Far East Cynic

My Internet service gets disconnected tomorrow morning-so for about 4-5 days I will be in a non blogging mode unless the place we are staying has internet. I’ll be back blogging from the world of Shopping Mall USA next week.

With packers coming and other things going on-no time to blog anyway.

On Saturday I went back to my little book store. Can you tell I was in a very introspective mood when I bought 3 more books ( Like I’ll have time to read them…).

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (This had me about ready to cry while I was sitting in the Smugglers Inn in Stanley Bay). The book is background information to this lecture. What really struck me was the blatant unfairness of it all-the man clearly loves his wife and family and is being ripped away from them. I’ve had to put the book down a couple times and come back to it.

More Sex is Safer Sex-The Unconvential wisdom of economics by Steven E. Landsburg. I’m not so sure that really works out that way……………..

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss. I need to read this book!

This sign was seen in Stanley Bay:

Anybody know what this landmark is?

Couple getting their wedding pictures made:

Victoria Harbor:

Tram Car race:

And of course the obligatory picture of the pretty girl:

Nan Lian Garden:

I just got to do it. From Spike and E @ L comes a new meme:

Put your iPod (or iRiver) on shuffle (unless it is an early version iPod, one that doesn’t have shuffle) and press next for each question. Write down the song that’s playing as an answer.

1) How would you describe yourself?
Portrait ( He Knew)-by Kansas

2) What do you like in a guy/girl?
We didn’t start the fire-Billy Joel ( This is getting weird).

3) What is your motto?
I don’t want to know-Fleetwood Mac

4) What do your friends think of you?
This is not love-Jethro Tull

5) What do you think about often?
Carry on wayward son-Kansas

6) What do your parents think of you?
Sparks of the Tempest-Kansas

7) What do you think of your best friend?
Price to Pay-Blues Traveller

What do you think of the person you like?
Crash and Burn-Blues Traveller (Probably appropriate).

9) What do you want to be when you grow up?
Love too good-Jefferson Starship

10) What do you think when you see the person you like?
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly- Blues Traveller

11) What song will they play at your wedding?
Closet Chronicles-Kansas (I’ll skip the wedding part -thank you very much).

12) What will they play at your funeral?
Dust in the Wind-Kansas ( No lie that is what came up!)

13) What is your hobby/interest?
Circle of Life-The Lion King (That seems appropriate!)

14) What is your biggest fear?
Boku wa kimi wo tsurete yuki-SMAP

15) What is your biggest secret?
Song for the asking-Simon and Garfunkel

16) What do you think of your friends?
El Condor Pasa (If I could)-Simon and Garfunkel

17) What is your theme song?
No one together-Kansas

18) What do you think of your family?
So long Frank Lloyd Wright-Simon and Garfunkel

19) What is your best friend’s theme song?
Jack in the Green-Jethro Tull

20) What is your mood right now?
Growing older but not up-Jimmy Buffet (They got that one right!)

21) If your heart could talk what would it say?
Leningrad-Billy Joel

22) What do your co-workers think of you?
Little Miss Magic-Jimmy Buffet

23) What does your future look like?
Dark Ages-Jefferson Starship (So I got that going for me).

No doubt about it, I need to get some better music ( or a better life).

Tag your it!

And……..I’m back. In one week I will be on my way to the United States and life in Shopping Mall USA.

I got upgraded to Business Class on Cathay today. Considering I was just making it to the gate -a late start by rolling over for just a few more minutes of sleep was the cause. The whole staying out till 3 am thing in LKF and Wanchai? Nothing to do with it-that’s nothing short of a miracle. The S.O. was her usual cranky self when I got home. Situation normal. Thanks for validating my reasons for going to Hong Kong! I like you too. That in praise of the S.O. post will just stay in the draft bin for a few more days.

What I need is about 10 hours of sleep. What I am going to get is much less-there is packing to do.

To move on to the next phase of my life.

The last couple of days have been busy, but filled with a lot of thoughts. It’s time to go on and do the things I have planned on.

As has been pointed out life is what you make it-and I want to make it a good one. For all the words of encouragement-thanks a lot.

Today its off to Stanley Bay. Posted here is a picture from Nan Lian garden.

Book buying mission accomplished along with the trek down the hill to Soho and lunch at McSorleys. Nothing special about the place except I have this unrequited desire to nail the barmaid, Julie. She’s got quite the PLA*.

Found my book shop and HK$500 poorer -walk out with:

The World of Suzie Wong- I have never read Richard Mason’s book. I thought, being as much of a Hong Kong fanatic that I am-maybe I should.

P.J. O’Rouke on The Wealth of Nations-Seemed interesting and I don’t have the patience to read all 900 pages of Adam Smiths book. Fortunately Pj has done the reading so I won’t have to.

The God Delusion-by Richard Dawkins. This book was recommended by a reader to me.

And then there is the Esquire magazine I bought.

Up to Diamond Hill Station and the Nan Lian garden today. Pix to follow.

* PLA-Pert Little Ass

I posted this when I came to Hong Kong about 18 months ago. Today was very similar and it sums up what I like to do when I come here. Thus it is worth posting again:

“A post about nothing”

But without Seinfeld’s ratings.

Yesterday was a very interesting day. No real reason for that, I meandered around Hong Kong, and amazingly enough left Wanchai relatively early. However it was just one of those days, a good day, with some unusual twists and turns.

Woke up at a reasonable hour-which is amazing in itself, given how late I stayed in Lan Kwai Fong on Friday night- and slid on out for some breakfast. Normally the hotel offers miso soup, which, among its other abilities is reknowned for its ability to cure a hangover. Today is was just congee and more congee. A food I have never really acquired a taste for. However I knew I needed nutrients and fluids so waded through breakfast, all the while reading the trials and tribulations of Hong Kong in the South China Morning Post.

Breakfast complete, back to the room to map out the day. Check e-mail, read some blogs, listen to the BBC on the “telly”. Watch the maid flinch in horror when she opens the door to clean the room and sees that I have used all the towels and left water from the shower on the bathroom floor. (Next time I have to remember to put the curtain inside the bathtub……). Could you come back in 20 minutes please? I promise to be gone by then.

Out the door and out on to Nathan Road. The big question of course, which way? Jump on the MTR and head north to Mongkok and points beyond or back over to HK island. I opt for option 2.

The weather is nice, but there is a little coolness in the air. I emphasize the word little. You would never know that from the look of the Hong Kong citizenry though. They are all dressed in coats looking like the snow was going to start any minute. I’ve never seen so many girls in fur lined boots even in Tokyo or Hokkaido. What’s up with that?

Meander down towards the Penisula Hotel, taking a quick stroll through their lobby. Someday when I can afford to blow 350 dollars a night on a hotel room I will stay there.

Through the underpass and come up the stairs to witness a scene I wish I had brought my camera for. Walking in front of the entrance to the stairs are two women with strollers, jabbering in Cantonese. In tow are two boys who could not have been more that five years old or so. Boy #1 turns around and smacks boy #2 for no reason. Mom #1 yells at boy #1 who simply shrugs it off. His attention was fixed on his victim, boy #2. He acknowledges Mom’s remonstrance, then puts his hands on his hips and gives boy #2 a “There! I showed you!” type of look. The look on his face was priceless. An animated conversation between the Moms and the boys ensues in Cantonese and off they head for the Harbor. Me too.

Its a beautiful day, but with Hong Kong’s characteristic haze on Victoria peak. The Harbor is especially “fragrant” this morning. Coming up to the walk of the stars I spot an Aerospatiale helicopter making some knots, paralleling the coast of Hong Kong Island. Somebody has some money! It gets lower and lower and it sets down just to the left of the Hong Kong convention center. I’m intrigued, because just in front of the where it sets down is the USS Rentz, tied to a mooring buoy. I’m surprised because, not having ever cruised in Westpac, I thought small boys went pierside. Must have sucked for the guys in the duty section and on restriction. The ship was just a stone’s throw from the joys of Wanchai. At night with some imagination they could probably see the lights of Jaffe street.

While I thank God in heaven for never having been a ship driver, I always thought it must be really cool to be a surface ship Commanding Officer in a port visit like this. No admiral looking over your shoulder, no CAG and his entire staff, just you and your responsibility for what your crew does. Plus I am told there is no way a carrier could ever be anchored that close to shore in Hong Kong.

Time to move on. Down the harbor towards the Star Ferry. People still dressed like they are in Alaska in February. Pause from time to time to admire the view. Decide that I have killed enough time and head for the entrance to the Star Ferry. I wanted to see what all the fuss had been about.

Now here is where the weird stuff begins. Climbing the stars to the upper deck entrance of the ferry to Central, a Pakistani man or Indian man stops me and says that I have a lucky face. He says he noticed that I was there physically but my mind was somewhere else. (Which was true-I was thinking and talking to my self under my breath). He tells me that while I have been moderately successful in business I am seeking, I’ve not been really advancing in my life. WTF?

I thank him and try to move on, but the fellow just does not want to give it up. He tells me that 2007 will be a lucky year for me and that an golden opportunity will present itself to me in a couple of months. (For SJS, mind you this was after I read your e-mail….).He continues on pointing out his ability to read the future. He asks me to take my sunglasses off. He says my worry lines around my eyes show that I think too much. I’m trying to figure out : 1) if this one of the “destiny moments” that one sees in the movies or 2) the little bastard is waiting for the right moment to hit me up for money. Sadly, I decide its option 2. I thank him profusely, but tell him I really need to run. At first he seems determined to continue talking about me and my life but I think he finally grasped that I am buying the fact that he does not know me from Adam and I have a right to be suspicious. Nonetheless, the incident bothers me for a good while after. Did I just blow a good thing?

On to the Ferry admiring a really beautiful Chinese girl. Her eyes were to die for. (Her breasts were not too bad either. ). Across the harbor to the new Central Ferry terminal, which for what my opinion is worth is not as well located as the old one was. It also tries to look historic, but does not really pull it off well. If you come to Hong Kong in the future, be aware that you will not be were you used to be, especially in finding the right bus que.

Walk around Central, through the park and up to the HSBC building. One thing I have noticed in the past couple of days is the increased number of police I have seen around. In the park by the Legco building I finally figure out why. It must be open season on visa overstayers, because any woman who looks even remotely Filipino or Indonesian is being shaken down for their indentity card. One poor woman is sitting with a sad face while the policeman is talking hurriedly in Cantonese on his radio. He is holding what looks like an indentity card. ( The girls in Neptunes last night told me that the police had raided the place doing the same thing then.)

I decide its really time to check out SoHo, something suprisingly in all my HK visits I’ve never really done. So I walk on over to that marvel of suburban transportation, the mid-levels escalator. ( Or Travelator as it is known). Up, up, up the hill I go till I get to the holy of holies-THE KRISPY KREME store! Which just happens to be located next to a bar. Had a donut then moved to the bar for lunch. For what it is worth, they make great burgers at McSorleys’. Properly beered and fed I worked my way up the hill again.

One of the things I never knew was that there is a mosque in the mid-levels. That was a surprise. Saw several terrorists Muslims coming out. Spotted a book store-like an idiot I went in. 356 Hong Kong Dollars poorer I come out with a book about the 1956 Suez war and a John Grisham novel.

Stumble, and I do mean stumble, across the Sun Yat Sen museum. Its not a great museum really, however I have been to the one in Singapore so I thought it was appropriate to check the square here. The building it is in is beautiful-it should be- as it used to be a Mormon temple. Somehow the Mormons were “persuaded” to give it up in 2004.

Being a history buff of sorts I’ve always wanted see how the stinking commies PRC dealt with Sun Yat Sen given that he has a direct link to the history that became Taiwan and both nations revere the man. The exhibits were mostly factual, but the verbiage used was interesting. He is always portrayed as a revolutionary. That’s suprising given the fact that he was also a real doctor and never held government office for that long. He did, however, set into motion the chain of events that brought down the Qing dynasty.

By now it was 3 o’clock. I decided that I thought I should see Kolwoon Bay-I’ve never ridden the MTR to that part of the New Territories. That decision proved itself to be a big mistake. The MTR lets you off in a shopping mall-complete with Ikea-but not near a bay at all. AND, as an extra added bonus, I got the distinct impression that I was in a gweilo not wanted zone as I walked around looking for a way out from the apartment buildings.

Which was troublesome, given the fact that I knew hordes of Indonesian maids and others would be converging on Laguna while I walked amidst the Scandavian furniture items.

So with the sun just beginning to set I beat a hasty retreat, via 3 trains, back to Wanchai.

As for the rest of the day……..well you know the story. I did, however, come back reasonably early enough to awake today with out too much trouble. That is progress. Klong had their “closing party” last night. Cute girls in Blue Girl dresses pushed too many Blue Girl beers on me.

A good day- probably boring to read about. But it was mine, and for some silly reason I’m going to treasure it as I head for Seoul in a few hours. Silly me.

Israel is 60 years old today. Hat’s off to a great nation that has endured a lot.

Oh and BTW, please spare me all the comments about the Palestinians like CNN keeps saying. They have a homeland-they just need to get their worthless Arab asses over the Jordan River.

I am very much a creature of habit when I make these trips. Mostly, I do the same things over and over again when I come here-however, since its been 4-5 months between doing them, they always seem new.

One of my rituals is the ride on the tram up to Victoria Peak. Where upon I head to the Pacific Coffee company, buy coffee, then just soak in the view of Hong Kong bay. Today was no exception. MTR to Admiralty, leisurely walk through Hong Kong park, snake my way past the other tourists and onward and upward.

Yea, I know its boring-but not to me. I’ve never tired of my rituals here-silly as they may be.

Now I will move on to my next habit-walking the trail down the peak to Soho. It is a beautiful day for it. Thank you Lord for giving it to me.

And for the memories………………….

Hope your day is as good as mine!

Skippy-san 

So much to do, there’s plenty on the farm
I’ll sleep when I’m dead
Saturday night I like to raise a little harm
I’ll sleep when I’m dead-Warren Zevon

I am sitting here in the lounge at Narita waiting to board a plane to Hong Kong, for what may be the last time this year, or possibly through early next year too.  Am I sad about that? You are damn right I am!

In all probability I should not be making this trip-I have neither the money, nor the time really-however as I told the S.O. when I decided to go: ” Frankly Scarlett, I don’t give a damn.” I was going to do this. I will be in the US soon enough living the mundane and tedious existence that is life in suburban America soon enough. For the good of my mind, my soul, and my desire for excitement-some long overdue steps up and down Lockhart Road are in order.

Now for the record, I offered the S.O. the chance to accompany me -at least 7 times she was invited. I even offered to take her someplace in Japan or anywhere else in Asia. Just so long as we went away and while I have still have the time, I could take a trip. She declined. I think she thought she could guilt me into cancelling the whole thing-not a chance. Or maybe she is giving me a gift of sorts.

Except these kind of gifts…..are not hers to give.

And never will be.

So I am by myself for the next 5 days and I plan to go Hong Kong and sit shiva for a lifestyle I am really going to miss-and one I determined to get back to just as soon as I am able.

People do not understand my fascination with Hong Kong and Singapore. If I could live anywhere in the world-it would be either of those two cities. Of late Hong Kong seems to be winning out on style points- even though Singapore is the better choice- for a whole bunch of reasons. I like them more so than Japan-and I love Japan dearly. Why? Because you are part of the  mix when you are in Hong Kong.  Japan is the club that, no matter much you try, you can never really join. Hong Kong on the other hand:

It’s just buzzing.It’s chaotic, it’s traffic jammed, it’s packed, it’s busy, it’s bustling, it’s noisy, it’s just happening. The town that doesn’t even blink, let alone sleep. The guy with his t-shirt off, a filthy towel around his shoulders, pushing that ricketty hand-cart with boxes of goods, he’s pushing it across town for HKD$20, fuck your FedEx UPS, this guy’ll take 25 minutes anywhere in Wanchai. The trucks are beeping at 10am, delivering and picking up from a factory or a shop that is next to a shuttered restaurant that’s on the ground floor of a residential apartment building that hosts a massage parlor and a night-club as well. It’s all happening, it’s all here. It’s now… It’s immediate. It’s annoying, it’s a pain in the arse, it’s brilliant, it’s jumping…

Hong Kong is a town you can love because it is continually reminding you that are alive and WHY you are alive. You are not afraid of anything and nothing that can stop you doing what you want. (H/T to E @ L for the quote!)
 

I won’t, in all probability plow any new ground-just simply make the circuit of my usual hangouts. There to cast a wistful eye upon them, absorb their sights, sounds, and smells- and in so doing try to indelibly burn their memory upon my brain. Copious amounts of alcohol will be consumed. Sleep will be at premium. Blogging may be light. Soul searching will be heavy. Wistful sighs-will be greatly in evidence.

I’ll find my favorite little out of the way book store and spend money I shouldn’t. I’ll walk down the peak and probably over on the trails by Quarry Bay.  I’ll also climb the hill and in so doing, plant my flag of victory over the self righteous bastards who thought they had a carte blance to interfere in my life so many years ago.  I’m still here you greasy bastards!

But of course the time will fly by way too fast and before you know it I will be right back here-packing out and in the remaining 10 days putting up with all the complications of a trans pacific move. Reality will be back and providing me a straight up debriefing:

Life is not like Burger King pal! You don’t always get it your way! Now get off your ass and get to work!

Ah but for the moment-there is a beer with my name on it. Carpe Diem!
 

I am out of here today for a “me” trip. I would be remiss though if I did not post at least one picture of our trip to see Okaasan(click on image to see it better):

One of the S.O.’s relatives runs a Ryokan, this is what a room looks like. This was the room the S.O. and I stayed in.

And this is what dinner with Okasan was like (note the lack of chairs):

More to come-with an explanation.

A friend sent me these pix from the USS Nimitz. Click on the images to see them better:

And this one of the flyby up the port side-ask your self why the Buff guys could not have been closer to the ship.

Phib has a great post up  musing on many things. Its all worth reading, but in particular if you care about the US Navy and its continuing slide into mediocrity and a fleet that will be “diverse”-but way too small, then you need to send this to your Congressman and also send it to a few useless 4 stars.

Navy:
—- We will have to run aground: The silence and vacuity of our present leadership makes me sigh and look around for gear adrift. SECNAV Winter made some noises for awhile and still does. Now and then you get one solid shot or comment by a 3 or 4-star; but then silence. We are soaking in a toxic stew of “Optimal Manning,” “Transformation,” and a wholesale abandonment of decades of Navy Best Practices that has left us with the Shipbuilding crisis we have now. The Air and Sub side are not as bad, but share some of the challenges - but to be honest, there are always challenges and I think their’s are withing the expected norm. We are top-heavy and suffer staff-bloat wallow. There are Officers who had the right attitude, but they all who I personally know topped out at 2-Stars - some at 3-Stars. The rest are some great officers, but who is out there taking the lead? Who is the Fleet Advocate? There is a fair bit of CYA and cautious musings - but no leadership. Where are the balls? Why be a 4-Star if you are going to go meekly into Retirement and Consultantism? Who is willing to talk openly about the failure of the status quo and take action? Who will refocus? Please send links - I find so few. You know those times were everyone knows a ship is sick - its CO/XO/CMDCM are so dysfunctional that everyone knows something bad is going to happen? No one ever does anything until the CO is found in the rack with a YN3 (either sex will do), or the ship runs aground or collides with another ship in broad daylight - then there is action. Well, that is the direction we are heading. Ships will have to sink and/or hundreds of Sailors will have to die at sea in a few hours for there to be a cleaning. Maybe we will just drift to 212 instead of 313 and embrace our graceless decline - perhaps.
—- This is the high-water mark: There will be no more money for shipbuilding than we have right now. Fact. Fevered plans for DDGN or huge nuclear Battle Cruisers with hundreds of SM-3 in VLS are just that, fevered. That will get you to 200 ships faster than you can say “Sea-Swap.” We are in a Land/Expeditionary period in our history and we need to build the ships to do that. LCS ain’t it. DDGN ain’t it. All SSN all of the time probably isn’t it. Besides the bastard step-child NECC - I don’t see any shift in focus of any measure since 2001 to reflect the new reality. We have an Army and USMC to build up and re-constitute. Less DDG-1000 and more MPF(F) - that is an interesting argument to make.

Spot on. I would add-that when people are promoted to flag officer based solely on their gender, or the guy heading up aviation detailing is placed there solely because of his skin color, without regard to whether he can do the job ( the current incumbent of the PERS-43 chair cannot)-then the service is quite far gone indeed.

We may have been male chauvinist, hard drinkers in the day-but at least we knew how to make a flight schedule.

I was going to post my “In praise of the S.O. post”  tonight, but a couple that has been very nice to us-asked us to go with them to a Nomiya. ( A drinking and eating restaurant). Suffice it to say the post will have to wait till tomorrow. This was their sayonara gift to us-and we had a great time. Suffice it also to say that after a large bottle of sake and several large draft beers, not every brain cell is working.

A classmate of our (Japanese) friend, runs this establishment and he has some really cool mugs. It has kanji all around the outside and they are all combinations of the kanji for sake and something else. In hiragana is a funny meaning of the combined kanji. The funniest was :sake +onna (woman)=tenkoku(heaven).

Unique item of the evening two: eating pieces of fish, laid across a gutted fish whose head and tail are still moving. You have not lived till you have eaten sashimi from a fish that is dying at your table. I’m sure somewhere there is a PETA activist who wants to slay me-but truth be told, it was good sashimi.

Got to go to sleep-or at least convince the S.O its time to go to sleep………………..Wish me luck!