Hong Kong Pride Parade Day 2020

At the most recent Pride Parade that was allowed to 

take place on the streets of Hong Kong

 

A message and sentiment that still resonates in 2020

 

Some color and whimsy are also pretty much always welcomed :)

 

For the second straight year, there will be no Pride Parade on the streets of Hong Kong.  Instead, 2019 saw a static pride rally in Central after the Hong Kong police banned the annual march over safety concerns (hmmm...) while 2020 has seen the pride parade go online after the Hong Kong police again refused to provide a letter of no objection for the event -- citing Wuhan coronavirus pandemic fears this time around.   

With things going the way they are doing in Hong Kong (with pretty much every planned march getting banned; the latest being what would have been a journalists' march to highlight the suppression of the media and issues such as the arrest of the Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) producer Bao Choy Yuk-ling), I'm thinking the odds are pretty low that there'll be a Pride Parade in 2021.  Too bad since the 2018 Pride Parade had been such a wonderfully joyous as well as rainbow colored affair which brought together gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transexuals, couples, singles, parents, children and so forth -- all united in calling for equality for all under the law.

 

More than incidentally, heterosexual people are welcome to participate in the Pride Parade.  Just as men can be feminists, heterosexuals can be allies and friends of LGBT folks, after all.  And while 2018 saw me participating for the first time in a Pride Parade in Hong Kong, it was not the first Pride Parade I took part in -- with my maiden participatory foray having taken place decades ago when I was living in Philadelphia.  

The reason for my deciding to go march came out of an incident in a classroom at the university that I was attending in Philadelphia.  It involved the professor being casually making disgustingly homophobic remarks of the kind that just would not have been accepted in the much more liberal liberal arts college that I was an undergraduate student at.  

 

Going from a college where I had so many lesbian, gay and bisexual friends that I sometimes joked about being moved to wonder who at the college was actually heterosexual to one which was noticeably more conservative, socially and politically, had been quite a shock to the system.  Even so, I honestly hadn't realized -- and thus was pretty shaken -- that homophobia was so tolerated, probably even condoned, in that particular place and institution of higher learning.  (And the fact that the homophobic professor was an anthropologist really did make things seem so much worse in my eyes!)

 

So caught off guard was I by the homophobic remark that I actually hadn't issued any protest in the classroom.  So when I heard of a Pride Parade taking place on campus a few weeks later, I figured taking part in it would be a good way to make amends for my silence in the classroom that day.  Thus it was that I came to take part in my first protest march ever -- but by no means my last; with Hong Kong being the part of the world where I've taken part in so many protest marches over the years.  

A reminder re why Hong Kong is such a city of protest: it has never been fully or really democratic.  In lieu of voting for what was always a rigged Legislative Council (which recent events have now made into a rubber stamp legislature), people have often sought to make the voices heard on the streets.  But while the authorities are doing their utmost to deny people even that, they have not succeeded in silencing us yet.  

 

Instead, people find alternative venues to voice their concerns and demands such as  Apple Daily ads, online (like with this year's Hong Kong Pride Parade participants) and even pop concerts like the Tat Ming Pair's last night!  As one of the chants I've heard at Pride Parades go:  "We are loud; we are proud; get used to it!" (And should it not be apparent: no, we are not dead yet!)

Two days with more protests but no violence

"Asia's world city" has featured quite a bit in the 

international news this summer...

I get the feeling many people around the world

are thinking that much of Hong Kong is out of order

Actually, though, many people and things are working 

much as usual amidst all the political turbulence!

Despite my hoping otherwise, Tuesday ended up being the fourth consecutive day beginning from last Saturday that saw the police firing tear gas at civilians.  Instead, I -- and the rest of Hong Kong -- had to wait until yesterday to enjoy a blessedly tear gas-less day; and this despite not one but three protest events having taken place over the course of the day.  

First up was a silent march by an estimated 3,000 strong group of lawyers and other legal professionals to demonstrate their discontent at the political persecution of anti-government protesters; their second pertaining to the extradition bill saga (with the first having taken place back on June 6th).  There also was a rally held at Hong Kong Baptist University in support of the student leader arrested on Tuesday night for being in possession of laser pens the police had deemed to be offensive weapons.

There also was a protest in Tsim Sha Tsui over that arrest which turned out to be a light show of sorts and overall good humored occasion -- one which an attendee Tweeted "was something we all needed: no tears, no blood, just laughter, song, and dance"!  The fact that it took place at the same time as the much vaunted -- but, to my mind, rather cheesy -- A Symphony of Lights that many visitors to Hong Kong think is a "must see" made it even funnier to my mind!

More than incidentally, that touristy light show is still being staged daily.  And, as one may gather upon realizing that, much of Hong Kong remains functioning and operational despite the protests and after the conclusion of the tumultuous day of strikes -- and, as it turned out, clashes in various parts of the territory -- that Monday turned out to be.  

All this not withstanding, some 20 countries have seen fit to issue travel advisories for Hong Kong: with Australia having done so yesterday; and the USA doing so today.  But even while the regular police over-reaction to the protests (which are now about more than just the extradition bill but still have its withdrawal as a key demand) -- along with their delayed or just not getting to the scene at other times -- have most definitely made Hong Kong a less peaceful and safe place than it usually is, I have to say that I still feel far safer in Hong Kong than every other part of the world I've lived in, including Philadelphia.

I've been told that the City of Brotherly Love is a safer place these days but when I lived in what many of us thought would be more accurately described as the City of Brotherly Shove, it had the highest car-jacking rate of any American city, it wasn't uncommon to hear gun shots at night and I regularly saw crack vials on the corners of streets that I walked on.  And while I managed to escape being mugged, a friend -- who was a former army officer and thus one of those guys who prided himself on being able to look after himself -- got mugged while walking back late one night to his apartment just a few blocks away from my abode!

Getting back to Hong Kong in the present: I understand if people -- especially those who have never been to this part of the world -- have concerns about visiting at this time.  But here's sharing that a Montreal-based British friend of mine was in town for a few days recently and, after once again having had a good time eating lots of dim sum (including on one occasion with me), going out to bars (including, again, on one occasion with me!) and doing things he enjoyed, told me he's hoping to return to visit again before too long. 

In addition, while the protests are still on-going, it's worth noting that many of them are peaceful.  For example, this evening saw a march to protest the extradition bill by Catholics that was followed by a prayer meeting.  And for those who still haven't realized it: yes, Hong Kong protesters are a diverse lot -- and often really aren't that scary! ;b  

Plenty of good beers to sample at Beertopia 2018!

Chilling at Beertopia early yesterday afternoon

Still standing and imbibing after several hours at the craft beer fest!

A far busier scene at the same event come evening!

It was sunny and hot when I got to the Central Harbourfront shortly after 12pm, the official start time of day 2 of this year's edition of the now annual Beertopia craft beer fest.  The crowd was on the thin side but I didn't mind -- and, to be honest, preferred it that way as I'm one of those people who actually likes to drink in quiet, mellow surroundings rather than feel a need for there to be a party atmosphere to get me in the mood! 

Upon walking around and surveying the scene, I was pleased too to note that three out of the four breweries whose offerings I was looking forward to imbibe had them on tap rather than just bottles or cans.  On a related note: while there appeared to be fewer beer booths about the place this year than last year, a greater percentage of them seemed to have draft beers on offer this year.  On a probably not unrelated note, I also liked a higher percentage of the beers I tried at Beertopia 2018 over the previous year's.    

I already was on my second 6 ounce glass (actually, plastic cup) of beer when two friends joined me for some beer imbibing of their own.  Soon after two other friends also came over for Beertopia, things got rather crazy after our party was gifted with more than HK$500 worth of extra beer coupons by an organizer pal!

By the time I decided to call it a day several hours later, I had enjoyed ales from: Shanghai's Boxing Cat Brewery, whose very reliable Contender XPA was what I chose to begin the imbibing with; Japan's Far Yeast Brewing Company, whose Tokyo IPA was deliciously crisp yet also smooth; Brooklyn Brewery, whose Defender IPA as well as Brooklyn East IPA are both very drinkable; Edinburgh Beer Factory, whose brown ale proved to be a pleasant surprise; and Belgium's Vedett, whose Extra Ordinary IPA actually lived up to its name!  I also tasted but didn't care for brews by Chicago's Goose Island Brewery, Lebanon's 961 Beer, Germany's Zoller Hof and Hong Kong-New Zealand collaboration Seven Brews.

With lots of coupons still to use up after all that, I ended up getting nine bottles of beer to take away and share with friends (except for the Samuel Smith Imperial Stout, which I plan to drink all by myself one cold winter's day!).  One added thrill of the day came from meeting Brooklyn Brewery's brewmaster, Garrett Oliver, and telling him that I began drinking his beers in the late 1990s in Philadelphia and was happy to find that they're now available in Hong Kong too!

And for those who wonder: no, I did not have a hangover this morning.  Yes, I did drink quite a bit of beer yesterday but I also made sure to drink a good amount of water throughout the day and make sure that I lined my stomach with food.  Also, it may come as a shock to some people but I actually tend to sip my beer -- as opposed to chug it -- so as to be better able to taste it.  In addition, I actually don't like getting drunk because, among other things, I really don't like feeling nauseous or that the whole world around me is spinning like mad afterwards! ;D

Positively reacting to snowy sights in Spain this past May!

Snow on the mountains visible from Madrid's Palacio Real!

 

 Lots of snow visible too on the Sierra Nevada range when viewed 

from atop the Alcazaba's main tower at Granada's Alhambra

 

Still more snow visible on the peaks of mountains -- 

this time from a viewpoint by Segovia's Roman Aqueduct 

 

Growing up, as I did, as a small child in a country situated very close to the Equator, the closest thing to snow that I saw or touched in real life was the frost in the freezer section of the refrigerator.  Little did I know then that there would come a time in my life when I would see snow so regularly and in such great quantities that I would get sick and tired of seeing that cold white stuff and decide that if I never ever saw snow again, that would be fine by me.   For as it turned out, I ended up spending four years attending college in a part of the US known to many as "the Siberia of America", where winter comes with the Halloween Ghost and leaves with the Easter Bunny!  

 

The first winter that I was in Wisconsin, I was happy and excited when the first snow fell.  But it kept on snowing and snowing and snowing for a number of months.  And long before spring finally came along, I not only got fed up of seeing so much the cold, white stuff on the ground and roofs of buildings and such but also being asked whether I was happy and/or excited at the sight of the snow.  (With regards to the latter: I took to responding in a world-weary tone: "No, because I'm an Eskimo"; which apparently was so convincing that it prompted many of the questioners to apologize for having mistaken me for, well, someone from warmer climes who wasn't used to seeing snow!)

After garduating from Beloit and moving to Philadelphia, I continued to see snow regularly each winter.  And while there was far less of it in that part of the country, the authorities seemed to be far less able to deal with it -- with the result that roads were often more hazardous in winter and the snow often didn't get cleared for days and, consequently, often turned gray with dirt or yellow as a result of many a dog in the neighborhood getting walked out to pee on it!

So it suited me perfectly fine that for some 11 years after I left Philadelphia, snow was confined once again to paintings and the silver or small screen.  But on a visit to Shirakawa-go in May 2014, I caught sight of white-capped mountains and one year later, found myself unexpectedly walking once again on the wet, white stuff on a visit to Norway in June 2015.  Since then, I also have had snow fall on me while on transit at Munich airport one January evening in 2016, got to gaze at a beautifully snow-topped Mount Fuji in the fall of that year and trudged through quite a bit of snow in Hikone this past January! 

 

In Spain this past May, I found myself viewing snow-capped mountains on a number of occasions, one of which happened to be the Old World's Sierra Nevada Mountains.  Rather than be alarmed or annoyed by those snowy sights, I found them to be pleasingly picturesque.  Consequently, I've now amended my "not ever wanting to see snow again" stance to one where I do think it rather pleasant to catch sight of the white stuff every once in a while, albeit from a distance, and without having to set foot on it and feel the icy cold temperatures that are required for it to stay for a time on the ground. ;b

Funassyi appreciation on its 1880th birthday

My favorite pear fairy dressed up The Tale of Genji's 

author, Murasaki Shikibu :b

 

Plushie family portrait featuring 60cm Funassyi,

50cm Funassyi and Sleeping Bag Funassyi :)

 

For a good chunk of my life, the 4th of July meant one thing to me: the Independence Day of the United States of America.  I'm not American but the USA really does loom large in the world -- thanks to its political might but also dominant pop culture (whose film industry has produced movies with titles such as Born on the Fourth of July along with Independence Day).  And as it so happened, I've been in the US on a number of Fourth of Julys, including one which saw me enjoying a fireworks display in Cortez, Colorado with a bunch of American workmates and friends, and a few that saw me taking in a street parade in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with other American friends.

 

After I ended up rather ironically leaving the USA to return to Asia on July 4th, 2003, the fourth of July came to have a different and more personal meaning for me that was somewhat bittersweet because I left the country where I had lived for more than a decade with less positive feelings about it than when I first set foot on its land for a future that wasn't completely clear.  With each passing year though, I have come to feel more and more thankful that I did take the not completely easy decision to return to my home continent; and this not least since I've ended up being able to live for the past eleven years in my favorite city on Earth!   

More recently, the fourth of July has come to possess a super positive association by way of it being the birth date of my favorite pear fairy, Funassyi of Funabashi!  Born in AD 138 (and consequently 1,880 years old today), the individual whose formal name is Funadius Yonsei (i.e.., Funadius the Fourth) came down from the pear fairy world to earth six years ago to try to lift up the spirits of people, particularly those who were feeling down as a result of the Tohoku Earthquake of March 11th, 2011.  

 

In the succeeding years, the Pear (as it's affectionately known by its English-speaking fans) has widened its activities and influence to an amazing degree: travelling all over Japan and abroad to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, Macau, Indonesia, the USA, Mexico, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Iceland and even Antarctica!  And while it's made a fortune as well as a name for itself, Funassyi also has continued generously donating to various charities and causes, including the Michinoku Future Fund, the Kumamoto earthquake relief and various local Funabashi charities (sometimes in the guise of Funa Santa!), with the sales proceeds of a number of Funassyi goods (including the Bunshin Funassyi doll, its annual calendars and this year's Funanomics 4 DVD) going to charity!

 

I may have first been attracted to the hyperactive pear fairy whose name has the word "fun" and "ass" in it because of its often very amusing antics but the more I see it in action and also just posing in pictures, the more adorable as well as kawaii I've found it to be.  Still, what really gets me smiling when I think of Funassyi and loving it so very much is that within the Pear core beats an immensely big, generous and warm heart.  So much so that this character actually inspires me to do good and better, and gets me wanting to wish it a happy birthday and many happy returns of its special day! :)

Safety and activity in Victoria Park after dark

Moon spotting from Victoria Park last night

 

A more close-up shot of the close-to-full moon

 

Closer to the ground sights at Victoria Park last night

I decided to go for an evening walk last night that took me through and around Hong Kong Island's largest urban park.  Soon after I moved to the Big Lychee close to 11 years ago, I discovered to my great surprise that Victoria Park's open 24 hours and that it really is perfectly safe to spend time in it late at night; something that I would never think could be the case in any public park in Philadelphia, the other big city where I have lived for more than a decade.  

 

Similarly, while I had spent many happy hours in various parks in London, the third large city where I've spent a not insubstantial amount of time, they were always during those parts of the day before the street lamps came on.  And this was decades ago, when the British capital was considerably safer than it is now; a point brought home to me by a friend visiting from England a few weeks ago mentioning -- as we were strolling through Victoria Park, as a matter of fact, albeit during the day! -- that London's murder rate thus far this year has been higher than New York's.

 

Glancing about at the scenes that unfolded around him as we approached the park's model boat pool area, my English friend was moved to express his amazement that no one around us, including the folks manouvering their remote-controlled boats at high speed around the pond and the many others happily watching their actions, seemed to have any concern about threats to their personal safety, be it from pickpockets or terrorists.  At moments like this, I realize how this kind of situation looks to be increasingly uncommon in the rest of the world -- and how lucky I am that it is the norm in Hong Kong.

 

When I told my English friend that I regularly walk about in Victoria Park (as well as the streets of Hong Kong) after dark, I think he was rather disbelieving; and this especially when I added that I have seen senior citizens out doing tai chi in the park at night as well as younger folks playing basketball and football.  And I wonder what he'd have made of such as the family I spotted out for a stroll last night (complete with a grandparent in a wheelchair), the woman working on her notebook computer on a park bench and the man enjoying singing Cantonese opera along with the voice coming out of his radio while getting a bit of light exercise who I passed by while strolling in the park last night!

 

Something I myself was somewhat surprised to come across on my stroll yesterday evening was what appeared to be a little craft market, complete with Canto-pop performing buskers, on one corner of the park.  Another unexpected sight last night came in the form of a noticeably bright as well as close-to-full moon in the sky -- and as you can see from the photos at the top of this blog post, I was moved to snap shots of it as well as stand there to appreciate its beauty. :)     

Hiking with two good friends in southwest Lantau on the third day of the lunar new year of the dog :)

Out on the hiking trail with couple of friends in Southwest Lantau

 

Not the edge of the world, though it sometimes looked like it! ;)

 

A veritable Chinese New Year flower bonanza this afternoon!

 

After resting for a day (during which I went and watched A Beautiful Moment at the cinema), I got back to hiking ways on the third day of the lunar new year of the dog.  And even though we're just into February, I already have an early candidate for hike of the year in the form of the one I went on earlier today!    

 

Ever since I came across Man Cheung Po and Lung Tsai Ng Yuen (along with a "flying dragon") back on February 12th, 2012 while going along Sections 5 and 6 of the Lantau Trail, I've wanted to go back there and spend more time there as those sections of Lantau Island really did seem to be very pleasant sections of Hong Kong.  And a little more than a year ago, I did return to that part of Hong Kong's largest island by way of the Keung Shan Country Trail that allowed me to avoid having to go up (and down) the many hills of Section 5 of the Lantau Trail.  

 

As it turned out though, I ended up not lingering in the area as much as I had wanted to because the conditions I encountered there were far more misty than I had hoped would be the case.  But thanks to that hike on the second day of Chinese New Year last year, I now knew of an easier way to get to that area: one that seemed very much following again -- as was the case this afternoon!

 

This time around, the weather gods were also cooperative: in that, while it rained a bit in places in Hong Kong in the morning, it was dry where my two friends and I ventured this afternoon, far from misty and even sunny at times, with bright blue skies peeking out from the clouds every once in a while.  And at various parts of our excursion, scenic, even downright spectacular views revealed themselves; with today's visual highlights for me including the spotting of clumps of pretty pink Chinese New Year flowers and a point during the hike when one looked out at a sea so similar in shade and color to the sky that it was hard to see where one ended and the already began!

 

At times even more enjoyable than the beautiful scenery around us, and as far as the eye could see, was the company of my two hiking buddies: one of whom used to be my regular hike companion until she returned to Canada a few years back and is currently back in Hong Kong to celebrate Chinese New Year; the other of whom is the erstwhile regular hiking buddy who coined the phrase "non-competitive hiking" to describe our preferred hiking style.  Here's the thing: I really like that we never obliged to hurry to make particular times and, instead, just walked along at a pace all three of us were comfortable with -- and did quite a bit of shooting the breeze while we were tramping along too!

 

Back when I was at secondary school in Penang, I used to regularly walk up and down the school field during recess while chatting with a friend (or was it vice versa?).  I also made it a habit while attending college at Beloit of spending quality time talking with friends while strolling up and down the campus.  And I have enjoyed my share of conversation-filled long walks with friends when I lived in Philadelphia too. 

 

In Hong Kong, I do quite a bit of chatting with friends over meals and in bars but I also still very much enjoy chatting with friends while doing a bit of walking, or hiking as the case may be.  And as it so happens, the conversations today contributed quite a bit to making this afternoon's hike as fun as it was -- and, to my mind, helped further cement the friendship between the theree of us who went out hiking in Southwest Lantau together today. :)

Snow in Japan!

Snow falling while I waited for my train to arrive at 

Hiroshima Station on the second day of my recent Japan trip

 

I found the snow to be really pelting down and 

settling on the ground the day that I went over to Hikone!

 

 Not a scene I expected nor wanted to see on a Japan visit!

 

For the first twelve years of my life, I only ever saw snow in picture books, on TV or in movies.  On a visit to England a few months after my thirteenth birthday though, I saw snow for the first time and was pretty ecstatic to have had this then exotic -- to me! -- experience.  

 

After I moved to England to attend boarding school though, snow became less of a thrill and more of a bother, especially after it melted and then re-formed into super slippery ice.  And the four years I spent at college in Wisconsin (aka the Siberia of America) definitely made me like the cold white stuff even less, with the subsequent years I spent in Philadelphia -- during which the city would regularly run out of salt for the roads in winter -- making it so that by the time I left the USA on July 4th, 2003, for far warmer climes, it would have been perfectly fine by me if I never ever saw snow again!

 

Since then, I've actually been pretty successful in avoiding seeing snow for the most part.  Indeed, it wasn't until 2015, on a May visit to Norway, that I came across -- and even tramped on -- the cold white stuff again!  And after a brief encounter with falling snow while on transit at Munich airport later that same year, I had not had more encounters with that which can be so pretty to look at but not all that great to be in until my trip to Japan last month!

 

I won't lie: the first time I saw snow falling in Japan (upon coming out from Hiroshima's Okonomimura. where I had just enjoyed a delicious lunch of Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki), I let fly an expletive -- and it wasn't because I was excited by the sight of the cold white stuff but, rather, because I actually was horrified by it!  But after I realized that the falling snow wasn't sticking onto the ground, I calmed down somewhat -- to the extent that the knowledge that snow was falling did not dissuade me from going ahead and journeying by shinkansen later that day to Osaka Funassyiland (and back later that evening) in order to get a 60cm Funassyi!

 

Over the next few days, as I saw more snow fall but almost never accumulate on the ground, I relaxed even more.  Indeed, I could be accused of having become rather blasé about the uncommonly snowy conditions that the Japanese media appeared super excited about; and this especially when the snow that I saw falling on my way to the Asashi Shuzo brewery up in the hills of Iwakuni prefecture also didn't seem to be sticking much at all to the ground.  Thus it was that I wasn't all that bothered when it began snowing once more my train journey from Hiroshima to Hikone, one that involved my switching trains at Shin-Osaka and moving from the Chugoku region over to the Kansai region.     

Some forty minutes after the second train of my journey passed Kyoto though, I began to see landscapes that were distinctly snowy in nature, with the snow getting thicker and thicker the closer I got to my destination that day.  By the time the train rolled into Hikone Station, I was thinking that some of the winter scenery I was passing could easily be mistaken for Siberia's rather than Japan's! 

I have to admit: there was a part of me that wanted to get on the next train out of Hikone soon after I arrived in that part of Shiga prefecture; and this especially it wasn't just snowing when I got there but pelting down pretty heavily!  But after reminding myself that I had experienced similar -- and even worse! -- conditions in Wisconsin, I not only kept to my plan of staying the night but decided to go out and walk around in the town since I was there for a bit before going and getting dinner (and at least one alcoholic drink!) in a nice, warm izakaya in the evening!

 

As I tramped about in the snow, I got to remembering how slippery the not completely cleared paths can get, how wet snow actually is, how few people are keen to be out walking about when it's snowing heavily, and how bleak but also beautiful it can turn landscapes into.  In addition, long before I completed my walk around Hikone town, I was thinking how happy I am that I no longer live in a part of a world where snow falls during winter but also how cool it actually was -- metaphorically that is, not just literally! -- that I was getting to see truly snowy conditions for the first time ever on a visit to Japan! :)   

Attire of choice at classical music concerts

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra and guest performers

at the end of their Ping Pong Diplomacy concert this past June

The same orchestra in their more regular and formal attire

at their New Year's Eve 2016 concert

This past Friday evening, I attended the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's season opener: a wonderful concert, featuring bravura performances of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, which was notable for some not only for superstar pianist Yuja Wang's piano playing but also the dress she chose to wear when doing so.   

There are some who found the turquoise number with a deep "V" both in front and back distracting.  For my part, once I got to realizing that what I initially thought was bare front (and back) was covered by skin-colored cloth -- and consequently ceased to wonder if an eye-catching wardrobe malfunction might occur mid performance! -- I actually wasn't too fazed by the pianist's choice of costume for the evening and could pretty much fully concentrate on her incredible performance: one with the requisite awesome power when that was called for but also sublime moments when she coaxed beautiful music out of her instrument when looking like she was merely tickling its keys.

While we're on the subject of concert attire: I attended this particular event -- whose audience also included the likes of Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Opera Hong Kong artistic director Warren Mok and Hong Kong Arts Festival executive director Tisa Ho -- wearing my summer top of choice: a round-necked t-shirt.  And khaki trousers and a pair of moccasins completed my comfortable get-up.   

Although my clothing didn't attract any stares or even second glances from the people present, this casual attire would make me unable to attend gala performances by the lesser Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra.  And for the record: the dress code for that Kuala Lumpur-based orchestra's concerts was even more restrictive when I lived in that Malaysian city some years ago; with the result that I decided to boycott all of its concerts, reasoning that it just didn't make sense for me to have to dress up (in a skirt to boot!) for them when I could -- and did -- attend performances by much more renowned and respected outfits like the Philadelphia Orchestra (when I lived in the City of Brotherly Shove) and London Symphony Orchestra (back when I lived in Britain) in casual clothing!

Shortly after I moved to Hong Kong (more than 10 years ago now!), I had the good fortune to interview Hong Kong Sinfonietta conductor cum music director Yip Wing Sie, during which she told me that she didn't care what her orchestra's audience wore to concerts so long as they paid attention to, and appreciated, the music it played.  And in a conversation with cellist Trey Lee, the musician took things one step further by advising that audience members should close their eyes for at least part of the concert to better focus on the sounds generated by the musicians.  (And yes, I remember his words and do close my eyes for at least a few seconds at every concert I've attended since!)

All in all, I think I figured that Hong Kong was my kind of classical music town when I attended my first Hong Kong Sinfonietta concert way back when and found not only Hong Kong Sinfonietta t-shirts being sold near the entrance to the concert hall but also quite a number of people in the audience wearing them.  In addition, at the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra's brilliantly entertaining Ping Pong Diplomacy concert a few months ago, every single member of the orchestra was attired in t-shirt and jeans -- and still managed to deliver outstanding performances!  Take that, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and your dress code! ;b 

The distinctive experience of eating at a nasi campur stall :)

What I had for lunch at my favorite nasi campur place in Penang...

...and what my German friend chose to have at the same place ;b

For two years of my life, I lived in Kuala Lumpur: to be precise, the section of the city outskirts known as Bukit Jalil.  Like another city I spent time in (this time, Philadelphia, over in the US), my best memories of the place often revolve around food; with probably my favorite eatery there being a nasi campur stall in neighboring Kinrara which had the largest "toppings" -- as well as plenty delicious! -- selection that I've seen at a any nasi campur place to date.

It may not have as wide a selection as the eatery in Kinrara but after moving back to Penang as an adult, I was introduced to another nasi campur joint in Tanjung Tokong that I absolutely must eat at whenever I'm back in town.  And on my most recent return to Penang last month, I introduced my German friend to what's definitely up there among my favorite places to eat in the food capital of Malaysia.   

Seeing things through her eyes, I got to realizing that the way things are done at a nasi campur place really can bemuse first timers.  First up is how unfamiliar and even exotic many of the food selections are for those new to all kinds of Malaysian food (which is many non-Malaysians, since Malaysian food isn't as easily found outside the country as, say, Chinese or Italian food is outside of their home territories).  Then there's the "free and easy" buffet style approach to selecting and getting one's food, which nonetheless begins with your getting a plate of rice from the person who also frequently figures out how much you have to pay and gets the money from you.

On this particular visit, however, the individual in question was too busy ladling out rice to also act as cashier.  So we were told to eat first before someone would come over to our table to calculate how much our bill would be -- and adding to my German friend's bemusement was the stall staff taking his sweet time to come over to our table so that we could settle the bill!

Looking at my German friend's selection, it was clear that she had focused on the vegetarian options.  Something that worried me a bit was that her selection (which included two types of pineapple options, a mango salad and a spicy dish whose main ingredient was morning glory), looked on the distinctly spicy side but she actually turned out to be much less fazed by the generous amounts of red chillies and shallots on her plate than I thought would be the case!

For my part, I went for an omnivorous selection that included a winged bean salad and a slice of curried pineapple (whose mere mention has caused me to salivate in a Pavlovian manner!) but also portions of fish roe, cow lung and other innards that I have to honestly say that I can't actually give a name to but can recognize, and know that I like eating!  And yes, as improbable as it sounds, I think all of these selections go well together -- and with the rice that is essential to this meal, as it's not for nought, after all, that nasi campur translates from Bahasa Malaysia to English as "rice mix"! ;b

Health is important, and exercise is good!

Totally agree with what's printed on the bag!

A man who believes in exercise, and probably also 

would second the sentiment that "health is important" 

Back when I was living in Philadelphia, I knew a woman who took pride in sleeping only three or four hours a night a la Margaret Thatcher.  After I learnt that she had suffered a nervous breakdown, I got to strongly suspecting that that lack of nightly sleep probably contributed to the weakening of her psychological state to such as an extent that she hallucinated that one of her employees was going to break into her apartment to try to kill her.

In a similar vein: when I read a couple of days ago that Donald Trump thinks that exercise is bad, and may even kill, I got to thinking that this might help explain his possessing what appears to be an unbalanced state of mind as well as pretty poor judgement and suspect intelligence.  And this all the more so since, unlike a couple of friends who claim to not exercise but at least actually regularly walk around a bit (at the very least), I think that the orange wigged one was actually serious in stating his negative views about exercise!

While I'd not say that I'm a fitness freak, I've pretty much always enjoyed playing sports from young.  Over the years, I've tried my hand at a variety of them (including badminton, tennis, squash, netball, handball, basketball, volleyball, field hockey, lacrosse and soccer).  And while I haven't played the majority of those sports in years, I've become quite the avid hiker since moving to Hong Kong and have also taken to going bicycling every once in a while too.  And then there's the fact of my going about on foot -- not just taking public transportation -- quite a bit here in the urban areas of Big Lychee too.

Every once in a while when out hiking, the friend(s) I'm with and I will spot some senior citizens along the trail.  A lot of them seem pretty fit, and also pretty happy; and the sight of them often cause my friend(s) and I to sigh and hope aloud that when we get to that age, we'd be as healthy as those inspiring individuals.

Similarly, almost every time that my mother is in town, we'll see some hale and hearty senior citizen strolling briskly about or out exercising in a park or such like, making use of the exercise equipment found in those public spaces, doing tai chi or something else altogether -- and feel inspired by those folks.  Those spry fellows may not hold high positions like that of President of the United States of America -- but I wouldn't be surprised if they're not only physically healthier but also quite a bit wiser than that office's present incumbent!

Sunset views from Kennedy Town's Western District Public Cargo Working Area

Guess what this is! ;b

 The sun setting over Lantau, as viewed from
the public wharf area at Kennedy Town, that's what!

The same scene a few minutes before 

the other pictures were taken :)

Many years ago, when I was living in Philadelphia, a housemate and I got to discussing a whole range of subjects late one night.  So earnest, and at times heated, was our conversation that as natural light began shining outside the house, we got to realizing that the sun had risen before we had decided to call it a night!

Among the reasons why that incident has stayed in my memory is that it's a rare occasion when I actually was awake at daybreak.  And even then, I actually didn't see the sunrise since I was indoors and not in a place where the horizon was visible.  Come to think of it, I can't remember a single instance of my having seen the sunrise; that's how little of an early bird I am inclined to be!

In contrast, I have a number of fond memories of witnessing awesome sunsets.  Perhaps the earliest one that I can pretty vividly recall after all these years -- but which I can't share as I only have non-digital photos of, since it occured so long ago -- was viewed from the beach of the resort where my family stayed on a Langkawi vacation trip.  In my mind's eye, it was as stunning as the gorgeous sunsets I got to see while visiting the southwestern Japanese city of Matsue last May, with the sun painting the scene bright orange like I've seen it do at Tai Mei Tuk, Sam Mun Tsai, and on a ferry ride during golden hour here in Hong Kong.    

On that particular ferry ride, as our vessel entered Victoria Harbour, I caught sight of a surprisingly large crowd at what I now know is the Sai Wan Swimming Shed and even larger mob of photographers positioned at one tip of the Western District Public Cargo Working Area.  There and then, I mentally marked down those sites as places I should go check out, preferably around sunset at some point.

For the record: today wasn't the first time that I was over at this wharf area that's come to be known as Instagram Pier (due to its popularity with photographers), including at sunset.  However, this occasion was the most satisfying as far as getting cool sunset views and snaps are concerned!  Still, even when the conditions for taking photos were not as ideal, I've generally had a good time walking about in the area as there seems to always be a refreshing breeze blowing, the waves in the harbor can make for a hypnotic sight, and it's a fun place for people-watching.  

A case in point: this evening, in addition to the expected horde of photographers and the usual joggers, bicyclists, dog-walkers, anglers and pairs of lovebirds, there also were a couple of guitarists, at least one person with a drone, and a man with his remote-controlled toy fire engine which came complete with a realistic sounding siren! All in all, par for the course, and giving a good idea of what Hong Kongers like to do when at leisure! ;b