Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Hong Kong local dining scene - the 'hotpot'

Bob and I were invited by my theatre colleague, Stanley, to take part in a very local Hong Kong dining experience - the 'hot pot'. In the 'colder' months of the year, it's not unusual for families to partake in the hotpot every day. The table we sat at, has a built-in electric heater below the tabletop, and the pot is put on the table with a piece of wood under it, and we wait until the stock is boiling, and add ingredients; lamb, pork, seafood dumplings, mushrooms and chinese bok choy, then just keep stirring with your chopsticks, and help yourself as the food is cooked in the stock. We had one side a very spicy satay (lots of chilies!), and the other a generic chicken stock with lots of spices and ginger. No wonder they don't get sick in the cold season! We ate like kings, surrounded by a hundred other tables, good company, and great food!


Stanley and Jen, and the hotpot, waiting for it to heat up, with meat, cut in thin strips, ready to drop into the pot.

Bob adding pork - in seventh heaven!

The hot pot, with satay on the left, and chicken on the right, with tons of spices and flavouring. Sitting on the wooden board, heating from below.

Ingredients, beef, seafood dumplings, chinese mushrroms, and pork balls, yummy!

Talking through the steam and wonderful aromas around, and Tsing Tao, chinese beer.

The pot loaded up, just waiting for the meat to cook

Red chopsticks for picking up the raw meat, and stirring the pot. Black chopsticks for eating with. And chinese tea for digestion - what a great meal!

Bob and walked back to Times Square, and took some busy city shots on the way back to our bus home. Really busy on the streets, even for Hong Kong.



The display outside Times Square - a chinese artist, whose work (and sales) are dedicated to help women and children in China. Huge tree figurines, all painted white, with her 'characters' all around, and the cool 'totem' (green) in front. Hundreds and hundreds of people.

The taxi line up outside Times Square - we took a bus - way faster!

The weather is nice and cool here right now - like a cool summer's night on the Island, SO nice!
Enjoy the small taste of Hong Kong! Love, us xoxox

Meg, and soccer in Bangkok, November 2008

Meaghan went to Bangkok with her U20 girls soccer team for a SEASAC (South East Asia Sports) tournament. Meg scored one of the only goals for her team, which ended up 9th of 12 teams from all over Asia. Quick weekend trip, then back to Hong Kong for Experience Week - Hong Kong Arts - learning how make movies!


Meg and her teammates






Ho Ho Ho Hong Kong Christmas flat!

Ho Ho Ho! How can you tell we have time to post pictures for you all? From decorating and playing Meg's favourite Christmas album - Harry Connick Jr. - we're ready for Christmas! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season - we look forward to 'seeing' you all over the next week or so! Love, us!


Ornaments from home, and some new ones,



The poinsettias here are truly amazing - they must grow in this climate! Ours are little, like our flat, but I've seen poinsettia bushes that are four feet high - amazing!

Our 'mantle', and hanging stockings over the tv set, which we are going to play the Yule log program from the laptop - our own fireplace!

Our little tree, on the window seat,



Qualicum shells and seaweed, and our Christmas candle, and our Christmas moose!

Sarah bought me two beautiful ornaments from Bangkok,



The wreath on our door - not real cedar, but closest we could find! Merry Christmas everybody! Love, Bob, Jen, Sarah and Meg

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Sarah's Trip to China.

The trip was 5 days, and it was very eye opening.
The family had been to Beijing a year before, but we had never really been to rural China.
It was amazing to be in such a beautiful place that not many ever will see.
The trip was exciting, we had many bus rides on roads that weren't really roads.
We turn a corner, and there are some rooftops in the distance, and a village every 2o minutes or so.
The people we met spoke little english to none. They were beautiful people, very happy. I had a husband and wife ask to have a picture of me with their son, I said sure. They kinda just threw him in my hands and snapped the photo with their Nokia cellphone, yes you can be in the middle of no where and technology still finds you.
It was a great trip, beautiful views, amazing food, and wonderful people, it would be cool to go back and see if anything has changed in a few years.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Sarah's Trip to China. Nov. 10-14


This is the village that I stayed in and helped to design their very small museum.

I played basketball with some locals at this court... totally got the first basket it was awesome

Beautiful scenery

Maren (my friend) and I in another village we visited, there are some men playing billiards behind us. :)

Some children coming home for lunch after school.

Maren and I with some Miau Woman in their traditional clothing and head pieces.

Bungy-NZ style!

Jumping at the Kuwaharu Bridge- site of the first ever bungy jump. Check out the form on some of these kids and than look for the radio flyer!
New Zealand Adventure

Had the good fortune to take a group of students to New Zealand for 8 days as part of our Experience Week. The theme of our trip was adventure- stepping out of your comfort zone to try activities you may not otherwize do. One very full week- paintball,climbing, hiking, bungy jump, bungy swing, luge, white water rafting, shotover jet boat,mountain biking, horseback riding, kayaking and sailing. Truly a school trip of a lifetime.

We were on the south Island the whole time. Spent most of our time in Queenstown, Christchurch, Lake Ohau and Milford Sound. Beautiful country, beautiful people and awesome food! Gave me a taste for home........

Milford Sound from the porthole of our boat
Glorious morning in the Tasman Sea
tied up in a fjord- kids and I kayaked and swam- cold!
Climbing course the kids and I did- scared me more than anything we did
Mountain biking in Glenorchie- absolutely incredible country
Sheriff Bob and Zodiac- shot in Paradise (the name)- where Lord of the Rings was filmed
-Rohan?
view from the top of Queenstown

picture release of chord, drop 100 feet and swing out about 400 feet above Queenstown-yikes
rafting on the Shotover River- Grade 4 rapids (whatever that means)
I'm in the boat in the back
When in Rome........
the crew at Lake Ohau

Saturday, November 1, 2008

2008 Bledisloe Cup - NZ vs OZ

Life at CDNIS- had 4 tickets given to me for the Bledisloe Cup- New Zealand and Australia's annual grudge match. For the first time, the games was played outside their respective country's. Tons of build up in the city- great atmosphere. Our box was outstanding- Citibank owns the box- free drinks, buffet, private balcony etc. By coincidence, Mike and Jamie were both in the city on the same day, so it made for a great experience/