If I were to go I'd definitely want to go to visit Raffles in Singapore. I really enjoyed JC descriptions of HK. Don't know where there heads are at after their whirlwind trip. I know she wasn't impressed with housing. I'm thinking that the government is insisting on their having a full time maid so they can keep an eye on them. Janice doesn't want a maid but may have to get one at least part time to keep officials happy. Keith got a suit made at Sam's. Prince Charles is a customer too.
It would be worthwhile for you to travel around seeing it's a 12 hour flight!
Here is her last long email.
"we had circumvented the eastern/southern half of Hong Kong island and on Friday we did the western half. We drove through the fish market area where there seems to be dozens of open market shops selling fresh seafood and fish, including dried cuttlefish, clams, and scallops. Dried mushrooms are supposed to be fantastic too, once rehydrated. My gastric juices were flowing (as Dad used to say) for some seafood chowder. These shops look like the owners are so poor but apparently they are all very wealthy people being in this market.
One fascinating thing: they have shops that sell things made completely of paper. Anything you can think of: a wok, a toaster, a bicycle, a house, laptop, you name it. The detail was amazing. They are all folded down flat when you buy them and then you open them up to their shape. What the Chinese do is take these to the temple for offerings where they are burned, thus sending the article up to heaven for the deceased person's use.
When someone dies at home, they are sat upright and moved quickly out of the house and taken to the hospital. This is because the Chinese will never buy a property if they know someone has died there. We heard a story about the Milkshake Murder, which evidently was a highly publicized event here in 2005. You can Google it for more details, but an ex pat's wife prepared a strawberry milkshake laced with sedatives and had her daughter serve it to her husband. Then the children were sent out of the home and she burgeoned him to death, rolled his body up in a carpet and had the carpet taken down in their apartment unit's storage room. Anyway, she was finally convicted of the crime, but to this day the apartment stands unoccupied.
In the afternoon Keith and I made our way back to Kowloon by MTR, a highly efficient train service. It is so cheap to use and combined with their buses and Mini bus systems, there is no need to have a car here. Besides, I think I may have already said that there is very little parking, so a car is slower and more costly to use. That said, you can buy a used car for about $80 to $100,000 HKD ($8 to $10000 roughly in CAD). Very low mileage makes it attractive. Keith looked up on Gumtree (like Kijiji) and you can get a 2005 Honda Accord for $9800 with 10,000 km.
We arrived at Sam's to pick up Keith's new suit, jacket and shirt, they checked the fit and we were out of there again in about 5 minutes! Now he wishes he had bought two pairs of pants. Inside the jacket is an embroidered label with Keith's name and invoice number, so we could always email them and ask for them to make a pair. What a great fit everything is on him.
.......something neat if you lived here: local shoemakers custom make shoes for you in any style, tread, padding and colour for about $50.00 CAD. You could easily have a matching handbag made up as well. Now that could be dangerous.
We walked to Hong Kong Garden, not far from our hotel late in the afternoon. The humidity was high yesterday so it was a bit of an effort but we were so happy we did because they have an amazing aviary, both a caged display and a much larger enclosed area. I could have spent hours there, but we arrived only 15 minutes before closing time. I will send photos separately.
Once back at the hotel we had green tea in our room, showered and then went to dinner, as I wrote about last night.
Hi Charlie,
Here are my thoughts on trip.
Leave for Fiji around the 8 or 9 of March, get to Melbourne by the 16th of March and then to Cairns from Sydney in late April around the 26 or 27 and then to Darwin a few days later and then from Darwin to Japan around the May 7 and then to Hong Kong around the 27 or 28 for 4 or 5 days and then home.
Let us know whats possible or if not what alternatives might be. Thanks, Corinne
Leave for Fiji around the 8 or 9 of March, get to Melbourne by the 16th of March and then to Cairns from Sydney in late April around the 26 or 27 and then to Darwin a few days later and then from Darwin to Japan around the May 7 and then to Hong Kong around the 27 or 28 for 4 or 5 days and then home.
Let us know whats possible or if not what alternatives might be. Thanks, Corinne
Hi Kids!
Latest from Captain Barnacle:
Patriçio,
Things are progressing fabuloso here. I now have running hot water, a two burner stove and a BBQ - all in primo working condition.
Obviously, if some dishes need to be cooked/heated up, the means to do so now exist aboard The Inside Passagio. As of this email, the menu looks as follows:
Appetizers:
O Susannah and Champagne Charlie: Mediterranean mixed tray
The Penguin: delicious cantaloupe and proscuitto
Mains:
Ragin': His famous lamb stew
Whirlygig/Kilroy Was Here: seasonable, sustainable seafood or tofu, for themselves, as they are non-red meat devourers
Salads: Whirlissimo saladin
Vegetable dishes:
Patrizio: his infamous roasted spudolinos
Desserts:
Legs: Marzipan fruit torte
Tia Maria: Cabin Girl service
Again, please weigh in with suggestions for items not taken or request substitutions/switches, etc. I assume we will start sometime around 5:00pm. It might be best to meet at The Island Inn beforehand, for parking and such. We could then send one vehicle ahead to drop food closer to marina and those not ferrying menu items can walk to marina.
Ragin': Please let group know about gate protocol, start time, appropriate foul weather gear, necessary charts, and the like!
Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Latest from Captain Barnacle:
Patriçio,
Things are progressing fabuloso here. I now have running hot water, a two burner stove and a BBQ - all in primo working condition.
Obviously, if some dishes need to be cooked/heated up, the means to do so now exist aboard The Inside Passagio. As of this email, the menu looks as follows:
Appetizers:
O Susannah and Champagne Charlie: Mediterranean mixed tray
The Penguin: delicious cantaloupe and proscuitto
Mains:
Ragin': His famous lamb stew
Whirlygig/Kilroy Was Here: seasonable, sustainable seafood or tofu, for themselves, as they are non-red meat devourers
Salads: Whirlissimo saladin
Vegetable dishes:
Patrizio: his infamous roasted spudolinos
Desserts:
Legs: Marzipan fruit torte
Tia Maria: Cabin Girl service
Again, please weigh in with suggestions for items not taken or request substitutions/switches, etc. I assume we will start sometime around 5:00pm. It might be best to meet at The Island Inn beforehand, for parking and such. We could then send one vehicle ahead to drop food closer to marina and those not ferrying menu items can walk to marina.
Ragin': Please let group know about gate protocol, start time, appropriate foul weather gear, necessary charts, and the like!
Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Hi Kids!
Latest from Captain Barnacle:
Patricio,
I have deleted the emails with the addresses of the bridge competitorés, so I hope you can forward this to the appropriate suspects. I am holding a red clothe bag and red umbrella for ransom. The owner can contact me for terms of surrender.
Turned out to be a pretty fun night, I think - although the actual bridge competition was nowhere near serious enough.
saludos//bjp
Bridge Fiends:
Let me add my thanks to everyone, particularly Captain Barnacle, for hosting the evening aboard the Good Ship Lollipop, for the wonderful food and assorted hootch, fantabulous bridge prizes and general bonhomie. Special commendation to Tia Maria, Cabin Goil Extraordinaire!!!
Bestestos and Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Latest from Captain Barnacle:
Patricio,
I have deleted the emails with the addresses of the bridge competitorés, so I hope you can forward this to the appropriate suspects. I am holding a red clothe bag and red umbrella for ransom. The owner can contact me for terms of surrender.
Turned out to be a pretty fun night, I think - although the actual bridge competition was nowhere near serious enough.
saludos//bjp
Bridge Fiends:
Let me add my thanks to everyone, particularly Captain Barnacle, for hosting the evening aboard the Good Ship Lollipop, for the wonderful food and assorted hootch, fantabulous bridge prizes and general bonhomie. Special commendation to Tia Maria, Cabin Goil Extraordinaire!!!
Bestestos and Cheers, Il Conduttore!
Hi Sylvia and Ray!
Thanks for latest round of snaps. Lovely, lovely surroundings indeed, Raymond! Don't know how you are going to be able to cycle with The Brotherhood after being surrounded by such babes!
I presume Chris and Jim may well be home by the time you read this. As I think you know, I dropped them at the airport just after 4:00pm yesterday. Hard to believe how quickly the month flew by!
On Saturday had a grand ride out to Steveston with Flamin', Sarge and Whirlygig. Went via UBC and Marine was fairly quite as it was the weekend. F/S stopped in Steveston for a latte, (Chris's/Jim's influence!), but Giorgio and I pushed on. Couldn't convince him to return via No. 6 Road, however! Still, we had close to 70K on the clock by the time we passed your place. Took a spin around it to see if Hartlepoolians were home as Whirlygig wanted to say goodbye. No sign of life, (learned later that they had taken a spin to Granville Island), so we pushed on. Dropped Giorgio off near his place and continued on out to UBC, enjoying the sun bathers en route! Usual route out Marine to Crown and then back, dipsy doodling up/down Westbrook Village and 16th roundabout to log 117.23K by time I was back at Harbour Terrace, millimetering my way to 160K! Best ride, to date, I think, in terms of distance anyway.
Had a grand time that evening playing bridge, (two tables), and dining, (pot luck), on The Inside Passage. Took a break at 10:00pm to watch the spectacular fireworks, (China), which filled the sky above the Burrard Bridge. All in all, a very successful and enjoyable evening.
Sunday was relatively quiet as we were hosting the 80th birthday party for a close friend, Nancy. She was a classmate of Corinne's in Library School and we've been very good friends ever since. Had about 13 people for dinner. Her youngest daughter, Robyn, her husband, Joel, and their children, Shira, 11, Eli 3, had literally flown in from Toronto around 5:00pm so everyone was ready to go home by 9:30pm, after birthday cake, of course! Cora Lee and I went downstairs after tidying up a bit, to visit with Clan Sutherland. Prince Valiant and Kid Chelene were both there, with their girlfriends, as well as a cousin, Aaron, recently relocated from Nova Scotia. We didn't stay long as Coriandre wanted to watch latest MI-5, (one Chris and Jim missed, I believe! Ask them about that!)
Bit of a sleep in until 8:15am as I had arranged with F/S at ride at 9:00am. Went downstairs to collect them a few minutes early and Flamin' said Sarge was still asleep! She didn't want to attempt Seymour so I spat on the kitchen floor in disgust and stormed off! Giorgio had sent an email informing me that he couldn't make it so, abandoned, I made for Stanley Park, as I wanted to see how busy route was in North Van on a weekend. Seawall wasn't too, too crowded but a Japanese tourist did fall off her bike right in front of me, (I had to make a quick jump onto pedestrian way in order to avoid a collision!), almost directly across from The Rowing Club, however. Climb to bridge deck went well as I was able to enjoy grade without having you there to up the pace, Raymundo!
Over LG and then around via Squamish Reservation, slowing down for a rather cheeky skunk which waddled across the road, bushy tail straight up, just a few hundred metres east of the bridge supports. Welch, I believe, was very quiet and most pleasant. It was around 10:15am, I think. Usual way past Lonsdale and train tracks to Lilloet. Once again, ascent was not unduly taxing without Robo Raymundo and I quite enjoyed quiet and coolness of forest, once past the cemetery. I had expected to encounter more cyclists than I did. Seemed as if many people were driving up Lilloet to park at SDF and then ride the 9K+ in to dam.
Felt wonderful to be zipping along, nodding to the other riders or runners and was about 6K along route when who should appear, coming the other way, but Sarge! Apparently he had been changing into his gear when I came downstairs and Flamin' relayed incorrect information! (Blatant disinformation by The Sisterhood! Sabotage extraordinaire!!!) When he set out, he had taken Union/Adanac and the Second Narrows so he assumed he'd run into me at some point, if I had decided upon Seymour. In fact, I wasn't sure where I was going to go until just before entrance to GI and then I made up my mind to check out North Van weekend traffic. At any rate, he turned around and we described our earlier routes, etc., making for dam itself. I'd never gone that far before so was pleased to do so. Not that much different from earlier terrain, as think you know, and about an additional 2K, I beleive. At any rate, had almost exactly 45K on odometer by time I turned around at the top of the hill, barred from going any further by a chain fence, locked gate. Great view of dam and shining blue water so was pleased to have explored this last little bit of trail.
Great return with far more cyclists, runners and walkers than on way in. Exhilarating to swoop down Lilloet. Joined three other riders at bottom of hill, Sarge drafting behind a shapely female, spandex clad behind! Hit every light thereafter and were soon at LG. Sarge peeled off, once under superstructure, to take trail up to bridge deck but I looped around past Park Royal Parkade to get at bridge that way. Very, very windy, perhaps strongest gusts I've yet encountered, but I plodded away and was soon at Prospect Point where Sarge was circling, waiting for me!
Another enjoyable downhill run and we were back on Beach, staying on road until past Denman as sidewalks were choked with people and bikes and strollers and dogs and roller bladers by then. Lost Sarge when I went right just past fountain,. He continued straight ahead and when he realized I wasn't behind him, he doubled back as he thought I might have become tangled up with a clutch of ten or more oriental bikers, weaving all over the place! I circled around Plaza of Nations and he caught up with me there. Back along road once past Science World as seawall was rush hour full!
By time we were near Harbour Terrace, had 87K on clock and asked Sarge if he wanted to break 100K. He just snorted in derision so I waved goodbye and looped back towards Science World. Continued all the way, along seawall, to Granville Bridge and then turned around there, making for home. My camel pack had but a few sips left and I was ready to call it a day. At one point I thought that I might head out to UBC to try to better the 117K but Seymour had taken its toll and I was happy to stop at 101K. Close to six hours by time I dismounted my trusty steed. Tired but pleased with ride and fact that I had cycled with Sarge after all!
Hello to Chris and Jim. Enjoy your time with them, as I know you will. All the best. Cheers, Patrizio!
Thanks for latest round of snaps. Lovely, lovely surroundings indeed, Raymond! Don't know how you are going to be able to cycle with The Brotherhood after being surrounded by such babes!
I presume Chris and Jim may well be home by the time you read this. As I think you know, I dropped them at the airport just after 4:00pm yesterday. Hard to believe how quickly the month flew by!
On Saturday had a grand ride out to Steveston with Flamin', Sarge and Whirlygig. Went via UBC and Marine was fairly quite as it was the weekend. F/S stopped in Steveston for a latte, (Chris's/Jim's influence!), but Giorgio and I pushed on. Couldn't convince him to return via No. 6 Road, however! Still, we had close to 70K on the clock by the time we passed your place. Took a spin around it to see if Hartlepoolians were home as Whirlygig wanted to say goodbye. No sign of life, (learned later that they had taken a spin to Granville Island), so we pushed on. Dropped Giorgio off near his place and continued on out to UBC, enjoying the sun bathers en route! Usual route out Marine to Crown and then back, dipsy doodling up/down Westbrook Village and 16th roundabout to log 117.23K by time I was back at Harbour Terrace, millimetering my way to 160K! Best ride, to date, I think, in terms of distance anyway.
Had a grand time that evening playing bridge, (two tables), and dining, (pot luck), on The Inside Passage. Took a break at 10:00pm to watch the spectacular fireworks, (China), which filled the sky above the Burrard Bridge. All in all, a very successful and enjoyable evening.
Sunday was relatively quiet as we were hosting the 80th birthday party for a close friend, Nancy. She was a classmate of Corinne's in Library School and we've been very good friends ever since. Had about 13 people for dinner. Her youngest daughter, Robyn, her husband, Joel, and their children, Shira, 11, Eli 3, had literally flown in from Toronto around 5:00pm so everyone was ready to go home by 9:30pm, after birthday cake, of course! Cora Lee and I went downstairs after tidying up a bit, to visit with Clan Sutherland. Prince Valiant and Kid Chelene were both there, with their girlfriends, as well as a cousin, Aaron, recently relocated from Nova Scotia. We didn't stay long as Coriandre wanted to watch latest MI-5, (one Chris and Jim missed, I believe! Ask them about that!)
Bit of a sleep in until 8:15am as I had arranged with F/S at ride at 9:00am. Went downstairs to collect them a few minutes early and Flamin' said Sarge was still asleep! She didn't want to attempt Seymour so I spat on the kitchen floor in disgust and stormed off! Giorgio had sent an email informing me that he couldn't make it so, abandoned, I made for Stanley Park, as I wanted to see how busy route was in North Van on a weekend. Seawall wasn't too, too crowded but a Japanese tourist did fall off her bike right in front of me, (I had to make a quick jump onto pedestrian way in order to avoid a collision!), almost directly across from The Rowing Club, however. Climb to bridge deck went well as I was able to enjoy grade without having you there to up the pace, Raymundo!
Over LG and then around via Squamish Reservation, slowing down for a rather cheeky skunk which waddled across the road, bushy tail straight up, just a few hundred metres east of the bridge supports. Welch, I believe, was very quiet and most pleasant. It was around 10:15am, I think. Usual way past Lonsdale and train tracks to Lilloet. Once again, ascent was not unduly taxing without Robo Raymundo and I quite enjoyed quiet and coolness of forest, once past the cemetery. I had expected to encounter more cyclists than I did. Seemed as if many people were driving up Lilloet to park at SDF and then ride the 9K+ in to dam.
Felt wonderful to be zipping along, nodding to the other riders or runners and was about 6K along route when who should appear, coming the other way, but Sarge! Apparently he had been changing into his gear when I came downstairs and Flamin' relayed incorrect information! (Blatant disinformation by The Sisterhood! Sabotage extraordinaire!!!) When he set out, he had taken Union/Adanac and the Second Narrows so he assumed he'd run into me at some point, if I had decided upon Seymour. In fact, I wasn't sure where I was going to go until just before entrance to GI and then I made up my mind to check out North Van weekend traffic. At any rate, he turned around and we described our earlier routes, etc., making for dam itself. I'd never gone that far before so was pleased to do so. Not that much different from earlier terrain, as think you know, and about an additional 2K, I beleive. At any rate, had almost exactly 45K on odometer by time I turned around at the top of the hill, barred from going any further by a chain fence, locked gate. Great view of dam and shining blue water so was pleased to have explored this last little bit of trail.
Great return with far more cyclists, runners and walkers than on way in. Exhilarating to swoop down Lilloet. Joined three other riders at bottom of hill, Sarge drafting behind a shapely female, spandex clad behind! Hit every light thereafter and were soon at LG. Sarge peeled off, once under superstructure, to take trail up to bridge deck but I looped around past Park Royal Parkade to get at bridge that way. Very, very windy, perhaps strongest gusts I've yet encountered, but I plodded away and was soon at Prospect Point where Sarge was circling, waiting for me!
Another enjoyable downhill run and we were back on Beach, staying on road until past Denman as sidewalks were choked with people and bikes and strollers and dogs and roller bladers by then. Lost Sarge when I went right just past fountain,. He continued straight ahead and when he realized I wasn't behind him, he doubled back as he thought I might have become tangled up with a clutch of ten or more oriental bikers, weaving all over the place! I circled around Plaza of Nations and he caught up with me there. Back along road once past Science World as seawall was rush hour full!
By time we were near Harbour Terrace, had 87K on clock and asked Sarge if he wanted to break 100K. He just snorted in derision so I waved goodbye and looped back towards Science World. Continued all the way, along seawall, to Granville Bridge and then turned around there, making for home. My camel pack had but a few sips left and I was ready to call it a day. At one point I thought that I might head out to UBC to try to better the 117K but Seymour had taken its toll and I was happy to stop at 101K. Close to six hours by time I dismounted my trusty steed. Tired but pleased with ride and fact that I had cycled with Sarge after all!
Hello to Chris and Jim. Enjoy your time with them, as I know you will. All the best. Cheers, Patrizio!
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