Wedding on the Cape

A week ago today, two of my best friends got married in Falmouth, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. The dapper bridegroom, Shea, asked me to be one of his groomsmen, so there was no way I wasn't flying back for the momentous nuptials. So when I booked my flight back to Hong Kong in January, I planned the return leg of the journey to get me to Boston on the Friday leading into the wedding weekend.

You may recall that I was flying on Singapore Airlines, generally regarded as one of the world's best carriers. I am a firm supporter of this opinion, especially after my recent twelve hour journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco (where I connected to a Boston-bound Virgin America flight). 

When I checked in for my flight in Hong Kong, I was informed that the duration of my layover in San Francisco was below the minimum length. The counter attendants made a phone call, conducted in Cantonese, and I was sure I was going to be told something along the lines of, "We cannot guarantee you will make your connection. You're on your own, brother." Instead the very polite lady said, "Mr. Parisi, as your layover is only one hour and thirty-five minutes, we have arranged for a member of our ground crew in SFO to meet you coming off of your flight. He will escort you through baggage claim and customs and bring you to Virgin America's check-in counter, so you can jump ahead in all queues." I love you, Singapore Airlines.

Before catching the Airport Express, I grabbed a few al fresco beers at Pier 3 with my friend Joel and an out-of-town colleague of his. One of my favorite Hong Kong rituals is the ceremonial goodbye drink at one of the bars near the In Town Check In desks and the Airport Express train. You can send your bag off on its way, collect your boarding pass and then linger with friends until the last possible minute before finally making your way to the airport. It's funny, Hong Kong International is among the nicest airports I've ever flown in or out of, but I spend such a short amount of time there that I hardly ever get to enjoy it. 

Sitting down on the plane, I was handed the menu for the flight. A full page of "beverage" offerings, including Remy Martin VSOP Cognac, Grand Marnier and even a Singapore Sling are free of charge, even for passengers in Economy Class. The meals were incredible as well. I had a couscous salad with roast chicken as my appetizer, and enjoyed braised beef with rosemary sauce, vegetables and gratin potatoes for my main. Before landing, I had dim sum for "breakfast," although it was 9pm San Francisco time when we touched down. 

Ironically, we landed early, and my layover time was now well over two hours. Still, a member of ground crew was on hand to whisk me through customs and on to the Virgin America counters, where I checked in for my next flight. 

In one of the oddest little peculiarities of all my international travel experiences, my flight from SFO to Boston took off at 11pm on May 1st. My previous flight out of Hong Kong had departed at 11:30pm on May 1st. But thanks to the massive time difference, I had actually landed in San Francisco several hours before I had even left Hong Kong. Think about that one for a little while!

In SFO, I began reading a book called The Road to Oxiana by Robert Byron. I recently read his Europe in the Looking Glass, which I discovered misplaced on a shelf at the Hong Kong Central Library and decided to borrow simply based on its cover illustration. As Oxiana seems to be universally regarded as his "masterpiece," I checked it out next, having immensely enjoyed my first Byron outing. 

Although the staff on Virgin America were delightful, I can't say it was an enjoyable flight. With hundreds of television shows and movies on my intercontinental flight, I was never bored despite its length. With little else to do but look out the window or watch the plane's progress on the map, the five hours between the coasts was a real drag, although I did have very interesting neighbors. I was seated beside Nick and Ellie, a couple who are working hard on a charity he started called Swings for Dreams that aims to build playgrounds for underprivileged children all across the globe. If you get a moment, I highly suggest following their progress and checking out their website, http://www.swingsfordreams.org. 

After collecting my bag in Logan, I had a few hours to kill until my friends Joe and Nadia landed and we drove down to the Cape together. I hadn't seen these two since their own wedding in October of 2012, so it was great to catch up with them during the hour-and-a-half car journey. 

Me, Shea and Joe during our Senior Week

Surprisingly, this was my first visit to Cape Cod. I always regret that although I live overseas and have seen a fair amount of Europe and now Asia, there are still plenty of destinations across my home country that I've left undiscovered. I'm glad to have finally experienced this popular New England locale. Falmouth, the place where Shea grew up, is one of the most adorable little American towns I've ever seen, with a picture perfect shop-lined Main Street where we collected our tuxes and met up with other members of the wedding party for lunch. That afternoon, we had the wedding rehearsal at the church and a great dinner at the local Falmouth Yacht Club. 

The following day, Shea and Jen finally tied the knot, and it was a joy to share it with them. You see, back on the first day of Villanova Orientation in August of 2005, Shea, Jen, Joe and I had all met in the same room, members of the same small orientation group. Over the years, we had become great friends, making it a very special ceremony to witness. 

Orientation Group 18

The whole weekend flew by in a kind of a blur, but it was utterly delightful to see so many familiar 'Nova faces and meet so many members of the bride and groom's families. Getting ready at Shea's home, ushering guests into the church and looking on as they said their vows, was truly beautiful.

The post-ceremony party bus was a blast, and included a stop at a picturesque lighthouse overlooking the sea. I only wish I had gotten to see more of the historic area, but, hey, at one point, I even managed to squeeze in a beach session on the stretch of sand in front of our hotel.

Sunday came far too quickly, and the inevitable hour came to head home—not home to Hong Kong, mind you, but home to New Jersey, via New York City. You see, two days ago, my dad turned sixty, so the timing couldn't have been more convenient. With Mother's Day tomorrow, I saw no reason to rush back to Hong Kong. 

So it's been a whirlwind of a week, and I'm so happy to have been able to share in Shea and Jen's magical weekend. Congratulations to two of the nicest people in the world, and two of the best friends anyone could ever hope for! Thanks for asking me to be a part of your celebration, and all the best to you as you start your journey as man and wife!

Some Movies, Some Rugby, Some Rain

Last night, the 38th annual Hong Kong International Film Festival drew to a close... It's been an incredible fortnight, with a slew of movies from every corner of the globe. And as you may remember, the middle weekend of the film festival happens to coincide with Hong Kong's most popular sporting extravaganza, the Rugby Sevens. I've written before that the collision of these two events makes for my favorite chunk of Hong Kong's cultural and social calendar, and this year has strengthened my conviction.

Over the past two weeks, I managed to squeeze in twenty-one movies from ten countries, a record for me. And it was a great assortment of films I'd been waiting ages to finally see, little gems I'd never even heard of before and, of course, restored classics from decades past.

One of the bright spots of this year's HKIFF was a screening of Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder, with Ray Milland and Grace Kelly. I've seen the film many times before—in fact, I actually own it on DVD—but the festival screening showcased the work in its original 3D form! You see, by the time Dial M for Murder was completed and ready for release in 1954, the 3D craze had pretty much died down. Theater owners, looking to save cash and knowing Hitchcock's name was enough to attract a crowd without the added gimmick, opted to show less expensive 2D prints instead. As such, very few audiences ever saw the film in the manner the Master of Suspense had originally envisioned it. For a movie geek like me, there was no way I was missing this opportunity!

Me and my friend Yvonne with our 3D glasses

It was another classic that stands out for me as the absolute highlight of the entire festival. On Saturday afternoon, on the massive screen of the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, a remastered print of Nicholas Ray's seminal Rebel Without a Cause dazzled the crowd with its vividly restored colors and a trio of dynamite performances from its young leads (James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo), which remain undimmed despite the sixty years that have passed since the film's original release. 

Apart from the films themselves, an added attraction of many festival screenings is a post-movie dialogue with stars and directors. In festivals past, I've gotten the chance to listen to Keanu Reeves, Charlotte Rampling, Déborah François and plenty of other less well-known actors and crew members discuss their films with the audience. This year, I added a very memorable addition to the list: Catherine Deneuve. The iconic French legend appeared in Kowloon's Grand Cinema to answer questions from the crowd after a showing of her new film, On My Way. A picaresque movie about a woman driving from place to place after the unexpected conclusion of a romantic relationship, it was a highly enjoyable flick made undeniably more incredible by the presence of Ms. Deneuve herself. 

Five other screenings I attended included similar "meet the audience sessions" of incredible variety, from a local Hong Kong documentarian and a Mainland Chinese college film crew to the French director of a still-in-progress underwater 3D documentary, a legendary Chinese actress and a Czech guest programmer who curated a special selection of this year's festival. 

Of course the movies got put on hold, albeit briefly, for the rugby. For the past three years, I've managed to secure tickets for all three days of the Hong Kong Sevens. This year, I decided that I'd gladly take any ticket that came my way, but I didn't feel the urge to go out of my way to hunt for them. In the end, I wound up in the stadium on Friday afternoon only, since Sarah couldn't make it and gave me her ticket. With Sonia and Motez up from Singapore with a bundle of friends, it was a great time in the South Stands, as you can easily imagine. 

Although I didn't actually make it to the rugby on Saturday, of course I went out in Wan Chai afterwards to meet up with the usual suspects. Hong Kong is at it's best during this weekend, with a palpable, electric atmosphere. It's a ton of fun, and I'm already looking forward to next year's Sevens. Truth be told, I think having missed out on a lot of it this year will inspire me to start the search early next year, so that I can fully participate again.

On Saturday, the rains came. They came and they stayed. Sunday was one of the wettest days I've ever seen here. It got so bad, that out in Kowloon, one of the shopping malls flooded, traffic cones were swept away and an MTR station was filled with water. Some awesome individual mashed up various clips of the havoc and overlaid some ominous music, resulting in the below video.

Although there have been a couple of beautiful sunny days this week, the majority has been pretty drizzly and cloudy. But quite honestly, I'm fine with this. It always breaks my heart to go in to a cinema on a glorious afternoon or evening, when I could easily be on the beach, on my roof or in a park reading. I think the rain is perfectly appropriate film festival weather—but for the rugby, not so much! 

Oh! I also have a new roommate, which is always exciting. Sarah decided to move out of Happy Valley and move in with her boyfriend, leaving a vacancy at the flat. Enter Jonny, a really cool British guy brand new to Hong Kong. He actually moved in on Rugby Sevens weekend, making for a memorable start to our roommateship. He seems like a fellow adventurer, and I foresee lots of interesting exploits in our collective future. 

With Jonny at the Rugby

The screening of On My Way was actually on Sevens Sunday, and from each day between then and the festival's close last night, I made it to at least one movie per day—films from France, the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Denmark, Belgium, China and the Czech Republic. It was an incredible festival, and I can hardly wait for movie fever to sweep over Hong Kong for next year's event!

Bamboo Jungle

One of the things about Hong Kong that seems to prove endlessly entertaining for foreigners—whether resident expats or visitors—is the presence of the scaffolds that cling to our city's buildings when they are under construction or renovation. I guess it's just another crazy quirk of this crazy city, but instead of relying on boring steel to get the job done, we prefer to use Asia's iconic, sturdy, abundant natural resource: bamboo.

Just about six weeks ago, when some repair work was being done on my flat here, a workman informed me a day or so in advance that scaffolding would be going up. I excitedly asked, "Bamboo?" And his reply was a befuddled, "Yes, yes. Of course." As if to say, "Obviously, you stupid gweilo. Haven't you lived here long enough to know that yet?"

Bamboo scaffolding in my stairwell during a recent paint job

But it's one of those things that never seems to get old, at least not for me. Each and every time I see a gnarly jumble of bamboo shooting skywards, I pause to take in the sight—and to admire the gumption of the homegrown daredevils who earn their daily bread navigating these vertigo-inducing webs. They've struck me from the very beginning. And I'm not the only one. Even the introduction of my Frommer's Hong Kong guide contains the line, "There are as many skyscrapers here as you're likely to see anywhere, but they're built with bamboo scaffolding..." Clearly they are a beloved oddity of this place.

View from my old office window in March 2012

I suppose at first I must have thought it was "an Asian thing." But it turns out that's wrong. It's "a Hong Kong thing." Yes, Hong Kong is the last place where you can witness this spectacular phenomenon. Nowhere else, not even in Asia, do they go about constructing their scaffolds in this strange manner.

Wan Chai residential towers under construction last month, from the Hopewell Center's glass elevator

Currently, three of the SAR's most iconic structures are under bamboo at the same time, so I've been scurrying around town on a little photo-tour over the last couple of days. It's funny, but Hong Kong might very well be the one place on earth where finding out a famous sight is under scaffolding actually enhances the experience instead of turning it into a massive letdown. 

Starting in Sheung Wan, there is the historic Western Market, a handsome, red-brick Edwardian building completed in 1906. From that time all the way until 1988, it operated as a popular food market, where locals could stock up on meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. Now a far less attractive building a few blocks away takes care of that need, while the venerable structure itself houses cafés, bakeries, a few souvenir shops and dozens of fabric vendors.

Moving eastward across the island, you can visit Statue Square's classic Old Supreme Court Building, opened in 1912 and designed by the same architect who did Buckingham Palace in London. As you probably guessed from its name, the original purpose of the building was to provide a home for the highest judicial body of the then-Crown colony. In the mid-1980s, Hong Kong's Legislative Council (usually referred to as LegCo) moved into the space, which they vacated in 2011 to relocate to the new government offices constructed in neighboring Admiralty. Currently the building is vacant, though the plan is for the Court of Final Appeal—the highest court in the post-Handover land—to take possession next year.

Saving the best for last, we finally come to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on Wan Chai's waterfront. This massive complex was completed just in time for the 1997 Handover—and provided the venue for the official ceremony that brought an end to over a century of British rule, with Prince Charles, Tony Blair and other important dignitaries in attendance.

The scaffold here is without doubt the single most impressive I have come across since I moved to Hong Kong. It's massive, it's dense and it's almost unbelievably cool. They even had to post bilingual signs saying "No Climbing" because the mess of bamboo is just too darn tempting to scale. I'll certainly be disappointed when it inevitably comes down. Wandering around the waterfront promenade this morning, it struck me that the scaffold itself is so incredible, it's actually become a sort of tourist attraction in and of itself. In fact, more people seem to be interested in taking photos of the madness than of the glorious views over the harbor!

While it's just happenstance that such a noteworthy trio of landmarks are undergoing renovation works concurrently, the bamboo scaffold is a ubiquitous sight around Hong Kong all year long. Though the larger, more famous buildings ultimately garner the most attention, and thus a mention on here, even the smallest patchwork jobs inevitably depend upon bamboo. As I was walking home yesterday afternoon after visiting Western Market and the Old Supreme Court Building, I saw two workmen seemingly precariously balanced on bamboo high above the sidewalks of Happy Valley.

Literally just across the street from them, Saint Margaret's Church is also covered under the stuff. And around the corner from my apartment, piles and piles of bamboo poles lay on the ground, evidence that yet another scaffold will be rising in my neighborhood any day now!

Assorted Adventures

After living in a place for four years, it's easy to think that you know all there is to know, that you've seen all there is to see and that you've done all there is to be done. The lesson I've learned over the past week is that as far as Hong Kong and I are concerned, there is still plenty to keep me from getting bored in the SAR.

My close friend Sarah is flying back to the UK for good in a couple of weeks. Like the many friends who have gone home before her (and the many more who inevitably will leave in the future) it's always sad to see someone special move on to the next stage of his or her life. So when Sarah asked if I wanted to join for a hike last Saturday, I jumped at the chance to spend some quality time with her.

There was a stage when hiking took up a great deal of my free time in Hong Kong. But for some reason, it's fallen by the wayside recently. It's absurd on my part, really, because this city is truly blessed with one of the most stunning natural settings of any metropolis I've yet encountered. The sheer number of potential trails is mind-boggling, and Hong Kong's "hikeability index" has got to be one of its greatest gifts to its citizenry. 

But, like eating sushi, hiking is one of those things I have to be reminded that I love. It's funny, I'll almost never suggest going for sushi, and rarely take it upon myself to seek it out. Then, as soon as someone has steered us that way and I begin to chow down, I become obsessed. The same is true of hiking. I'm almost always invited to join a hike as opposed to planning it myself, but it's really one of my favorite ways to spend my time. 

The route Sarah selected was the well-trod path between Discovery Bay and Mui Wo, on Lantau Island. Now, I've spent many happy days in each of these places, but I'd never made the effort to trek from one to the other. It's probably among the ten most frequently mentioned hikes out here. In fact, I always hear people talk about it, so I suppose it's surprising I had never done it before. Up bright and early, I made my way to Central to meet Sarah at the pier. The zippy ferry transported us to DB in a jiffy and off we went on our adventure.

Discovery Bay is an expat enclave filled with families, dogs, chirping birds, trees, seaside decks, beaches, luxurious high rises and Western restaurants spilling out onto piazzas. So it was absolutely astonishing how instantaneously it all disappeared behind us as we started our walk, passing humble and traditional houses, farms and temples.

At times, the path was steep but every step of the way was worth it. The views out over the sea were lovely, as were the telltale signs of nature surrounding us, like birds' nests, waterfalls and the lush woodlands.

Sarah had mentioned that there was a monastery along the hike, but I just assumed it was a Buddhist one. When I saw the Stations of the Cross nailed to several trees along the way, I realized it was actually a Christian monastery we would be passing. There was a retreat center and an adorable little church as well, quite a surprise to find secluded up there.

Just past the church was an old abandoned hilltop with dilapidated stone walls, a garage and several other curious buildings. We couldn't quite figure out what the place had once been, but it was certainly interesting exploring the various structures.

The mist shrouded the hills and bays as we finally crested the mountain and began our descent in Mui Wo. Mist is a funny thing... In photos it never comes out quite accurately, giving the impression that our hike was dreary and dark. The reality was that it added an element of mystery to the adventure. I remember remarking to Sarah that it was actually perfect weather for a hike, since it would have been uncomfortable had it been warmer and sunnier.

Down in Mui Wo, we browsed our old favorite used book store and had lunch at our old favorite eatery, Bahce Turkish Restaurant near the ferry pier. Our timing was impeccable, for just as we finished the meal, a ferry was getting ready to depart, whisking us back to Hong Kong Island.  

On Monday afternoon, I had to be in Tsuen Wan, a satellite town that is pretty far out in Kowloon. In early 2010, I had visited a museum there, but I hadn't been back since. I figured there might be something else in the area that would be worth seeing since I'd be out that far anyway, and I read about two nearby Chinese temple complexes online. 

I actually decided to pay a repeat visit to the Sam Tung Uk Museum first, because it's really a gem of a place and I hadn't been in four years. The museum is an actual walled village that has been meticulously restored and filled with antique furniture and farming tools. Exhibits in various houses try to explain different aspects of village life in the days of yore, and it's a fascinating spot. Small and manageable, the museum only takes around forty minutes to thoroughly explore, but it's a great firsthand look into a way of life that's all but vanished under modern Hong Kong.

The new places I had researched that morning were uphill. I thought I had known exactly how to get to them, but what I didn't realize was that the map I committed to memory included many roads that were actually inaccessible highway blocked by high walls! So I walked around until I figured out a new way to reach them. Eventually I found myself in the middle of a small town that stretched up the hill, and a helpful sign with an arrow pointing the way to my destination.

Simply walking up through the hillside town was worth the extra effort. It took me back five years to the favela I visited in Rio de Janeiro. Obviously this was far less vast and colorful, but the simple homes built so close to one another definitely reminded me of the Brazilian village.

When I arrived at the Yuen Yuen Institute, I was struck by the crowds on a drizzly Monday afternoon. Of course, it was still part of the fifteen day Chinese New Year celebration, and so there were hundreds of people burning incense and praying for good fortune. 

Just next door was another complex of temples that truly blew me away. Simple called the Western Monastery, it was a magnificent collection of pagodas, ponds, bridges and worship halls, complete with red-and-yellow robed monks wandering about.

I don't know how or why this place isn't on the tourist radar, but I'd certainly never heard of it before. It was a visual feast, and I highly recommend making the effort to visit.

On Wednesday morning, I took the MTR over to Kwun Tong, which is another area of Kowloon I have left unexplored. On the surface, there doesn't seem to be much special about Kwun Tong. It's an industrial zone with scores of charmless warehouses and towers. However, a quick attempt to scratch the surface reveals a wealth of things awaiting discovery.

The Kwun Tong Waterfront Promenade is a work in progress, but the portion that is completed is very nice indeed. Of course, the weather always seemed just on the cusp of a downpour, so it was not necessarily an ideal day for a stroll along the harbor. Still, I could easily imagine picnickers, fishermen and joggers all enjoying the open space.

Kwun Tong also has two piers offering frequent ferries across to two points on Hong Kong Island: Sai Wan Ho and North Point. I walked up to the North Point pier just to find out the times of the ferries back, and stumbled upon an incredibly intriguing exhibit. I don't quite know how to describe it because it was such a hodgepodge of fascinating things. I guess the best way to summarize its theme is to say that it explored man's relationship with nature, particularly through cities (with an obvious emphasis on Hong Kong) mixed in with a bit of modern art. I must have spent over an hour there, and I would love to go back.

Of course, had I realized a ferry link existed, I would have steered clear of the train that morning. You can bet I returned to the island via boat. And during the ride, I got my first up-close look at the new cruise terminal fashioned out of the old runway of Kai Tak Airport. Kai Tak closed in 1997 but old timers still talk about what is was like to land on its notorious runway jutting out into Victoria Harbour. They say you go so close to the nearby buildings that people would wave from their apartment windows and passengers could even see what was showing on the television sets inside the flats!

The new cruise terminal is very striking in design, and I'm glad the historic runway will continue to welcome people to the SAR, now by boat instead of by airplane.

Stepping off of the ferry in North Point, I found myself near a wet market chock full of fresh seafood. In one tank were the largest geoducks I've seen in awhile. In another—and this was a first for me in Hong Kong—were several live octopi! I was on such a Hong Kong high that afternoon that I walked all the way home to Happy Valley from the pier.

But, man, is it cold here! Freezing, actually. Seriously, this is the coldest I've ever experienced Hong Kong. As you know, the Winter Olympics are currently taking place in Sochi, where it is warmer than here! That's a crazy "fun" fact, because (A) they are the WINTER Olympics and (B) I live in Hong Kong. Seriously, I want you to stop reading and just take a second to think about that. We have been very cold lately. 

On Friday, fresh on the heels of three days' worth of new Hong Kong experiences, I decided to try to find something new to do on Hong Kong Island itself. I opened my trusty Frommer's guide for inspiration, and started thumbing through its pages, eventually deciding to finally walk along Bowen Road.

Of all the things I've left undone over the past four plus years, perhaps most shocking of all was that I had never been up to Bowen Road. Even tourists with only a few days in Hong Kong often find the time to walk or jog along this paved trail overlooking the city. And many expats with dogs often take them there for walks. I'm not really a "jogger" nor do I have a pooch in need of exercise, but still, that's no excuse to have never paid a visit.

Anyway, I walked through Wan Chai first, rode my "secret" elevator in the Hopewell Center, left the building via the Kennedy Road exit, and then started my steep ascent along the Wan Chai Green Trail. This path intersects Bowen Road at just about its midpoint, so in order to walk the entire stretch, I made my way westward first, then retraced my steps back to the middle, continued on to the eastern end, and finally returned to my starting point once more to retreat back down into Wan Chai. So ultimately, I walked the whole thing twice that day. Thankfully, for the first time in almost a week, it was somewhat clear and sunny, a welcome relief from the recent chills.

I especially liked the view I got of Frank Gehry's stunning Opus Hong Kong. The master architect is famous for his striking buildings like Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum, New York's 8 Spruce Street (which appears as if it's being rippled by the wind) and my favorite, L.A.'s Walt Disney Concert Hall. I'm thrilled that Hong Kong has an example of his creativity, and the view of Opus from Bowen Road is one of the best vantage points I've yet found.

Opus looks as if a normal twelve-story apartment tower had been grabbed by some giant and twisted slightly. When Jackie was here visiting in 2012, she thought it looked like something out of a Tim Burton movie. Whatever Gehry's inspiration or intention, I just love the place. Sadly, I'll probably never get to set foot inside, as it's one of Hong Kong's most exclusive addresses, containing the single most expensive apartment ever sold here, which went for a whopping HK$470 million (or US$61 million)!

One of the famous features of Bowen Road is a large boulder called Lover's Rock. There is a temple just below the rock, and lots of inscriptions and hearts drawn onto the stone itself. They say Lover's Rock has the power to grant happy marriages and fertility, but I was more concerned with the view of the harbor and city from this high perch. Still, I did find it slightly ironic that I was making my first visit to this Hong Kong attraction on St. Valentine's Day. And, alas, alone!  

It certainly was a great afternoon up there, and I lingered for a long while soaking up the views before finally heading back down. 

So now, a week after that first hike, I'm proud to have invested some effort into finding new things to do in a city where I've spent so much time. I know there's plenty more to explore in this amazing place.