Week 2: 4/10/05

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFCC80" TEXT="#080000" background="67cc8b83.jpg"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Random Things to Make You Giggle"><B>Random Things to Make You Giggle</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id77.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hong Kong Disneyland"><B>Hong Kong Disneyland</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Parkview Apartment"><B>Our Parkview Apartment</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 1: 4/3/05"><B>Week 1: 4/3/05</B></A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f00000cc00.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Week 2: 4/10/05</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 3: 4/17/05"><B>Week 3: 4/17/05</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 4: 4/24/05 "><B>Week 4: 4/24/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 5: 5/1/05 "><B>Week 5: 5/1/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 6: 5/8/05 "><B>Week 6: 5/8/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 7: 5/15/05 "><B>Week 7: 5/15/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 8: 5/22/05 "><B>Week 8: 5/22/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 9: 5/29/05 "><B>Week 9: 5/29/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 10: 6/5/05 "><B>Week 10: 6/5/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 11: 6/12/05 "><B>Week 11: 6/12/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 12: 6/19/05 "><B>Week 12: 6/19/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 13: 6/26/05 "><B>Week 13: 6/26/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id57.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 14: 7/3/05 "><B>Week 14: 7/3/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id60.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 15: 7/10/05 "><B>Week 15: 7/10/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id62.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 16: 7/17/05 "><B>Week 16: 7/17/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id64.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 17: 7/24/05 "><B>Week 17: 7/24/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id65.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 18: 7/31/05 "><B>Week 18: 7/31/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id67.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 19: 8/7/05 "><B>Week 19: 8/7/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 20: 8/14/05 "><B>Week 20: 8/14/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id71.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 21: 8/21/05 "><B>Week 21: 8/21/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 22: 8/28/05 "><B>Week 22: 8/28/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id76.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 23: 9/4/05 "><B>Week 23: 9/4/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id79.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 24: 9/11/05 "><B>Week 24: 9/11/05 </B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id80.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Week 25: 9/18/05 "><B>Week 25: 9/18/05 </B></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#BF0000" FACE="Australian Sunrise" ><B>Welcome to Chase family planet!</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Australian Sunrise" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >    |    </FONT> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to Chase family planet!">home</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adventures in Asia">Adventures in Asia</A>   ·   <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <bR> <div> Week 2: 4/10/05</div> <div> <B>Settling In!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Hello Fellow Travelers!</B><B> </B></div> <bR> <div> We've successfully made it through a second week in Hong Kong... this week the kids settled down while it was our turn to fitfully adjust to our new life. This update is coming out a couple days later than planned. Michael decided to take the computer off the giant power converter the Parkview lent us, which was working just fine but for some reason seemed to personally offend him. Instead he decided to put it on a tiny "travel" adapter, which resulted in a loud "POP" and a smoky smell and what we prayed wasn't the death of our brand new computer. So our CPU got a tour of the local repair shop for a couple of days and is now back home none the worse so we can send this out. We are not winning in the war against the appliances in Hong Kong. So far the score is: Appliances-3, Chases-1. Read on...</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Hong Kong is</U></B><U> </U><I><B><U>not</U></B></I><U> </U><B><U>Japan</U></B></div> <bR> <div> First and foremost, for those of you begging for a comparison, we promised ourselves we would not continually compare our stay in Japan with our time in Hong Kong. The two countries are so dissimilar it's hard to find things that they have in common. I'm not sure how the U.S. is reporting the news from this side of the globe, but right now, relations between Japan and China have taken a bizarre and violent turn. The Japanese recently published history textbooks that delete, skim over, or glorify certain things Japan did to China in the past, apparently making it appear that anything Japan did was only in self-defense. With this story being front page news every day, hearing how the Japanese Embassy in China was totally thrashed, and tens of thousands of protesters marched through Beijing, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, carrying signs making disparaging remarks about the Japanese, it's difficult <I>not</I> to think about our time in Japan. Adding to that, this week we've bumped into several people who, like us, lived in Japan for a year or two. And without exception, every single one of them has said "I'm <I>sooo</I> glad we aren't in Japan, it is <I>sooo</I> much better here". Both Mike and I are puzzled over this. Our experience in Japan was by far the best year we've had to date, not without major challenges and difficulties, but Japan is a place we will always want to go back to again and again. If we had the chance to go back and live there, Mike knows he doesn't even have to ask before saying yes. But the people we've met here this week absolutely couldn't stand living in Japan and counted the days until they could leave. </div> <bR> <div> Michael and I think the difference between our experience and that of our new friends comes down to one thing, er, person... a blond haired, blue eyed, baby boy that goes by the name of Nathan E. Chase. He was our ambassador to the heart of Japan. Some days I could barely walk to the market for all the adoring fans wanting to touch his silky hair, give him toys, make him wave and giggle, and have their snapshots taken with him. Waitresses in restaurants routinely whisked him off to bounce him around whenever he let out the slightest peep, showing him off to other patrons and the kitchen help. Total strangers became lifelong friends after ten minutes in Nathan's presence. How can you not fall in love with a county where the citizens have so clearly fallen in love with your firstborn child? Granted, it was difficult. We had a tiny newborn and we lived far away from the traditional expat communities near English speaking schools (or English speakers for that matter), and instead lived in the affluent suburb of Urayasu, where it was possible to go a full week without seeing another set of blue eyes. The major difference we've noticed in the two weeks we've been here is that Hong Kong is this incredible international city... a place where you are just as likely to hear someone speaking French or with an Australian accent as you are to hear someone speaking Cantonese. I think this has left us feeling a bit dazed and out of sorts... like we're still home in the U.S., maybe in San Francisco rather than on a completely different continent. Having said that, and after experiencing last weekend's tourist crowds at Stanley and in Kowloon, we decided to go for a change of pace this week and attempt to dip our feet into the rich cultural pool that Hong Kong has to offer.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Ching Ming Festival</U></B></div> <bR> <div> The Ching Ming Holiday celebrated last Tuesday is marked by people going to visit the graves of their ancestors, sweeping the area, and then burning various things made of paper, hoping that as the items burn, they make their way to the ancestors, who will then bless them in return for their generosity. Normally people burn paper money and bring food and wine, but the newspapers reported a brisk trade in luxury items created out of paper this year, like ipods, flat screen televisions, and fancy lingerie. Evidently, fires get out of hand very quickly, as no one bothers to bring water or fire extinguishers and whole hillsides go up in flames. It is one of 17 yearly public holidays in Hong Kong, and although every single one of Mike's co-workers actually went into the office to work, Michael took advantage of the fact his crew hasn't arrived yet and he took the holiday off. This will probably be the last time that happens, so we decided to take full advantage and go somewhere away from the high rise jungle on Hong Kong Island.</div> <bR> <div> We decided to go to a tiny island called Cheung Chau. It's only about 1.5 square miles, and so small there are no cars on the island, save two: an ambulance and a fire truck, both of which we were privileged to see while there (safely tucked into the fire station, not racing to a fire). The island is shaped like a dumbbell with most of the residents living in the handle part. To get there, we took a high speed ferry that raced us the six miles to the island in thirty minutes. As we disembarked, we noticed one glaring omission: other "tourists" like ourselves. This was alright by me. We closed the tour book and just set off walking. We walked all the way to one end of the island, then turned around and walked to the other. We saw the Pak Tai Temple, built in 1783 or 1784 depending on who you believe, and decorated with the most exquisite carvings. In May, they hold a Bun Festival here, and we're hoping Aunt Holly is here during that time so we can all go experience it together. On the opposite side of the island from where the ferry dropped us off, we saw a handful of people walking on Tung Wan Beach. Despite the chilliness in the air, there were several other people who took their shoes off and let the cold water lap at their toes. And, after one week here, we finally had our first "Chinese Food". There is a single hotel on the island, which was serving a dim sum lunch, so Mike ordered several baskets of various things, which all four of us gobbled up while we sat at a table overlooking the sea. Both boys behaved so well, we had to wonder if last week's behavior was just a horrible nightmare! </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Warning: Potty Humor</U></B></div> <bR> <div> After lunch, we let the kids play on the playground at the sand's edge (which is identical to every other playground we've seen in Hong Kong, they are all bright red, blue, and yellow). After downing a couple of cokes and bottles of water, I was feeling nature's call, so I bravely stood in line for what appeared to be temporary toilets on the beach. Not like the "port-a-potties" you find at construction sites or concerts in the U.S., these were actual toilets, but they had little more than four foot tall particle board making what could generously be called a barrier around you. Although they were clearly labeled "Ladies" and "Gentleman" with the appropriate color coordinated pict-o-graph of a lady in a skirt and a man in pants, it seemed to make little difference to the people in line which they used. When it was finally my turn, I was relieved to find a white porcelain Western toilet, as in Japan (comparison #1 in Hong Kong's favor), a public restroom gives you a hole in the ground that you sort of squat over. </div> <bR> <div> It was a little disconcerting to do my business in the great outdoors and there was a lot of pressure to be quick as the line was long. Finally completing what I was there to do and cursing my post-baby bladder for not being made of iron like it used to be, I turned to flush the toilet. And that's when Old Faithful erupted right from the toilet. Stifling a scream, I backed against the particle board door and tried to stay calm. Here was an instance where being the only Caucasian for miles (well, mile anyway, it was a small island) didn't work in my favor. The second I stepped outside the booth, I would stand out in my bright red shirt and blond hair and everyone would know it was me that managed to take something as simple as flushing a toilet and turn it into a grotesque reproduction of a famous tourist attraction. Hearing "polite" coughs from five inches outside the booth, I realized that the line was still there, and I was taking way too much time. The geyser in the toilet showed little signs of slowing down, although thankfully almost all the water that gushed up into the air was making it's way back into the toilet instead of onto the sidewalk outside the booth. Finally, I took a deep breath, turned around, flung the door open and took off down the sidewalk towards Mike and the boys. I opened a box of baby wipes and gave my hands a good scrubbing before casually mentioning to Michael that I may have "broken" the toilet. Then I quickly changed the subject. As we walked back to the ferry dock, we took a path through the residential area, passing a tiny hospital, a school, and tons of laundry hanging in the breeze to dry. It was an awesome day, malfunctioning toilets not withstanding, and a perfect antidote to the "big city blues". </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Quest for a Hairdryer</U></B></div> <bR> <div> At one point in my life, I was a girly-girl. I wore expensive suits and high heels, loved fine jewelry, got weekly manicures, and would never think of leaving the house without makeup on, which I generally purchased at the counter at Macy's. And then I had kids. Boys, specifically. I now try to make it a daily goal to at least never leave the house without a shower, but nice clothes (the kind with no stains) and make up (now purchased from Target) are a luxury, generally left for church on Sunday most weeks. I do, however (on the days that I get that shower) try to at least blow dry my hair, tricking myself into believing I'm still giving some effort to my appearance. I'm kind of forced into it, as my hair is getting really long and air drying takes pretty much until the next shower. The Parkview came equipped with a hair dryer (plugged into the desk drawer in the master bedroom, quite strange), but the provided mini dryer is more like a furnace that radiates hot air, pretty much baking your hair rather than drying it. So, in deference to my sole remaining shred of personal vanity, I decided that I would break down and purchase a hair dryer here in Hong Kong. </div> <bR> <div> There are no Targets or Walgreen's here (although there is a Wal-Mart right over the border in China), where I would normally go to pick up a hairdryer. In the fog that was our second day here, we did buy Michael an electric shaver with our relocation coordinator at a store called Fortress, so I thought that might be a good place to start. The boys and I set off for a little adventure. The store indeed had a hairdryer, the exact make but updated model of the hairdryer I have in a box somewhere in California... only this one has the proper plug that fits into the funky desk drawer here at home. We left Fortress and went to the second story of the building we were in. There were two things of interest on that floor: a book store and a McDonald's. We went into the bookstore first. I've been on a quest for a highly rated book called "Hong Kong for Kids: Where to Go, What to See, and How to Get There". I'd already tried two other places with no luck, and was about to write this one off when there by the cash register I spied the prize. And a prize it is indeed... a guidebook with pertinent information every parent with small children needs- is there a place to change a diaper? Is it stroller friendly? And exactly which bus, train, or boat do I take to get there? </div> <bR> <div> We had lunch at McD's and had a sampling of the various Asian sauces that come with the chicken nuggets here (Spicy Mayonnaise! Satay Malay! Other Random But Funny Name I Can't Remember! All were thumbs down say Ben & Nat). Then we left the building, with the intention of walking up and down the sidewalk a bit before catching a cab back home. The boys had other plans. Along the side of the building (the Hopewell Centre to be exact) run a flight of stone stairs that go up and up and up. That is where both my boys dragged me. This came as quite a surprise, as normally my older child won't do anything that involves walking, but after I extracted a promise that he would not make me carry him back down, we began ascending the staircase into the clouds. I intended to count them, but didn't. I don't know if I can count that high. </div> <bR> <div> Halfway up, we passed a kindergarten where a stream of happy children exited and ran down the stairs with their moms (or probably more accurately their domestic helpers, more about that in the weeks to come). All the kids were wearing bright yellow sweatsuits on top of their normal clothes, and I was wearing a tee shirt and shorts and had sweat pouring down my face. My kids were going much faster than I, but it was hard to catch up. About two thirds of the way up, we heard the loud obnoxious sound of a school bell, which froze the boys and allowed me to catch up, if only momentarily. The staircase had a bend in it, and from around the corner above us we heard a loud rumbling noise. It wasn't long before the boys are I were like fish swimming upstream... a stream full of shouting, jumping, pubescent boys in gray suits and ties. They just kept coming and coming, the noise deafening, the smell overwhelming. Nathan and Benjamin tried to dodge through the crowd and I tried, unsuccessfully to keep either an eye or a hand on them. Finally the river of boys slowed to a trickle and then stopped. </div> <bR> <div> We reached the end of the stairwell, which led to an inclined pathway with a sign saying it led to "Lover's Rock". The boys just kept going and going, as did the path. Before I knew it we were surrounded by lush green trees that formed a canopy overhead. We couldn't see any buildings around us and the air was very quiet. And hot. And even as I kept wiping sweat from my forehead I realized that it's only the first week of April. Summer isn't even here yet. We are going to die. When the boys started fading, we turned around and went back down, coming in the "back door" of the Hopewell Centre. It's built on the side of the hill, so the back side of the building lets you in on the 17th floor. Which means, the boys and I trekked up at least 17 stories, probably twice that as we had to come down the hill to get to the 17th floor. The air conditioning felt nice, and as we walked around the floor, I saw a sign marked "observation elevator". It was the only elevator that didn't have a line of businessmen at it, so we pressed the button and hopped in. At first, the view was cool. Then the elevator kept going up. And up. I felt like I was in a scene from Charlie and The Glass Elevator, and feared that at any moment we'd break through the ceiling of the 68 story building and plummet to our death on the busy street below. I took a lot of photos, which you can see on the website, including one taken pretty much straight down. Don't look at it on a full stomach. When our feet were safely on the ground, we caught a cab home, where I showered and then used my new hair dryer... which worked perfectly on the first try, no one was injured, inconvenienced, or otherwise bothered, and my hair has never looked better.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>One Day Weekend = Daddy Time</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Mike is working long hours, but I'm not complaining yet because I know it's going to get worse. Our neighbor Roze's hubby is working seven days a week right now. Mike is "merely" working six so we are blessed. The hardest part of the whole situation is this: No matter how hard these guys work right now, every single one of them is out of a job once Hong Kong Disneyland opens in September. That's enough to make you want to cry, huh? That's the nature of glorious project-based entertainment work. So instead of dwelling on that depressing news, we'll just move along to the weekend, where we greatly enjoyed Michael's presence after work on Saturday and on Sunday. He took Nathan swimming, giving Benjamin and I a chance to chill without the whirlwind Nathan creates. We also went to a BBQ buffet here at that Parkview that they do around the gorgeous outdoor pool on Saturday evenings. Several families on the Disney project were there, it was nice to put faces to names, and meet the wives and kids. It was so wonderful, I'm sure we'll be doing it as often as Michael's schedule allows (and as our checkbook allows, it was a bit expensive). It was amazing to see kids at every single table, not a single one of them misbehaving or throwing food or trying to jump in the pool. As the sun set it was nearly magical... we left before our kids could be the ones to break the spell. </div> <bR> <div> After church on Sunday we had lunch with Nathan's friend Natalie and her family. We also met a woman who has a house in Lomita, California, just a block away from our house in Lomita, California. And, she lived in Japan at the same time we did, although we never bumped into her there. Probably because she was having a miserable time and hating it while we were living it up! The world is getting smaller every day.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Bumpy Road Ahead</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Coming next week... Nathan starts school in Hong Kong and Michael leaves the country. Don't know if "dread" is the right word to describe the feeling in the pit of my stomach, but it might be close. For happier thoughts, you can go enjoy the photos on week 2.  We also put some photos of our suite in the "What's New" section, so you can see our home base.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Happy traveling!</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Heather, Michael, Nathan, and Benjamin Chase</B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="731" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 191 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="153d0a90.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="169" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Here's a panorama of Stanley market.  People moved as Mike snapped the photos, so you see movement.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 292 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="14f680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Climbing rocks at Stanley.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="14d680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> I'm the king of the world!</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 382 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="147680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A view of our building at Parkview from the Pool.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1490e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Sunbathing in the fog.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 341 WIDTH="356"><div> <IMG SRC="143680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The outdoor playground at Parkview.  Benjamin loves this merry-go-round thing, but it scared me since he wouldn't hold on and the big kids wanted to go faster and faster...</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="356"><div> <IMG SRC="145680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The sand pit at the outdoor playground at Parkview.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 382 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="11b0e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Our fast ferry to Cheung Chau.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="12d680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The island may not have any </div> <div> cars on it, but it's not so primitive that </div> <div> it doesn't have  a McD's on it.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 398 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="12f680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The ambulance on Cheung Chau.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="11d0e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The outdoor, non-electric dryer.  Notice it's </div> <div> Nathan in the stroller, not Benjamin.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 292 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="117680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> A view of the roof tops and all the antennas.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="129680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Come pick out your dinner!</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 292 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="115680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The Pak Tai Temple</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="131680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Wood carvings on the temple</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 308 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="12b680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The non-swimming side of Tung Wan Beach</div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="119680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Looking at Lantau Island (where HKDL is) </div> <div> far in the distance.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 308 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="121680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Welcome to the Beach!</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="123680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The playground that looks like every other </div> <div> playground in Hong Kong.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 382 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="11f0e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The streets in Cheung Chau</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1250e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The fast ferry home to Hong Kong</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 382 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1270e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Sleeping on the ferry.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="13b0e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The infamous stove, all in one piece.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 292 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="133680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Corn on a stick.  Just the way Nature intended.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="135680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Sharing a snack with Daddy.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 292 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="141680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The Observation Elevator in the Hopewell Centre.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="151680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Don't look down!</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER COLSPAN=2 HEIGHT= 273 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="137d0eb0.jpg" border=0 width="720" height="235" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The view from the observation elevator in the Hopewell Centre on an unusually clear day.</div> <div> Not a postcard, I actually took this photo myself while my stomach was doing somersaults.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 382 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1130e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Come on, mom, we're not tired, keep up!</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="14b680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Okay now we're tired.</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 462 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="13f0e680.jpg" border=0 width="270" height="360" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Nathan and Natalie in the Hong Kong </div> <div> Convention Center and Exhibition Hall, </div> <div> the sight of the 1997 ceremony returning </div> <div> Hong Kong to China from 155 years </div> <div> of British rule.  Overlooking </div> <div> Victoria Harbor and Kowloon.</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER WIDTH="356"><div> <IMG SRC="13d680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Benjamin, Nathan, Natalie, and Michael (Natalie's brother) at the Hong Kong Convention Center.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>