First Post from Hong Kong!

Hi everyone!

For all students and friends who signed up for Mr. Ratner's email update list, and for people who requested Hong Kong updates less formally, welcome to the first edition of The Hong Kong Chronicles! I'll send out a simple blog-update announcement when I add a post or photos; then just visit my blog if you're interested. If you don't want to get update emails, please just type the word"unsubscribe" and hit the reply button.

And now, on with our show! The Hong Kong Chronicles . . .

We arrived in HK on August 30, after a 14-hour flight. My first word in response to the city is definitely "WOW!" It's overwhelming in the beginning. High-rise buildings everywhere, more than New York, Paris, or Rio. They're clustered on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and in parts of the New Territories, but incredibly, there is also a lot of open space in and around the city too (like SF!), so we've already been on some great hikes. HK is a treat for the senses:and bright colors all around, especially red and gold; the sounds of Cantonese and traffic and occasional gongs and bargaining (and English, too -- 5% of the population are expats -- Americans, Brits, Australians, French, Japanese, you name it. And many people speak some English, which is great because my Cantonese is currently nonexistant. I'm working on it!); and smells! One of the nicknames for HK is "the fragrant harbour," and that's true, for better or worse! Incense, food cooking, and some mystery aromas fill the air; and of course, tastes, too -- I've made a rule for myself that I will try everything I'm offered, at least once -- a scary commitment, but so far so good . . .

We're staying in the Marriot Hotel in Central District until our apartment is ready -- that's right, we've found a great place! It's called Bamboo Grove, and yes, it really is in a bamboo grove. Allison and I will be living on the 27th floor of a high-rise, very HK. Another realization I've had is that it is really hot and humid here! (I have a gift for the obvious.) Thursday and Friday were full of apartment hunting, getting bank accounts, cell phones, learning public transport, grocery shopping – in other words, a crash course on living in Hong Kong. The highlight was a lunch at Victoria Peak which overlooks the Island – some pictures in the attached link! Our building is in the Midlevels (just below Victoria Peak), and we get to move into September 16. Yeah! Friday night we ventured out to the Temple Street night market in Kowloon. We took the MTR (subway). It was hot and humid, cars and people humming, bright lights everywhere, smells hanging in the air from the various restaurants. We got some sun glasses and DVDs for about $2.50 a pop. Then to an authentic Chinese meal – I can guarantee you would not find this restaurant in a guidebook! After attempting to jog Saturday morning we cooled off by the pool before heading off to explore. First stop was the Man Mo Temple, which is the oldest temple built in the 1840s and named after its two principal deities: Man, the god of literature, and Mo, the god of war (what are those two doing together?!). Allison had a field day taking pictures of the giant incense coils hanging from the ceiling, imparting a fragrant, smoky haze. (She's much more into photos than me, so I'll include some of her pics!) People buy these for good health or a successful business deal, and they can burn as long as 3 weeks. We waited about a half an hour to get our fortune told but then decided to come back another day. Our fortune has been rather good lately!We then walked down Hollywood Road full of antique stores. We’ve been told to look around but go to Macau to actually buy at 1/3 the cost! Then we explored the escalators which were opened in 1994 as the world's longest covered escalator. It stretches 2,600 ft. from Central to the Mid-Levels on Victoria Peak. Contrary to its name, however, it is not one long continuous escalator but rather a series of escalators and moving sidewalks, with 29 entrances and exits. The area is hip and trendy and aptly nicknamed Soho. Lots of restaurants and ex-pats. We searched out an Australian restaurant we had been told about that served Morteon Bay Bugs (something like lobsters). Very good!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=hggnkpd.5ybicf4l&Uy=-dyy9g9&Ux=0

Sunday we ventured further to Lantau Island, the island adjacent to and actually two times larger than Hong Kong Island. We took the ferry (though you can also take the subway) and got an awesome of the harbor. We first headed by taxi to the Po Lin monastery to see the Giant Tian Tan Buddha. It was incredible. For a mere $3 we got to hike up to and explore the Buddha with the six Devas bearing gifts surrounding it. We noticed what looked like a Nazi swastika on the Buddha’s chest. In Buddhism it means "all", and "eternality" and represents Dharma, universal harmony, and the balance of opposites.Included in the entrance fee was a “snack” at the monastery that included a mound of vegetarian noodles, two cakes and a drink. Tasty lunch. The monastery grounds are spectacular set in the hills and overflowing with gold statues, incense and flowers! Hopefully the pictures will convey some of what we saw!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=hggnkpd.bnmvdo0l&Uy=-lohuwm&Ux=0

Then we headed to hike “Sunset Peak” which the concierge told us was the easier hike on the island. I’m glad we didn’t try the “harder” one. As we were slowly trudging up what seemed like endless steps we concluded that it got it’s name because no one ever reached the top before sunset!! It was hot and hard but amazingly beautiful and reminiscent of the hike we had taken the week before in Marin. We even had the pleasure of having a thunderstorm blow in when we were near the top so we scrambled back down. That night after a long hot shower we had Peking Duck! Yummm!!!

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=hggnkpd.ap7u0779&Uy=-c5lk7v&Ux=0

So that's a little taste of these early days . . . more to follow. I think of you ALL, and hope you are well. I miss Cap! My students -- I love you and miss you guys! Do your homework!!! Listen to Ms. Rutigliano, or _________ (insert name of your English teacher here)!!! Current seniors -- do not even THINK the work "senioritis" until May 25th at the earliest!

All best thoughts and love,

David
(students -- that's Mr. Ratner to you!)