Maddie's Birthday Party

On Saturday I took Hannah to Maddie's birthday party (Rika was in bed with a cold).

The party was held at 'Funzone' and indoor adventure playground.   The kids had a terriffic time running about quietly.

Video:  Funzone (Tappist section)

Funzone has a special themed birthday party areas.  Three parties were in progress while we were there.  

Video:  Birthday parties at Funzone 

Happy Birthday Maddie

Hannah and Ella playing on a giant ice-cream.

Video:  the girls enjoying teasing the boys, and boys enjoyed shooting at the girls...

Ella, Hannah and Madie.

'Funzone' is in The Westwood shopping center in the exclusive Belchers complex in Kennedy Town.

The Westwood has a 'Sponge Bob Squarepants' theme.  It  offers several unique experiences for your kids.  As well as the Funzone, they can have their photo taken with Sponge Bob....

... and they can drive a convertible car, while it is simultaneously humped by a crazed beagle.

And the score at the Westwood?:  2 union jack bags

Earthquake!

Compared to Japan, buildings in Hong Kong seem very flimsy.   Many towers have holes in them or, like ours, an 'empty' ground floor.   This is good feng shui since it keeps unobstructed dragon lines between the mountains and the water.   But it won't be very lucky in a strong earthquake.  

'Empty' ground floor in Parkview tower

Fortunately Hong Kong doesn't get earthquakes.  Or rather, not often, and not big ones.  

On Friday I definitely felt the ICC 'jump' slightly.  My colleagues either didn't notice it, or put it down to unusually vigorous window cleaners (seriously!).  They were later surprised to learn there had been a magnitude 4.8 quake, 180km to the north at a depth of 11km.   It was only the 69th quake felt in Hong Kong since 1979, and was front-page news.

In Japan, an incredibly sensitive array of sensors detects the first primary-waves of each earthquake.  Within seconds high-speed computers triangulate the location and estimate the intensity.   If its is a big quake, warnings are instantaneously dispatched by radio to the areas at risk, triggering alarms on mobile phones.  Often you have several seconds to turn off the gas and take cover before the slower but more violent S-waves arrive and start shaking the building.

In Hong Kong, if you feel an earthquake, you can phone the Hong Kong Observatory.  They will go and look for it, and after an hour or so will issue a bulletin : 'yes that was an earthquake'.

Hong Kong Observatory.  Bulletin issued at 11:43 HKT 22/Feb/2013
Locally Felt Earth Tremor Report
The Hong Kong Observatory has received reports of earth
tremor felt by local residents. The Observatory is
analysing the data. Further information will be released
when available.

Bulletin issued at 12:27 HKT 22/Feb/2013
Locally Felt Earth Tremor Report
(Update) Initial analysis from the Hong Kong Observatory
indicated that an earthquake of magnitude 4.8 has occurred
at 11:34 a.m. on 22 February 2013 (Friday) Heyuan,
Guangdong. The epicentre is located near 23.9N, 114.5E,
about 180 kilometres north of Hong Kong Observatory.

Play-ground Tour

On Sunday afternoon we went down to Taikoo Shing to try a new bicycle track and visit some to the parks and playgrounds.

Taikoo Shing is on the north side of Hong Kong island at the eastern end of Victoria harbour.  We were thinking of living there when we thought Hannah's school would relocate to Chai Wan.   So I was keen to visit and see how the location matched our research.

First we went to the the playground at Quarry Bay Park Phase 1.  This which is quite nice despite being right next to the entrance of the Eastern Harbor tunnel to Kowloon Bay.

Then we checked out as a 640km cycle track Quarry Bay Park phase 2 a couple of blocks away.  Unfortunately there is no cycle rental available so we couldn't use it.   But there was a another large playground for Hannah to enjoy.

The Quarry Bay Park is on reclaimed land between the tower blocks and the harbour.   The Eastern Island Corridor motorway runs through the middle of it along with a spaghetti junction of slip-roads and the eastern harbour crossing.    There is a series of bridges and ramps to allow pedestrians to cross these roads and navigate the park.

Despite the motorways the park is attractive and fairly quiet thanks to sound barriers and extensive planting.  But I expect the air quality is inevitably pretty poor with 150,000+ vehicles roaring past every day.

Video:  Quarry Bay Park and Eastern Island Corridor

We  crossed the motorway to the other half of the park which forms a lovely promenade along Victoria Harbour. 

Tai Chi at the waterfront promenade.

Video:   tai chi with fans

Chinese New Year illuminations along promenade at Quarry Bay Park.  2013 is the year of the snake.

One interesting display in the park is the former british fireboat Alexander Grantham, which has been turned into a small but interesting museum.

Chinese navy ship on Hong Kong Harbor

Next stop was the Sai Wan Ho and the playground next to the Korean International School.   Like most areas on the island this is quite built-up with mansion blocks but it is quite pleasant with the harbor promenade, plenty of pedestrian areas and little through traffic.   I liked it, as I'd expected to.

Video.  Sai Wan Ho Playground and Grand Horizon complex.   

I was surprised that the 66 floor Grand Promenade complex with its 5 towers and 2,000 apartments didn't seem to dominate the area.    Up close you don't really notice the extra height.   It seems to me that heavy traffic (e.g. London) is much more intrusive than tall buildings, especially if there are plenty of trees in the public spaces.    The population density of the tower blocks supports excellent public transport (bus interchange in the basement, MTR station nearby) so there are surprisingly little car traffic.

Then round the corner for the 4th playground of the day at Aldrich Bay Park  This has a nice lake with a wooden 'ship'.

Then along the  the Aldrich Bay promenade next to the Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter....

to the Aldrich Bay Promenade playground.  The 5th and final childrens play-ground

But wait, theres more!   I promised Hannah Id take her to a Daddy's playground (and no, not Wanchai)

Hong Kong Museum of Costal Defense is a former coastal defence fort overlooking the Lei Yue Mun channel.   The fort was built by the British in 1887, intended to defend the eastern approaches to Victoria Harbour.

Photo:   Lei Yue Mun Fort and museum.

The museum displays looked excellent but we didn't have time to study them this time. mainly had an ice-cream and enjoyed the view.

Photo:  Disappearing gun, built 1887 (similar to the one installed at Taiaroa Head near Dunedin in 1886)

Video.   View from the gun emplacement, (with Rika advancing from the East), and the commanding view over the Lei Yue Mun channel.

Hannah enjoyed exploring the tunnels and moats.

Video:  Hannah exploring the tunnels

Unfortunately the museum closed at 5pm so we only had time for a quick look.   We will have to visit again.

We went back to Aldrich Bay for dinner.  The home for an early night.

View of Victoria Harbour from the Soho East waterfront cafe near Sai Wan Ho Harbour Park.  Looking towards the former Kai Tuk airport which is being redeveloped as a cruise ship terminal.