All Girls Night Talk

Today was Ah Gi's actual birthday date, so six of us buddies came out together, not to celebrate her birthday (since the official bday celebration dinner was last weekend, which I missed due to my heavy food poisoning), but just to have fun. With that said though, the phrase "Happy Birthday" was said multiple times!!! =)

We went to a bar near Sogo in Causeway Bay. Honestly, it was only my second time in a bar in Hong Kong. (Yea, OBVIOUSLY, not the drinking-type of person...) But since it was for ah Gi, I'll make it no matter what!!! (I even brought Mike out, so he could say "Happy Birthday" in 100% accurate Cantonese to Ah Gi.... hahaha... though he left fairly early due to the extreme noisiness in the bar, which I couldn't blame him for...)

Honestly though, drinking with just a group of all-girl friends was a fresh experience for me. I went drinking a number of times when I was in Berkeley, but usually with a bunch of both guy and girl friends. Having such a crazy "all-girls" night out drinking event was really my FIRST time.

And yea, I can assure you, it's absolutely eye-opening and crazier than what you can imagine! We played many fun dice games first (when Mike was still there), accompanying with alcohol as punishment, of course!! =p

But the best was still yet-to-come after Mike left - the ultimate "Truth-And-Only-Truth" game (a mutated version of the traditional "Truth-Or-Dare" game, where we could only choose "truth" but no "dare"). Many truths were told; many unimaginable questions were asked. (And of coz, all talks started and ended there at the same place!!!)

Since I've moved to the States, most of my close friends there were almost all guys. I had a few good girl friends back in high school, but then after we graduated and entered university we became distant because of our own busy schedules. And during university years, my time was spent EXCLUSIVELY in the campus computer labs, packed with stinky, no-shower-for-3-days geeky guys all the time. I only had one relatively-closer girl friend during those years. So tonight's "all-girls" talk and drinking experience was totally new, fresh and even a bit shocking and touching to me. Shocked by everyone's frankness and touched by the bond of friendship... which made me realize how much I have missed out since I've left Hong Kong...

Anyways, I am so glad that I've come back and see you all!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!
^_____________________^



p.s. Among the 6 of us, we managed to kill off a whole bottle of high grade Scotch!! =D And somebody was highly suspicious of being drunk (though of course, she denied....) (^_~)/

Nan Lian Garden (Part I)

Last Saturday Mike and I went to Nan Lian Garden at Diamond Hill, Kowloon.

The entrance. Nan Lian Garden is a public Chinese garden under the management of the HK government.

The funny thing is that I didn't find out about this beautiful garden until the recent news about the many complaints voiced against the strict rules in this garden.

Strict Rules?!

Of course people are not complaining the normal rules that you'd expect from a public garden, such as those listed on this warning poster at the entrance.

From what I've heard from the news, some of the strict rules that people complained about are that tourists are forbidden from: taking group pictures with more than 3 people, painting landscapes inside the garden anywhere, bringing food inside the garden, entering the tea house unless they purchase the $120 dollars tea..., etc.

The "no food" rule I can understand. But the rest are a bit too strict, in my opinion.

For example, such a pretty garden, and you don't allow landscape painting?!?! What a waste!!!

For example, I, for one, would really love to "capture" all these crazy, stunning-looking rocks into some sort of painting (if I had that talent, which unfortunately, I don't... haha~)

The Golden Temple

There was a golden temple structure in the garden that from a distance looks like a smaller version of the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku ji) in Kyoto.

There were quite a lot of tourists including locals like us going to the garden that day. The complaint news, though might create a bad image for the garden management, had probably let many people who didn't know about the place before now be aware of this beautiful place. I'd say it's not totally a bad thing...

The golden temple was a popular spot for snapping pictures. (Though this one I had to semi-forced Mike stand there for me to take one of him... ha... )

Then the usual "us" picture!!! ^_^

The garden is literally next to the Diamond Hill MTR station, in the middle of the center area of the district. I bet the people living in those buildings can have a good view of the garden any day they want!!

There are many small ponds in the garden surrounded by carefully-maintained green plants, kind of similar to a Japanese garden in that respect.

Even the trees look like those you can see in a Japanese garden.

Walking closer to the temple. There was a bright red, rainbow-shaped bridge right in front of the temple.

Too bad we can't cross over and go into the temple. (One of the complaints is that many facilities of the garden are blocked off and not opened for public. I guess this is one of those...)

Oh well.... can't go through nor enter....

I guess I'll just look and appreciate from afar.... (like those ancient Chinese poets...) =D

Guess what these are? Well... if you can read either the Chinese or English characters on the tags, you'll realize that they are indeed garbage boxes. However, the amazing thing that I'd like to point out is not what they are, but that somehow Mike (the photographer of this picture) was able to make two originally three-dimensional boxes appear as two-dimensional as they possibly can. Unbelievable!!!! ;)

Taking a last and full look of the golden temple.

Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that another rule the garden has is that every path is a one-way path, so you can't go back to see something if you have already passed it. (Yea, this rule is on the complaint list too!!)

And we experienced this firsthand when we tried to route back into the garden near the exit of the garden. The security guard there told us that we can only enter the garden again by going out the exit first and then coming back in from the garden entrance.

No wonder people complained... =(

Tree Fairies?!?!

Apart from some of the unreasonable rules though, I'd say the garden itself is worth visiting. Definitely beautiful views and many really interesting, awesome-looking plants and nature scenes that you can't normally see.

Oh my god!! Doesn't this tree look like it is inhabited by some kind of "tree fairy"?! hahaha~ (I know I know, I can have "excessive" imagination sometimes! )

More "tree fairies"?! Seriously, this tree and the grass beneath it really looked like they had a magic spell casted on them....

Fragrance Hall

Leaving the golden temple, we walked along the designed, designated walkway and came to the "Xiang Hai Xuan", i.e. Fragrance Hall.

The hall takes its name from the sea of fragrant trees around it over the hill that it is built on.

The Fragrance Hall has a surreal-feeling front walkway.

I liked the deep brown, timber pillars a lot. Very solemn...

I took some sneaky pictures of Mike, while he was looking at pillars of timber.

Apparently, I was not the only "sneaky" one. He tried to sneak up on me as well.... Haha... I guess the timber pillars are good for playing hide-and-seek as well. (Though of course you can expect to get yelled at by the strict security guards if you actually try to do so there...)

Okay, wrapping up my Nan Lian Garden visit (Part I) here...

Will continue (with more beautiful pictures of the garden) in the next entry...

Classical Music Concert @ Museum of Art

Last Sunday we went to a free admission classical music concert, "Mozart and More in the Museum", performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Museum of Art in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Since watching the Japanese drama and anime "Nodame Cantabile", I fell in love with classical music. I even craved playing piano again. (My mom and dad must be so happy hearing me say this, hahaha...)

The Classical Music Concert

The Orchestra performed 3 main movements.

Schubert's String Quartet in A minor.

Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings

And my favorite of the day, Mozart’s String Quintet in G minor. The lead violinist on the leftmost seat was super awesome!! He played so effortlessly and beautifully!!

The whole audience was listening carefully and appreciatively the whole time.

Even the little baby!! haha... =D

After the Concert

We walked around the area a bit after the concert finished.

Space Museum. (Yea, the weather was a bit crappy that day, mostly cloudy and foggy.)

A colorful painting outside the wall of the Museum of Art.

Another wall art contributed by students.

"Hi Mike!!"

We then proceeded to the water front. This is a must-go place every time we come to Tsim Sha Tsui. Always so pretty!

Though we usually come at night to watch the Symphony of Light electronic light show. This might be one of the very few times we come during the day time.

My attention was soon captured by this traditional-looking wooden ship.

Yea, Mike caught the right moment so we could take one with the ship as background.

But..... wait.... our BIG heads blocked most of the ship!! (well... mostly Mike's....)

Hehe... okay, this one was much better!! ^_^

Watching the ship leaving....

Plaza area of the Hong Kong Cultural Center. This area is usually very crowded at night when everyone gathers here to watch the light show.

The other end facing the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center at Wanchai.

"Hello !!!!" (Me "popping up" suddenly, as usual, in Mike's "no people" picture.... haha....)

The "landmark" curvy wall structure at the Cultural Center. (Can you spot the shadow of the Clock Tower on the wall?)

Oh wow... somebody was sleepy already... It's only 5pm.....

Victoria Harbor is soooo pretty! I never get bored just looking at it!!

And from time to time, you can see some really cool-looking ships, just like this one!!

I wonder if the place that we are eventually going to settle will have a stunning harbor like Hong Kong!!!!! ;)