A shot of civilisation

"Civilisation!" I cried as I stepped ashore onto Hong Kong off the Turbo Jet from Macau.

"I can finally breathe!" I exulted as I basked in the warmth of the Hong Kong weather.

I was certainly glad to be back in warmer weather.

Perhaps the more benign HK weather was a mere coincidence and bears no marked difference from Macau's, but I was perhaps secrety glad to see more densely-packed buildings and sardine-packed crowds. Both of which I associated with life and bustling activity.

Sunday

With no itinerary, we waited for my great gal pal, Jen, and her boyfriend, Derek, to finish their church service at Krispy Kreme. Roy had never had these amazing dough disks drenched in sugar-coated goodness. Navigating the Causeway Bay MTR like a pro, I led him to a strategically located outlet where he promptly ordered not one but two of those delectable treats. I highly recommended the original glazed but he opted for the more unconventional of donuts i.e. the cheesecake and milk tea. He paid no heed to my warnings that they are filling and he shouldn't chow so many of them down just before lunch. He added a medium cup of latte to his order. Oh of course, I the wife was right about those donuts spoiling his lunch.

Derek took us to a cosy Cantonese home-style restaurant for lunch because he said that the two of us needed some good Cantonese food for our coughs. They served really tasty soups and gave you free top-ups! Yummy!

After eating, we were taken and left at Ikea to shop for whatever we couldn't not find in Macau. I know, sounds really pathetic that we had each spent S$60 to go over to Hk to do that. I still feel a little bad that Roy spent that money and didn't do much except do lunch and dinner in HK. I think I made it up by spending 3 nights there.

Living it Up

Jen and Derek have a lovely airy apartment right smack in Central. Understated but definitely looking like it has leapt out from the pages of Ikea. Their apartment has so many windows that let in the light and fresh air. No buildings built close by to interfere from illumination and ventilation - I was so blissfully happy. Yes, Derek, your new place is a SUPER-upgrade from your previous place. :-D. I just wanted to say it again to make your day because Jen said you were very pleased I said it the first night I visited.

Oh! And they had cable! Ah! How I've missed cable. Jen, just came back from Canada, also had this stash of latest bimbo magazines like Glamour, O and Vogue. I devoured them within the night, savouring every bit of the glossy pages of pretty clothes modeled by their picture-perfect mannequin horses.

More to Gossip and Entertainment News that Meets the Eye

I got up early and plonked myself down on the sofa to watch more hearty gossip fare on E! channel. In case you were wondering why I chose to while my time away like this, let me assure you that the Type-A learning-obsessive-compulsive in me made sure I took away valuable lessons from engaging in frivolous reading and viewing. For one, I was inspired by an interview with Denzel Washington. This big Hollywood star has such humility and a wholesome approach to life. He just wants to make the best use of his time on earth to touch others. Makes me ask myself how I am making the best use of my own time on earth and what I am using my time for.

Watching E!, I learnt that even Hollywood glamour queens weren't always glamourous. Yes! I know! You must be thinking right now that no one, especially not me - a teacher, needs to be watching tv to learn this. But certainly, it is a timely reminder that there is still yet HOPE for me to transform from a dowdy duck to a swan!

Rest of My Time in HK

I spent the other days with Karen, a friend from Singapore. Her apartment was also another treat that almost tempts me to think that city living isn't all that scary. It was my first time dwelling on the 46th floor of any apartment. At the Manhattan Heights in Kennedy Town, a doorman opened the door for me everytime I walked in and out of the building. A free shuttle service for residents runs from the apartment to Central. Full bay windows again ensured that I had plenty of light and scenery to fill my soul for the rest of my stay in HK.

The weather continued to behave itself and I didn't have to chatter every time I showered. I even kicked off the blanket on some nights!

I went down to the Wanchai Computer Centre in hope of purchasing an ipod playdock. But I've learnt that a technobimbo like me should not ever venture into such unfamiliar territory again without either securing the escort of a technowhiz or doing better research first.

Trip Into Shenzhen

Karen also managed to convince me to give Shenzhen a chance. I've heard horror stories about the Oliver Twist sort of thievery that abounds on its streets that I've never had any desire to visit the place. I mean, why do I leave Singapore and come all this way to visit another JB. Nonetheless, Karen managed to convince me that there wasn't much to do in HK and that it was worth going to Shenzhen. So onto the train and off to Shenzhen we went.

I enjoyed the large green spaces on the train ride. Getting into and around Shenzhen was not as painful as I had imagined. In fact, I was impressed that the Shenzhen Metro was sparkling clean! A wonderful welcome to Shenzhen. It is not as dirty as I imagined. Of course first impressions are always meant to be challenged and changed. So when we stepped into the public toilet all that memory of the sparkling clean metro were soon replaced with stink.

In Search of Pretty Nails
We wanted to try out the infamously cheap nail deals but had no idea where they were located. So we approached one of those girls who were standing around holding nail and beauty charts and trying to convince passer-bys to visit their shops. We were personally escorted to the shop and upon arrival, we were guarded zealously by her colleague who was obviously the sales-vulture. We saw other shops that looked much cleaner and more professional than the one we were led too. Obviously, we should have known that we couldn't explore doing our nails at another shop now. We did try getting out of this ,however, by saying that we needed the toilet. The sales-vulture, who happened to have jet-black long hair and be dressed in all black, waited for us outside the toilet to escort us back to the shop.

Walking back to the shop, we saw another shop that advertised manicures at a cheaper rate. We paused and pointed. The sales-vulture began to vehemently deny that she had said RMB20 and that she offered the same - RMB10 with free flowers drawn on all ten nails. It is amazing the extent they would slash their prices.

To imagine what our nail place was like, imagine the neighbourhood kampong barber shop. Mistmatched chairs with skins peeling. Newspapers pasted over air-con vents. Hygiene freaks or those prone to nail infections should probably steer clear of such places. Before you accuse me of being an over-sanitised hygiene freak, listen to this. Your nails, dry skin and cuticles are trimmed with equipment that sit in plastic boxes filled with skin scrapings left behind by previous customers. Disinfectant? What's that? Soap doesn't even exist in the toilets so don't think about disinfectant for your nail clippers.

While an ideal manicure and pedicure session that includes spa treatments may not be easily found here, getting your nails painted and drawn on for RMB10 is quite worthwhile. Though, for this price you only get flowers drawn in white paint.

Another Tai-Tai Treatment
For another RMB10, we washed our hair. It is really value for money when you have long tresses like Karen. Just remember that you may have to endure endless sales pitches at how much you need an additional service or product. Karen got an endless earful of how dry her hair was and how she should do a treatment. When she did not bend over, the attention was turned to me. "Your friends wants to do it but only if you do it. So why don't you do it too? You know, you have to look after your hair if you want to keep it long too you know, " the salesgirl twittered on endlessly. When we both declined politely, she turned sulky. Poor Karen had more comments about how dry her hair was that the hairstylist couldn't even comb her hair to blow it dry.

Eat, Drink and Be Merry
I drank so much coconut juice in Shenzhen. Botak coconuts for RMB6. Just wished they gave up a plastic spoon. It was so sad to see so much juicy flesh hanging onto the walls inside those husks and we had no way to get to them.

Perhaps we didn't walk into the right area where street food stalls shouted for your stomach to fit their foods in so we didn't see much interesting food. The culinary highlight for me on this trip was probably Japanese food. Karen took me to a Japanese restaurant near her home and I loved it so much that I had it for dinner on two consecutive nights!

Nothing of the quality and at that price would ever be found in Macau and Singapore. So i fed myself a big bowl of clams boiled in sake and slabs of sashimi. They sold salmon sashimi in the pound - 16 slabs at only HK78. I resisted this and voted for an assorted sashimi platter for HK58. This platter consisted of salmon, amaebi, tako, ika and snapper (I think). The set meals were a steal that started from HK35 to 45. I had a grilled mackeral with rice, soup and salad for HK42. The soft shell crab handrolls at this place were also amazing! Soft shell crabs with flesh are used and topped generously with roe.

Breakfast Time
I need to get myself breakfast now. My stomach is growling from either hunger or indigestion. I can't figure out what is wrong but my tummy hasn't felt the same since Monday.

I shall also be venturing into the wet market today to try buying fresh meat to cook dinner for Roy tonight. Wish me the very best of courage! For all you know, I might turn vegetarian after seeing live chicken being slaughtered and fish gasping for their last breaths.