Day two was every eventful! Although it started out as a bleak day with a lot of rain, we parked ourselves at the Macau Tower for the better part of the morning and early afternoon. And while the smarter among us grabbed the cameras and bags and offered to sit out, the ladies got onto the skywalk at an obscene 700 feet above ground, while Varoon and Shantanoo left all their education and common sense aside to fling themselves out of the tower with a flimsy rope tied to their ankles... aaah, some guys do anything for glory :)
After an Indian lunch and some last minute shopping at The Venetian to get rid of all the discount coupons we had earned, we took the jetboat to Hong Kong.
Aah, the sight of the HK skyline, with the iconic IFC tower lighted up against the dark raining misty sky - it was a sight we will never forget. It was like a scene out of a sci-fi movie, scary, yet beautiful. Mesmerizing, truly.
The next hour was a harrowing experience for most of the gang... while the three of us got through Immigration without much hassle (although they took a few mins asking why my kid was not in school instead of vacationing in HK!), the other 14 were detained for almost an hour. While we waited, getting more and more worried and frustrated without any sign or news, the rest of the gang was holed up in a small room. Finally, the authorities decided they had troubled us enough, and let everyone go.
Most of the night had gone by, but we still got time to freshen up and get out to explore the locality of Causeway Bay, where we had put up at the Excelsior. A great dining experience, and then we called it a day.
Check out some pics coming up in the upcoming posts...
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Beautiful People
People from Hong Kong are generally a very attractive bunch. Beautiful, flawless skin, great hair, and fit bodies. Unlike the US, obesity is almost non-existent. The sense of fashion is top-class - you see a profusion of silk and linen, lovely gowns, shorts and skirts... not the profusion of torn and faded jeans you see in India and in the West. Mostly semi-formal or casual, very little business.
Also interestingly, very few (almost non-existent) Africans, again, a stark contrast from America and Europe. Even more interestingly, even though it was British for many many decades, Hong Kong has almost no English influence... and English is understood, but with a lot of difficulty. Most HK residents have Chinese influences, but seem fiercely opposed to being branded Chinese.
Matrix Cellular - International SIMs
Wanted to put in a note of appreciation and recommendation for Matrix Cellular. I took an International SIM (for HK) from them, and was extremely pleased with their response time, accomodating nature, ease of application, and overall service levels. They processed my request from the website in a flash, their representative came to collect the minimal documentation needed, and once in HK, all I had to do was plug in the SIM in my phone, and I was good to go!
I still have to check my bill... but other than that, I must say I was super impressed with Matrix.
Kudos guys!
I still have to check my bill... but other than that, I must say I was super impressed with Matrix.
Kudos guys!
A Few Of My Favourite Things.. To Eat
Graphic Images - Discretion Advised :)
 |
| Chicken, Ducks and Geese |
 |
| Lobsters |
 |
| Praying Mantis Shrimp - check the head on the top right |
 |
| Different Colors, Same Great Taste! |
 |
| Are those hands I see? (This is Pork Ham) |
Portuguese Dinner in Macau
The pictures say it all...
 |
| The cute restaurant - and it's all about football! |
 |
| Clams in Lime Sauce |
 |
| Octopus Salad |
 |
| Prawns |
 |
| Our host and his family - living the life! |
Day 1: Macau, The Las Vegas of The East
Our trip began on the 17th, with a Cathay Pacific flight from Mumbai to Hong Kong, taking off at 1230 am, half an hour behind schedule.
Taking advantage of the 2.5 hours time difference, we landed around 900 am. Our first stop was Macau, and the ferry was 3 hours later, so we parked at a Cafe and freshened up. There was free Wifi, and it was lighting fast - unbelievable response times. Everyone spent the time well downloading a million apps on their mobile devices. I had a Matrix SIM, so I got the chance to make a few calls too. Tried to do some blogging, but it was impossible to figure out the Chinese version that opened up by default, and by the time I figured it out, it was time to leave.
The ferry ride was uneventful, and most of us caught a nap, given how uncomfortable the Cathay flight was, with horrible seats and poor leg space.
Macau was a Portuguese colony for centuries before being returned to China, and we expected a lot of the "Goan" colonial atmosphere.
Note: Both Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions of China. They have their own government and laws, but are dependent on China for their defence. China is also installing it's own "administrators" in the government at these places, and most locals seem pretty unhappy about that. You need a visa for China, but both Macau and Hong Kong require no visa for Indians.
However, the first impressions were very different. Macau is now the Las Vegas of the East, and the entire tourism industry is focussed on gambling at the 39 casinos that operate from large, glitzy hotels across Macau. There is color every where, the glass facades of buildings and the bright neon lights lend a very garish casino-look to the whole city. Most of the people are snobbish and unfriendly, no one smiles, and there is smoke all around - in the corridors, in the public areas. Unlike India, freedom from smoke in public is still a pipe dream.
We stayed at The Venetian, a monstrous edifice of hundreds of rooms, endless corridors, and teeming crowds arriving to visit its casinos and shopping mall. The reception resembled a railway platform more than a posh hotel!
Then it was time for lunch, one that cost us Rs 35000, and included unnamed, unrecognizable living beings and where we were the center of attraction for the entire staff - given how excited and open we were to the plates being presented to us.
Once refreshed, and then walked along the indoor canals and shopping plazas taking in the amazing atmosphere.
Dinner was at a small Portuguese restaurant, where we had some amazing octopus and clams, and fish, before retiring for the night.
 |
| The gang, minus the photographer, at Mumbai airport |
The ferry ride was uneventful, and most of us caught a nap, given how uncomfortable the Cathay flight was, with horrible seats and poor leg space.
Macau was a Portuguese colony for centuries before being returned to China, and we expected a lot of the "Goan" colonial atmosphere.
Note: Both Hong Kong and Macau are Special Administrative Regions of China. They have their own government and laws, but are dependent on China for their defence. China is also installing it's own "administrators" in the government at these places, and most locals seem pretty unhappy about that. You need a visa for China, but both Macau and Hong Kong require no visa for Indians.
However, the first impressions were very different. Macau is now the Las Vegas of the East, and the entire tourism industry is focussed on gambling at the 39 casinos that operate from large, glitzy hotels across Macau. There is color every where, the glass facades of buildings and the bright neon lights lend a very garish casino-look to the whole city. Most of the people are snobbish and unfriendly, no one smiles, and there is smoke all around - in the corridors, in the public areas. Unlike India, freedom from smoke in public is still a pipe dream.
We stayed at The Venetian, a monstrous edifice of hundreds of rooms, endless corridors, and teeming crowds arriving to visit its casinos and shopping mall. The reception resembled a railway platform more than a posh hotel!
Then it was time for lunch, one that cost us Rs 35000, and included unnamed, unrecognizable living beings and where we were the center of attraction for the entire staff - given how excited and open we were to the plates being presented to us.
 |
| Guess what's cooking? |
 |
| 35000 :) |
 |
| The artificial sky and lighting gives the impression of perpetually being under a beautiful late evening sky! |
 |
| The ever-changing colors of the Galaxy |
Saw "Carnage" on the Cathay Pacific flight to HK... had missed it in the theatres earlier.
After two kids get into a fight on the playground, the parents of the bully visit the parents of the victim to apologize and work it out amicably. What starts out as a very polite and amicable discussion however, soon escalates into a full-fledged verbal war, with all four revealing their true colors. The tussle between their outward personalities and their true inner selves, and the slow and steady change in their tone, their behaviour and language is fascinating.
All four - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John Reilly - play amazing characters, very different from each other, and very real persons that you will instantly recognize and relate to!
A good watch on DVD.
After two kids get into a fight on the playground, the parents of the bully visit the parents of the victim to apologize and work it out amicably. What starts out as a very polite and amicable discussion however, soon escalates into a full-fledged verbal war, with all four revealing their true colors. The tussle between their outward personalities and their true inner selves, and the slow and steady change in their tone, their behaviour and language is fascinating.
All four - Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz and John Reilly - play amazing characters, very different from each other, and very real persons that you will instantly recognize and relate to!
A good watch on DVD.
The Hong Kong Chronicles
Back from an exciting vacation in Hong Kong with family and friends. Lots to share... the place, the people, the travel, the sights, the food, the experiences and tons of pictures... and it's gonna take a while, so stay tuned and yes, send lots of comments!
Highlights of the tour (and you will read a lot more about these things in the upcoming posts):
1) The view of the HK skyline while arriving on the ferry from Macau - the iconic IFC tower, the rain, the mist, the lights... I will never forget it
2) The street food
3) Night market
4) The Venetian's shopping mall with it's canals and the artificial roof, giving an impression of perpetual dusky evening
5) The Ngong Ping Cable ride with the clouds
6) The amazingly attractive (though unfriendly) residents of HK with their beautiful skin, and awesome sense of style
7) The river ride at Disneyland
8) The dolphin show at Ocean Park
9) The amazing Portuguese dinner in Macau
10) Getting detained by immigration at HK
Got to rush now, will write more later!
Highlights of the tour (and you will read a lot more about these things in the upcoming posts):
1) The view of the HK skyline while arriving on the ferry from Macau - the iconic IFC tower, the rain, the mist, the lights... I will never forget it
2) The street food
3) Night market
4) The Venetian's shopping mall with it's canals and the artificial roof, giving an impression of perpetual dusky evening
5) The Ngong Ping Cable ride with the clouds
6) The amazingly attractive (though unfriendly) residents of HK with their beautiful skin, and awesome sense of style
7) The river ride at Disneyland
8) The dolphin show at Ocean Park
9) The amazing Portuguese dinner in Macau
10) Getting detained by immigration at HK
Got to rush now, will write more later!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Shades
Various shades of green, purple, orange, red and yellow adorn the lovely view from the office balcony... summer can be a beautiful time!
Movie Review: The Dirty Picture
Finally succumbed to the curiosity, and decided to check out The Dirty Picture, having assiduosly avoided it all this while. Basically, being indifferent to Ms Balan, the prospect of watching her as Silk Smitha wasn't too tempting!
What a fool I had been!
Had got two DVDs... started off with Seven Pounds, and while it's a hard hitting movie, I was getting bored at the slow pace. Well past 1.00, I decided to check out TDP for a few mins before going to bed. I could get up only after the credits rolled at 400 am.
Vidya Balan puts in another amazing performance, her protrayal of Silk Smitha absolutely stunning... from the scared extra to the determined newbie willing to shed her inhibitions and her clothes for stardom, from the cocky over confident vamp queen to the devastated, lonely and helpless Silk past her prime, Vidya pulls out all stops and leaves her competition far behind. She looks stunning too, and while the incessant focus on her assets makes this a strictly adults movie (and yes, I support the censor board in withdrawing persmission to show it on TV!), it is a must see for every movie buff. Hard to choose a favourite scene... each one rivals the others!
She is ably support by Naseeruddin Shah as the South Indian super star who considers every new co-star a conquest, before getting bored and moving on to the next one. Emraan has a nice cameo too, and of course, a wonderful song and some kissing to go with it.. why are we not surprised? :)
PS: no hard feelings to the Silk fan, but the real Silk was not even a shade of the amazing Vidya Balan
What a fool I had been!
Had got two DVDs... started off with Seven Pounds, and while it's a hard hitting movie, I was getting bored at the slow pace. Well past 1.00, I decided to check out TDP for a few mins before going to bed. I could get up only after the credits rolled at 400 am.
Vidya Balan puts in another amazing performance, her protrayal of Silk Smitha absolutely stunning... from the scared extra to the determined newbie willing to shed her inhibitions and her clothes for stardom, from the cocky over confident vamp queen to the devastated, lonely and helpless Silk past her prime, Vidya pulls out all stops and leaves her competition far behind. She looks stunning too, and while the incessant focus on her assets makes this a strictly adults movie (and yes, I support the censor board in withdrawing persmission to show it on TV!), it is a must see for every movie buff. Hard to choose a favourite scene... each one rivals the others!
She is ably support by Naseeruddin Shah as the South Indian super star who considers every new co-star a conquest, before getting bored and moving on to the next one. Emraan has a nice cameo too, and of course, a wonderful song and some kissing to go with it.. why are we not surprised? :)
PS: no hard feelings to the Silk fan, but the real Silk was not even a shade of the amazing Vidya Balan
Sunday, May 13, 2012
SMJ Poll
Guys, please take my SMJ poll ====>
And you can choose multiple answers. Your inputs are important, very important!
And you can choose multiple answers. Your inputs are important, very important!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)