決戰, Stand firm

Goodies from France

Haven't visited Southern France and Paris this year. I feel I missed something. So thoughtful of my friends who filled up this emptiness with all these goodies from France lately. The chocolate with a drop pinch of ear grey tea leaves is awesome. Even after an hour, the fond aroma of earl grey is still there in my tongue. On the photo 3, it's some very nice cookies from Normandie. My French friend told me, apart from the history thing, Normandie is famous for its butter products. See that picture on the tin can. It tells it all.

Typhoon day for a dim sum lunch at East Ocean restaurant Quarry Bay HK

We haven't had a typhoon no. 8 for the past 2-3 years. Today we have one. I haven't tried going for a dim sum lunch during typhoon days for so many years. Today I have one, and I bought some magazine to go with the dim sum lunch. East Ocean still keeps up its consistent good dim sum quality by choosing some fine ingredients. Their deep fried food is very nice and I can taste they use some very fine cooking oil. Many other restaurants use re-cooked oil and that makes the deep fried stuff not light in texture. Besides, check on the last photo BBQ pork pastry 叉燒酥. It's made in a very classic style - with pickled baby ginger and thousand year egg 子薑皮蛋.

與他們談話，與自己對話。

最近參與一個知識產權公開討論，議會內有政府官員，法律界代表，音樂娛樂業界代表及一群20多歲的年青人。 議會中，官在悠然釋法，民在嘶烈咆哮，相方愈走愈遠，成見更深。

看著這群年青人，坦白說，全因他們的激進表現, 自己以前對他們存有偏見。奇怪的是，自己竟然在會後，主動與他們交談，也希望他們不要那麼激烈，一派老氣的我，細說當年常聽著一些重金屬音樂，極具控訴色彩，感同他們身受，也希望別人找到自己的共嗚, 直至健康嚮起警號，才發現為何要同自己身體作對，以至傷身，希望他們不要太激動。這時他們其中一位最激烈的青年笑了，說道 “係呀，呀媽同啲friend都話我好傷肝.....”. 他的好友接著“我哋成日襟住佢，佢抖先又爭啲飛樽。” 。 當時心裡在想，原來這位體形消瘦的青年是有他的一份純真的笑容，電視上是看不到的，自己感到很欣慰，拍拍這位青年的肩膊，回道 “你知咪好囉，你媽咪會好擔心，你食多啲嘢，先至有氣力，仲有唔好咁激，俾人睇到，輸晒啲印象分，好似唞先我仲未識你哋，我都會咁睇.....” 。交談了一個多小時，最後給他們遞上名片，彼此笑著說再見。

以上其實是一些很社工的對話，重點在於我們能否主動踏出第一步，及後心想對任何人任何事，這也亦然。

隔天當我與其他業內人士談到這些事情，我給好奇地問： “你真的要與他們溝通？ 真的不知道他們是誰的父母教的” 。 我肯定回道： “是的，我知道你有宗教信仰，其實他們也是神的孩子，只不過生活上給擠壓，因而在行為上作出激烈的訴求，沒有我們想像中的這樣那樣。” 。

這數個晚上，他們的笑臉偶爾在腦海中浮現，不奇然自己也傻笑， 希望自己腦內這份影象能以虛擬投影與別人分享。他們笑了！

Coco Ichibanya Curry House, Crocodile Shirt Center, Kwun Tong Kowloon

This chain shop landed HK quite some years ago. The branch in Silvercord Center TST is always full. As this one was opened in Kwun Tong, I finally gotta try this one. Curry rice ranged from HK$60-90 with an extra of $15-25 for 2-4 side orders from salad, soup, dessert and a drink (i.e. $20 for 3 side orders for a salad, dessert plus a drink, or $25 for 4 side orders). The curry is very aromatic and quite spicy even though I asked for a degree 1 hot (highest 6). The rice is pretty nice too and quite a big portion. I chose a salad, dessert (Dreyer's ice cream 2 scoops) and an iced coffee.

Zinc food on the boat.

Brought my friends to visit this fire fighter boat in Quarry Bay park.  One of them is a technician about boat.  He explained so many things we don't know about boat.  One of the interesting things is that the boat should have some zinc bars (the white things). It's used as a food attracting the microorganism to attach on it (i.e. those sea shell stuff) so that the other parts of the boat won't get eaten, especially the steer.   After a year, all these zinc bars were gone and need to be replaced.  Furthermore, in quite many areas inside the boat there are quite many mussels found.  Then I recall how my father often warned me not to eat mussels.  He said mussels eat a lot of metallic waste and it's very harmful to our body.  That's also why I don't like mussels.

Fire Dance, a show at the Lounge patio of Centara Grand Mirage Pattaya

Taken from 12th floor on a 200mm zoom (equil. to 300mm on full frame) at F4, 1/60s, ISO400.  Cropped in at around 80% of the original size.

Solar powered light

Years ago (probably 15 to 20 years ago), a Stephen Chow's movie talked about his invention of a solar torch.  Now we see this solar light in some parks of Hong Kong (e.g. this one taken at the Quarry Bay park).  It stores the energy in the day time and powers the light bulb in the night time.  

Dusit Thani Hua Hin Thailand

This resort witnesses the changes of Hua Hin and it's also very Hua Hin - tranquil, calm and unique in every way.

Sentosa Singapore

It was about 5pm something I got here. The weather was quite gloomy. Now with a seaside promenade, you can get to Sentosa on the promenade and there you can take a shuttle bus to this beach.

三盅兩件 Soup Restaurant, Vivo City Singapore

Visited their shop 8 years ago and was quite impressed with their chicken and soup. Their dim sum is at average. This new shop is on the 2nd floor of Vivo City (a big mall near Sentosa). In general, all the dishes are not as good as the old one in China Town. Among all, I still like their San Shui chicken 三水雞 (photo 6). Another delight is that I enjoyed the chat with the nice madams serving in this branch. There I found the old charisma of some overseas Chinese elegance. The way they speak. The way they smile. Seems like it's now something in a cultural heritage.

Warm reminder in the MRT (subway) Singapore

1. this video has repeated many times on my rides in the subway of Singapore, and it seemed to be the one and only video presentation. It shows how you can recognise and get alert of any terrorist bombing. Just like any other country, a bad guy should wear a cap and acts like a suspected. If possible, I would further suggest some words be printed on the forehead as "I am a bad guy". 2. Besides the video, another warm reminder for a very board message "staying safe", but the Chinese has another meaning. I wonder why a cross is missed in this warning sign.