Are We Having Fun Yet?

I can't say this has been the easiest of weeks we've had  so far.  Both of us have been fighting health issues and have gotten to know Evangle Hospital quit well. My back, hip and leg has been very painful, but l found a good chiropractor trained in Canada and am also taking physio at the hospital.   I must say that I've been impressed with the health care we've received and people have been very kind and patient with our lack of understanding the language.  Most of the staff there speak some English and all the doctors are fluent in English, which is certainly a comfort.  The only problem with going there is that it is a private hospital.  If we ever had to be admitted, we'd have to go to one of the public ones because the private would certainly be too expensive.

Dragon in the Zodiac Garden

The school has a three day holiday this week, and since Blaine didn't go on Monday and is only going half day today it will really be a short week.  I think we'll be the only teachers left in Hong Kong as it is a very popular time for them to travel around to other countries.  The fares are cheaper and less crowded as it is not a national holiday.  Ryan and his family are off  to a resort in Thailand , and Kylie and crew are going to Cebu in the Philippines. They were happy the typhoon went through before they left for their holiday.  We were invited to go with them both, but Blaine thought it would be too much right now and as it turns out we wouldn't have been able to go.  Today is Tues. so we will see if we get to do any sightseeing here at home.

Not sure which way to go.

Heading into the park the back way

Well today its Wed and the first day of our holiday.  We were pretty laid back this morning and then decided to venture out for a while and see how we manage.  We went to Kowloon Walled City Park which is not to far away.  It is a real oasis of beautiful landscaping, neat Chinese buildings and you can even hear and see many birds.  The park is enclosed with a brick wall that was once the perimeter of a notorious village that actually remained a part of China throughout British rule.  It was known for its vice, prostitution, gambling and even illegal dentists!!  In one of the videos we watched, the lady was telling how there was no running water and they had to go to a well and haul the water up eleven flights of  stairs.  Because of the factories that were in the City, the water would turn color depending on what pollutants came from  them. In 1984 the Hong Kong government  took over the area and rehoused the residents and tore everything down and built the park. It was opened in 1995.  Outside the  walled area there is a jogging track, cycling track, and basketball courts.

This is the almshouse which is the only remaining old building of the Kowloon Walled City.  The facade has been restored to its original appearance in the Qing Dynasty.

Old South Gate.  The wall (which was 15 feet high) enclosing the Walled City was built by the Qing Government in 1841. During the Japanese Occupation between 1941 and 1945, it was torn down by Japanese soldiers to provide materials for laying the foundation of the Kai Tak Airfield( which is right out our window).  This is all that is left of the foundation of the South Gate.

Garden of Four Seasons .  I'm not sure what the shaped thing in the corner is supposed to be!!

Queen for a minute!!  I don't think you're supposed to sit in these, as the guard was heading our way!

One of the lovely ponds and waterfall.

Today l had  a chiropractors apt. so we  hopped in a taxi and headed to TST, which turned out to be a looooooong drive!  The traffic was horrendous, partially due to an accident  and finally the driver suggested he'd take another route and drop us off about 11/2 block from my apt. and we gladly agreed as the price was climbing through the roof.  When l was done we wandered around looking at suit tailors because Blaine wants to get a suit made sometime.  They have beautiful cloth and to have a suit, shirt and tie made cost about $260 Can.  We than decided to go for supper at the Spaghetti House.
All l can say about that is that the Cokes were good!

If you want spaghetti go somewhere else for it!!

Looking out from restaurant to the big Adidas store where you can get your own custom  running shoes made.

Haagen Dazs ice cream is very big here.  Kind of expensive but good.  After supper we wandered down to the Star ferry terminal.  It was very busy, but we decided we'd try taking the 5C bus home.  It cost $10.00 for both of us ($1.42 Canadian) as opposed to the taxi which cost $76.50 ($11.00 Can.)  Both are cheap when you put it into Canadian dollars.  On Sat. is Blaine's birthday (60) so we will probably go out for lunch, (somewhere we know is good) and that will be the end of our holiday.  There's no trick or treating here so it will be a different Halloween.  In the end we did have some fun.  Hope you have a good week and the weather warms up.