Painting no. 4

Flag down is up again

I jump in and out of HK cabs with such frequency, you'd think I was actually going somewhere important. Most times I'm on my way to someplace I can walk to in 20 minutes. But I'm lazy so I take a cab and pay the minimum "flag down" rate.

When I moved here that rate was HK$15. At just slightly more than US$2 (the price of a bus ride in Manhattan), I can get driven around in a cab. A few months ago, when the price of oil was more than US$150 a barrel, they raised the base rate to HK$16. I thought nothing of it except for the hassle of extra coins I needed to accept as change.

Now it's HK$18, a 20% increase in 2 years. It's still cheap compared to Singapore, but not cheap enough so that I can hail a cab mindlessly anytime I please.

36 hours in Hong Kong (from someone who lives here)

Here's my attempt at cramming the best of Hong Kong in 3 meals.

Dinner at Hu Tong, drinks at Aqua (both at One Peking Road)

On a clear evening, the view of Hong Kong harbor from the 28th floor of One Peking Road is nothing else but breathtaking. I think Hu Tong captures everything Hong Kong is about in 3,000 square feet. It is frightfully expensive, but everything is beautiful, almost delicate. I would trade my mother for a serving of their crispy lamb (this is just a figure of speech, Mom). Before or after dinner swing by Aqua, with the same fantastic view. Order a lychee martini and enjoy the warm cashew nuts.

Ferry ride from Hong Kong Island to TST (during daytime and night time)

One of the corniest, but one of the funnest things you can do in Hong Kong. I guarantee that the 8 minute ferry ride is the best thing you can buy for HK$2.2 (US$0.30, PhP13).

Shopping at the markets in TST, computer center in Wan Chai, mazes of Causeway Bay, antiques and art at Hollywood Road

Not to sound trite, but Hong Kong is known for its shopping for a reason. I am personally not a shopper, but you don't have to be one to realize that shopping here is world class.

Dimsum at Victoria Sea Food at Citic Tower

I've eaten *a lot* of dimsum since I moved here, and I think the best dimsum is at Maxim's at City Hall. That said, that place is a mad house and you can spend a solid 90 minutes waiting for a table. If you're short on time, I recommend Vitoria Sea Food in Admiralty. Where the view is great and you can make reservations. When in season, order the crab roe dumpling. It will shave about 5 minutes from your life, but it is *so* worth it.

Dinner at Peking Garden or Yung Kee in Central, drinks at Sevva

No trip to China is complete without Peking duck, and Peking Garden does a great duck. If you're more of a goose man, then Yung Kee it is with it's wide menu of Cantonese food. You can't lose either way. But both places *require* reservations.

After dinner I suggest drink(s) at Sevva, at the roof deck of the Prince's building. With house cocktails at US$15 a pop, be prepared to spend or have only one drink.

But the view. My goodness, the view.

Guilty pleasures

GR. from the Hague just confessed to reading all four Twighlight books.

Aside: For those of you who don't know what the Twighlight series is about (which until last weekend was a subset that included me), the series is about a teen aged vampires. Sort of like Buffy, but with a serious edge (well, at least that's what the author wants you to think). If you don't know who Buffy the Vampire Slayer is, well, I can't help you anymore.

Now since we're in a confessional mood; forgive me Father for I have sinned -- I have read five books by Sophie Kinsella. Three from the Shop-oholic series and two other novels.

Sophie Kinsella writes what most people now call "chic-lit". I'm not too keen on this term, since it is used to describe any form of writing that appeals to women -- even the well-written kind. Kinsella writes what I consider as "true" chic-lit (i.e., pure drivel). Pure drivel I enjoy immensely.

All the Kinsella books I have read follow the same formula -- an unfocused almost scatterbrained woman going through life and winning out in the end. The writing is at best one dimensional (i.e. shallow) and rehearsed (i.e. non-imaginative).

But they are so, so funny.

And so, I buy these books, read them at home, under the covers, so no one can hear me giggle.

A very Hong Kong weekend

Over the weekend I did two "very Hong Kong" things: I went to the Wan Chai computer center for the first time and I got my first foot massage (ever) from an old Chinese lady.

Wan Chai Surprise

I've been hearing about the Wan Chai computer center since I moved here a couple of years ago. I shied away since I thought the place would be well, to put it frankly, a bit dodgy. I had a mental picture of small cramped shops in a dilapidated building, with pushy salespeople practically intimidating you to buy the most expensive laptop in their shop. I also thought it would be a "locals only, please" kind of place. Where people didn't speak English just to exclude you.

So with this terrifying mental picture I dragged C. to Wan Chai. I figured I could use both the moral support and the Cantonese speaker.

It's funny now, but I can't even remember where I got the idea that the Wan Chai computer center was dodgy. The building is by no means dilapidated; and while the shops are side by side, it is not anymore crowded than say the old Vira Mall (but with better shops). The salespersons are friendly but not pushy. Everyone speaks (or attempts to speak) English. And when you tell them you're just browsing and just want to have a look around, they smile and do a "Price is Right" model gesture, showing off their wares.


Big Bucket Foot Massage

Saturday morning I got a call from J., one of my FFF (favorite Firm friends), who I thought was still on holiday somewhere in South East Asia (Laos, Cambodia, who knows?).

Out of breath, J. tells me he needs a hug (and a foot massage). He just spent a nightmarish 16 hours in the Bangkok airport. Thank goodness his dad sent over a plane to pick him up from a private airstrip outside Kanchanaburi.

"Yes, of course. Thank goodness", I say.

The way he said his "dad sent over a plane" to pick him up from state-of-emergency Bangkok was the same way I'd say my dad picked me up from swimming lessons. I'm sure some people after hearing such news would "play it cool" and not ask how one's father can arrange for a plane to whisk his son out of a private airstrip in rural Thailand.

I am not one of those people.

So later that day over tea and finger sandwiches, J., gives me a blow by blow narration of his holiday from hell. (This post is about the foot massage and I am getting there.) We capped off the lovely afternoon (fantastic weather in HK now) with a foot massage in Causeway Bay.

The foot massage was as expected, painful. Painful but in a good, stress relieving way. To start things off, you're made to soak your feet in this large wooden bucket filled with peppermint leaves (ooh, relaxing) and scalding water (ooh, second degree burns).

With the smallest and nimblest of hands your masseuse, will then methodically beat your feet to numbness and smile sweetly as you mouth the words, "Please God, make it stop".

Exactly sixty-five minutes later we step out into the chilly street and I feel great; my step lighter than before (probably because of the damaged nerve endings, but what the hey).

Self-promotion

I've updated my Flirckr account and uploaded some photos from the China/Japan trip last month.  Click on the "Gallery" tab on the upper right corner to get there.

Laptop as umbrella

I've decided it's time to upgrage my old but sturdy personal laptop.  Like any other responsible shopper, I've been comparing specs and prices; asking friends about their experiences with their own laptops.

Like the time I shopped for a new laptop for work,  all of my friends who use Macs lobbied for one. They all purred and made ooh and aah sounds when describing the whole Apple experience to me.  And while I truly believe them when they say that Mac's are better machines (in the same way I believe people who say they've been cured by the healing power of crystals) none of them could sufficiently explain why I should spend 2.3x more to buy one.

Yes, ladies and gents.  An Apple of certain specs is more than twice as much as an IBM of the same specs.   At least in HK, that is.  

To me a laptop is like an umbrella.  It serves no other purpose other than a utilitarian one.  I don't name my laptops.  I don't have personal relationships with them.  I don't get any pleasure from feeling I am a part of an elite group of knowledgeable people who have "seen the light".  To me laptops are machines that allow me to go on-line, upload pictures, download music and send e-mail.

And if something that costs half as much can do the same job, then that's the one I want.   

More on books

I just finished reading Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. I thought it was an enjoyable read. Written in the "he said/she said" format, Nick and Norah narrate their respective versions of events that occur on one Saturday evening in lower Manhattan. Thanks for the recommendation, N!

My only problem with this book is that it is being marketed to the "Young Adult" crowd -- the typeset is large, there are drawings between the chapters. However, I think that's a mistake. The book should not be read by kids (i.e. 10-13 year olds), and that's the usual audience of the Young Adult demographic. The book should be read by older teens -- teens in high school, preferably those in senior year. You can't have a book about sex, drugs and alcohol in the hands of a 10 year old. It's just not right.

I think I'm not alone in thinking this. I think everyone knows that kids/teens usually read "one level up" than what they're supposed to be reading and to market this book to teens is to market this book to young teens. I think the themes are just way too advanced for that market.

Literary peer pressure

As a general rule, I don't read books that are considered "blockbusters". I don't read what most people do because I think "popular fiction" is generally lousy. For example, I have not read (nor have any intention to read) the Da Vinci Code. I have also not read a single Stephen King novel (although I have read one of his short stories). I stay away from all forms of science fiction and fantasy and every title on Oprah's list of "must-read" books. Yes, I am that kind of (boring) person.

I can recall only 2 books that I have read for the *sole* reason that they were popular and I didn't want to be left out of *all* conversation.



1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I read the first Harry Potter book in paperback, after the second one was out. By that time I figured it was not just passing fad. I thought it was a good read for a 12 year old.


2. Eat Pray Love. I grew so tired of hearing about this book, I felt I was nagged by the universe to read it. I thought it was very mediocre. I wouldn't say bad since the author got me reading until the end of the book, but it wasn't inspirational at all. The book is an account of the author's year long trip to Italy, India and Indonesia, how she slays her own demons and becomes a better person. At the end of the book I felt like telling the author, "That was ok. Have a nice life." I did not feel connected to her at all. How did it happen that so many people got hooked on this book?




Then there comes a book that has hype and *is* good. One example is The Time Traveler's Wife. As the title suggests, the book is based on the most incredible of premises -- but it's actually a very enjoyable read. It's a love story told from the perspective of a man and the woman, but in a non-linear fashion because the man is well, you guessed it, a time traveler.

If you haven't read this one, pick it up. It is worth your time.

Stories for all time

I was thinking of writing a Michiko Kakutani-esque review of my father's new book, but I resisted the temptation. Mostly because I can't write like Kakutani or my father, for that matter. I guess the writing gene skips generation. (Hope for P, yay!)

Here's a link to the Ateneo University Press' Book of the Month.

I went to Kyoto...

...and all I got was this really cute picture of me!

My favorite city in the world: Stockholm Osaka

In the summer of 2004, Chum and I went on what I call now as "The Vodka Tour". We went to all the places where good vodka is made. You know, Russia, Sweden and Finland. We went to other places too (like Estonia), but those places aren't known for their vodka.

During that trip, we spent 5 amazing days in Stockholm. According to the local people we spoke to during the trip, it was those 5 days in a year when the sun shines over Stockholm.

People were taking their boats out into the deep blue water. Beautiful people, all over 6 feet, blond and magazine cover attractive. Cafes were bustling. It felt like you were standing in the middle of a postcard or poster promoting tourism in eastern Europe. 360 degrees of picturesque scenery. Canals, old buildings, modern art, parks, trees, and again those beautiful people. Everything was so clean you could eat off the floors of subway stations.

And everyone, yes, everyone, spoke English.

(After 3 weeks in Russia, you can imagine how happy we were to get to Stockholm.)

From then on when people ask me what my favorite city is I would say Stockholm (and then proceed to gush).

But not anymore. Now it's Osaka.

Where no one speaks English, people are short and generally unattractive, and scenery is so-so.

Hmmm... (I'm trying to remember why it's my new favorite city)

Oh yes, the food. The glorious, glorious food.

And the people who are so polite, you want to hug them, but that would be rude.

And the railroad system that looks like the central nervous system --