September the Whirlwind

The first half of September has been a real whirlwind for me, so I wanted to sit down and actually document some of what I've done over the past couple of weeks, while it's still fresh in my mind. After recovering from the exhausting amazingness that was Shea and Jen's visit to Hong Kong, I finally had enough energy to get back into the swing of city life.

The adventures began again on September 3, when Hong Kong had a one-off public holiday to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II. With a day off from work, and a flight back to the US (for a friend's wedding and some family time) the following evening, I wanted to ensure I made the most of it. A strategic early night on the eve of the holiday—a stroke of genius on my part—allowed for an extra early wake up on the day itself. 

I enlisted Bernadett to join for a poignant visit to the Sai Wan War Cemetery in Chai Wan, the final resting place of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who died defending Hong Kong during the war. 

While many eyes were focused on the massive military parade taking place in Beijing, I found the quiet solemnity of the cemetery a much more fitting way to appreciate the sacrifices made all those years ago, and to mark the milestone anniversary. 

Being a World War II buff, I was shocked to learn of the cemetery's existence only a few days before! I'm not sure how I hadn't heard of it over the nearly six years I've lived here, yet somehow it had never appeared on my radar. But on Sunday, August 30, I attended a special service at Saint Stephen's Chapel in Stanley to commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Hong Kong. I was chatting with a local historian afterwards, who told me I should pay a visit.

A few minutes after Bernadett and I entered the cemetery gates that morning, the Canadian Consul General Ian Burchett and Canadian senator Victor Oh arrived with a small entourage, to lay a wreath and say a few words to honor the many Canadian soldiers interred there. At one point, Senator Oh even handed me his smartphone and asked if I could take some candid photos of the group. 

The Consul General recounted the specific stories of particularly heroic soldiers, including that of John Robert Osborn, the only recipient of the Victoria Cross awarded for the defense of Hong Kong. When the enemy launched a grenade that could not be expelled in time, he selflessly threw himself upon it, dying instantly but saving the lives of many of his fellow soldiers. "He was blown to smithereens," Burchett explained, and thus has no grave marker. His name, however, along with the names of thousands of others, is engraved on a wall at the top of the hillside. 

All in all, the visit to the cemetery was a very moving experience. Although I would have liked to have seen more people paying their respects, there was also something nice about wandering around in peace and solitude. The site is meticulously maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and it is a fitting tribute to the soldiers honored there.   

Later that day I made my way to Kowloon, picked up my suit at Sam's Tailor and caught a movie in Yau Ma Tei. 

I grappled through Friday at the office, signing off early to catch my flight. I landed at Newark, promptly cleared customs, collected my bag and was quickly in a taxi to Hoboken, where I was staying with my friend Jimmy and his girlfriend Lauren, who graciously volunteered to drive up to the wedding the following morning.

It was a beautiful ceremony, needless to say.

Of course, the reception afterwards was a blast, as well. It was great to see Shea and Jen again, and plenty of other good friends whom I hadn't had a chance to catch up with in a long while. 

After a Sunday barbecue with the wedding crew, Danielle picked me up and we drove down to Old Bridge, where it was nice to spend the evening relaxing with my dad and sister. A delicious New Jersey pizza, one of those things I just can't seem to find in Hong Kong, completed the evening, as did a new game show channel, BUZZR!, that kept me and the old man entertained with re-runs of To Tell the Truth, What's My Line? and I've Got a Secret. 

Before six the next morning, we were all en route to Chincoteague, Virginia, for three nights. It was such a special treat to be able to enjoy those days together in our favorite vacation spot. Eating at our best-loved restaurants, unwinding on the sandy beach, watching the sun rise and set and just driving around the island's toytown streets, it was a perfect little getaway. And each day was full of delicious oysters, succulent seafood and incredible ice cream! 

The only rainy day happened to be on our drive back north, so it didn't really matter much. In fact, it would have been hard to leave Chincoteague on a gloriously bright summer's day, so the precipitation couldn't have been more well-timed. 

My last two days in New Jersey flew by quickly, as I filled the precious time with family on the fourteenth anniversary of September 11 and had a gluttonous lunch on Staten Island with my dad, sister, aunt and cousins hours before my flight. 

And here I am now, back in Hong Kong, slightly jet-lagged but glad to be home again with my ever-growing Fredric, and with lots to look forward to as autumn approaches!