Big Buddha

As I bounced around the mountains in the bus, I just kept wondering what this Big Buddha that everyone was talking about would be like.  Everyone said, "Have you been to Lantau Island?  Have you seen the big Buddah?"  Well now I have.  It is pretty Big I have to say.  It is quite impressive but the one bummer is the crowd.  The place feels very mysterious and awe- inspiring, but after hearing five million camera clicks you kind of lose the feel of the place.

More photos to come... its been a busy week!

in search of Buddha

On my last weekend in Hong Kong, I trucked it to the other side of the city to have breakfast with a friend of mine that was passing through on his way to Australia.  After an hour and a half commute on the bus/metro, I found my friend and we enjoyed some delicious Dim Sum, noodles and the type of great conversation that you can only have with someone that you know very well.  After three weeks in HK it was really nice to meet up with a friend from home.  After breakfast, though, we parted ways, he off to Oz and me to explore a new side of the city!  The airport is on the far west side of Hong Kong, so I decided to go see the number one tourist attraction in HK, Big Buddha...

germs

What the heck are they doing wearing those surgical masks?  Do they think I am gross, that they are going to catch something from me?  Do I smell bad?  Do they have an ugly nose that they are trying to hide?  I had often wondered these things when I saw Asians abroad.  Never, would I ever, put on one of those silly masks in public.  Not exactly the coolest accessory.  But now, after going to Hong Kong, I have learned that Asians (Chinese) are just being really considerate when they put on the mask.  They wear these when they are sick (not the other way around)!  After the SARS and avian bird flu epidemics, Hong Kong is really conscious about not spreading diseases.  Along with the masks, many public places are sterilized every hour (elevators, escalators, hand rails).  Thanks Asia for not spreading your germs!

weird stuff

Sooo much crazy stuff in Asia!  These little medicinal shops are all over Hong Kong.  The stores are lined floor to ceiling with jars and glass boxes full of I don't even know what!  There is ginger, ginseng, nuts and mushrooms of all shapes and sizes, rosehips and jasmin for tea, and then there are the weirder things... little black sea cucumbers (or petrified penises)? and what is the obsession with reindeer antlers??

Have I been missing out on something wonderful my whole life?  Some tea that will cure my aches and pains?  An infusion of something that will make me live till I'm 200?  The ingredients for a love potion?  Somebody has got to tell me what all this stuff is for!

what are your plans for the weekend?

I am really looking forward to weekend pancakes!!!  It's not too bad to return from Hong Kong, work one day and then have the weekend.  Life is feeling pretty sweet...

Does anyone have any fun pancake recipes to try?  My ultimate favorite are buckwheat.

Sai Kung Fish Market

Fish, fish and more fish!  Sai Kung, a thriving village outside of the main city center of Hong Kong, has the most spectacular fish market.  Along the main boardwalk, men tie up their boats and display their fresh sea creatures to the salivating audience passing by.  Besides the normal grouper, crab, and oysters, you can find conch, starfish, giant squid, goldfish, and other mysterious marine life.  Between the colorful displays, shiny white rubber boots (I wanna get me some of these!), and mad marketeering, this place is a must see on a Sunday afternoon.

Hiking Hong Kong Finale

And then... the jungle parted and the surf was before us!  Just mere miles from the city is this almost completely secluded beach.  We enjoyed the crash of the waves against the shore, we bit back our frustration at not having boards (and 5m with hoodies, its cold!) with us, and we shared some Chinese "drink."  My friend brought this back with him from mainland China, it has not yet been approved by the Hong Kong health boards.  This drink is supposed to "calm your inner fire" when eating Hot Pot.  I don't know about the calming the fire bit, but its rooty flavor was interesting.  

After exploring a few beaches, we made our way up up up, back to the bus stop.  It was an amazing hike, thank you friend for showing me this beautiful side of Hong Kong!

a little bit of SCIENCE on Saturday

While traveling around the world for research and conferences and workshops is pretty cool, the life of a scientist is not glamorous.  Do you hate that you work in a cubicle?  At least you got a desk!  Most scientists are lucky to get their own desk space.  

Take for instance the work area here in Hong Kong.  On the left, above, is the desk space for nine people.  Hopefully the person sitting behind you isn't too fat or you will be crammed against your desk, flat as a pancake!  On the right, above, is the actual lab space.  On this one bench, someone might be growing bacteria, next to someone else who is making some acid, next to someone that has just walked in the door (on the way to their "desk") with a cup of coffee.  In science, space is money and everyone fights for their own little piece.

Devotion

Before I finish up posting about the glorious hike, I just had to share this very foreign tid-bit of university life here in Hong Kong.  The undergrad students go INSANE for extracurriculars.  Every morning when I walk into campus I am bombarded by asian kids trying to get me to join their club (guys, come on, at 8am all I want is a coffee).  They wear matching outfits and do choreographed chants and make really impressive booths and banners.  When I leave campus at night they have head to head chanting battles (seriously, think Chinese version of Step it Up) and then sit together in a circle and eat noodles.  It is pretty cute really.

Check out the video here

Hiking Hong Kong part II

As we headed down the mountain, we watched the little pin-prick hiker figures making their way to the highest peak....  we opted for the sea over the clouds.