Directionally-Challenged Ramblings

The past couple weeks have slowly been turning me sour about Hong Kong. The crowds, the waiting, the pollution and just the plain fact that it’s not my home, Canada, have all been getting me down. To add to that list, I’ve been rehearsing for my Irish dance show coming up on Saturday. This also means that afterwards I will be attending the St. Patrick’s Ball (in which I am dancing at). Needless to say, I need a dress (one that is long enough for my height), and shoes (big enough for my feet). Let the games begin...

Finding a dress was no easy task. I spent a solid week, no TWO trying on dresses and trucking my butt all over Hong Kong. There are many gorgeous dresses here but for someone standing at 5’8 and ½” it is not easy to find a dress long enough. I also wanted to keep my budget in check. One glorious Saturday morning however I found the dress! (890 HKD on the 4th Floor, Pedder Building, Pedder Road, Central ).

Now, onward to task 2: The Shoes.

This proved to be even more of a frustrating hassle. I walked up and down the market in Prince Edward browsing the shelves of probably around 20 shoe stores. Then I tried the mall. Then I tried a higher-end, more Western mall. To no avail did I find the shoes. Feeling defeated I began my trek home. Nearing my flat I decided to give a more local mall a shot. Please note that although it may sound petty, I was beginning to feel tears brewing in my eyes. Finally inside, I saw a tiny shop with a few shoes in the display window. I went inside and a man was sitting there polishing a shoe. I found a couple shoes and asked him for my size.
“No sorry Ms. we do not have that.”
No surprise there. I keep forgetting that Hong Kong does not outfit Big Foot.
“How about this one?” I asked.
“No Ms. but we can make it for you.”
“Really? For when?”
“Two weeks.”
“I can’t wait that long. I need it for Saturday!” (Panic set in but I continued to peruse the display)

Then the man begins explaining to me the process; measuring my feet, options for the “perfect shoe”. I’m sold.

“Miss when would you need the shoes exactly?”
“Thursday would be best”.
“OK”

He said OK!

He traced my feet and measured the width. He showed me the satin, the sequins, the gems, and the colours. He asked me how high I’d like the heel.

"I have big feet don't I?"
"No Ms. Maybe here, but in your country, you are not so big."
"Thanks, I was beginning to get a bit upset."
(For the record, they're size 8.5).

I paid (638 HKD, the equivalent to 80 CDN) and he gave me his business card.

“My name is Raymond”.
“Raymond, thank you so so much!”

Raymond is my angel. Maybe, HK has redeemed itself and maybe I needed to give it another chance.

Bean. B
Shop 134, 1/F, Pioneer Centre
750 Nathan Rd.
Tel: 2374 3499

For all you out there stomping around with your big feet; visit him! You’ll be happy you did!

We arrived in Beijing on the 28th of December and I was hit smack in the face with the winter chill I had forgotten existed outside of Hong Kong. Luckily we were met quickly by a man who transported us via a rundown SUV to our hostel in a charming hutong (alleyway). As he navigated us through the maze of speeding and swerving cars that seem to ignore any driving rules I had once learned in Canada, we drove by the romantic red and golden Chinese lanterns hanging in front of restaurants and stores. Thirty minutes later we were dropped off at the doorstep of the Beijing Downtown Backpackers Hostel which went above and beyond my expectations of a hostel. It was extremely clean, had helpful and friendly staff and hosted many interesting people from all over the world. Definitely a place I’d recommend to anyone looking for a cheap place to stay!

Day 1: December 29th
Despite how tired we all were from traveling the day before, we rolled out of bed early and were in a minibus by 8:30am on our way to hike the Great Wall of China! The drive took three hours and stopped off half-way for a bathroom break. As I anticipated in China, I was expected to squat in -3 degree weather in a little bathroom at a gas station. And it wasn’t that bad!

The hike of the wall was unbelievable! We were dropped off at an area near the wall and had to hike up to reach the first watch tower at the Jinshanling part of the wall. We then hiked 22 watch towers, taking pictures along the way. The views were spectacular, but as the old adage goes “a picture is worth a thousand words” so see for yourself. Then again, pictures really don’t do it justice.

Venturing along the wall we met a few locals who apparently stand up there in the cold all day long trying to sell tourists souvenirs. Some of them in fact had some pretty talented tactics as well. Two women met us early on in our trek and walked with us for quite awhile. They would do their best to speak English to us and tell us bits about the wall while helping out at the more difficult areas. Of course when it got REALLY difficult their true intentions were revealed and we realized they had some souvenirs to sell. My parents who had come to quite like the two bought a few sets of chopsticks off of them for 50 yuan and a book about the wall for another 50!

Later on that night we went for dinner at a Schezuan restaurant. Spicy, spicy, spicy! We ordered a few things but the most memorable was the lamb and hot chilies dish that we all shared. It was food to set your mouth on fire! During dinner we also realized that my dad had been teaching himself Mandarin! For anyone who knows my dad, you know that he is the least likely person to ever travel in China. Shockingly enough though, he proved himself to be a very valuable asset in Beijing!

To finish off the day we headed to a massage place down the alley from our hostel. The four of us just sat back, soaked our feet for a bit and let them get to work. Our feet were all mangled though from the hike early that day and both my parents were actually in a lot of pain during it. The masseuses got quite a laugh from my dad who would scream out words in Mandarin while they attempted to get all the kinks out of his calves.

Day 2: December 30th

Tiananmen Square was first on our list and then of course the Forbidden City. The weather was absolutely frigid while we walked through. We had headsets on which sensed where you were standing in the City and would then give the appropriate narration for whatever you were looking at. My favourite building inside the Forbidden City was the Chuxiugong which was originally known as Shouchanggong (Palace of Longevity). The imperial concubines and empresses lived here. You could see inside the windows and view the beds which were scattered throughout. I also learned that in order to protect the Emperor from passing over the throne to a successor who in fact was not his own son, they would cripple the concubines feet allowing them only to walk with assistance and then castrate any men who worked within the walls of the Forbidden City. Seems like a logical solution…

Because we were frozen solid after being out in the cold for a few hours, we headed indoors to the Silk Market. I swear I felt like I was meat being harassed by vultures! The most entertaining area of the Silk Market is the first floor which is full of fake bags and shoes. There is way more selection in the market in comparison to my experiences in Hong Kong but the vendors tend to jack the prices a heck of a lot higher than what I’m used to. We all had to fight to get the prices down about 80% before it was actually reasonable and at times we even found ourselves being tugged into stalls by the owners begging us to buy something. The jewelry floor was much more mundane however which was a relief. My mum and I both ended up buying a set of pearl earrings, bracelets and necklaces there. I have to say the most amusing scene to watch in the Silk Market was my dad. He became good friends with most of the stall owners, especially when he was able to discuss deals with them completely in Mandarin! (See! Quite the asset!)

Once we had gotten most of the chill out of our bodies, we headed back outside in search of the Night Market. This is an outdoor market which sells all sorts of “food” that most westerners would look at with disgust. Fancy cockroaches, snakes on a skewer, or larvae? Mmmm yummy! The one thing I DID want to try was a scorpion but I never did get around to it. Maybe somewhere else in Asia I’ll find that delicacy again and give it a whirl…

Day 3: December 31st

The day began with a chilly walk north through the hutongs towards the lake district. This area is beautiful but would probably be even prettier when the surrounding vegetation isn’t so grey and dead! You can tell that it’s a big party scene there at night since almost every store front is either a restaurant or bar! The lake had frozen over while we were there so a few people were skating around on the ice. We were able to watch them from the second level of the restaurant we sat down at. The menu was quite interesting and included cooked bullfrog, pigs feet and a baby turtle! We weren’t that adventurous with our choices and stuck to dishes which included pork, chicken and vegetables, but it was delicious! After lunch and a bit more meandering around the area, we headed back to the hostel to get ourselves ready for New Years Eve!

New Years Eve was quite an event. We set-off in a hunt for a cab at the end of the long hutong we were staying on. After being turned down by one cab driver, we finally found someone willing to take us to our destination. He drove us about five minutes and then motioned that we had arrived. Nothing added up so we questioned him. He was a very nice man so he picked up his phone and called the number of the place we were in search of. Once he had received the proper directions he proceeded to laugh hysterically. We just sat there and laughed nervously as he turned the car around and drove us right back to where we had started. Turns out we never needed a cab in the first place. So then we walked all through the hutongs, up and down, trying to find out where we were supposed to be. At last we found it through a tiny, dark doorway which led to a maze of other little alleys and into a beautifully lit kitchen and dining area!

My mum had found us a cooking school called the Black Sesame in Beijing and they offered a special nine course class and meal for New Years Eve. It was mind-blowing! Everything that came out of the kitchen was unbelievable and the booze was running free all night long! Naturally we had our way with the champagne, beer and wine and once we had had our fill, we moved onto our next location –the bar! We sat down and ordered four cocktails but were soon asked to join another group of strangers from different parts of Europe who were all traveling in Beijing as well. At midnight we all downed shots of Absinthe. Deadly! Great party though for sure, it was just extremely painful to wake up at seven AM the next day to catch our flight back to Hong Kong. Having four members of your family all hung over on planes for the entire day is not exactly the way I like to spend my New Years Day, but we made it just the same.

All in all Beijing was a great trip! I’m happy though to be home in Hong Kong again where the weather is a bit more agreeable!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!!

Bailey

New Years Eve

New Years Eve Dinner

The Night Market

The Great Wall

Downtown Backpacker's Hostel

I recently came across a writing contest which asked individuals to write their opinion about long distance relationships . The winners would receive a prize of two tickets to see "Going the Distance" in theatres, here in Hong Kong. They would also get their entry published in Hip Hong Kong. I decided to go for it and it just so happens that I landed myself two tickets and a published article! Special thanks to Graeme for making this long distance relationship the best it can possibly be.

7814 Miles Away and Still Going Strong

Sometimes I will stare at a map of the world and trace an invisible line with my finger starting in Hong Kong, grazing over Taiwan, across the Pacific Ocean, touching land in California, travelling over the United States and finally ending at the tiny point on the map that states Toronto, Canada. In those measly seconds I can cross 7814 miles and 12 time zones. It’s quite a far distance in actuality but those vast miles will never come between my boyfriend, Graeme and myself.

The two of us met in our final year at university in Waterloo, Canada. Our friendship quickly became a relationship. Within a month however, I broke the news that I would be leaving in three months to teach English in Hong Kong. He blew me away with his support and confidence that we would just do whatever it would take to make a long distance relationship work.

The months leading up to my departure were filled with countless fun and romantic dates, great laughs but mixed with a lot of anxiety. I was worried about how the following months would play out with so many miles separating us. I wasn’t quite sure how our relationship would unfold because to me, I felt we needed to be together. I foresaw arguments due to the frustration of missing each other. I worried that we would lose touch and forget how we felt about each other since we weren’t making memories together anymore. But that dreaded day finally crept up on us and I boarded the plane that would take me away to Hong Kong, to somewhere that would test our relationship and teach us lessons we wouldn’t have learned had I stayed in Canada.

In truth, our long distance relationship has completely worked for us rather than against us. Allow me to explain.

In a long distance relationship, couples learn to communicate with each other. We cannot spend the hours we used to have together and so we discover new ways to communicate. Graeme and I try to talk on the phone every day for about an hour. We have the occasional Skype date as well when my internet will cooperate. What really helps us however, are the letters. Every week Graeme and I alternate asking a question for both to answer. The answers have ranged from endearing to scandalous, from heartfelt to funny. Those questions allow us to continue learning new things about each other. Because we can’t explain to each other exactly how we feel all the time, we write them so they are always well-formulated, thought-out answers for us to read over and over again.

Milestones also become more significant in long distance relationships. The day before I left, Graeme gave me a farewell present. Inside the box, I found a collection of nine letters. Each letter was dated for the first day of every month we would be away from each other. Those letters act as milestones for me, as every first of the month I wake up and tear into a new letter that leaves me feeling so grateful that I have someone at home that I love, who is thinking about me. Most importantly those milestones remind me that we have made it through another month and we’re not only still going strong, we’ve become stronger with every passing day.

Long distance relationships have a way of confirming the feelings that both people have for each other. The distance works to cut out the “fluff” and allow us to realize that there is real substance to our relationship. The time I have spent away from Graeme has not made me question for a minute my feelings for him. Instead it has proven to me that he is someone I will fight to stay with despite how difficult it can be to miss him from so far away.

To me the 7814 miles are petty to the feelings we have for each other. Our long distance relationship has opened my eyes to my true feelings for him. It has allowed us to grow within our relationship, continuing to learn more about each other with every phone call, email, Skype date and postcard. We have eight and half more months to go until we’re together again, but when all that is said and done, I know we’ll be grateful for how strong we have become.

Sitting in an airplane for countless hours can be the most boring, uninteresting, frustrating experience. Your legs are confined to the half of a foot that you have been designated in exchange for the hundreds of dollars you paid to be sitting there. The flight attendant repeatedly tells you to ensure your personal belongs are stowed away above you or under the seat in front of you. When you are finally allowed to recline your chair, it is only noticeably more comfortable for the first ten minutes. You then wish it was completely horizontal like those buggers in first class who you passed when you boarded the plan, which in my opinion is a very illogical system to board. If you are extremely unlucky, you have landed yourself a middle seat in which you have two people beside you. This position allows you limited access to control the window shade and viewing privileges. It also means that you must climb over one individual to get to the aisle if you must relieve yourself during the flight.

Now despite all of these annoying and frustrating elements of flying, there can be some very entertaining experiences as well. When I boarded the plane to fly from Toronto to San Fransisco, I was seated next to a young European man. He was sitting in the middle seat and I was seated at the window. A few times he had a conversation with a young woman, whom I assumed was his wife or girlfriend. She was seated also in the middle seat across the aisle and down a row or two. After only about fifteen minutes of being seated a flight attendant approached him and explained that the plane had been overbooked and that his partner and himself him were now kicked off the plane. They were rather enraged with the situation, as no one can possibly blame them for, and for the next ten minutes of my life and everyone else surrounding us, we were all very much entertained by the ordeal. The couple had apparently booked their flight months ago and had paid quite a large sum of money, but there was no questioning the flight attendant. The couple grabbed their luggage and walked straight past the woman who was about to take one of their seats (awkward!).

I was left sitting now next to a woman seated in the aisle seat with an empty spot between us. Her husband and two children were seated in the row on the other side of the aisle. This woman seemed rather confident in her singing abilities because she soon suited-up with her iPod and began singing "Don't worry 'bout a thing, 'cause every little thing gonna be alllrighttt". Yes, I had the joy of a Bob Marley impersonation seated beside me, but she was a more gospel version of the dread-locked man. Watching others on the plane, I realized I wasn't the only one who thought that this outburst was rather ironic given the situation and also distracting. She leaned over to her children and serenaded them too while everyone exchanged looks with each other; the woman still oblivious to the situation. I never found out what happened to her singing as I was asked to move seats to accommodate for a woman and mother that wished to be seated together. It was unfortunate.

I suppose flying, although uncomfotable can be quite entertaining without the idiot boxes to watch in front of your seat. That entertainment comes from all walks of life and all over the world. It's a mix of culture clash, consideration, frustration and humour all in one 747.

'cause everything little thing gonna be alright ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mACqcZZwG0k