Market Day

I was exploring Mong Kog a little more today: Flower Market, Bird Market.
Even at home shopping for something specific is highly depressing, that's a bit better here: each street has it's "topic", all shops are basically selling the same: seafood, cars, computers, your future, sportshoes...
The problem is where to find the correct street if you look for something particular? I was looking for a backpack... I ended up at some market stand but before that I got completely lost: Can you see from the picture what they sold?

That's a big buddha

Sunday I managed another tourist attraction: the big buddha! Though it's not very historical because it was recently built, it is a very impressive statue in a nice environment surrounded by beautiful mountains! We took the Metro and than Bus No.21 up to the peak it costs 25HK$. The cable car was an alternative but queueing for an hour, we considered not to be worth it. From Big Buddha we took another bus down to Tai O village - quiet a change compared to Hong Kong.It's a real village, sadly enough it's very poor but it's buildings on pillars are realy nice, a local told me they call it: little Venice. But no worries, the first skyscrapers are already under construction and in a few years little of the village will remain!

A trip to Lamma Island

A semester here can be very spoiling: I'm so used to palmtrees and anykind of beauty, that it's difficult to reach my standards. Our international trip to Lamma Island could not stand up to those standards. The Island, though having small little villages and no cars has been destroyed by the massive coal electriticty plant. We had great seafood lunch there, only the organisation of the trip was too hectic and didn't leave us enough time e.g. on the beach. The first aid team at the beach must have had a good laugh, because right after jumping in the sea half a dozen foreigners ran towards them, being hurt by sea urchins or having cuts from the sharp rocks.

I finally made it out of Hong Kong and went to Macau. The border controls are a bit of a stemp-hazard: what ever the positive aspects of nations and defined territories, it should be our aim to abolish borders rather soon then later. Free movement is a human right and I hope it to be fullfilled ... though I will not experience it anymore. Anyways - please excuse my philosophical, "let's have a better world" statement.
One day was definetly not enough, but the few hours were worth it: an interesting mix of temples, skyscrapers, colonial buildings and ridiculously-blinking casinos; though such a "der Mix macht's" ist not necessarily beneficial for the beauty of a place. I enjoyed the small roads, chilling in a coconout-milk producing shop. Had a great time watching dancing-and sinning performances by a casino and admiring the wonders of east Asian religions!

Eat Drink Man Woman

I have tried out only a few things since I arrived here: snail, chicken feet and head, hot pot, strange mushrooms (not "that" strange!) and all kinds of dried animals. In general the rice and noodles are realy good for the digestion system, only my taste misses out on any kind of vegetables: paprikas, carrotts, courgette... otherwise: its great! The skill of chopsticks is easy to learn even for the untrained, though most of us know how to handle them anyways, isn't it? Still the swiss army knife could sometimes be helpful, especially for the never-ending noodles!
Eating is social: you share!!! Separate meals wouldn't make sense anyways since they are served when ready: so you can start all together with what comes first. I like the trying part a lot, and there's no need to be jealous that someone made a better choice then oneself!
Restaurants tend to be places to eat - not to sit and talk for hours! After dinner you get off your seats and walk out. Same you do in the movies and at Starbucks and in the metro.

Last week the internationals went for hot pod: all things on the table are boiled in a soup, like fondue without the oil. The food is cheap but still is getting pretty expensive in the longrun, if you eat out twice a day though a meal only cost around 3€. Streetshops are cheaper, but I decided not to try those within the first two weeks.
If I get tired of all the chinese food I can also visit King Ludwig beerhall, a chain serving Bavarian food. The interieur is unbelievable - it's so extremely authentic - I have never seen anything like it in Germany itself: Bavarian furniture, beer brewery equipment, even German Schlager music - duobtfull whether Germans will like it.
For all Ikea hotdog Fans: Yes, Hong Kong Ikea HAS hotdogs and they are 50 € cents.

Welcome to my Campus

I am staying at Chinese University Hong Kong. The Campus is about half an hour from the city away, a little more, if you wanna go to Hong Kong Island.
The whole Campus seems to be a maze of pathways and buildings, spread over the mountains of the new territories. The climate is almost tropical and trees and all kinds of plants are covering the mountains. Walking up the hills is risky: one gets lost extremely easy! And I would suggest they should install showers at some points - hiking in 35 degrees with nearly 100% humidity is pretty sweaty!
I still need to plan my courses for the upcomming semester and I will be far more relaxed when that organizational issue is settled!
Hostel life is another new experience for me: Females and males live on different floors, their are visitor regulations and a couple of other rules. I consider it to be a very "informative experience" ... if you know what I mean!

We even have a college song:

Men from four seas founded Chung Chi so that here might youth honour christ, eternal teacher, who himself is truth. Through the long night keep the torch bright and the work begun till the lights of faith and knowledge show the world made one. China's stilll evolving culture, grateful we retain East and West through freely sharing, further strength obtain. By the church upheld and nurtured, minds to duty drawn Chung Chi, toward the very highest lead us on and on!

CUHK has 4 Colleges and students are assigned to one of them. Sounds like Hogwards! Just the part with the hat was missing!

Welcome

Welcome to my Hongkong Semester Abroad Experience!

Hongkong seems to be:
- a true skyscraper city. Gotham City is real and it is crowded, lively, smoggy, colourful and noisy.
- warm and humid. The climate makes your cloth sticky, but since one at least doesn't feel cold (outside!) - no reason to complain but to adjust.
- a place for trying food. Something different everyday is part of the fun!
- a shopping festival. Shopping and consumption is its citizens destiny and shopping malls the true home - Love it or hate it!