Adieu, 2013

It's hard to believe that 2013 is already drawing to a close. But indeed it is, so once again, for posterity, here are twelve photos condensing the waning year into a concise visual synopsis. 

In all honesty, 2013 was a notch or two below 2012 for me. And I guess that's not really a big surprise. After all, there was no standout "once-in-a-lifetime" event I got to take part in like 2012's London Olympics; I wasn't a member of any of my best friends' wedding parties like I had been the year before; and I only set foot in seven countries in the wake of last year's twelve.

Nonetheless, 2013 had some very high highs: the double-visit of Rusty and Britney to my two Asian homes; a stellar vacation to Shanghai to spend time with old friends; my current trip to the East Coast for my first American Christmas in three years; and perhaps most importantly, my return to Hong Kong after an absence of three months—and hopefully for good. It all just flew by, but it was another full string of months. And it's going out on a high note, with my friend Silja visiting from Germany as 2013 becomes history.

So without further ado, here is my twelve picture instant replay of the year...

January

During my January trip to Hong Kong, Courtney and I zipped over to Macau for a memorable day of wandering. 

February

For the past few years I'd wanted to attend the Philippines Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark... In 2013, I finally made it!

March

In Asia, random things happen when least expected, like meeting "cats" out for a walk along Singapore's Marina Bay.

April

 Perhaps my best memory of 2013 is when my Villanova roommate Rusty came to Asia with his girlfriend Britney.

May

The food in Shanghai was out of this world, although I was in desperate need of a haircut and a shave!

June

On the last Saturday in June, we donned patriotic garb to pre-game Independence Day in Philadelphia.

July

In East Hampton, Long Island, this summer, I celebrated "Christmas in July" for Kristen's birthday. 

August

Nothing signifies a New Jersey summer more for me than a day of horse racing at Monmouth Park.

September

The night before I flew back to Hong Kong, we had a family dinner at our favorite local restaurant, The Pine Tavern.

October

Halloween is almost always a highlight any year... This shot is from a party the Saturday before the big day.

November

Celebrating Thanksgiving with good friends on my roof made me realize how thankful I am to be back in Hong Kong!

December

Getting into the Christmas spirit in Lan Kwai the weekend before flying home was a great start to the holiday season!

SantaCon Hong Kong!

Yesterday, I participated in my first SantaCon, here in Hong Kong. I came very close to joining in the festivities last year in Singapore, but in the end, it just wasn't in the cards. And somehow, in all my Christmases back home, I also never got involved in the massive New York event. So it was with incredible anticipation that I donned the red hat yesterday afternoon. 

For the past few weeks, the weather has been just beautiful here, probably the most temperate Hong Kong December that I can recall. I still enjoy many hours on the roof of our apartment, and I even spent one afternoon on St. Stephen's Beach in Stanley not too long ago. However, all that changed last week. The rains and clouds have invaded our fair city, and it's been pretty dreary for the past stretch of days. Unfortunately, things did not improve in time for SantaCon, but at least torrential downpours didn't coincide with the event. Despite the drizzles and slight chills, it was still a very fun day.

In case anybody out there is unfamiliar with SantaCon, it is a Christmastime pub crawl, observed in three hundred cities spread across forty-four countries, in which participants donning Santa suits or other Christmas-appropriate attire make their way around town from one bar to another. And one of the coolest things about it for me was knowing that all across the globe, hundreds of thousands of people were all participating in the tradition.

The first stop of the Hong Kong crawl was rooftop RED Bar, atop IFC mall. I went with my friends Allan and Lou, and we met up with my flatmate Sarah there. Unfortunately, we arrived late, and the vast majority of revelers had already made there way to the Dark Side to bar number two. Still, about twenty or so Santas were still at RED, and we decided to stay there a bit.

Allan and Sarah at Red Bar

Instead of crossing the harbor and joining the party in Kowloon, we opted to take the MTR straight to Wan Chai, where everybody would eventually be heading anyway. Because we had already arrived late, it seemed like a better idea, otherwise, we'd have invested lots of time and energy in getting to the Dark Side watering hole, only to have to then cross back to the island again a short time later.

It was a good decision. We got to bar number three, Coyote on Lockhart Road, and enjoyed some sidewalk Coronas, sang some Christmas tunes and awaited the arrival of the masses. Other people seemed to have the same idea, a couple of Santas joining every few minutes. And then, after an hour or so, the throngs arrived off the MTR. All of the sudden, the bar, sidewalk and street were filled with a thousand Santas. Bumping into old friends, and making new ones, it was a great way to celebrate the coming of Christmas. And people just kept on filtering in.

The final bars of the night were in Lan Kwai Fong, where the Santa crew merged with the rest of the LKF party goers, of course in full force on a Saturday night. I can't ever remember running into so many old pals, some of whom I hadn't seen since my return to Hong Kong three months ago. Although I'd love to arrive on time next year and fully participate in the entire crawl, I have nothing but fond memories from yesterday. I'm in a very festive mood, and ready to fly home on Friday for my first American Christmas since 2010!

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé

As you probably know, visiting Macau is—for me at least—one of the greatest things about living in Hong Kong. The former Portuguese colony, a mere forty miles or so from the SAR, is easily accessible and full of interesting things to do. Macau is now internationally known for its glittering casinos, but for centuries, it was a thriving trading port—and the first European colony in Asia—where spices and other goods passed on their voyage from East to West. Unlike Hong Kong, where the need to provide for the future mandated the unfortunate destruction of many monuments of the past, Macau has miraculously managed to preserve huge sections of its history. Walking around the old city is like strolling through a nineteenth century picture postcard somehow come to life. And I love to soak up all the character of this gem of a place.

Last night, one of my favorite Macau events took place. The local Alliance Française puts on an annual fête to celebrate the release of the Beaujolais nouveau, the first of the year's grapes to be turned into wine. Although Beaujolais nouveau itself is rarely exceptional, it does offer oenophiles their first taste of what's to come when more prestigious regions release their wines over the course of the season. And it's a great excuse to have a little celebration.

So I caught the ferry over and hopped on the number 12 bus to the party. My friend Christina was joining too, but because she couldn't get off work early, I figured it made sense for me to go down first so I'd have some extra time in Macau. The event is held in the courtyard of the Albergue SCM, which is tucked away up some side streets and therefore pretty difficult to find if you don't know where you're going. Surprisingly, after a short wander around the charming quarter, I found it relatively easily. But when I approached the woman seated at the table and asked for a ticket, she told me the party had reached capacity and no more tickets were being sold! I begged and pleaded but to no avail. She said there were no exceptions.

Dejected, I wandered around some more, found a payphone, called Christina (who was already en route) to give her the bad news, and made plans to instead meet her on the steps of the ruins of Saint Paul's, Macau's most famous site. Having been to the party two years in a row, I was so looking forward to my third go. And Christina was also excited for it, having been part of our crew for last year's installment. But we decided to make the best of it and still have a good night.

Strolling around the old cobblestone streets, past reminders of a colonial heritage infused with distinctly Asian accents, we both perked up. (A tasty Portuguese egg tart from a local shop made this even easier.) Macau was still a great place to be, and the clear, cool night was perfect. We sat down at Restaurant Platao, a Portuguese place with a charming patio, up a side alley just off Senado Square. We ordered a bottle of wine, some bread and baked eggplant stuffed with cheese, and we lingered there until they told us they were closing and we had to leave.

And afterwards we just wandered some more, back to Saint Paul's and then up to the ancient fortress that caps a nearby hill. I'd never seen this part of Macau—usually packed with thousands of tourists—so empty. A few locals were chatting with one another on benches or jogging along the path, but it felt like we had the magical place all to ourselves.

Then we had an idea, perhaps inspired by that bottle of wine we had at the restaurant: make our way back towards the Beaujolais party and find some way to get in. So when we approached the Albergue and nobody was manning the entrance, we just waltzed on by, found a (nearly) full bottle and grabbed two empty glasses. We were in.

Sitting in the courtyard, with the moss-covered trees and din of French conversation in the background, we chilled out for an hour or so. In the end we had made it to our party after all. True, the music had stopped by the time we arrived and many party guests had begun filtering out, but we really didn't mind. It was a great development to what had already turned out to be a wonderful evening.

Slowly, lights began turning off, and eventually it became clear that it was again time to leave. So we grabbed some vin-to-go, plopped down on the steps in front of the Church of Saint Lazarus, and basked in the moonlit, floodlit, old world glories of Macau. Although the night had gone decidedly different from how we had expected it to go, it proved that if you just roll with the punches, things always seem to find a way of working out.

Four Years in Asia!

Continuing the tradition of posing an entry on the anniversary of my arrival in Hong Kong, back on this day in 2009, I'd just like to write a bit about my feelings on this fourth return of November 9th. Last year on this date, my departure was imminent. It seemed possible, even probable, that my third anniversary in Hong Kong would prove to be my last. Presciently, a couple of weeks later, the night before I actually moved to Singapore, I reflected on my Hong Kong experience on this blog, and (perhaps in a moment of wishful thinking) stated: "I also don't think my Hong Kong story is quite over yet." Here I am one year later, and my Hong Kong story is indeed continuing. And I am delighted.

I'm a little hesitant with my phrasing here. Considering I spent a sociable amount of time in both Singapore and the United States between November 27th, 2012, and September 18th, 2013, I guess it's a qualified "four years in Hong Kong" I'm commemorating today. Then again, the longest I stayed away from the SAR during my stint in Singapore was a mere six weeks. And some of my visits back here stretched over a month.

My trip home to the States lasted just about three months, but Hong Kong itself, from an immigration standpoint, considers a foreigner's time to "restart" only after an absence of six months or more. (After seven years, one becomes a "permanent resident" and no longer needs to renew one's work visa every couple of years.) So I'm fine with calling the last year a pleasant hiccup and leaving it at that. Bring on year number five!

To say that Hong Kong has changed my life is a masterpiece of understatement. Before accepting a job out here, Asia rarely crossed my mind. I loved to travel, and I suppose some day my curiosity would have eventually brought me out this far. But to be lucky enough to have been sent here as a twenty-two year old, to begin my career, to meet some of the most incredible people I've ever encountered, and to have the ability to travel around this fascinating region, was certainly a lucky draw for me. And the funniest thing about it is that it really was mostly luck. I never angled to find a job here; a job found me. I accepted that offer because I liked the idea of going overseas, and, in all honesty, because there really weren't any other offers around. I'm still out here now because I think I love this city, and this region, more than anywhere else in the world.

So I'm again thanking my lucky stars for the incredible adventure of a lifetime that continues to this day!

A second tradition of these "anniversary posts" seems to be the recounting of my recent Halloween exploits, both lame and brilliant.

Halloween, as you know, awkwardly fell on a Thursday this year. I say "awkwardly" because in Hong Kong, people seemed confused by the timing. "Nobody celebrates Halloween in November," I was told. "The party night will be the Saturday before." But still from another source, I heard, "The weekend immediately after Halloween is closer to the actual holiday. That will be the big one." And of course, there was the Thursday night itself. It seemed like three costumes were in order.

But life is busy. I didn't put sufficient time or planning into my outfits. Luckily, the "fancy dress chest" in our apartment is pretty impressive: a collection of hats, wigs, chains, robes, vests, toy guns and knives, paint and other assorted items, gathered from all manner of celebrations over the past four years. That first Saturday night sneaked up on my like a bandit. I had to raid the chest and put something together in a whirlwind ten minute session. I threw on Remco's old purple wig from Clue 2011's Professor Plum disguise, a pair of cheap shades, Vivian's cowgirl hat from March's Rugby Sevens, and a strange bathrobe who's origins are so murky I can't really offer any further information.

In LKF that night, it was clear I was in costume. But dressed as what? That was another matter. And by the time I finally made it home, both the wig and hat were lost completely to the night while the glasses remain in a useless, vegetative state.

Halloween night itself required another quick remedy for poor planning. Sarah went as a wicked witch, and I wore an old American Revolution-era three cornered hat, ghoulish face paint (which we didn't realize was glittery until Sarah had already applied it to half of my face), some chains and a pirate's gun. I was ready to tell people I was a victim of "some nameless battle during the Revolutionary War," to borrow the words of Washington Irving, but nobody actually asked.

And Friday night, I went as the Big Bad Wolf to my Villanova friend Christina's Little Red Riding Hood. When Christina first asked me to be her partner, I decided I'd go as a modern day Wolf (of Wall Street) in a business suit. The only bit of any costume I actually wound up buying this year was my creepy wolf's mask, which I picked up on Pottinger Street a few hours before the Friday night parties. My French buddy Romain invited me to a rooftop bash in Causeway Bay, on a sick terrace overlooking Victoria Park. And after Little Red arrived significantly later, we hopped in a cab and went to a second apartment party with her friends in TST. So in all, over three nights' parties (not to mention all those rooftop horror movies) it was a fun and memorable Halloween.

So, as of today, I've spent as long in Hong Kong as I did in high school and Villanova, which is certainly hard to believe. And I know it's a dull cliché, but the time has certainly flown, perhaps even faster than my four years at college! Still life, in short, is good. Good friends, good food, good parties, good weather, good fun. And, perhaps my favorite thing about living in Asia, life is always an adventure. Cheers to you Hong Kong! Thanks for the past four years, and for whatever is left to come!

The October Stories

October, in my opinion, is an all-around great month, no matter where in the world you happen to be. In the States, I love the autumn leaves, apple and pumpkin flavored treats and classic horror movies played on television. In Hong Kong, the days of high humidity are a thing of the past, and the weather is—in a word—perfect. Still hot enough during the day to don shorts, flip flops and a t-shirt, bask in the sunshine on a sandy beach or sail on the water in a junk boat, yet complete with cool, balmy breezes and the occasional night or two where a light sweater isn't unwelcome. 

It's been a great October here so far, reaffirming my hypothesis. I've discovered some new gems around town, relished the return of my items that had been sitting in storage for nearly a year, and entertained guests from out of town. And with Halloween just around the corner, I'm excited for what's left of October 2013.

The first weekend of the month was particularly memorable. Friday afternoon, I caught the jetfoil to Macau with Mongia and tried my best to turn a profit at roulette. This resulted, of course, in dismal failure that was, somehow, still loads of fun.

Then on Saturday afternoon, I attended the once-a-year blessing of the animals at Saint John's Cathedral in Central. In honor of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, churchgoers are invited to bring their four-legged, furry friends into the sanctuary for a beautiful service of song and prayer. There must have been about twenty dogs scattered around the pews, in addition to eight or ten cats, a couple of tankfuls of fish and some hamsters. Every now and then, there would be some canine accompaniment to the hymns, but things always seem to go surprisingly smooth otherwise.

The following morning, Sunday, I woke up early and headed to Quarry Bay Park with my friend Sarah to watch the annual Cross Harbour Swim. In the olden days, swimmers jumped into Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui and vigorously made their way to Central. Then, in 1978, the waters became too polluted for the government to allow the event to take place. Over the next thirty-three years, environmentalists raised awareness and instituted new policies that lead to a cleaner harbor. And in 2011, the pollution level was once again acceptable for the major event, and it was resumed. 

I was unable to watch the first two years' races, but I made sure I wouldn't miss it a third time, and drafted Sarah as my spectator buddy. I was genuinely surprised at the size of the crowd that gathered on such an early Sunday morning. And watching the athletes make there way across the channel from Lei Yue Mun to Quarry Bay was very cool. 

I was even more surprised by the ages of some of the swimmers! I am not exaggerating when I say that some of them could not have been more than ten years old. Although I felt kind of ashamed of myself for my own dismal level of physical activity, it was certainly impressive to see so many people take part in the event. And I was glad to be able to show my support.

As close to actually participating in the Cross Harbour Swim as I'll probably ever come

After the swim, Sarah and I took the tram to Tai Hang, my new favorite neighborhood in Hong Kong. Located near the Tin Hau MTR behind Causeway Bay, the area has a winning assortment of local and Western shops and eateries, and although I'd spent a bit of time there before, it was even more impressive than I had remembered. 

Quaint restored apartment building in Tai Hang

We wandered around for awhile trying to pick a spot to eat. None of the Western places seemed to be open, but few of the Chinese places seemed to have available space or English menus. Finally we spied one tiny place on the corner of King Street and Brown Street and decided to give it a go. "Point and hope," we call it, when we grab a table, point at the dishes other people seem to be enjoying and hope for the best.

In this case, someone up there was smiling down on us. We took our seats and looked around. At first, nobody seemed to acknowledge our presence, but there was an old man making something a few feet away. A couple of minutes later, a local lady named Mabel approached to ask if she could share our sidewalk table, and we made a bargain with her: she could sit with us if she would tell us what was good and order on our behalf!  

This opened the door to a great meal. She was a very friendly lady, and she explained that this was one of the very last remaining spots in Hong Kong where the rice noodle is home made, by that old man (who must be in his seventies). He's been running the place for decades, and his family helps out by waiting the tables. Every once in awhile, Mabel told us, she drives from her home in the New Territories just to eat here. So she ordered the house specialty for us, and of course, the food was delicious. (I even went back by myself a week or so later for a second helping.) This type of restaurant is called a dai pai dong, and they can be some of the best bets in town. Unfortunately, many, including this one, don't even have English names, but they sure are great finds. 

After breakfast, I finally accomplished something I'd been meaning to do for years. I say it with some embarrassment, but I'd never actually registered for a Hong Kong library card. In fact, I'd not actually set foot inside the imposing Central Library in Causeway Bay, or any other Hong Kong library for that matter. We corrected this that morning, and I checked out a copy of Ray Bradbury's The October Country, a collection of short stories someone or other had posted on Facebook, a year or so back, was appropriately chilling reading material for this time of year. One of the cool things about Facebook is that someone from your past, maybe someone you hardly ever knew, can post something that just hits you at the right moment. I don't know if I would have ever stumbled upon The October Country had it not been for a random post that got stuck in my brain, but I'm certainly enjoying making my way through the collection. So thanks, whoever you were, for the suggestion! 

We had a nice wander around Victoria Park, just across the street from the library, afterwards. I really like the park, with its vivacious picnickers, tall palms and the regal statue of Queen Victoria, originally displayed in Statue Square, moved out of Hong Kong due to the Japanese Occupation during World War II and transported to its current location when the park was created in the 1950s.

My Happy Valley rooftop is my favorite reading locale, and it's also perfect for another of my favorite October activities: rooftop horror movies. With the return of my belongings came the return of the projector and sound system, and I've enjoyed watching Dracula and Hocus Pocus, among other October-appropriate films, on a sheet stretched across our clothesline. A movie a night is my goal as the month finishes off.

Another of my big October memories for 2013 has to be the visit of my friends from Singapore, Jacinda and Christine. They were in town from a Friday night through a Tuesday evening, and we had a blast: nights out in Lan Kwai Fong and Wan Chai, loads of dumplings and Hong Kong french toast, a movie at the Director's Club, a trip to Stanley, a nighttime visit to the Peak, and my first trip to Lantau's Big Buddha since May 2011, complete with a cable car ride in the glass-floored Crystal Cabin, which I had never done before! And dogs. Lots and lots of dogs.

A Saint Bernard at Stanley Plaza

It was a packed string of days, but it was just plain awesome. I always feel like I love Hong Kong best when I show it off, so to speak. And showing it off to Christine and Jacinda was certainly a blast. 

Hong Kong French Toast Break at the Mido Café in Yau Ma Tei

There was a lot of laughter and a few tears (Christine's iPhone was snatched that first night in LKF—"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Singapore anymore..."), but all in all, I'd say a good time was had by all. Jacinda got loads of shopping done, Christine got a taste of Hong Kong's nightlife, and I got to revisit some of the places I love best here. 

This past weekend was yet another good one. Sarah was baptized on the beach in Deep Water Bay, with her visiting mother and friends looking on. She's been getting more and more involved with a church in Wan Chai called the Vine, and decided with her mom in town from England, it would be a fitting time for the ceremony. 

Baptism in the sea!

Afterwards, I headed back to Happy Valley with another christening guest named Annalisa, an American who has lived here for the past fifteen years and is fluent—yes fluent—in Cantonese. We stumbled upon a protest in Wan Chai (where the bus from the beach dropped us off), and wound up having to walk back to Happy Valley because traffic was so disrupted.

Protest stopping traffic in Wan Chai

And as we rounded the racecourse, we decided to pop in for the last couple of races. Normally, weekend races are held in Sha Tin, but for some reason, on very rare occasions, a weekend race is held in the Valley, and there was no way I was missing it. Annalisa, who had never set foot in a track before in her life, of course won money in the first three races we witnessed that afternoon. Oh, beginner's luck! I only hope I haven't created a gambling monster! 

Weekend race meeting in the Valley

I've also managed to reconnect with my former neighbor Sindi, the sweet Chinese lady who lived two doors away on the eighteenth floor of Tonnochy Towers back in my Tollochee Doe days. One afternoon I went back up and rang her bell to see if she was still around. She promptly took me out for delicious dim sum, lent me a CD of Mandarin pop songs and invited me to one of her choral concerts. I love people like Sindi because they can really unlock a part of Hong Kong normally inaccessible to foreigners. 

She calls me her gweilo brother, and I look forward to many more meals and adventures with her and all my other friends in Hong Kong as the year enters its final stage. Here's hoping "the November Stories" are as fun as the October ones!