Trip to Hong Kong

Hi hi! This post is long overdue. It originally started as a draft and has been sitting on the server for the past month because I haven't had the time to update it. As some of you know, I started my new job on October 1st. I work for the State as a hydrologist. (Oh, I love that title!) So far I have been working on creating GIS-maps. I also created a database that allows the user to search for data (e.g. area, land cover, etc) on specific watersheds.

I never thought I would feel this but I miss Hong Kong. Originally, I had the impression that HK was dirty (open markets commonly know as "gai see"), polluted (smog and smoke), and dangerous (pick-pockets and gangs). Well, all that but to a lesser extent. Besides, my parents made sure not to take me to the "BAD" places so I won't comment further on the subject.

Let's talk about the positives. Transportation is extremely convenient. Hop on the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) and you can tour the entire HK. Almost every MTR station is directly connected to a mall so you can go shopping in a Category 3 typhoon (because you don't even have to step outside!). All the malls are at least 5 stories high with the escalators strategically placed to enhance the architectural design of the building. I shopped so much that I bought something everyday, even on days that I didn't visit a gigantic mall!

I stayed at my parents condo near the airport. Looking outside the window, I could see planes taking off and landing. Many flight attendents and foreigners live in the complex as well. The complex has a fitness gym with basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, billards room, swimming pool (indoor and outdoor), kid's play room, and computer room. Everyday, I would swim in the gigantic outdoor pool for at least an hour. Gotta say tho, some people didn't look while swimming so I had a couple near-collisions.

A few days after I arrived, my parents and I left for Fukuoka, Japan. It was an awesome trip because the place was so peaceful (completely opposite of Tokyo). Fukuoka is a rural area where not many people understood English. As I looked outside the window on the tour bus, I saw rice patties and cute little villiage houses everywhere. Fukuoka is sort of like the village in the film "Totoro". We had breakfast and lunch buffet almost everyday. Unlike the sushi buffets in CA and HI, the Japanese buffets had fresh fish and delicious cooked food. Of course, I couldn't stay away from the HUGE tamagos. I remember we had a gigantic sushi boat for dinner one night and I had warm sake to go with it. Oooooooooooo, it was the first time I felt good even when I was 120% full :)

It is impossible to list all the places I visited. Maybe you can look at the pictures below and figure out yourself...ha ha :) Someday, I will put captions...someday.