Saturday Morning reflections

While you are sleeping, we are getting started on a new day. ( Saturday )
Darrell and Rob have some business this morning so Jen and I are on our own!!
First i use SKYPE and call my kids and sister.
Feels good to touch base with home, even though life goes on and is not always happy.

I think we will do a bit of shopping today. That is one of two things that we usually hear connected with Hong Kong. Food and shopping.
We don't have to go far. Jen's apartment is part of a large complex of apartments, restaurants and businesses. You would not have to leave Avon Mall. ( that is her address). They have a laundry, massage, hardware, grocery, 7 Eleven, cafes, child care, 10$ store ( like our $1.store), sporting goods, enough???
But should we want more we will take the train.

You buy an MTR card. It is like a plastic credit card, and you load it with $$$. Then when you get to the station ( about a 10 minute walk for us ) you just swipe this card across the monitor and your entry is recorded. When you get to your destination, you swipe your card again, and the fee is deducted and the remaining $$ shows up on the monitor. WOW. And you can keep the card in your wallet or purse and if it is close enough to the surface, it will register without taking it out of your purse!
At the stations you are offered pamphlets, in Chinese, usually about houses to buy. Then there are the stores, McDonald's, bakery, etc, etc. etc.
Inside all trains there are T.V.'s The people in Hong value information. Even at the restaurants, they have T.V.'s. Ads tell you something worth knowing - if you know Chinese.
There is one car that is called the quiet car - no sound on the TV. In the rush time, which is mornings, afternoons and evenings, you have to be ready to move very close to the other passengers. It is like a cattle car, full, but you get on anyway.

Not sure where we will go today, but just being here is an adventure.

I am impressed with the behavior of the young people. They respect their elders. And I am impressed with couples that are on the train - maybe holding hands, but never smooching! Never embarrassing behavior.


Last night we were traveling in a van, coming home from Bible study, then dinner, it is now midnight. There is so much traffic. Lights and activity. But very seldom a horn. The rule is, if there is room for my car to merge in front of you, then you make room. It seems to work.
I have to admit, when you are on the upper deck of a bus and you are whizzing in and out of cars and buses, you just have to remember, there were no dents on this bus when you got on, so just trust the driver.

more reflections later, time to you know what...