Food photos
A blunt question – Have you ever taken a photograph of (only) food, either something you ordered at a restaurant or that you made yourself? If you answer no, then you’re definitely not from Hong Kong or China, or at the very least, you are lying or have a really bad memory. Anyway…
Personally, I never even thought about taking food photos before I came to Asia. Yes, there were occasions where elaborate spreads of food were photographed, like Christmas time, birthdays and wedding gatherings and the like, but the frame included people as well and not just food. I’ve come to think of this as an Asian ‘thing’, and make no mistake thinking Asian’s love and appreciate food more than others; that’s not true – food is revered by everyone but not photographed by everyone.
I’m at a loss to know why people are so hell-bent on taking pictures of food. My original reaction was to eat the dishes presented before me, rather than take pictures and risk them going cold. It just seems odd that people bother to take individual pictures of food rather than tucking in the moment it arrives! And that’s not the worst part. There are occasions where the amount of time spent photographing pays no respect to the food at all, especially when everyone in a party has to be photographed with a particular dish – delicacy or not. So it’s not just individual snapshots of food, there are people in the frame now. Imagine this; Spicy chicken wings, wow, so greasy and shiny, all four of them – reactions from the average diner in Hong Kong, photograph them! Firstly, the dish itself with a macro lens setting and then with the diners either individually or as a group – people will ask to see the photo to check that the lighting and their pose is acceptable and if not might be silly enough to ask for a retake – seriously! And if the food goes cold before everyone has their shiny cheeky face posing with the most basic of dishes, then so-be-it. It’s the same for almost all orders. And it’s a lot more noticeable when people travel – easily taking a few hundred food shots alone on a short trip.
It just makes me wonder why people get so excited about the idea of posing with food. I’m all up for a photo before any meal or occasion but there is a limit to the amount of time given over to it. Next time you’re at a dinner gathering feel free to strike a pose with a plate of greasy chicken wings, a steaming hotpot or a delicious hairy crab – it’s in your nature! I’ve done it myself, actually!
London Theatre Museum 鬼樣
明日Halloween，今晚已見到很多扮鬼扮馬的小朋友。扮鬼？我試過！
記得很多年前我去過倫敦的Theatre Museum，博物館就在旅遊勝地Convent Garden附近。我去當日陽光普照，所以大部份人都留在户外，不會去室內地方，博物館內很少人流。這是我發現避免人多擠擁的一個方法。
Theatre Museum展出關於話劇的歴史，有我們熟悉的musical的資料。展館佔地不大，不需很多時間就可參觀完畢。最有趣的環節是每日幾次的真人show，會有make﹣up artist現塲示範出神入化的化妝技巧。我胆粗粗，volunteer做model。我這樣的容貌身材，平時很少機會做model呢…化妝師逐步逐步上妝，一邊介紹不同的假血，假疤痕，好攪笑！我非常滿意我的look呀，還扮pose映了幾張相。當然我不想以後都是這個樣啦！
Counting people at mini-bus stops
If you’ve ever stood in a mini-bus queue behind a number of other people then there’s a very good chance you found yourself counting the people in front of you – with fingers crossed that you weren’t number 17! You’ve done it, right? And, if you haven’t then you’re definitely not from Hong Kong.
Mini-buses are usually quite frequent so it’s not a big deal to wait for the next one to pull up so most people are quite happy to wait their turn however, that’s okay in most city districts; What about Sai Kung on a Sunday evening at the height of summer? Unless you’re one of those ‘junk people’ who always embarks and disembarks from Central’s pier #9, you’ve probably experienced the long waits for mini-buses in Sai Kung, where the majority of junk trips in the territory depart from. The problem is compounded in places like Sai Kung because everyone is arriving back at the piers after a great day on the sea at more-or-less the same time, and most are looking for an immediate way out – bus, mini-bus and taxi are the public transport options at hand. Most tend to opt for bus, then mini-bus and at a last resort, taxi. So you opt for mini-bus because the bus queues always look too long and taxis are too expensive. There are three likely scenarios when you opt for a mini-bus:
You get to the mini-bus stop just before it pulls off and you get on – Mark Six luck!
You see the mini-bus leaving and curse at it even though it did nothing to you and then you realise that it’s full anyway, so you now become the 17th or the 1st in line.
You join the queue with quite a few people in front of you, so you automatically start to count hoping that you’re not on the cusp of being left behind for the next departure.
The above scenarios are assuming just one person travelling which is not uncommon but under most circumstances there’s at least a couple together which throws the figures forward a bit and limits your chances of getting on together. So what to do if your friend or you is the 16th passenger? You can toss a coin on that or wait for the next vehicle (which most do) but there is one other option at hand if you’re prepared to pay for it. You could buy a seat by offering money to someone in front of you – (this is a bit like what airlines do when a flight is over-booked at the last minute and they need to board priority / award member passengers on a guaranteed seat basis; they’ll offer passengers a seat on the next flight in addition to a decent sum of cash and a few meal coupons)- for mini-bus queues, you have to be careful because a friend of someone already in the queue in front of you could suddenly appear at the last minute – one that wasn’t in your equation before and now you find one of your party is in the dreaded 17th position! Enjoy your mini-bus rides and make a conscious effort not to forget to remember to count the people in front of you!
一口氣食一罇jam
歐洲有好多budget airlines，機票平到不可置信，甚至可以免費。它們是從訂機票手續費，信用咭手續費，行李check﹣in費等等不同的名目來收費賺錢。我之前在歐洲時去個比利時short trip，就是因為為了摼錢不check﹣in行李而出事。
我去比利時的機票才５ euro，但check﹣in一件行李要８ euro，我覺得太不成比例，好唔抵。反正只去三日，所以決定只帶手提行李上機。
Check-in 完入閘，就要經過security check。好似香港一樣，Brussels security要旅客把所有液體放入透明膠袋。我乖乖地照做，把行李放上運輸帶，以為一切無問題。怎料security話要開我的行李搜查。我差不多按他要求把所有東西拿出來讓他撿查。到到最後，他找出我買來做手信的一jar homemade jam。我覺得罇jam好solid，好多果肉，不應算是液體。但security話我不可以帶上機。無法啦，權在他手，難道要跟他嘈失禮嗎？但是我真的不忍心就這樣掉了我的strawberry and rose petal jam，所以問他可否取回jam，先不要過security。
我走回商店，想找間好似屈臣氏之類的店舖買個細罇，裝起部份jam，但又找不到地方賣罇。我有想過將jam倒入透明膠袋，還核核突突地走去問security這樣是否可行。答案當然是不啦。
最後無計可施，我把心一橫，就地打開jam吃。一次過吃一jar jam，還是第一次！希望不需要經常表演這項目！
以後我一定會小心點，不要買可能過不了關的手信，買了就一定要記得行李寄倉。最好還是避免坐cheap cheap airline，少些憂慮。不過我這樣精打細算的人，我估都不可以永遠抵受免費機票的誘惑……
Green footprints in Causeway MTR
Every man and his dog are aware of MTR escalator etiquette, right? Well, perhaps dogs aren’t because they’re not allowed by law, at least not on their feet; anyway it’s good to know that we’re all well versed however, this could all change in the future. Here’s a very quick refresher guide to Hong Kong’s escalator etiquette. It’s pretty basic – You stand on the right and you pass on the left. And that’s everywhere, not just in MTR stations. It’s all pretty simple and ordered and well known by almost all of Hong Kong’s adult population and many youngsters who have reached walking age.
But recently, I noticed ‘green footprint’ markings painted onto each step of one of the long escalators in Causeway Bay MTR station, each step having two sets of prints. At first glance it looks environmental but then, after a blink of the eye you realise that it’s an order thing – to remind people to stand on the escalator. Not sure why but possibly something to do with safety.
There’s a potential problem in the making with this mainly because the logical assumption is to stand on the ‘footprints’ (two pairs), so two people stand side-by-side. The one on the left is now standing and not walking. While it’s quite common to stand on the left at busy times it’s not the norm but the footprints could and probably will make it the norm, even at quiet periods.
It’s a pity that such a well-known etiquette could die and knowing how easily people in the city follow rules and fit into norms, whether fashion or social, coupled with a discipline that’s second to none, the days of swiftly walking on the left of escalators could well be numbered and this hardly benefits fitness or efficiency!
Be careful what you pray for
It’s pretty obvious why people in Hong Kong pray for powerful typhoons to cross over the city – time off work to play Mahjong! But why do the masses so desperately want something that has the potential to wipe them out?
When typhoons are within striking distance of Hong Kong and its territories, the buzz starts to build in the workplace. People glue themselves to the Observatory website to view the track of the storm, browse their hard-drives to find the latest ‘bad weather policy’ in the office work manual, have mini discussions on the chances of it hitting (direct hit most certainly means time off, so that’s preferable) and whether or not the signal will be severe enough to allow them stay at home. The predicted time of a typhoon’s arrival is very important as well because you don’t want one on a Saturday or a Sunday or any time you’re not working. The buzz, that giddy spark of excitement that spreads around the office is very evident and infectious and distracting; it’s rather like the atmosphere one might feel before going on holiday leave, or before a long weekend.
So, if the prayers of every worker are answered, the storm signal will be raised to the magic number 8 and a day off is usually the 1st prize – a half-day having to go home early is not ideal with millions of punters filing out onto the streets at exactly the same time, spending hours struggling to get home makes for a hellish commute; this never happens on normal work days. However, there are advantages for those who like Mahjong; groups will arrange a strategy to go to one home to have a typhoon party instead of making their way safely to their own home which is the main reason to get off early. An overnight typhoon is not good for the worker because that means having to report for duty, albeit later the following day but it’s a dull moment and always results in a harder and busier commute than usual.
There are other factors that affect businesses directly, namely office downtime and loss of productivity before, during and after typhoons. Productivity is lost long before staff are sent home, for some of the reasons noted above. People are generally unproductive around a pending typhoon as it causes many distractions – those typhoon parties need to be arranged and that typhoon track is the most important thing in the world to work and report on to your colleagues and friends. And, the aftermath of the typhoon can result in more downtime, mainly due to employees who have built themselves up psychologically to a day off; they are likely to call in sick the following day if the storm weakens.
Oh, if anyone is wondering about typhoon signals 9 and 10, wind direction, and other important weather data – nobody cares; they already have the day off on the back of the number 8! So why this typhoon madness?
For most a day off is a day off, so on face value it’s a good deal when an act of nature affords a ‘free’ day and given the demands on the average Hong Kong worker and the lack of holiday leave (some get just 5 days Annual Leave per year), it’s no wonder that the masses see typhoons as something auspicious. People don’t exactly pray for a storm or something bad to happen and really don’t want all that wind and rain to come and blow down their home or flood it out. There’s a kind of childish naiveness around pending typhoons. Perhaps, if the working conditions and benefits for the average Hong Kong person were better, allowing for a more reasonable work-life balance, the prayers might not be so strong in favour of massive tropical storms that so far have claimed so many Asian lives during this typhoon season. But can they resist the temptation to play Mahjong, storm or not?
Observations by a Gweilo
Having been in Hong Kong for several years and having frequented the MTR more times than I really wanted to, I’ve noted a few things that are very trivial but at the same time appear to be ingrained in the people who live in this great city.
A common trend for most MTR users is to run for a train whether they can catch it or not. The rule seems to be – if you see a train, you run! And get caught in the doors as well for good measure for the unfortunates that actually make it to the doors.
For those who fail to board and have to wait a whole minute for the next train to arrive, the drill is to step back at least one pace and turn to the left (don’t ask why it’s left and not right), then in an instant remove a mobile phone and check for messages and calls!!
See lai: They have no airs and graces about them which makes them real and in so many ways likeable, despite their rude and pushy behaviour. It’s a breath of fresh air to see people as they really are in a city like Hong Kong so personally, I never mind when I’m shoved out of the way or when one appears under my arm to scurry determinedly and aggressively towards a hard metal seat. Their life is more likely a lot more difficult than mine and it gives me something to write about!
Travel with 猩猩 snapshot
剛剛同猩猩參加了U Travel雜誌的Travel with Toy Snapshot大招募，這是他第一次參加比賽。其實他對我來說又豈只是toy呢？想一想，猩猩已去過１２個國家，比很多人還要多呢。我喜歡與猩猩去旅行，是因為只要攬着他，就可以有家的感覺。當我一個人在外國生活的時候，他是我思鄉病的醫生。只要看見他，我的心就覺得踏實，開心，有個伴。
現在流行去比較adventurous的地方體驗生活，例如去非洲做義工。我建議大家如果要隻身去陌生的地方，可以帶些窩心的東西去陪自己，或者可以減少思鄉之情。
記得小時候和朋友仔玩公仔，話大個要帶至愛的公仔去度蜜月。我守了我的承諾，真的帶了猩猩去honeymoon。不知道以前的朋友還有没有與公仔說話呢？
Technology getting in the way, a bit too much
A few observations to note, which are in fact, facts!
We’ve all experienced the interruption and distraction mobile devices have on our daily lives and while there’s no argument against the amazing technological advances and convenience that mobile technology brings to the average person’s daily life, there are drawbacks. There is a line to be drawn in order to establish some sort of social order and manner and common decency to the ones we’re with. So, great as the technology is, it’s also having a very obvious impact that flaunts with our social lives without tip-toeing around. The mobile (phone) is a prime example of a device that’s as much an annoyance and a major conversation killer as it is a blessing on any social occasion.
Take an average dinner at a restaurant where one gathers to socialise; yes, in case people have forgotten, dining, whether at home or at a restaurant is still an excellent way to socialise and the idea is, that you go to a restaurant to interact with the people around you – your friends and family and not with an electronic device. We don’t want to turn off our phones and PDA’s but we shouldn’t be seen socialising with them more than the people we’re with – seems like common sense, or perhaps not to some.
It’s common for the shy and insecure to fiddle with their hand-held device as the perfect displacement while waiting at a bar or a restaurant for their date or friend to arrive, or sporadically throughout the meal when their partner disappears to the toilet – isn’t there something else to do for just a few moments other than checking a phone for messages and calls that aren’t there? The intrusion that a mobile phone has on an average gathering is increasing in unison with the ever-increasing applications one can access on a typical device. You’ll notice wherever you go, a restaurant, a bar, a cafe, a graduation or a wedding ceremony, any event really, the mobile devices that offer convenience beyond belief to people all over the developed world are also poking their way into the social arena in a way that’s making them a nuisance.
Short of emergencies and obvious work-related distractions, next time you’re socialising with your family and friends make a conscious effort to use the phone as little as possible because the person or date you’re with really does want some attention as well, otherwise your second date could well be with your i-phone!
You’ve been warned!
Celia Cheng 談北海道的花與雪
上星期六參加了一個講北海道的talk，主講者是寫攝人Celia Cheng。她寫作關於旅遊的書籍，已有十多本著作，並且經常接受傳媒訪問，出席講座，算是旅遊界的知名人仕。在這個talk前我對Celia不甚認識，所以我抓緊機會問她入行的過程。原來做寫攝人之前她是在企業做management，之後開了一間特色商店賣歐洲handicraft。之後漸漸多人訪問，然後開始寫稿，隨着成為作家。對於這些放棄office工作去外面闖的人，我特別感興趣，可能是因為我也有這顆不甘於墨守成規的心。
一般的講座一個多小時就已經會覺得很悶，但聽Celia的talk出奇地快樂時光飛逝，relax而又informative的三小時過得很快。Celia個人很friendly和真誠，可以看得出她是真心喜歡她的工作和與人分享她的遊歴。她的性格很有感染力，有一種引人留心聽她說話的charisma。我明白為甚麼傳媒會喜歡她。能夠在４年出１０本書，她必定很勤力寫稿，是一個做事認真的人。
相信很多人都會羨慕她的自由工作，但我知道不是每一個人都有潛能去做她所achieve到的。能夠接觸Celia，給我很多關於free lance工作的inspiration。希望我都可以好像她一樣找到自己的niche，做自己喜歡的事。