the Cheung Chau Bun Festival on account of one > read more

Violet Hill Path hike (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-01-25 07:51:00

Long before his Soft Film blog came about, duriandave and I had already become friends and even met in "meat"- as well as cyberspace. And many months before he decided to call it a day with regards to his latest online venture, I took him on what he > read more

Signage rant

Published on 2011-01-23 08:20:00

Not the most noticeable signpost in the worldWell, it's about time!!!Earlier today, I went hiking along Stage 3 of the Wilson Trail, one of Hong Kong's four major long trails along with the Maclehose, Hong Kong and Lantau Trails. Named after one of > read more

Hands (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-01-21 19:49:00

You've got to hand it to the Hong Kong authorities (yes, pun very much intended!): in that they do seem to try to go beyond most other territories' authorities in terms of trying to make sure that those living within their borders do the right thing! > read more

My top ten 2010 Hong Kong movies list

Published on 2011-01-20 08:56:00

One of the posters for the film that getsmy vote of top Hong Kong film of 2010In 2008, I viewed 37 Hong Kong movies released for the first time that year. The year before (2007 -- the year I moved to Hong Kong), I had watched 30 Hong Kong movies rel > read more

Hong Kong Trail Stage 7 (Photo-essay #2)

Published on 2011-01-18 08:42:00

And so it goes... my chronicling via photo-essays of the hike I took along Hong Kong Trail Stage 7 that is! One of the easier stages of the eight-stage, 50-kilometer-long Hong Kong Trail which passes through five Hong Kong island country parks, this > read more

At Fo Tan for the Fotanian Open Studio Days

Published on 2011-01-16 07:29:00

Venture onto this corridor and into an open dooron Fotanian Open Studio days......and you might find yourself in surroundings such as Chow Chun Fai's wonderful work spaceAs the proverbial "they" say, never judge a book by its cover. To which I'd like > read more

Shadow (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2011-01-14 19:50:00

As regular visitors to this blog know, I am not one to put up photos of myself or family members on it. Consequently, what people tend to know via this blog about my family (particularly, I realise, my mother) is through my writings and the occasion > read more

10 highlights of 2010

Published on 2011-01-13 08:32:00

One of the many great views to be hadwhile on my choice of best hike gone on in 2010A stretch of that which gets my votefor best beach that I visited in 2010Last Thursday, I wrote up the latest edition of a series of "looking back at a year" blog ent > read more

Hong Kong Trail Stage 7 (Photo-essay)

Published on 2011-01-11 07:44:00

Some days, I just gotta hike -- and never mind if it's cold or potentially wet. Thus it was that despite the threat of rain, a friend and I decided one gray winter's day to hike from Tai Tam Road to To Tei Wan along a 7.5 kilometer long trail descri > read more

Musings on the (culturally) British side of me

Published on 2011-01-09 05:47:00

Yes, I enjoy eating pie, gravy, chips (with HP sauceslathered on them) and peas at pubs -- and feel the meal would be incomplete without a pint!According to the proverbial "they", a rolling stone gathers no moss. But although I consider myself a rol > read more

**Free Week** (This week's Photo Hunt (non-)theme)

Published on 2011-01-07 10:00:00

What kind of photos do you find hardest to take? For a time, I despaired of ever being able to take a good photograph at night. But since I acquired my current camera close to three years ago now, I've been able to take a number of "after dark" sna > read more

A by-the-numbers look at my 2010 movie viewing year

Published on 2011-01-06 08:47:00

Life in Movie Mecca means being able to dinein restaurants with movie associations(in this case, In the Mood for Love and 2046)......and it not being an accident that one can recognize locales when viewing movies (like Soi Cheang's Accident) as well > read more

Shing Mun Valley Hike (Photo-essay II)

Published on 2011-01-04 07:09:00

Without further ado -- herewith continues my effort to chronicle (via photos and and essay) the winter hike that took my regular hiking companion and I around the same Shing Mun Reservoir into which a government flying service helicopter made an emer > read more

Japanese culinary treats in Hong Kong

Published on 2011-01-03 08:37:00

Wafer-thin slices of delicious Japanese beefat Megan's KitchenPrime toro (fatty tuna belly) and uni (sea urchin)at Sushi KuuWhat is a guaranteed way to make a Penangite happy? Speaking as a Penang-born person myself, my answer would be "Make sure th > read more

Fuzzy (This week's Photo Hunt theme)

Published on 2010-12-31 19:33:00

Happy 2011 to my fellow Photo Hunters and other regular visitors to this blog! Can you believe it's another new year already? How quickly time can fly... especially, as the proverbial "they" say, when you're having fun...On the subject of fun: two > read more