Zooming in…

These folks have their legs tied to others’ in what looks like an attempt to create a record for the longest human ‘millipede’. At that time, I had no idea what really was going on: the stage and backdrop (see the first photo) was too far away. Every minute or so, the huddled participants shuffled about an inch or so forward, reminiscent of the irregular, hobbling motion of those alien ships in Space Invaders.

Finally, upon uploading these photos, I googled a few random words describing the phenomenon and came across a description of the event that took place on 8 October 2006: it was actually a ‘multi-legged walk’ organised in aid of charity. Participants actually donated HKD100 to have their leg tied to a stranger’s and in the process, attempted to create a ‘Most Participants in a Multi-Legged Walk’ world record. No kidding!

Years of bombardment by various Malaysian banal record-breaking attempts must have set the alarm bells ringing.

Too much smoked salmon being produced

This weekend’s a long one! Monday is a surprise public holiday – the autumn version of Ching Ming (which is in spring). We need to start looking for a man with a van to move our bulky furniture and also look for some boxes or stripey-made-in-China-bags to pack our random stuff. The new place is down the road but it would be incredibly difficult to cart a 6-tier bookshelf (our largest item) even for that short distance! We’re only getting keys on Friday so we’ll probably only be able to move stuff on Saturday. Hopefully, we won’t need to spend too much time cleaning up. The few days in between the old tenants moving out and us moving in is technically for the landlord to do some cleaning work. We’ll see! When this apartment was rented, boy, there was a lot of cleaning that had to be done.

Autumn also seems to signal the appearance of scaffolding all over town. It’s probably safer now in the knowledge that a typhoon isn’t going to come wreck your work with one gust! Bamboo scaffolding is still very much in use in HK and here are some creative ways in which scaffolding has been put to use:

Precision engineering

Our apartment has been undergoing pipe-replacement works this past week, so during the day we are not supposed to be using water or plumbing (we found out when we turned on the tap and heard a loud thumping on our window pane – 21 floors up!). This has essentially meant me spending most of the day out. Spent some in the library and others running errands. Got my temporary HKID card yesterday – I validated my visa during my last entry. Hooray! No more loooooong queues at immigration!

Bad (and sad!) news for potato-lovers. At least, according to research conducted by the HK Consumer Council and the Centre for Food Safety, who were prompted by concerns over the health risk posed by the presence of acrylamide in foods. A cancer-causing substance known as acrylamide was found to occur in high levels in snacks cooked in high temperatures such as frying and baking, particularly in carbohydrates. Potato crisps, french fries and biscuits were pinpointed to contain higher levels as compared to wheat-based, rice-based and soy-based foods.

According to the report, latest studies show that acrylamide formation is particularly likely in carbohydrate-rich foods baked or cooked at temperatures above 120 degrees C! This is as opposed to boiling which occurs at a lower temperature.

But, but, baked potatoes!

But, but, fish and chips!

Can you imagine life without these comfort foods? And biscuits! Who hasn’t indulged in more than a tier of biscuits straight from the pack, over a cup of milky tea?

The bad news:

In animal testing, it was found that acrylamide increases the incidences of tumours in various organs and tissues like thyroid gland, adrenal gland, brain, lung and skin.

Possibly not-so-bad news:

Acrylamide is a contaminant generated in the process of cooking, which is not added to food intentionally, its level is therefore affected by various conditions.

So can we avoid the generation of this contaminant by controlling the conditions which affect its levels?

Aargh! Bad news:

Despite its carcinogenicity, JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) concluded that it was not possible to issue recommendations on how much of any specific foods containing the substance is safe to eat.

And I suppose recommendations are meant to be good news?

The only recommendation, nonetheless, is that exposure to acrylamide should be “as low as reasonably achievable”.

The consumer lets out a heavy sigh of sorrow as adds the spud to the list of things he can no longer eat with peace of mind – fish (mercury), fruits and vegetables (pesticides), meat (antibiotics, parasites and viruses), poultry (bird flu)…

Wash everything thoroughly. Cook everything kao-kao. And drink lots of tea (if that is to be believed).

Wait, mash is a result of boiling potato. There’s still hope!

This wishlist may just be checked off real soon. Now that we’ve found a new place to stay and all the arrangements pertaining to accommodation are settled, I’m finally able to fulfil my promise to visit my folks – for a week! Just got a fantastic deal online with Cathay Pacific, only HKD1758 (~RM850) for a return ticket. Will be flying to Changi though, so won’t be passing through KL. Anybody visiting JB?

Some people are coming to view our apartment this evening. I’m learning to recognise the phrase “Do we have to remove our shoes?” because that seems to be the first thing you’re asked when people are about to come inside. And when I get asked that question, of course my response is going to be “Yes!”. I need to remember that even if in the panic of the moment, I fail to recognise the phrase. I don’t want dirty boots trampling all over my birch laminate.

But that goes against all my instincts, for all you know the potential lessee might be asking “Do all these furniture come with the apartment?” or “Can you move out tomorrow?”

In Hong Kong, when in doubt as to what I’m asked, I usually say No. That’s because people everywhere ask you all sorts of questions all the time, where a ‘Yes’ response would probably set you back several dollars. This happens at the supermarket (“How about buying the weekly special?”), the pharmacy (“This new shampoo is on offer, shall I ring one up for you?”) and restaurants (“Catch of the day, very fresh!”).

Once however I said No when I should have said Yes. I must have been dreaming at that time and not paying attention to what the cashier was saying at the supermarket checkout counter. I usually bring my own bag, and apparently was still clutching on to it tightly after I’d loaded all the goods onto the conveyor belt, and the cashier asked me twice, do you want to use your own bag?

I ended up looking like a right idiot with two supermarket plastic bags and an empty canvas bag.

(Picture borrowed from the Standard )

The incident occurred a few blocks from our apartment. Some negligence was definitely involved when three huge pipes which were being hoisted up by crane broke free and fell 35 floors onto the street and the waiting traffic below. Apparently two of the pipes landed on the street first, then bounced onto the vehicles. Thankfully nobody died! Eyewitnesses were reported to have seen drivers climb out of their vehicles and scramble for ‘safety’ beneath the wings of the construction area. Wonder if that’s any safer?!

The damage: an Italian car, several taxis, two trucks, a goods van and public confidence in the enforcement of construction safety guidelines.

I’m certainly going to be very careful from now on around construction/improvement sites. And you think these things happen only in Malaysia. Sigh.

It seems to be the season for refurbishment too. Our apartment building will soon be fitted with bamboo scaffolding for water pipe replacements.

We had the most fabulous trip to Paris – wonderfully brisk weather with amazing architecture and history to boot. I am still struggling to finish my writeup (including photos) on it, so much has been happening of late! Had a bit of jetlag when we got back, but the time difference was only 6 hours so it wasn’t that bad.

But soon after the trip, the in-laws came to visit! They arrived at the beginning of Golden Week – a term attributed to a stretch of holidays on the mainland in celebration of China’s national day. We didn’t get a week of holidays in Hong Kong, but Monday was a public holiday. While the in-laws were here, we managed a trip to Lamma Island (I sat and watched while everyone ate shellfish… until the vegetable dish and fish arrived), watched the fireworks display over Victoria Harbour from an open-air restaurant at Two IFC, and guiltily indulged in culinary heaven for 4 entire days (It was good not having to cook). After they left, we were exhausted but then it was already the end of the long weekend.

On Friday night, while many were at home or out with families for mid-autumn festival dinner, we had a lovely evening at the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) courtesy of one of our home group members who plays the trumpet in the HKPO. It featured Vadim Repin, whose mastery of the violin left us gaping in amazement. The orchestra exceeded expectation. Such talent! It was our first time at the HK Cultural Centre, and the acoustics of the concert hall were excellent. No more stall seats for orchestral performances. The sound is apparently better in the balcony.

Over the weekend, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Mr & Mrs Fatboybakes at Chung’s cuisine in Times Square (they were in town for a wedding) – it was great catching up over dim sum and exchanging eye-rolls over the HK obsession with branded chattels. Being a Saturday, we didn’t realise that it was a public holiday (Mid-autumn festival), and therefore, all the usual great offers for a dim sum feast were off. Be that as it may, we had a lovely, face-stuffing brunch followed by yeung jee kam lo at a separate venue after. Then they had to go back to the hotel to check out while we had to meet a property agent for several apartment viewings.

All this while, we’d also stepped up our apartment-hunting efforts, viewing an average of six apartments a weekend (and sometimes during weekdays). It was getting to a point when it got a bit frustrating as there was always a ‘fatal’ problem with each apartment, that is, something which worked against our renting the apartment. E.g.

• apartment totally over our budget
• no furniture at all (not even curtains)
• apartment in a dodgy area
• weird-looking (and -behaving) security guards
• apartment smells of unbathed dog… and so on.

But after walking the inkworth of a hundred Kilometrico pens (remember ‘on.. and on.. and on..’?), our November visitors will be glad to know that we have FINALLY found a nice place to call home for the next couple of years or so. It’s just down the road from our present abode, with a bathroom that is large by average HK apartment standards and a kitchen in which I can stretch out my arms and whirl without knocking over a glass (I broke 3 glasses in our current kitchen). It’s got full built-ins, but we have to shop for a few items like a fridge, bed and sofa (these are our top priorities). We took a gamble when we signed for it because it was only available several days after our current lease expires, and two days before our visitors arrive! But yesterday we managed to get a short extension from the landlord, and we’re quite pleased to still be able to accommodate our guests – the second room is fully furnished with a built-in bed.

The previous tenants offered to sell us their furniture lock stock n barrel (except for fridge) for a really decent price, but after some consideration, we decided against it. Although their furniture was of decent quality (Ikea stuff and all that), they probably forgot to bring their measuring tape with them on their furniture shopping trip. The sofa occupied too much space in the living room and their bed frame was so huge that you couldn’t open the bedroom door fully. They had a washer and a separate dryer, but they bought the top-loading style of washer which meant that it couldn’t be placed in the space under the kitchen counter specially built for a washer (because then you wouldn’t have space to lift open the lid). So their washer went into the space meant for the fridge! And the fridge was then positioned in an awkward way in the middle of the kitchen wall. As space is premium in a country like HK, one must use it wisely.

Tomorrow I must go buy a retractable measuring tape. I only have the Ikea one at the moment.

Hong Kong experienced a tremor last night close to 8pm. Worried families ran out from their homes. Skyscrapers trembled. Books wobbled on their swaying shelves. Office workers were talking about it. Even the regulars frequenting the tiny cafe downstairs temporarily deserted their usual conversations about the new casino in Macau.

For all of three seconds, Hong Kong was shaken and stirred by an earthquake measuring 3.5 on the Richter Scale (RS). The epicentre of the quake was determined to be in the sea about 36km southeast of Hong Kong, around Danga Island. However, no property damage or injuries were reported.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the tectonic setting of Hong Kong greatly reduces the chances of the country experiencing a major local quake.

Most earthquakes of the world occur along the boundaries of crustal plates. Hong Kong lies within the Eurasian Plate and is located far away, about 600 km, from the nearest boundary with the Pacific Plate on the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt that runs through Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Therefore, the chance of a major local tremor is very small.

Apparently, the strongest quake felt by Hong Kong was in 1918 but it was actually centred in Guangdong in China. That measured 7.3 on the RS and caused minor building damage.

I didn’t ignore the earthquake. I just didn’t feel it. Perhaps being on your feet and preoccupied with tasks tends to distract you from earth-shaking events. I didn’t actually experience any of the other tremors occurring in KL last year, either.

It is said that the very first of these char chan teng restaurants to open its doors in Hong Kong is Tsui Wah Restaurant, on Jaffe Road in Causeway Bay.

The menu was extremely varied, with the usual rice, chinese noodles, ramen and ‘western’ offerings. They even have Hainanese chicken rice! It took me a while to finally decide on the Portuguese-style baked rice. While waiting for it to arrive, I ordered a coffee, which was served in a funny cup. The coffee was quite nice, but I wonder why milk always seems to be in ‘short supply’. Meanwhile, we also ordered a dinner set which comprises lai tong (daily soup), honey lamb chops and a lemon drink. The soup was so-so, but the lamb chops were unexpectedly tasty and tender (yes, one may have expected them to be tough or reckon that plenty of tenderiser was used), served with a baked potato and a mixed salad.

A fairly decent effort

Finally, my meal arrived, not fast enough for it to be captured under the fast food category, but the sight of it made me forget what a long time it took coming!

Wow, this wasn’t what I’d expected?!

As usual I finished every morsel (with a little help) and it is definitely way too much for one person, unless that is one super, double-hungry person.

And the cost of the meal came up to about HKD120.

A strong wind signal 3 associated with tropical cyclones, a red rainstorm warning signal, a thunderstorm warning and a landslip warning.

Our apartment took a real beating last night as the winds and rain lashed against the windows, and this morning the harbour was completely shut out by an immense fog. Afternoon schools have been closed. Bet office workers wish it were the same for them – except that they would be stuck in the office :p