Doing what I like

I think I realised that I did not want to be part of the rat pack anymore. I did not want to do things just for the sake of money.

Anyway now, I am doing a program with HKU in Statistics, and that should fulfil me enough for now, to learn and to do some Maths.

I agree with Jacob.

Llfe Beautiful Lessons‏

I like this very much, and it was sent by someone whom I liked very much too. Though it might be a bit long, but the advice is worth the read! It reminds me how lucky I am, and to continually appreciate my family and friends who have touched my life in one way or another, how they have made me smile when I really needed it, and those who showed me the brighter side of things when I am down.

We never get what we want, We never want what we get, We never have what we like, We never like what we have. And still we live & love. That's life...

The best kind of friend, Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, Never say a word, And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know What we've got until it's gone, But it's also true that we don't know What we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; Just wait for it to grow in their heart, But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to develop a crush on someone, An hour to like someone, And a day to love someone, But it takes a lifetime to forget someone..

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, Because it takes only a smile to Make a dark day seems bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile!

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, Enough trials to make you strong, Enough sorrow to keep you human, And enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, It probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people Don't necessarily have the best of everything; They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for Those who cry, Those who hurt, Those who have searched, And those who have tried, For only they can appreciate the importance of people Who have touched their lives.

When you were born, you were crying And everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, You're the one who is smiling And everyone around you is crying.

Shanghai before 1st Oct

A glimpse below of just some of the tall towers from Grand Hyatt's hotel lobby on 54/F. It is a 180 degree plane of buildings that continue until the horizon. Beyond these completed ones, there are many more sites under construction and land being pounded. It does give you a sense of vibrancy and momentum in the air, which is something my colleague says he does not feel in Hong Kong.

I feel this result is an incredibly fast transformation of what used to be grubby and polluted Shanghai. New coats of paint, more lightings installed and a new fleet 3500+ new Volkswagen taxis ply the city routes. I feel safer and more comfortable travelling in these new cars because of better interior (seemingly) leather fittings instead of the cloth covering, and heavier doors. They have spent a fortune preparing for the Expo (which I did not attend for fear of getting crushed by the crazy crowd).

On Pudong is the glitzy skyscrapers and its continual quest to be the tallest.


On the other side of the harbour sits the charming old guard, Puxi, with its beautifully romantic colonial style buildings, boasts of history and culture.
They have recently restored the Peace Hotel and it reminds me of the Fullerton.
Overall, I am very impressed with how the local government has put this together.

We picked up a dining magazine during coffee, and came across an article which was an interview with a Shanghai gourmet. He likes this restaurant called 福1088, so, not knowing better where to dine, my colleague and I decided to try it out.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were led through a long alleyway littered with old Shanghai furniture, and a pianist was playing on the first floor. I liked the setting, which had authentic metal levers as window locks, glass window panes, wooden handles and worn-out stairs creaked of nostalgia when I walked up, and old colourful, big square Chinese tiles. It is an old four storey home that was refurbished and now used as a restaurant.

One of the most memorable dish that night was the absolutely delicious 红烧肉. The fatty layer of skin is so tender that it melts in your mouth. We were dining with a Shanghainese client and he says, this dish is very much true to Shanghai style, as it is cooked with a rich, sweet gravy. Being more greedy than hungry, after dinner, I still ordered lamb and pork skewers from a roadside stall just near the resturant. Yummy I love eating meat. Friend later tells me that Beijing skewers are way better...

Roast meats at Nanjing Lu

Shi Yu is supposedly a rare and expensive fish that goes for at least 1000HKD a fish in HK. It's scales contain oil and so it should not be removed and it is edible. When steamed, the oil from the fish trickles down the meal, making it very sweet and flavourful. I liked it, the texture was not so fine, but still nice.

Hairy Carb or 大闸蟹 to be eaten with Vinegar. We had one male and female crab each.

Mom and Dad in HK

Parents were here for a short trip 19th-21st Sept to celebrate my birthday with me. We had roast goose, at Tsuen Wan, which was too oily, and way too far. Oops, meat overload then.

Back at my place, the next morning was porridge at the trusty Law Fu Kee, which parents liked. Then off shopping and sightseeing around Tsim Sa Tsui.

Dad said HK has a poor standard of living, small homes, bad air... arranged a land tour of the New Territories the next day. We saw a temple which housed three major religions: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in HK.

Noteable was the Hakka Village out around Fanling. Saw an old woman walking with bound feet through the narrow alleyways, almost making us feel claustrophobic. Our angmoh tour guide said, in the past, the tiles on the top the the houses served as a means of identification to guide the villages to their homes. But right now, most of the houses are left vacant as the owners' children have all moved to U.K to work/live, so no one bothers to look after it. Such a pity.

I like the Tai Mo Shan, which is the tallest mountain in HK. Great breeze. Pity the sky was filled with smog from China of course, so we could not make out the views of the harbour and the distant areas.

We also visited the Bride's Pool (which is said to be very haunted because a bride fell and drowned inside on her rainy wedding day), had a great view of eagrets (the birds that resemble white cranes) at the Plover Cove Reservior (so much algae, yucks, but spot the Eagrets!), and Sam Mun Tsai Fishing Village in Taipo. (See below the below) I think she (old tour guide) said people live on these boats and cast nets for fishing.

After this, we three headed into Shenzhen from Shatin and then, to our horrow, we got booked by the MTR inspector for travelling first class on the train, but not upgrading our MTR cards. He kept pointing to the HKD$500 fine. Well, my defence was that I thought I had to tap after we alighted, just like how airport express works, and it was our first time stepping into first class. In the end, we were let off with a warning letter for our ignorance.

At Queen's Spa, the legendary place to go for massage in Shenzhen, we relaxed. I think dad liked his pedicure & Chinese style body masssage. Below is a picture of his foot, and he managed to fall asleep while he was being cleaned up. Mom did a body scrub & massage.

The last day was pretty simple, had lunch with Shaune at Tsui Hang Chun and boy, I think we ate a lot. BBQ meats + Dim Sum + Dessert. After a quick walk around Causeway Bay, I dropped parents off at the airport before heading to Stats class. I think I missed their presence so much, that I could not stop tearing on the airport express back.

In the end, their flight got delayed by 2 hours (can't imagine as they were on SQ, but parents finally got back home safe and sound. :)