clubhouse

Our new building is actually part of a development of about 20 towers that share a name. We also share two clubhouses--with gyms, restaurants, pools, and the like. We haven't really made use of them much (yet!). But we went in to sort out some paperwork and I got my photo snapped in the chair in the lobby. It's like a huge red velvet flower made into a chair. "What for?" you ask. Who knows. But it's pretty cool looking. Or so I think. Do you?

wild weather

You know you live in a country with bizarre weather when you see this. What is it, you ask?


Well, first let me say that the weather here is very changeable. Rainy season is just beginning and the rain can come quickly and with fury. In fact, rain is categorised to tell you just how severe it is going to be. "Amber rain" means 30 mm or more could fall in an hour. "Red rain" means 50 mm or more in an hour, and "Black rain" means 70 mm or more. Since I arrived, we have had two incidents of Amber rain. I stepped out of the flat to go to the bus one morning, and though I was wearing a long jacket and carrying an umbrella, I was soaked to the skin in seconds. I held the umbrella touching the top of my head, and by the time I got on the bus, only my face was dry. The rain pelted down, making my shoes into swimming pools for ants. I looked as though I had stood in the bath under a power shower, fully clothed.

When I got to school that day (and changed my shoes, thankfully), one of my colleagues remarked that in the case of Amber rain, kindergarten students are not required to go to school. She told me to watch the news, because if we ever have Black rain indicated, school would be shut. I can imagine that it would be insane to go outside during Black rain. In fact, at this point, I can't even visualise how heavy Red and Black rain must be. The Amber rain I have experienced was intense enough.

The photo above was taken by my parents, who have also experienced Amber rain. It shows a vending machine for umbrellas! Though if you find yourself already caught in any of these coloured rains, I doubt that an umbrella will make much difference by the time you get your money out of your pocket.

visit to the Peak

Ant and I took Mum and Dad to visit the Peak today. We also met up with Matt, Bree and Jo Beth there. We had a nice lunch at one of the restaurants overlooking the city. The views were really great even though there was a bit of a humid haze over the city.

Matt and Bree left with Jo Beth to go do some shopping and we headed out on a walk around the Peak Circle Walk. We looked out over the lush south of the island and the city on the north side. It took us about an hour and a half to walk around, stopping frequently to take pictures and marvel at the scenery. (Mum, Dad, and I all brought our cameras.) It was hot and we didn't go very fast.


I can see why the Peak is a definite must-do for all visitors to Hong Kong. I am looking forward to being there on a more clear day and also riding up on the tram next time.

football match

Ant got some free tickets for the Hong Kong Football Association Cup semi finals last weekend. We went with Mum to the Hong Kong Stadium. It was quite empty when we arrived, but as the first game progressed, more and more fans arrived. I brought my camera with me (the first time out of the house with it) and Ant managed to get some great action shots.


The games were both quite interesting, with three goals in each and lots of action from end to end. We were in an executive box in the upper level of the stands, so we had a great view. (The food was still the same limited choice, though!)


I had to take along my marking, and Mum totaled the tests after I marked them. I managed to get through several hours of my most hated task this way. It was so nice to be outside enjoying something different.

quiet Saturday

After a long week it was a relief to not do too much today. In fact, looking out over the balcony was as close as we got to actually going outside for much of the day. Ant and Mum and I pottered around the house--I started some files of all our recent paperwork and Ant called (over and over) about our TV installation today. In the end the TV and some cable were hooked up and Ant is much happier.


Matt and Bree came over in the early afternoon and we sat around chatting and eating. It is sad that Bree is leaving soon--but we understand since she is keen to get home to her family before Baby J is born. (Funny aside: We now have the same couch in our flat that Matt and Bree have in theirs; it is a very comfy sofa bed.)

race course

My colleagues and I went out to watch the races at Happy Valley on a Wednesday night. It only costs $10 (less than £1) to get into the stands area. I had some cheap and cheerful beef noodle soup, and we ordered a jug of beer and a jug of wine while we watched the races. The horses ran right in front of where we were standing and their hooves threw up grass and dirt as the roared past.


As you might expect in a group of maths teachers, we were keenly reading the newspaper and investigating the odds, the form of the jockeys, and the stats of the horses. I placed three $20 bets and won a little back each time. In the end I was up by $12.50... but of course that doesn't take into account the taxis, entrance fee, the soup and the drinks! But it was a really good night of entertainment and chatting with my colleagues.

new classroom

Above is the view from my classroom window! My classroom is on the first floor and the valley stretches out behind the school. This view is on the less inhabited side of the school. I love that although Hong Kong is a very built up area, there are still parts with trees, and all the greenery is very lush, thanks to the huge amounts of rain and sun.


I spent two days last week at work, meeting my new head of department and tidying up my classroom. I did some organising and labelling and planned some introductory lessons for my students.

So far this week of meeting my students and colleagues has been going well.

Things I like about my new school:
My colleagues from lots of places and backgrounds.
Free tea and coffee in the staffroom means people spend time there.
The maths department is NOT housed on the eighth floor--thank goodness.
The school is really safe and the students are comfortable--I have not seen any bullying.
I have been issued with a Macbook and a Wacom tablet!


I am surprised by:
The students can be a bit messy and careless--I hope they are not spoiled.
I rarely see the Principal around the school.
My lunch duty is only ten of the forty minutes for lunch.
My Octopus card pays for my train or bus fare, lunch at work, and takes out library books (and who knows what else).
A lot of the stairwells are open to the outside, so they can be very wet when it's raining.
There's a florist who sells things outside the staffroom on Tuesday mornings.

sight-seeing and walking

I have been spending the last few days getting ready for work on Monday and walking around Hong Kong. I spent two mornings at school, organising mostly. And I've been meeting up with Bree and Ant and Matt for coffee or meals. The building with the triangles (above) is the Bank of China, which I've mentioned before as one way I check where I am in the city.

I have been meeting Bree near her work--in this little fountain area in Hong Kong park. I find that Hong Kong central area has a surprising number of parks and they all include fountains. The trees here are very lush because of how rainy it is.


While walking yesterday I found a Catholic cathedral in the central area--quite a strange departure from most of the architecture around it. I went in and sat for a few minutes and listened to someone practising the organ.


Lastly, I am impressed with how frequently I can find a public toilet when I want to. I was shocked to see this inside one ladies in an office/shopping building: Romans 5:8 on the wall! I think the English words look cool, which may be why it was pasted up there.

welcome to Hong Kong!

I was very sad to leave London on Sunday evening. But so excited to get to Hong Kong and see Ant and start our new adventure.

My Upper Class experience was quite wonderful! The massages in the Virgin lounge were fully booked, but I still managed to greatly enjoy the hotel-like check-in, the private security channel, and the free food and newspapers. I ate a bit, then sat in a suspended egg chair in the lounge until called for my flight.


The service on the plane was great as well, but it is hard to ignore the fact that it is still an airplane. The food was really good. The Upper Class passengers sit in little cubbies; I liked being tucked into my seat with small walls on each side.


I had an ottoman in front of me (with a seat belt so someone could visit me if I was not alone!) and underneath there was a little spot to stash my shoes, complete with red mood lighting.


I got changed into my Virgin pyjamas and then the stewardess changed my seat into a bed and I had a great sleep for about six hours. So I arrived quite well rested and happy. Ant was glad to see me and helped me get all my luggage home to the little apartment we are staying in.

On Tuesday we did some walking around (and Ant got a haircut), then we went over to Discovery Bay to see Matt and Bree. Matt had cooked a really nice meal and we also met two of their friends. We played a board game and chatted. Bree seemed very happy that in the Philippines this weekend she got to buy some maternity clothes she can wear to work. Matt was happy that he got to go diving in the Philippines--I think it is his new hobby.

We had dinner at the Discovery Bay plaza, and then Ant and I took the ferry back to HK Island to our place. Before bed, I checked on the addresses of the places I needed to go today, writing them down so I could ask the receptionist to write them in Chinese for the taxi drivers.

Ant and I went to the HK ID centre together and Ant picked up his ID card and I applied for mine. Then we took the train to his work and I got to see the building--which was the most expensive building in HK when it was built in 1985.

Just outside the building is Statue Square--here is the statue: Thomas Jackson, a former chairman of HSBC! The square has some lovely fountains as well.


This building, the Bank of China, which Ant calls the Skeleton, is near his work. It's very tall and distinctive so he has been using it as a guide to finding his way around.


I made it round to the other two places I needed to go and I think I have satisfied all the red tape I can for now. I still need to pay some fees, but other than that I think I will be ready to start work on Monday--praise God! I was dreading all the hassle, but I think lots of planning ahead has made it go smoothly. There is still time for the agencies to question my teacher registration application, so I am waiting with baited breath--for 15 to 25 days.


I had lunch in and walked through Hong Kong park on my way back home. I really love this plant with green and purple leaves. I saw something like it in the Flower Market when we visited Hong Kong last August.


The park is surrounded by skyscrapers on every side--here are the funny looking Lippo buildings.


Everything in Hong Kong is up or down a big hill. Leaving the park I was faced with this set of stairs up to our road. All day I have been walking up and down. I am one of those over enthusiastic people who also walks up and down the stairs instead of the escalators at stations--and now my legs are so sore. I don't plan to stop being enthusiastic, so I think I will soon have very strong (and still sore) legs.

a series of "lasts"

We are soon moving on from London and the last few weeks look to be quite emotional. We are both very excited to be moving, but saying goodbye is proving to be difficult. Last weekend I went into Canary Wharf for Ant's leaving drinks at work. I know a few of his colleagues quite well and I enjoyed chatting with all of them.


The wharf area is beautiful in the evenings. Even though these shots are from my mobile phone camera, I hope you can still see how pretty it was. We will see lots more cityscapes, though, when we are in Hong Kong.

Ant left last night and this has left me feeling a bit bereft. He has arrived safely and is being looked after by Matt and Bree as I write this. Thanks, guys!


This is the view from the railway platform yesterday morning on my way to work. It's funny how everything seems more poignant when I am looking at it thinking soon I will not be there to see the everyday life in our area.

party with friends

Ant and I hosted a little house party this weekend. We had such a great time visiting with all our friends. We had an open house from 3 pm to midnight, and loads of people came over! Above are Mandy and Thom--Mandy is a colleague of mine.

Below are Pari and Geary, friends from church. Geary's wife Helen snapped a lot of these photos while I was busy pouring drinks and trying to find seats for everyone!


Ant and Craig provided so much help and support. They both were my sous chefs. Craig made some delicious cheese balls--I hope to write about them over on my food blog soon.



Classic Ant move: part way through the evening he asked casually, "So where are the muffins?" This set me mixing while he chopped chocolate and we made these crystallised ginger and dark chocolate muffins.


Ant's colleague and best friend at work, Viviana, came with her husband Victor.


My colleagues Rachel and Amira had a good natter, and I got to meet Amira's boyfriend Jess.


Fellow Canadians Joe (a physics teacher) and Laurie came by (they are our Settlers buddies).


Georgeta, my Romanian friend, came over and was enjoying meeting some new people.


At the end of the night, we left all the empty glasses (but saved the extra food!) and sorted them out in the morning. What a great time we had with all our friends. We had loads more people than we anticipated and we also learned that our little living room holds more friends than we thought.

half term

My half term break last week was a much needed rest. I met up with some friends, visited some galleries, and ate in some cafes. Basically my usual favourite things to do!

I met up with Ellie for lunch in Pimlico and we had a lovely leisurely chat over sandwiches and soup. It's so nice to get to know someone new from our church. She was able to take a long lunch--what a luxury. In the afternoon, after a long walk through Victoria, I visited Ottolenghi, a restaurant I have been craving since I heard about it from food blogger friends. I spent a long time looking at all the delicious food in the window (pictured above) and on display inside. I ordered a caramel and macadamia nut cheesecake with a mug of Earl Grey tea. I ate so slowly, drawing out every lovely bite while I watched other customers ordering delicious food and pastries.


On another day I visited in Whitehall with Pari and we ate lunch at a bustling Italian cafe, of the sort that is so common in central London. The staff were so efficient they were brusque, and the food was fast and in big portions. There were plenty of office workers such as Pari having lunch there and also a good collection of tourists. After our meal I returned Pari to her work and then I visited the National Portrait Gallery nearby.

Naomi came into London for a lunch date and we had a delicious salad and soup (soup is always my favourite lunch choice!) and then headed over to Paul for tea. It's such a nice little French bakery and cafe. We sat upstairs where I could look down on the busy counter and smell the bread baking.


Naomi and I headed over to the V&A after tea and started to wander through the galleries. There is so much there that every time I go I just choose a floor and see something new and interesting. Take, for instance, this hanging display of flattened brass instruments.


Here is an inventive tea pot we saw at the V&A.



My last lunch of the week was spent with Helen near her work and we had a tapas meal at a little spot near her offices. So many new things to try and we were both so pleased with the plates we shared. After lunch she took me to her work and I got a little tour of the mixing rooms, the editing suites, and met some of her colleagues.


What a great half term. It was relaxing and enjoyable. I also did some marking (as always) and some work around the house, so it was a good mixture of rest and chores.

church friends

Last Sunday, Jennifer was visiting from Wales and so we had a few people over for lunch to enjoy some time with her. I was busy making lunch for the first part of the afternoon, and sadly I didn't get the camera out early enough to snap any photos of Jennifer. Bu we all really enjoyed seeing her and also spending some time together. We also got a chance to Skype with Matt and Bree in Hong Kong--what a nice treat. Armond was keeping Timothy amused (above) and Ben and Jermaine had a good chat (below).


Christopher was a fast learner when I asked him to say "cheese".


Ben and Claude (below) now live quite close to us and so I hope we get to see them more.


And Judith (below) is now my neighbour as well, so we pop over to her whenever we need a different screwdriver or dishwasher tablets! I think one thing we love about our area is that it is starting to feel more like a community. We all live quite close together.