A WEEK OF VISITORS SHOPPING AND SIGHTSEEING

The week started off as usual, fairly orderly and quiet that was until Anne and Brian arrived on Tuesday night, I'm not sure who was the most excited them or us, but probably a bit of both.
They were supposed to be here at 7.55pm but it was closer to 9 when they got out of the airport. We took the bus the bus and they were so impressed with how handy and convenient it was.
We sat for a long time and drank countless cups of tea before we got to bed around midnight.
Wednesday we had to work, so we left them to roam around here, and have a look at the local area,as there are quite some nice places to see.
 So after we got back from our schools we took them on a Ferry ride and then onto the Stanley Markets,  Anne went into the first clothes shop she saw and between the the two of us I think we tried on almost everything in the shop.
Fortunately for everyone ie Tony and Brian the markets closed at 6.30pm We had sent them down to the pub to wait for us, Brian came up twice to see if we had deserted them, but we did eventually come out, both of us laden with bargains.
We then had dinner at a lovely restaurant down there, it was NZ beef and it was so delicious.
We then got on our bus , and got to North Point  only to find that we had missed the last Ferry by ten minutes.
Then we had to wait 30minutes for a bus to take us into where, we could get a bus to take us to Kowloon, we eventually got home again around midnight again. but we were very tired but very happy.
Thursday morning we took them to Mass at NDC and had breakfast with the priests, after that we took them to the Buddists Temple to show Brian the beautiful gardens, He was very impressed especially with all the lovely Bonsais there It was an extremly hot and steamy day but the sky was clear so we thought we would take them up to see the Peak.
So to the Peak we  went first by bus to the ferry and ferry to HK  and then took the special tram to the Peak, when we got there we had to walk through the shopping precinct and Anne was in heaven again. She spent one minute looking at the scenery and one hour shopping.
We then decided to come back and have a rest before we went on our boat cruise ,this was spectacular, dinner, and cruising around the bay and seeing the lights of Hong Kong. Fortunately no shopping. We got home yet again around 11pm but by the time we had a cuppa it was midnight again.
Friday we let them loose and told them where to go. they did the touring bit and surprise surprise a lot of shopping again at Stanley Markets. I think they saw a bit more of them this time.

We were supposed to go to the night markets on Friday night, but it was bucketing down and they came home a tad wet and exhausted so we settled for sandwiches for dinner and had a relatively early night.

Saturday they went out for a bit more sight seeing and more shopping (just a big port) but there were so many bargains she came home loaded again.

She really did shop until she dropped.

We had such good laughts and had a fantastic time with them. We enjoyed every minute of our time together, the four days were jam packed for them but I hope they had a good break.
But sadly it was time to go, so Tony took them to the bus stop and in typical Anne style was very insistant that he was putting them on the bus going the opposite way, he though she wasn't going to get on it, but she did, so we are hoping it was right and they got home ok.

At Hong Kong Airport

 Tony thinking she had only brought one port

The pub at Stanley Markets

Relaxing after our shopping spree

Chi Lin Nunnery

On the tram to the Peak

At the peak

View from the peak always smog and pollution here

Then it was time for our next visitor,more on that tomorrow night,

LUNCH AT THE SHAMROCK HOTEL.

Saturday morning after we had our special class of special students,we decided to do a little more exploring of Hong Kong, so we took a bus to somewhere, and decided to walk, we were looking for the Temple Street Markets, and in typical Tony style we were armed with maps and instrutions and took off,  Tony has a knack of finding the longest route to get to where we are going to. Yesterday was no exception, I think his thinking is if we walk long enough I'll not be interested in shopping, but that doesn't work in HK as there are shops in every street. We did eventually find the Markets, but on the way I spotted the Shamrock Hotel, well my eyes almost popped out. It was just lunch time so of course we had to lunched  there.It did my heart good just to go and sit there.  No not Irish Fare at all, but chinese, but they did have Roast beef and green salad, (which we have missed sadly) Dessert (yummy) and English Breakfast tea, my day was made.

We then came across a dragon dance on the street, it was fantastic we watched it for over 15 minutes and no hat in the middle for donations.

We then walked and walked some more, so by the time I got home I was pooped. but then at 4 oclock we had to walk to the presbytery for prayers and then dinner. I sure slept well last night.

Sunday Tony practices singing in the choir for a couple of hours so I decided I would go to where I wanted to go to yesterday, worked out which bus to take ect, only problem I caught it going the wrong way, but I've worked out when not sure hot to get there, is to take out a map and start looking at it, some one will always come and help you, today was no exception, a lovely young girl on her way to catch a train to the mainland, took me to the railway station and gave me directions how to get to my destination, so of course I jumped on the train to find out I took the wrong one again, so I jumped out and caught the right one, I had to change station 3 times but I managed to do that without any more incident, only trouble I had been travelling now for over an hour so by the time I got to where I was going I had to turn back as I had to be home to go to Mass at 4 oclock. It only took twenty minutes when I took the right connection.  No worries though, I'll do it next Sunday please God.

Only two more days until Anne and Brian arrive, we are veryexcited about their visit, Tony has even got some beer in for them. I decided to colour my hair (coz I think I'm the only blond in Kowloon) and as I have only very short hair I decided to use only half of the amount, so I very carefully measured out half the amount and saved the other half of the developer, then I squeezed out the colour and wondered why it was so runny, stupido me I realised I was using the conditioner,but no bother I'll just add the colour says I,and I'll just put the lot on, all going well so far, got the colour on, and washed out the bottle  and then  put the other half of the  developer into the clean bottle, then went and had a cuppa and indue course it was time to wash it out. Had shower and looked at the bottle on the sink and thought oh I forgot to wash it out, BIG MISTAKE  that was my other half of the developer. And to boot I'm now I'm the only strawberry blond (not the nice looking one) in Kowloon, fortunately I don't understand a word there saying. Talk about a senior moment!! Oh vanity vanity such vanity, but at my age what else have I got.

Crazy weather in Hong Kong, its either freezing cold, raining cats and dogs or boiling hot. today was a hot one but they had the air-con on so high I almost froze in Mass. Tony thinks in all the time I've been here I may have not complained for maybe two days.(slightly stretching the truth I'd say)

Oh I forgot Fr Brian Harris and Harry Dyer are coming over next week for Retreat looking forward to that as well, not sure though if we will catch up with them.

DRAGON DANCE

TWO LADS THEY ARE ALL SO AGILE

I THINK THIS POSTER PROBABLY HAD A MESSAGE ON IT

SHAMROCK HOTEL KOWLEEN

 THESE ARE MY SPECIAL STUDENTS THAT I GIVE EXTRA TIME ON SATURDAY AM

 TONY'S SPECIAL  ONE MISSING

MEETING THE NEW CARDINAL OF HONG KONG

Sunday was a big day for the Oblate Priests here, and of course we seem to be part of anything that goes on here which meant a big day for us also.
 Fr Ronnie told me that we needed to be early.  to get a seat as there would be a huge crowd coming for the Cardinal who was to say Mass at ten am,( real early he said) so in typical Maureen style we were there at 7.45 for the 8am Chinese Mass,with much guffing and puffing from himself and as it turned out he was right.  We then had to sit around for another hour waiting for the Cardinal to come and say the Mass at ten, it eventually started around 10.15 with much clapping and greetings ect, and went on untl 12oclock, then at 12ish Tony had to go to choir practice for another hour.
We then went up and met the Cardinal and had lunch with him, He is a most humble man, and was very surprised to be named the Cardinal of Hong Kong.
His only comment on that was, that he had just gone out and bought a new Bishop's Cassock? I told him he might be able to sell it on eBay , ( he said I don't think there would be much interest in the market for Bishop's Cassocks on eBay)

We then had Mercy Sunday at 3oclock (for those who know what that is) which took another hour, followed by the Fillipino Mass at 4oclock.

It was extremely hot day  and by this time I  had said all the prayers I wanted to say for the day.So I walked home and left Tony  to sing in the choir with the Fillopino's. Followed by more choir practice! wow what a day. I think he finally got home about 7oclock.

Monday it was back in the harness again for our last stint, only six more weeks left, I can't believe it has all gone so quickly.

We are very excited as Anne and Brian are coming to see us next week, and we are racking our brains  what we can feed Brian. Anne suggested bread and jam, but I think we can do slightly better than that. I might give him a bit of butter as well.

I believe Fr Brian is coming over the following week for retreat with Fr Harry so that will be nice as well.

I never know where about the photos will end up so wherever they land I leave them

VISIT TO CHINA

So the China visit, we only went for 2 days but they were 2 very full days, we attended Mass at NDC  and after breakie we took a taxi to the railway station'
 The train trip only took an hour, but it was packed and we had to stand the whole way, when we got there and through customs and immigration ect,we then got onto another train before we reached our destination of Shenzhen. It was very very hot over there.
On the outskirts of the city they have  built a replica of all the provences of china, even the great wall was there, it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
 Every city of China was there, we walked and then walked some more, then took a car around it, it was extremely hot to boot.
 Fr Slavic is only 42 so he kept going and going,
 We then had lunch at a very nice restaurant,of course everyone was clicking with the camera's and we were no exception, but  Tony dropped my camera,! so we finished clicking for the day, and then he had the nerve to say he wouldn't buy one in Hong Kong. (You can imagine how that went down)

 Fr then took us to a horse show not disimilar to the Australian Outback show,called Battle on" Horseback and Golden Spear Dynasty",  it was fantastic, but I have to admit I slept through a fair bit of it, but what I saw it was outstanding, then we had iced tea and had a rest for 15 minutes.
After that it cooled down and we all got our second wind

Walked some more and we only saw about half of it (if that even)
In the evening he took us to two more shows 

"Dancing Show in Traditional Chinese Costumes Oriental Apparal" and then
to see  China Variety show "Dragon and Phoenix Dance.
these two shows was spectacular and they are so flexible made me sore just watching them. by now it was 9pm so you can imagine how ready I was for bed, but no no no there was more, we then had to walk to the train to somewhere else not sure where we were by then, but the train only took 15 minutes to get there, we then booked into our hotel for the night, and definately not the Sheraton I'd say maybe a one Star if we were lucky, I would have slept on a bag of straw by this time. The room had clean sheets, air con, and a great shower, and we slept like logs

He then took us to a special restaurant at 10pm for dinner and even though we both said we couldn't fit another thing in, we sure made a good fist of eating all that was put up to us.

We all met at 9am for breakfast only to be told that the hotel didn't do them any more, so more walking, not so far this time, and had a chinese meat for breakfast,(maybe not such a favourite)

After breakie we went to the Museum and spent the morning there it was very interesting we really enjoyed that as well.

We took a vote on who wanted to shop and everyone was happy to get back on the train for Hong Kong.
We arrived home at about 4pm had lunch dinner combined and we were very tired indeed.
The history of this city is quite amazing, in 1970 it was just a small village of 22000 people and then the government took the land of the farmers and gave them nothing, they then auctioned it off to developers with a lot of bribery and corruption and built this huge city which has a population of 17 million people living there now. ( I must do some more research on it very interesting history)

Tomorrow we are going to have the new Cardinal of Hong Kong saying Mass at Notre Dame College and then we are invited to have lunch with him at the Presbytery. I think you address him as
"Your Emminence: I think that's right, I've not met many Cardinals in my time, so I hope thats it!

Bought  a nice snazzy camera tonight

some photos of China Visit

VISIT TO BUDDAH

SOME OF THE PHOTOS AT THE BIG BUDDAH

 AND YES WE DID WALK UP THE 252 STEPS TO SEE HIM