Happy New Year 2008 the Year of Rat

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy Year of Rat.
2008 is a year full of hope. Gertie-Yunis has to set targets and go for them.

1. Get an ideal job, get promoted, raise the salary, normal working hours, never again to work a month continuously from 7:30 a.m. to unknown time to off without a day-off (it is hard to recover no matter how many facial treatments I have).

2. Take a master course, but need to know which course I want to take as soon as possible: Marketing, Finance, Interior Design…

3. Travel around the world, eager to visit galleries in Europe, especially Uffizi of Firenze, Lourve of Paris; visit Santa Clause and his village; see sakura and red leaves in Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya, to experience the snowy day in Hokkaido; go to Egypt, Greece, Vienna; visit New Zealand by working holiday before 30 years old…

4. Good health -- I wish all my family, friends, relatives and Dai-guai May May have good health. No more sensitive nose, no more sensitive / allergic skin, no more acnes, all scars disappear.

5. Improve personal relationship: self-protection but also be tactful, more communication with others, and be the old self -- positive, optimistic and active.

6. Slow down when speaking: be patient, speak slower that every one can hear comfortably and clearly.

7. Get back my skills: save my piano and drawing skills from out of practice, as well as English, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, just in case.

8. Exercises: my badminton friends who are either working in China or moved overseas. The main reason is I am lazy. I never like doing exercises. That is why I am so slow-witted. It is great not to be alone, not necessary to talk to, but have a company.

9. Have an ideal husband: he must love me and my family (including Dai-guai), has his career, has a desire to advance, loves family life, likes sports and has healthy lifestyle. He must not smoke or addict to alcohol or speak dirty language or addict to famous brand or ani-com or games. That is not too demanding.

I bought myself a Christmas gift

I received two gifts this Christmas, all from my associates-- a pair or stockings with patterns and a mirror of Snow White. All cost around HKD10, but they are for a happy Christmas.

I bought a pair of pants to momi, paid them an Indian lunch in Kowloon City, but got no Christmas gift... woo... Momi told me to choose a pattern and promised she would knit me a scarf for this Christmas, however...

Momi went with my in Christmas Eve upstairs and downstairs to read all models and prices in all shops. Sony Ericsson K770i, I fall in love with it once it comes to the market, though it is not very special or gorgeous, I like its thin body, it is cool. But momi kept on persuading me to buy other models other girls buy, creamy white, pink, or even K850i. Then, she got angry and went away because of my fault... and "5 o'clock now, I can buy no fish!"

Momi complained to dadi about I cannot make up my mind on the mobile. Ai, I have told her which model I want but she keeps on telling me that K770i is too much for a guy. I don't want too lady style!

On Christmas morning when we had breakfast, I said I want to buy a mobile by myself, momi said she wanna go with me, cause she wanna see how I buy a mobile. I refused immediately because I can buy nothing with her as she would have millions of opinion. And so, I bought my own Christmas gift in a minute, alone. Then I spent a whole night to study it, and more unexpectedly, my brother sponsored me HKD1,000! Hooray~

Merry Christmas!

I wish you all a fabulous Merry Christmas 2007 and a Marvelous New Year 2008!

A ride on Highways

9 months after I get my driving license, I finally jumped on a private car and had a ride on Highways at a rainy night. It was a Golden access driving course (just squeezed out a few hours before deadline). I drove from Yuen Long driving school, got on the "circular" Highway to Tolo Harbour, passed through Shing Mun Tunnel, Tuen Mun Highway and back to driving school by Yuen Long Highway. Total 73 km.

When I marked the schedule a month ago (sunny for a whole month) I thought it would be great to drive at night (no sunshine, since I apply a plaster on face I have to hide away from sunshine, otherwise my face will be red and swollen like Spiderman) and it would be perfect if it rains (learn the skills), I thought it would not happen but it did.

The second day, I drove from driving school to the airport (overcast & wet weather) which I can drive up to 110 kmph on North Lantau Highway! Though I had driven 70 mph the same speed here in the UK (on A40 which learner can go, not a higher speed M40), I felt great! Total 99 km.
There was a funny thing that the first time I drove through a paid tunnel, I got to pay toll, but I did not drive closer to the little tollbooth, my palm could not reach the officer's fingers, even though I was nearly stood up (cannot… cos my foot was on the break, it's a auto, not a manual car) I cried out "my arm is too short~" then the lady officer stretched out her whole right arm to catch my toll which was nearly dropped onto the ground. She might think I am a little idiot. The tutor teased me for that...the next time I paid tolls, I was smarter.

Do you think driving a manual van cool? It is! I can drive a manual van, but the seat does not fit my short legs; so I choose an auto private car this time, it's more comfortable that no more hand break and gears, my hands only need to control the steering; no clutch up clutch down, my left foot can rest all the way.

Happy Lunar New Year!

The lunar new year is coming, have you cleaned your home thoroughly? Have you decorated your home with flowers yet?

If you not, get hurry~

Here, I wish you all a prosperous year of the Boars first !
Those enjoying single life, meet your great darlings
Those with sweethearts, blossom is my blessing
Those married, life is bliss and romance
Those studying, get full score and distinction
Those working, get salary raise and promotion
Once more, I wish every one of you healthy and happy !

My Japanese Pen-Pal came to Hong Kong (2)

After lunch I took Kaori and H to China Travel Service at China HK Centre HK-Macau Ferry Terminal for booking HK-Macau return ferry tickets and hotel room. The cheapest was HKD880 departed from Sheung Wan HK-Macau Ferry Terminal, HKD976 if departed from China HK Centre. I spoke up, "I paid only HKD760 for Christmas package for 2, how come it costs so much this time?" the staff replied that was impossible, I said, "I bought it, it won't be impossible." Immediately a flash back on my mind "that HKD760 was for a double room indeed, excluded ferry ticket…" of course I did not let the truth slip. I chose the Taipa Hotel which was the cheapest packet for them and led them to the Shun Tak Centre, just made sure they could find their way to get aboard.

After that, we did not have much time left, so I cut down the number of places. Here are the places we visited that day:-

12:10 pick them up from a guesthouse at Chung King Building
13:00 lunch at Kung Tak Lam at One Peking Road
14:30 China HK Centre HK-Macau Terminal
15:15 MTR to Sheung Wan Shung Wan HK-Macau Terminal by ==> Western Market
16:30 Tram to Admiralty Pacific Place for tea
17:40 Hong Kong Park (where I joined drawing competitions during secondary school period)18:25 Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (very dark, so animals part closed, I had primary school trips there for drawing competition)
19:00 Peak Tram (~8 mins) ==> Peak Galleria
19:55 top floor of the Peak for Hong Kong nightview
20:00 Symphony of Lights (beautiful! Nightview is gorgeous! It could be clearer if no smog)20:25 Burger King for dinner, starving… I missed Burger King
21:30 Minibus downhill, cheaper and faster than bus, no queue too
22:00 New Star Ferry Pier in Central. Honestly, the new clock tower has failed to make a nostalgic style, the old one was far better
22:20 Start ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier
22:35 TST MTR Station and said goodbye
22:40 took coach to home
23:30 backed to home, FoOtSoRe~

Although I am a big girl now, it was my first time to be a local guide for my foreign friends. Due to the tight schedule, I selected only a few places according to their requests. And these places are representative. Both Kaori and H adore Hong Kong's gorgeous night view. H who loves to photograph took lots of photos too.

What is more, it was a chilly day… Kaori did not bring any thick clothes because she thought we were having warm winter, as I told her in last December. Luckily, I took my windbreaker with me just in case, and let her had it, it did help a bit though could not stop her shivered on the Peak.

My Japanese Pen-Pal came to Hong Kong (1)

In the afternoon of Saturday 6th Jan 2007, I received an email from my Japanese Pen-pal Kaori, who is currently working in Sri Lanka. She is coming to Hong Kong, she is already on the plane! It is really thrilling! In the evening I received her call that she was staying in a guesthouse at Chung King Building. How did she find these guesthouses?

After confirmed with Kaori the meeting place (Tsim Sha Tsui MTR A1 entrance) and time (noon) of next day, I started my planning. Kaori is different from other Japanese girls I know, she is not crazy about LV, Gucci, Burberry, etc. On the contrary, she loves to visit historical places, temples and churches, to see real life of various cultures.

Therefore, after we met up the next day, I firstly took them to lunch. I planned to take them to Canton restaurant for our wan ton and tea with milk, but H wanted to have tea at Chinese restaurant and Kaori wanted something not greasy, so we went to Kung Tak Lam at One Peking Road for lunch. The table was opposite to the sea, the view could be the best if there was no smog. Kaori and H ordered Sichuan noodles with peppery sauce, Shanghai cold wan ton, Shanghai dumplings (in steaming basket), fried green onion pancake, steamed barbecued pork bun and egg tart with puff pastry crust. The Sichuan noodles was with peanut sauce instead of peppery sauce (vegetarian does not eat spicy food), so I who do not eat spicy food can have it; cold wan ton was nothing like Cantonese wan ton and was not tasty; the stuffing for dumplings was so loose… then I remembered the stuffing was not pork but vegetable; egg tart with puff pastry crust, well, I never liked eating the puff pastry crust; fried green onion pancake was not greasy, what it used seemed not green onion (vegetarian does not eat green onion), but it was still tasty; steamed barbecued pork bun is always my favourite, it was small and delicious.

The quality of the lunch was average. 5 dishes of dim sum, 1 noodle plus 3 tea cost almost $200, but luckily, I presented my HSBC credit card which gave us a discount of 15% off, so the net payment was $166. This lunch was not cheap yet. Probably we ate with the sea? The food of Ka Choi Seafood Restaurant located at Sam Shing Estate where my family and I normally go are tastier. 4 to 5 dishes of dim sum for 3 with tea only cost $50 to $60.

The exceptional Confucius

I went to Shandong for holiday in November 2006. Our tour guide Xiao Lung told us the life story of Confucius Kongzi when he was introducing Confucius Temple, Kong Descendants' Mansion, Kong's Graveyard, 'Kongzi, surname was Kong, forename was Qiu, courtesy name was Zhong Ni, English name was Johnny (smile)…'

The witty Xiao Lung also mentioned that, 'Kongzi was indeed very ugly! He had Goggle-eyed which were full of blood vessels, snubby nose, projected upper teeth, monster ears, projected brow, sycee-shaped head which water could fill the hollow, plus his huge figure, he's really scary! His father was 72 when he married Kongzi's mother who was just a teenager. She had no status because she was a concubine, so she had to give birth to Kongzi at a massif, so he's called Kong Qiu, which meant massif. Kong's father detested his ugly face and abandoned him in a wilderness. However, when he saw a wolf fed his son and eagles sheltered him with their wings amazingly, he deemed his son should be an exceptional child and bought him home. Kongzi was a scorn in his childhood, his father died when he was three, but he was still diligent in his study… he led a wandering life then… We had a TV series about Kongzi some years ago, at the time people criticized the actor was ugly and that was disrespectful. On the contrary, we had beautified him totally.'

I have heard this story before. The Kong's file described him exaggeratedly as a freak of nature.

In my opinion, the sculpture of Kongzi has also beautified 'Johnny Kong'. Eh? He looks a bit like Zhong Kui, a deity who protects us from evil spirits.

Eh, I think it is no good to talk about Kongzi like that…

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 22nd Dec, 2006

Charlie Brown Café

I went to a Charlie Brown Café one evening for my friends' gathering. I had been longed for visiting there since I knew its existence, because I am a fans of SNOOPY. You can see how excited I was.

It is a chic and lovely café with French windows, comfortable sofa, decorated with characters of PEANUTS everywhere: Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, Peppermint Patty, Linus Van Pelt, Marcie, Sally Brown, Woodstock, etc., and my all time favourite SNOOPY! The Pilot Snoopy is undoubtedly the smartest. We can also watch the Snoopy cartoons playing continuously at the middle of the café.

Though it is a café, there are not many choices. Well, we still have ordered some drinks:-
Charlie Mocha – its introduction mentioned 'double espresso' that made me gave up but my friend said it was much better then the 'S-bucks';
Linus Latte – I was attracted by its mug on the menu but it came out a paper cup. Well, there was nothing special except it kept me awake from sleep till after 5am.

Besides, these were the food we ordered:-
Carbonara – clams, mushroom and cheese with fettuccine, quite okay;
Rye bread with chicken salad – came out White bread… didn't the cashier knows English?
Charlie's Pasta Pizza – it was special, but wrapped spaghetti inside was not a good idea… too tough and hard, difficult to be cut by knife;
Charlie's Drumsticks – small but tasty, served with potato and apple salad

Also desserts:-
Charlie's Angels – looked at the presentation, we thought it was same as the soft and layered cake (probably Angle Cake) we had in the UK, but it was far from it, we were so disappointed;
Charlie's Waffle – molded with 4 characters, but I can only remember Charlie Brown and Snoopy, 'oh sorry Snoopy, I have to cut you and eat you…'
There are a few types of merchandise of Snoopy and Woodstock such as mugs, plush toys, badges and key rings at the shop, but I did not buy any… I had to stay away, otherwise I would have gone crazy.

It was a nice visit and I think I will visit there again, just have a cup of cappuccino and sandwiches~ and enjoy sitting with Snoopy.

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 21st Dec, 2006