Sanitation

There are signs like these ones all over Hong Kong.  People wear face masks when they are sick.  Yet they hang their meat up in the open air all day and throw garbage out the windows.  

Chinese Herbs

these are a caterpillar with a fungus that grows out of its head

The Chinese have some weird traditional herbs.  I wish I could have gotten some better pictures but I really didn't want to walk in to (one of the many) Chinese Medicine shops and start taking photos...  It makes you wonder about the cruelty involved in collecting these animal parts.

Elderly

I completely admire the elderly here! They are so out and about!  They shop, get out and move around. Also, divorce rates are low so you see lots of cute elderly couples- love it.  In the states our elderly stay inside and are sort of kept away, but not in Hong Kong.  They are an active part of the community.  They sit around each day in the park with each other (segregated by men and women) and chat.  The haggle while buying their fruits and vegetables at the markets.  Interesting, I have never seen so many hunch-backed people.  Maybe a vitamin deficiency or maybe I just don't see as many old people back home, so I wouldn't know how many people end up crouched over. 

Bush Impersonator

 

This is really weird, but back when my couchsurfers were here, they came home one day and said they thought they had seen George Bush.  They showed me a video clip they had taken on their phone and sure enough it looked just like him- security guards and everything.  Turns out it was an impersonator who came to Hong Kong to endorse a bank.  Which I think is so strange, because who really thinks of Bush as someone with good financial sense.  Hong Kongers?  Anyways, I saw this ad and snapped a photo.

Some Weird Foods

dried whole goose?

sea cucumbers (dried)

snake soup

intestines, chicken feet and some other stuff

I sort of regret not trying more weird foods in Hong Kong.  I definitely had some opportunities...

Books I read this year

 I've never read some much in my life.  I know it's nothing compared to my friend Danielle's or my parent's reading rates, but I did pretty good for 10 months.  I'm highlighting my favorites. 


1. Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood by Martin Booth
2. Family History: A Novel by Dani Shapiro
3. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
4. Shit My Dad Says by Justin Halpern
5. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
6. Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl
7. A State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
8. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta
9. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
10. Tweak by Nic Sheff
11. Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
12. Bossypants by Tina Fey
13. Beautiful Boy by David Sheff
14. The Marriage Plot: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides
15. Lost Memory f Skin by Russell Banks
16. The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano
17. Are You There, Vodka? It's Me Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
18. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
19. Some Assembly Required by Anne Lammott
20. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
21. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
22. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris
23. The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
24. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Johnathan Safran
25. Zeitoun by David Eggers
26. A Walk in the Woods by  Bill Bryson

Walk Ways

They say a true Hong Konger never walks on the street down town and only stays on the (abundant) walkways.   The walk ways are pretty awesome- easy, covered, direct.  They are also where the helpers spend their time on Sundays.