One Year With Fredric

As hard as this is to believe, I adopted Fredric one year ago this very day! That's right, it's been a full year since I brought the little mutt home to Happy Valley after first setting eyes upon him the day before at the Stanley SPCA. 

Flashback to our first encounter

He's grown so much—and destroyed so many of my possessions—in the twelve months that have since passed. But I wouldn't trade him for anything. And because I didn't have to be in the office until 1pm today, I took the opportunity to spend the morning with the "little" guy, who is now quite the big pooch.

One of Fredric's favorite places to play is the secluded, overgrown Race Course Fire Memorial hidden behind Hong Kong Stadium in the So Kon Po neighborhood of Causeway Bay. In all the times we've visited, I've only ever seen one other person there: a middle aged man lighting incense in memory of the victims.

It's a forgotten slice of Hong Kong history, but as dispiriting as I find it that more people don't know about the place, I also love having it as our secret spot, where Fredric and I can go chill out far from the madding crowd. 

As you can probably guess from the name, the monument commemorates the victims who perished when the grandstand at Happy Valley Racecourse was engulfed in flames during a tragic 1918 conflagration. It's designed in a fusion of both Asian and European influences, with terraced stone landings book-ended by gazebos, and a central memorial arch and altar embellished with traditional ceramic tiling and figurines. The whole enclosure is surrounded by hillsides jammed with bamboo, which often falls onto the upper terrace, providing Fredric with ample toys with which to amuse himself during our visits.

It was a perfect morning. I read the newspaper while he ran around exploring, and, as usual, we had the place all to ourselves. Cheers to making it a full year with me, Fredric, and here's to many happy returns of the day!