Today was a great, relaxing first day back in Hong Kong.  It’s amazing to me how “at home” we all feel here.  Truly, if I got my wish, my company would transfer me here.  I love it and just can’t get enough!!

We started the day out a bit slow, with easy breakfast of hotdog buns, and cereal and coffee.  Oh, how lovely it feels to be back to normal.

The morning went by in a blur as we spent tons of time in the hotel pool.  It seems to take up at least a good chunk of each day.  We’ve been really lucky weather-wise, with really only one day where the rain actually was a drag, so far.  Other than that, we’ve had a couple of brief and intense rains, but nothing dramatic.

The sunshine kept us in the pool until we’d pretty much missed lunch time, but we were hungry, so we went down to the city.  I was determined that we weren’t having PIZZA, and I wanted some “backstreet” food.  Stephanie speaks up, out of nowhere, and says she wants pigeon.  Yes, you read that right.  The child that never ever expresses a food preference wants pigeon.  So we found a seriously backstreet restaurant that specializes in bbq meats and rice.  I ordered bbq pork, chicken, and roast pork on rice for Danny, Emily and I, and for Stephanie we ordered 2 whole pigeons.  Unfortunately, her pigeons took the longest to come and by the time they did, she’d already eaten an entire order of bbq pork.  Oh well, Danny had pigeon, so everyone was happy and full.  Check out the photo of Emily, where you can see the whole roast pig right behind her.  It really was that close to her.  The restaurant was filthy, very old fashioned, and dirty as hell, but the food was good, and none of us got sick, so it’s all good.

The afternoon found us again basking in the sunshine, and enjoying the pool.  We couldn’t stay in there too long, though, because two of Danny’s elderly aunties had invited us over for dinner, at one of their homes.  We took the shuttle bus to the subway, and the subway most of the way, then a short taxi ride right to the apartment.  As soon as we arrived, I knew I was going to eat well!!  She had cooked tons of things that I really like.  She had stuffed peppers, stuffed eggplant, and stuffed bitter melon, as well as an awesome mushroom and spongy fungus dish.  The only dish I didn’t like (unfortunately) was the one his other aunt had made and brought, and she was visibly disappointed.  I gagged down one piece, but could not possibly eat another, as I simply didn’t like it, at all.

We had stopped on the way over and bought a simple roll cake at the bakery to bring with us.  By the time we finished eating, it was already 8pm, so we had cake very quickly (right after my little darlings embarrassed themselves by fighting over the dark chocolate decoration on top) and called it a night.  Wouldn’t you know that just as we were leaving, Danny’s other cousin, from Singapore, came by hoping to see my kids.  I held my ground, as it was 9pm by this point, so we quickly said hello and goodbye and left. 

The taxi ride back was long but easy, and neither of the kids was long for their beds.  Swimming and the heat really take a toll.  This has truly been vacation like we’ve never done before.