Sunday, 24 March 2013
Festive Season (again)
Its festive season again in Hong Kong!
This time the ICC is celebrating the run-up to easter with an installation of easter eggs and easter bunnies, sponsored by Liberty.
This time the ICC is celebrating the run-up to easter with an installation of easter eggs and easter bunnies, sponsored by Liberty.
Russian Dolls
For christmas Rika ordered a set of customised russian dolls from a company in Japan
Do you see any resemblance?
Do you see any resemblance?
Sunday, 17 March 2013
Shek O
On Sunday we visited Shek O, a fairly remote village on the south east side of Hong Kong Island, about 70min from Central.
The weather was colder and less sunny than the previous weekend, but Shek O village and beach was very pleasant.
Video: Shek O main beach
Ather the beach we had a teriffic meal at the Shek O Chinese and Thai resturant. We will definitely be going back!
The weather was colder and less sunny than the previous weekend, but Shek O village and beach was very pleasant.
It was too cold to swim but Hannah enjoyed making a Mt Fuji in the sand.
Video: Shek O main beach
Ather the beach we had a teriffic meal at the Shek O Chinese and Thai resturant. We will definitely be going back!
Sunday, 10 March 2013
Mui Wo
We enjoyed wonderful spring weather in mid-March. Warm, clear and sunny but not too humid.
On Saturday we went swimming in the sea at Deepwater Bay for the first time this year. Hannah and I swam all the way out to the floating platforms in the bay. Hannah wore her 'bobbin' float-jacket and was pretty confident in the water.
On Sunday we got up early enough to make a day-trip to Lantau island. I'd been planning for some time to take Hannah bike-riding around the villages at Mui Wo. Mui Wo is also called Silvermine Bay as there was once a silver mine in the hills behind the bay.
We took the ferry from Central in the morning. This view is looking south east towards Hong Kong Island
The Bel Air development with holes in the buildings for dragons to fly through.
The village of Pak Ngau Heung
Hannah at Mui Wo beach outside the China Beach Club
Movie: Mui Wo beach
Rika and Hannah with bikes at Mui Wo pier. Hong Kong Island with the buildings of Pok Fu Lam in the background.
This time we took care to take the 4pm ferry and be back at home for an early night.
On Saturday we went swimming in the sea at Deepwater Bay for the first time this year. Hannah and I swam all the way out to the floating platforms in the bay. Hannah wore her 'bobbin' float-jacket and was pretty confident in the water.
On Sunday we got up early enough to make a day-trip to Lantau island. I'd been planning for some time to take Hannah bike-riding around the villages at Mui Wo. Mui Wo is also called Silvermine Bay as there was once a silver mine in the hills behind the bay.
We took the ferry from Central in the morning. This view is looking south east towards Hong Kong Island
The Bel Air development with holes in the buildings for dragons to fly through.
We hired bicycles at Mui Wo town and after a playground stop rode along the Rural Committee Road between villages. Although Hannah's bike was a little too big she did a great job cycling all the way.
The village of Pak Ngau Heung
Abandoned house at Pak Ngan Heung
Man Mo temple
Picnic at the Silver Mine waterfall
Looking from the Silvermine back towards Mui Wo bay.
Hannah at Mui Wo beach outside the China Beach Club
Movie: Mui Wo beach
Rika and Hannah with bikes at Mui Wo pier. Hong Kong Island with the buildings of Pok Fu Lam in the background.
This time we took care to take the 4pm ferry and be back at home for an early night.
Friday, 8 March 2013
International Women's Day
On March 8th we celebrated the 102nd International Women's day. In my company offices around the world held activities to celebrate. I must say Im glad to work in an organisation with such a solid commitment to diversity.
Here is one of the banners put up in the canteen to promote the events.
But I was struck by the choice of image. Hong Kong's largest and most magnificent erection!
It brought to mind university discussions about Freud and feminism, and I wondered what subconscious patriarchal attitudes were behind such crude phallic symbolism.
I felt sure that my feminist friends would have demanded a more appropriate image. Perhaps the more maternal lines of Hong Kong's convention center?
Or even something more assertive?
But after investigating further I realize my understanding of semiotics was hopelessly shallow.
Jacques Lacan, the parent of post-structuralism, argues in The Significance of the Phallus that we must distinguish between 'being' and 'having' the phallus. Men are positioned as men insofar as they are seen to have the phallus. Women, not having the phallus, are seen to "be" the phallus. Being the symbolic phallus is the concept of .... the divine gift of God.
So, newly educated about this distinction we can read the symbolism as empowering rather than patriarchal. Perhaps: "you don't need to have a penis to be a 'big swinging dick'! ".
Here is one of the banners put up in the canteen to promote the events.
It brought to mind university discussions about Freud and feminism, and I wondered what subconscious patriarchal attitudes were behind such crude phallic symbolism.
I felt sure that my feminist friends would have demanded a more appropriate image. Perhaps the more maternal lines of Hong Kong's convention center?
Or even something more assertive?
But after investigating further I realize my understanding of semiotics was hopelessly shallow.
Jacques Lacan, the parent of post-structuralism, argues in The Significance of the Phallus that we must distinguish between 'being' and 'having' the phallus. Men are positioned as men insofar as they are seen to have the phallus. Women, not having the phallus, are seen to "be" the phallus. Being the symbolic phallus is the concept of .... the divine gift of God.
So, newly educated about this distinction we can read the symbolism as empowering rather than patriarchal. Perhaps: "you don't need to have a penis to be a 'big swinging dick'! ".
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Diet
The first 2 months of 2013 are already over so its a good time to review my New Year's resolutions.
...when you can have a 'keg'!
I recently had this conversation with Hannah:
Hannah: "I don't like being a girl, I want to be a boy"
Daddy: "Why would you want to be a boy?"
Hannah: "I don't like having to wear tops when I go swimming"
Daddy: "Ah. Actually you don't need to wear a top if you don't want to. You only really need to wear a top if you have breasts"
Hannah: "But Daddy, why don't you wear a top then?"
My plan was to cut my weight down to 85kg. To achieve this I've followed the Daddy's diet of not drinking more than one bottle of wine in an evening.
So far I've cut my weight from from 102.4kg and 27.6% body-fat to 105.0kg and 27.6% body-fat. That makes about +8kg since we arrived in Hong Kong. Mainly because I'm not cycling to work 1hr every day.
Clearly firmer action is required!
But who wants a 'six-pack' anyway....
Clearly firmer action is required!
But who wants a 'six-pack' anyway....
...when you can have a 'keg'!
I recently had this conversation with Hannah:
Hannah: "I don't like being a girl, I want to be a boy"
Daddy: "Why would you want to be a boy?"
Hannah: "I don't like having to wear tops when I go swimming"
Daddy: "Ah. Actually you don't need to wear a top if you don't want to. You only really need to wear a top if you have breasts"
Hannah: "But Daddy, why don't you wear a top then?"
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