Close up of Cherry Blossom Tree with Lai See Envelopes
Cherry Blossom Tree at HK Airport
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Last Chinese New Year Pictures (I promise!)
Before Matt and I left for Hong Kong, I couldn't resist taking a few more shots of the Cherry Blossom trees with the Lai See envelopes on them. They are so gorgeous!
Close up of Cherry Blossom Tree with Lai See Envelopes
Cherry Blossom Tree at HK Airport
Close up of Cherry Blossom Tree with Lai See Envelopes
Cherry Blossom Tree at HK Airport
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Gearing Up for Chinese New Year
Today things are really gearing up for Chinese New Year. Alot of people get half days at work, and all the stores and streets are crowded. The whole city is decorated for CNY, with red hanging lanterns and orange trees and trees that have no leaves but are decorated with lai see packets. They are selling sweets everywhere, and red melon seeds and all types of "puddings". I tried a mini pudding yesterday, and it was sweet and very sticky and gooey. It didn't have anything suspended in it, but lots of the puddings do. Some of theme appear to have meat and other savory things suspended in them! I haven't tried those ones...The picture of the orange tree below was taken in the lobby of out apartment building. Our doormen decorate our building for every holiday, and they went crazy for CNY. I wanted to take a picture of the flower stand outside our house, they are overflowing with orange trees and willows and 5 pointed gourds, which are supposed to be lucky for the New Year. The word orange in Chinese sounds like the Chinese word for luck, so the trees are lucky for the New Year. The 5 pointed gourds are supposed to bring 5 generations of happiness. I am not sure what the willows are for. Anyway, all of these plants look glorious together at the flower stand, so I wanted to take a picture, but I am afraid of the toothless old woman that runs the stand! She is tough, and will follow you down the street and yell at you about the flowers. Plus, she overcharges me so much! I feel like she eyes me the whole time when I get in or out of a cab in front of our building. Like she is thinking, "Look, that spoiled gwei lo takes taxis...she is so rich, she must pay 30 US dollars for 10 willow branches."
Today I went down to the bank to get brand new bills to put in the lai see packets Matt and I are giving out. Apparently, for CNY everyone gives red envelopes (lai see packets) filled with money (the bills must be brand new) to younger relatives or to their employees. You are supposed to give them to your doormen and maids. The thing is, we have like 10 door men! I can't keep track of them all! I have a few favorites, of course, but I can't leave some out. Anyway, the bank was full of people trying to exchange their bills for brand new ones, and they were out of 20s. I went to three banks before I found one that still had new bills! I am excited to give my lai see packets out, I bought pretty red ones with gold writing on them.
Tomorrow Matt and I are leaving for Phuket! I am so excited...it is going to be wonderful. We will just stay at the beach and eat Thai food and get massages. Yay! The weather has been so gray and cold here, it will be nice to be somewhere sunny and warm. I think I am getting claustrophobic being surrounded by tall buildings all the time, so I am really looking forward to being in some open space. I just told Matt yesterday that Phuket was hit by the tsunami. For some reason he didn't put that together when we planned the trip, but I guess you do hear more about Indonesia and Sri Lanka in the news. They are really trying to get the tourists back into the region, since that is their main source of income. I guess we will see what it is like...
Chinese New Year Decorations in Hong Kong Park
Today I went down to the bank to get brand new bills to put in the lai see packets Matt and I are giving out. Apparently, for CNY everyone gives red envelopes (lai see packets) filled with money (the bills must be brand new) to younger relatives or to their employees. You are supposed to give them to your doormen and maids. The thing is, we have like 10 door men! I can't keep track of them all! I have a few favorites, of course, but I can't leave some out. Anyway, the bank was full of people trying to exchange their bills for brand new ones, and they were out of 20s. I went to three banks before I found one that still had new bills! I am excited to give my lai see packets out, I bought pretty red ones with gold writing on them.
Tomorrow Matt and I are leaving for Phuket! I am so excited...it is going to be wonderful. We will just stay at the beach and eat Thai food and get massages. Yay! The weather has been so gray and cold here, it will be nice to be somewhere sunny and warm. I think I am getting claustrophobic being surrounded by tall buildings all the time, so I am really looking forward to being in some open space. I just told Matt yesterday that Phuket was hit by the tsunami. For some reason he didn't put that together when we planned the trip, but I guess you do hear more about Indonesia and Sri Lanka in the news. They are really trying to get the tourists back into the region, since that is their main source of income. I guess we will see what it is like...
Chinese New Year Decorations in Hong Kong Park
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Chinese New Year
Everything in Hong Kong seems to be sloooowing down for Chinese New Year. Decorations are everywhere and it seems like the city has this aura of anticipation this week. All the stores are posting their reduced hours for the next week and kids are out of school now. I have to get lai see packets for the staff in our apartment building. For Chinese New Year, you give red packets filled with crisp, new bills to people that work for you or that are younger than you. Everyone is selling mini tangerine trees and pussy willows because I think they are symbolic of good tidings for the new year, the Year of the Rooster. Last year was the year of the monkey. I read my Chinese horoscope for the upcoming year, and it said that while last year was very bad, this year will not be much better and that I had better not make any big changes. Hmmm....that doesn't sound very good to me.
They are also selling sweets everywhere...new ones that I have never seen before! The one below was particularly intriguing to me. How could I not be fascinated by a hard sesame ball with a red rooster looking cap on top of it? So, I bought one yesterday. The red part on top is not sweet like you would think, it is hard and tastes fried. The outer portion of the ball is crispy and hard and has sesame seeds on it. I was dying to find out what was inside...I thought it would be red bean or lotus seed paste. When I broke open the ball, there was a soft, peanut brittle type glob. It had peanuts, sesame seeds, and I think lotus seeds all mixed up in a sweet paste, sort of like caramel. It wasn't caramel though, it was just sweet. It was delicious! I wish I knew what it is called.
Chinese New Year Treat
Inside of Chinese New Year Treat
They are also selling sweets everywhere...new ones that I have never seen before! The one below was particularly intriguing to me. How could I not be fascinated by a hard sesame ball with a red rooster looking cap on top of it? So, I bought one yesterday. The red part on top is not sweet like you would think, it is hard and tastes fried. The outer portion of the ball is crispy and hard and has sesame seeds on it. I was dying to find out what was inside...I thought it would be red bean or lotus seed paste. When I broke open the ball, there was a soft, peanut brittle type glob. It had peanuts, sesame seeds, and I think lotus seeds all mixed up in a sweet paste, sort of like caramel. It wasn't caramel though, it was just sweet. It was delicious! I wish I knew what it is called.
Chinese New Year Treat
Inside of Chinese New Year Treat
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Taxes
I have been trying to get a jump start on the income taxes that I have to file for 2004. I have been going through Dad's files with his previous tax information and his time sheets for 2004 and it made me very sad. First of all, I realized that Dad only lived for 3 full months of 2004. Now 2004 is gone...and Dad only lived a little part of 2004. It is unbelievable to me. I can't get my head around it...this is my first year that I have been alive that Dad hasn't. I am sitting here crying, surrounded by files and thinking, "How could I forget about this..." It is so easy to get caught up with life here in Hong Kong, and traveling and all of the new friends I have met. Life is hectic and so it is easy to push thoughts out of your head if you want to. Dad hand wrote his income taxes for 2003, and seeing his handwriting that is so familiar tears my heart. I remember it so well. I remember last year when I was filing my own income taxes for the first time. Dad sat there with me on the phone and took me through each step. Not that it was that hard to do, since I only had to file a 1040-ez and didn't even have interest income. It must have been right before he left on his New Orleans trip...In fact, I still have my "To Do List" from the day he died, written before I found out that he had died of course. I had written, "photocopy and send out taxes." I keep that list of things to do because it is like a little window into what my life used to be like. It was paradise but I didn't know it. I had virtually nothing of consequence to think about, and yet I was "stressed". I didn't even know the meaning of stress then. I had no real worries and had a safety net that I could always rely on. I feel really bad for the girl who wrote the list because she had no idea what was about to happen. Whoa, that sounds very dramatic! I guess I really do have a flare for drama like Matt says.
My Daddy the Tax Man
My Daddy the Tax Man
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Food, Interviews and travel news
I am very excited because Matt and I are going to Phuket for Chinese New Year! It was a last minute decision, but I am so glad we have a trip coming up. Strangely, I feel like I haven't seen Matt for a long time. We were separate for most of Christmas and life is so hectic here in Hong Kong. He works late, so I spend most of my time with my girlfriends, or if we are together, we are usually out with a bunch of other people. This weekend he was showing around the RCA marketing team, and had soccer, so I hung out with Kelly and then we had a huge Chinese dinner at a place called the Red Pepper in honor of a friend that is going to be out of town for a while. It was so delicious! Somehow, Matt and I ended up taking home all the leftovers...I am never sure how this happens, but it is always US that takes home the extra food! Everyone else says no and scurries away and we must look like easy targets or something. Anyway, now I have had Chinese food every meal for the past two days. The meal was a FEAST: we ordered a whole duck cooked Beijing Style, a whole deep fried Garoupa fish, sizzling chili jumbo prawns, beef with black bean sauce, sweet and sour chicken and broccoli. For dessert, we had banana and apple chunks dipped in toffee. Then at the table, the waiter puts the toffee-dipped pieces in a bowl of ice water, so that the fruit is warm and soft inside but the toffee is crunchy and delicious. It was outstanding! I have had a lot of Beijing (Peking) duck lately. I like it, but I get sick of being forced to eat the slices of skin and fat that they serve up to your first....I like the meat that is inside better. I think they give you the skin and fat first cause that is supposed to be the "good" part, but in my opinion it isn't.
I have had two job interviews this week. The first was at a school for autistic children, for the position of a behavioral analyst. The woman who started the school has two autistic children, and she felt that there weren't any good programs for autistic children in Hong Kong, so she started her own. She uses the applied behavioral modification method, and feels that it is far more effective than other methods. She started the school with her own money and it is a nonprofit, so when she found out I didn't already have a work visa, she was very disappointed! Apparently it is expensive and time consuming to sponsor someone for a work visa. I can understand why she would be hesitant to do that when there are plenty of Hong Kong English speaking residents that could do the job. The other interview was with the mad science learning center, which uses inquiry based learning methods to teach science to elementary school students. Basically, it is exactly the same job I was doing at the Explorit Center in Davis, and it is part time and flexible, so it would be perfect for me. I was offered the job, but when I brought up the work visa issue, the man's face dropped! So, I think it will be harder to get a job here than I had initially thought, unless I end up teaching English, where they expect to have to provide a work visa. For some reason, I have a mental block against teaching English! It might be more fun than I think...but I think I will hold out until at least after Chinese New Year.
I have had two job interviews this week. The first was at a school for autistic children, for the position of a behavioral analyst. The woman who started the school has two autistic children, and she felt that there weren't any good programs for autistic children in Hong Kong, so she started her own. She uses the applied behavioral modification method, and feels that it is far more effective than other methods. She started the school with her own money and it is a nonprofit, so when she found out I didn't already have a work visa, she was very disappointed! Apparently it is expensive and time consuming to sponsor someone for a work visa. I can understand why she would be hesitant to do that when there are plenty of Hong Kong English speaking residents that could do the job. The other interview was with the mad science learning center, which uses inquiry based learning methods to teach science to elementary school students. Basically, it is exactly the same job I was doing at the Explorit Center in Davis, and it is part time and flexible, so it would be perfect for me. I was offered the job, but when I brought up the work visa issue, the man's face dropped! So, I think it will be harder to get a job here than I had initially thought, unless I end up teaching English, where they expect to have to provide a work visa. For some reason, I have a mental block against teaching English! It might be more fun than I think...but I think I will hold out until at least after Chinese New Year.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Tensions Rise at the AWA, and a Mouse Crawls Under My Skin
Somehow or another, I have been completely busy for this past week! I feel like I have been going non stop.
Kelly and I have been doing yoga everyday, which feels great. We decided to limit the hot yoga because we come out of it like zombies, so instead we have been going to the regular yoga classes. I was shocked the other day when I was blowdrying my hair...the muscles in my arm were rippling! Can you believe it? It looked like a little mouse lived under my skin and was crawling back and forth from my elbow to my shoulder! (That is sort of a gross mental image...sorry!) So, I hope I don't get too muscley because that would not be good.
The PR committee for the AWA ball had it's second meeting yesterday to come up with ideas for the invitation, and we met with the printer/graphic designer to discuss costs. It is funny, because I always thought it was strange when my mom would complain about the ladies on the committees at my little sister's schools. Well, now I know how she feels. They can be very pushy, and all of them think that they know everything and that they are the only ones that know everything. I brought in my invitation idea, which was an attempt to do something not completely overly done with relation to Vegas. The only problem was, I forgot that the AWA is mainly older women and may not want a sexy showgirl on their invitation! Haha! I said that to the PR committee, and the woman didn't even like me saying "sexy". Pretty amusing...but looking at it again, I guess it does look more like a club flyer than a charity ball invitation. (You can look at it below.) So the graphic designer is going to make a more abstract looking showgirl for an invitation mock up, and we are also going to do an Elvis one and one with the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. Next Wednesday they will go up for review by the general committee. Kelly was a very loyal friend and she championed the showgirl idea the whole way through. The funny thing is, I really could care less what the invitation looks like! The other problem with the PR committee is that I might have permanent vision loss due to the outrageous size and number of diamonds I am constantly surrounded by. Oh, the hazards of living in Hong Kong!
Other than that, I have been immersing myself in financial planning and learning about investing. There is a lot to know, and I wish I would have taken a personal finance class when I was in college. I am trying to read for 2 hours a day so I can figure out my game plan for the future.
My invitation idea
Kelly and I have been doing yoga everyday, which feels great. We decided to limit the hot yoga because we come out of it like zombies, so instead we have been going to the regular yoga classes. I was shocked the other day when I was blowdrying my hair...the muscles in my arm were rippling! Can you believe it? It looked like a little mouse lived under my skin and was crawling back and forth from my elbow to my shoulder! (That is sort of a gross mental image...sorry!) So, I hope I don't get too muscley because that would not be good.
The PR committee for the AWA ball had it's second meeting yesterday to come up with ideas for the invitation, and we met with the printer/graphic designer to discuss costs. It is funny, because I always thought it was strange when my mom would complain about the ladies on the committees at my little sister's schools. Well, now I know how she feels. They can be very pushy, and all of them think that they know everything and that they are the only ones that know everything. I brought in my invitation idea, which was an attempt to do something not completely overly done with relation to Vegas. The only problem was, I forgot that the AWA is mainly older women and may not want a sexy showgirl on their invitation! Haha! I said that to the PR committee, and the woman didn't even like me saying "sexy". Pretty amusing...but looking at it again, I guess it does look more like a club flyer than a charity ball invitation. (You can look at it below.) So the graphic designer is going to make a more abstract looking showgirl for an invitation mock up, and we are also going to do an Elvis one and one with the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign. Next Wednesday they will go up for review by the general committee. Kelly was a very loyal friend and she championed the showgirl idea the whole way through. The funny thing is, I really could care less what the invitation looks like! The other problem with the PR committee is that I might have permanent vision loss due to the outrageous size and number of diamonds I am constantly surrounded by. Oh, the hazards of living in Hong Kong!
Other than that, I have been immersing myself in financial planning and learning about investing. There is a lot to know, and I wish I would have taken a personal finance class when I was in college. I am trying to read for 2 hours a day so I can figure out my game plan for the future.
My invitation idea
Saturday, January 22, 2005
Yoga, AWA Charity Ball and Russian Models
My first full week in Hong Kong was pretty busy...my plans to find a job fell by the wayside. I didn't have time! Plus, none of the jobs are particularly interesting to me at the moment. I have a choice between teaching english and teaching english. Knowing that those are my prospects does not do anything to motivate me.
Kelly, my other half and almost constant companion, and I signed up for unlimited yoga classes at Pure Yoga on Wyndham Street. Pure Yoga is a trendy, "cool" yoga place...but I like it because it has gorgeous studios with huge windows that overlook downtown and it has the hot yoga. They heat the room up to some ungodly tempurature and then you sweat until you almost pass out. Well, not quite that much, but at the end you look as though you have been swimming or something. After you are done you feel fabulous but then I usually need a nap. I made the mistake of taking the class on Friday and then when was out that night I was a total zombie! I will have to make sure to do regular yoga if I plan to be out late at night.
Also, I am now on the PR committee for the AWA annual charity ball. The charity ball is in June and it is in the theme of a Vegas Casino Night. Why dod they always insist on doing that? It is probably the most cliche theme you can have! I know casino nights are fun cause you get to gamble, but I feel like it is so overdone. Right now we are working on invitations. The funny thing is, mom is making invitations now for a casino night at my sister's school, and we were just talking about how overdone it is! It is hard to think of an original invitation for that sort of theme. Oh well, the ball will be fun and the gambling will be too I guess.
Matt's friend Elian was in town this week and they met up with some Russian models last Saturday. Elian kept in ouch with one of them and invited us to meet them at the Dragon-I on Wednesday night. (Wednesdays are known as "Model Night" at the Dragon-I.) I had never heard of this but we showed up and yes, there were quite a few models. We went into the VIP room and it was bigger and more crowded than the regular room! Seemed sort of ridiculous...It was fun though, and after the Dragon-I we went over to Drop. I couldn't believe how many people were out till 4 am on a Wednesday night! Don't these people have jobs? One of our friends stayed later than us and said it closed "early" at 5:00 am. I know I am not working, but I thought the rest of the world was. There were a ton of really disgusting business men out that night in their suits with the ties loosened. Do they wear that because they really do come straight from work or do they think that will help them get girls? I think it looks gross and vaguely lecherous for some reason. The European business men that night were extremely disgusting. They seem really sleezy to me. One of them, an old man with white hair and a light tan suit, told me I was "A normal girl with beautiful eyes" and that "on a scale of 9 to 10 you are a 9." What the hell? I must have looked disturbed because he said "you should take pleasure out of this." He had an accent but I couldn't place it. The thing that these guys don't realize is that if you are rich, it doesn't counteract how gross and disgusting you are, unless you want a Wan Chai filipino hooker. Central is the wrong place to go with lines like that.
Kelly, my other half and almost constant companion, and I signed up for unlimited yoga classes at Pure Yoga on Wyndham Street. Pure Yoga is a trendy, "cool" yoga place...but I like it because it has gorgeous studios with huge windows that overlook downtown and it has the hot yoga. They heat the room up to some ungodly tempurature and then you sweat until you almost pass out. Well, not quite that much, but at the end you look as though you have been swimming or something. After you are done you feel fabulous but then I usually need a nap. I made the mistake of taking the class on Friday and then when was out that night I was a total zombie! I will have to make sure to do regular yoga if I plan to be out late at night.
Also, I am now on the PR committee for the AWA annual charity ball. The charity ball is in June and it is in the theme of a Vegas Casino Night. Why dod they always insist on doing that? It is probably the most cliche theme you can have! I know casino nights are fun cause you get to gamble, but I feel like it is so overdone. Right now we are working on invitations. The funny thing is, mom is making invitations now for a casino night at my sister's school, and we were just talking about how overdone it is! It is hard to think of an original invitation for that sort of theme. Oh well, the ball will be fun and the gambling will be too I guess.
Matt's friend Elian was in town this week and they met up with some Russian models last Saturday. Elian kept in ouch with one of them and invited us to meet them at the Dragon-I on Wednesday night. (Wednesdays are known as "Model Night" at the Dragon-I.) I had never heard of this but we showed up and yes, there were quite a few models. We went into the VIP room and it was bigger and more crowded than the regular room! Seemed sort of ridiculous...It was fun though, and after the Dragon-I we went over to Drop. I couldn't believe how many people were out till 4 am on a Wednesday night! Don't these people have jobs? One of our friends stayed later than us and said it closed "early" at 5:00 am. I know I am not working, but I thought the rest of the world was. There were a ton of really disgusting business men out that night in their suits with the ties loosened. Do they wear that because they really do come straight from work or do they think that will help them get girls? I think it looks gross and vaguely lecherous for some reason. The European business men that night were extremely disgusting. They seem really sleezy to me. One of them, an old man with white hair and a light tan suit, told me I was "A normal girl with beautiful eyes" and that "on a scale of 9 to 10 you are a 9." What the hell? I must have looked disturbed because he said "you should take pleasure out of this." He had an accent but I couldn't place it. The thing that these guys don't realize is that if you are rich, it doesn't counteract how gross and disgusting you are, unless you want a Wan Chai filipino hooker. Central is the wrong place to go with lines like that.
Pictures from Hardy Ski Trip 2004
I just got some pictures from our ski trip this year...scroll down to take a look.
Meagan and Matt in (Hallelujah!) Normal Pose
Meagan and Matt in (Hallelujah!) Normal Pose
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
I'm a FlyBaby now!
On Sunday I became a FlyBaby. While I was updating my blog and checking out what happened on other people's blogs while I was in the US, I came across the website for FlyLady. For some reason it really hit home for me...I need help maintaining my home! When I came back from the US, Matt had been here for a little over a week, and our place looked really good. (Also, I think the maids have been doing a more thorough job since I left them each a Christmas present.) Since I arrived though, our place turned into a total sty with clutter on every flat surface. Matt and I spent a good portion of our precious weekend (the only time Matt is not working) cleaning our house and making it feel more peaceful an pleasant. Now, if I can't keep my home clean and clutter free when I am not working, have maids come in three times a week, have no children, don't cook meals at home, and have a boyfriend that is gone 12 hours of the day, then there is Absolutely No Hope of being able to do it when I am working and/or have kids.
I have decided that it is vital for happiness to have a home that is pleasant and comfortable and that is not constantly messy or dirty. My mind is so much more peaceful when my surroundings are clean, especially in Matt's and my TINY apartment. In our apartment even a a few things out of place make it seem oppressively small. After my Dad dies, I remember sitting in my house in San Diego, huddled on the floor amidst a big mess, feeling completely overwhelmed and wanted to give up on everything. This feeling really had nothing to do with my messy house, it had everything to do with my Dad and everything I had to do to settle his estate. Grandma Janet came over and and in like 15 minutes, she decluttered and cleaned my living room and opened the window to let in light and fresh air. I felt infinitely better after she did that, despite the fact that all the same problems in my life were still there. Both my Grandma's are already FlyLadies. I am not sure if they always were FlyLadies, or if they learned from experience, or if that generation got more input on how to maintain a functioning house.
I just realized I haven't said what the FlyLady's philosophy actually is...well, I guess you will just have to check out the website. The first line on the web site says, "Are you living in CHAOS like Franny in the pink sweats?" I yelled, "Yes!! Yes, I am! How did you know about my pink sweats?" For my first day as a FlyBaby I had to completely scrub and clean the sink with bleach and ajax and then windex. Everyday before you go to sleep, the sink is supposed to be sparkling and all the dishes done and put away. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you do is put on clothes and shoes and get yourself ready as if you were going out. Every week there is a zone that you are supposed to work on cleaning and organizing if necessary. Anyway, read the website if you are interested.
I just realized that this seems completely neurotic! I am turning crazy over here! I think I like it because I have not had any structure in my life since Dad died and I quit working. Also, I have moved 4 times in 1 year (one of the moves was across the world) and I also moved all my Dad's stuff. With all those moves, I feel like everything is mixed up and out of place and just generally not settled. I have done a pretty good job of staying active and taking care of what needs to be done, but I am intrigued by this FlyLady stuff and I am going to give it a try. Matt thinks I am ridiculous! I don't care though, I will take whatever method necessary to take back control of my life. I will let you guys know how it goes. I hope you don't think I am crazy now!
Also, I am now on the Public Relations committee of the American Women's Association Charity Ball. I am not sure exactly what that entails, but it means I will definitely get to go to the ball in June, so I guess it will be a good thing to do.
- FlyLady
I have decided that it is vital for happiness to have a home that is pleasant and comfortable and that is not constantly messy or dirty. My mind is so much more peaceful when my surroundings are clean, especially in Matt's and my TINY apartment. In our apartment even a a few things out of place make it seem oppressively small. After my Dad dies, I remember sitting in my house in San Diego, huddled on the floor amidst a big mess, feeling completely overwhelmed and wanted to give up on everything. This feeling really had nothing to do with my messy house, it had everything to do with my Dad and everything I had to do to settle his estate. Grandma Janet came over and and in like 15 minutes, she decluttered and cleaned my living room and opened the window to let in light and fresh air. I felt infinitely better after she did that, despite the fact that all the same problems in my life were still there. Both my Grandma's are already FlyLadies. I am not sure if they always were FlyLadies, or if they learned from experience, or if that generation got more input on how to maintain a functioning house.
I just realized I haven't said what the FlyLady's philosophy actually is...well, I guess you will just have to check out the website. The first line on the web site says, "Are you living in CHAOS like Franny in the pink sweats?" I yelled, "Yes!! Yes, I am! How did you know about my pink sweats?" For my first day as a FlyBaby I had to completely scrub and clean the sink with bleach and ajax and then windex. Everyday before you go to sleep, the sink is supposed to be sparkling and all the dishes done and put away. When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you do is put on clothes and shoes and get yourself ready as if you were going out. Every week there is a zone that you are supposed to work on cleaning and organizing if necessary. Anyway, read the website if you are interested.
I just realized that this seems completely neurotic! I am turning crazy over here! I think I like it because I have not had any structure in my life since Dad died and I quit working. Also, I have moved 4 times in 1 year (one of the moves was across the world) and I also moved all my Dad's stuff. With all those moves, I feel like everything is mixed up and out of place and just generally not settled. I have done a pretty good job of staying active and taking care of what needs to be done, but I am intrigued by this FlyLady stuff and I am going to give it a try. Matt thinks I am ridiculous! I don't care though, I will take whatever method necessary to take back control of my life. I will let you guys know how it goes. I hope you don't think I am crazy now!
Also, I am now on the Public Relations committee of the American Women's Association Charity Ball. I am not sure exactly what that entails, but it means I will definitely get to go to the ball in June, so I guess it will be a good thing to do.
- FlyLady
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Back in Hong Kong (aka Back "Home")
So, Matt and I are back in Hong Kong now. I had mixed feelings about coming back because I have so many people I love back in the US and it is easy there...to get a job, to shop, to communicate, to "be". Now that I am back here, I feel better. First of all, I miss Matt when we are apart. It is nice to be back with him, he is my best friend after all. Also, Hong Kong is a great city! People are friendly, the streets are CLEAN, you can walk everywhere, public transportation is good. And the restaurants....ooooh the restaurants. The food is so good! For my first meal back in Hong Kong, Matt and I went to a little italian restaurant called Ristorante Rughetta. It is underground and cozy, which is nice cause it is cold here now. It was fabulous! They don't rush you through your meals here, and the portions are smaller so you can comfortably eat three courses. Yesterday Matt and I went on a hike. We walked all the way from our house to Stanley, which is on the other side of the island. It took us almost 5 hours but it was gorgeous.
So, I am happy to be back in Hong Kong. My plan is to go on an all out job hunt in the next week. I think I will be happy working, plus, then Matt and I can allocate all of that money to our travel fund.
So, I am happy to be back in Hong Kong. My plan is to go on an all out job hunt in the next week. I think I will be happy working, plus, then Matt and I can allocate all of that money to our travel fund.
The Rest of My Holiday
I flew from Utah to San Diego on Christmas Eve to spend Christmas with my mom and her family. There were lots of presents and candy! I got alot of presents but I think the best of which was a travel clock. It is really cool, I had never seen one before: it is small (maybe 3x4") and says the local time in large numbers, then the world time in small numbers. You can rotate a dial around the edge of the clock that has major world cities listed on it, like "Hong Kong", "New York", "London" etc, and it will display the time in that city. It is so convenient! It is small so you can travel with it and it has an alarm clock too. I have it by my desk right now so I know that it is 10 am in Hong Kong but 6 pm in California.
Matt and I met up in San Francisco for New Year's Eve, and it was pretty crazy. It was cold! I wasn't prepared for it and only had sandals with me. It was great to see Matt's brother Sam and my old friend Sarah Chipps, and to get to know Sarah's boyfriend Willie.
The rest of my time in San Diego was spent taking my sisters on "dates". Marissa and I went ice skating, Malini and I went to Nickel City and Greek food a few time, I took Maya shopping and to a movie and dinner, and I took the older girls to get their nails done. (Their first pedicures! How exciting! I remember when Jessica, my Dad's girlfriend, took me to get my first pedicure and manicure. I was enraptured with it and felt very sophisticated. I can't wait till my sisters are older and I can take them on spa trips and stuff. I need more spa buddies.)
After San Diego I spent a few days in San Francisco with Sarah and then headed back to Hong Kong. To be honest...I had mixed feelings about returning to Hong Kong. I miss my friends, and the minute I left my sisters I thought my heart was going to break. I think it is going to be so hard to be a mom. I feel like I am "close aunt" or a "secondary mom" to my sisters. I love them so much and I want to do everything around them, but at the same time it frazzles you so much to do that. And when they are upset or hurt, it hurts you. The horrible thing is, I know that when I have my own kids, the feeling will be that much stronger, because they will be my own kids! My sisters are just my sisters. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it...in like 10 years.
Also, I learned how to knit while I was in the US! I think a knitting craze is sweeping America. First, my Aunt Maria was a knitting maniac while in Utah. I don't think I ever saw her without her needles. She gave me a gorgeous purple scarf, and a white scarf that she made was the hot White Elephant present of the year. Then, her and Aunt Linda were knitting away together at our Christmas Eve party. Imagine my surprise when all of my Sarah's friends in San Francisco were knitting maniacs too! One night we went out to sushi, had some sake bombs, and we all came back to her house, turned on the music, and magically out of everyone's purse or bag came knitting needles and balls of yarn! They were clacking away and listening to Wu Tang. Keep in mind these are urban, cool, young San Franciscans living on Haight Street. I learned how to knit and was told to spread the word, because they want to create a "knitting nation." I am very proud, cause I have kept up my knitting project and my scarf gets longer every day. I am knitting a sage green scarf with very wide wool, and it has a ribbed pattern of alternating 3 knit stitches/3 purl stitches.
Matt and I met up in San Francisco for New Year's Eve, and it was pretty crazy. It was cold! I wasn't prepared for it and only had sandals with me. It was great to see Matt's brother Sam and my old friend Sarah Chipps, and to get to know Sarah's boyfriend Willie.
The rest of my time in San Diego was spent taking my sisters on "dates". Marissa and I went ice skating, Malini and I went to Nickel City and Greek food a few time, I took Maya shopping and to a movie and dinner, and I took the older girls to get their nails done. (Their first pedicures! How exciting! I remember when Jessica, my Dad's girlfriend, took me to get my first pedicure and manicure. I was enraptured with it and felt very sophisticated. I can't wait till my sisters are older and I can take them on spa trips and stuff. I need more spa buddies.)
After San Diego I spent a few days in San Francisco with Sarah and then headed back to Hong Kong. To be honest...I had mixed feelings about returning to Hong Kong. I miss my friends, and the minute I left my sisters I thought my heart was going to break. I think it is going to be so hard to be a mom. I feel like I am "close aunt" or a "secondary mom" to my sisters. I love them so much and I want to do everything around them, but at the same time it frazzles you so much to do that. And when they are upset or hurt, it hurts you. The horrible thing is, I know that when I have my own kids, the feeling will be that much stronger, because they will be my own kids! My sisters are just my sisters. I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it...in like 10 years.
Also, I learned how to knit while I was in the US! I think a knitting craze is sweeping America. First, my Aunt Maria was a knitting maniac while in Utah. I don't think I ever saw her without her needles. She gave me a gorgeous purple scarf, and a white scarf that she made was the hot White Elephant present of the year. Then, her and Aunt Linda were knitting away together at our Christmas Eve party. Imagine my surprise when all of my Sarah's friends in San Francisco were knitting maniacs too! One night we went out to sushi, had some sake bombs, and we all came back to her house, turned on the music, and magically out of everyone's purse or bag came knitting needles and balls of yarn! They were clacking away and listening to Wu Tang. Keep in mind these are urban, cool, young San Franciscans living on Haight Street. I learned how to knit and was told to spread the word, because they want to create a "knitting nation." I am very proud, cause I have kept up my knitting project and my scarf gets longer every day. I am knitting a sage green scarf with very wide wool, and it has a ribbed pattern of alternating 3 knit stitches/3 purl stitches.
Christmas in Utah
Matt and I are safely back in Hong Kong after the holidays. I was in the US for about a month, but it seemed so much longer than that! (In a good way...) The first week Matt and I spent in Utah, which was difficult because it was the first year with out Dad. I am completely glad that we made the effort and came all the way across the world to keep the tradition going strong. I feel like I have alot of support from the Hardy family, and I feel closer to them now than I ever have before. It was nice having Grandma stay in the condo that usually I share with Dad. She made it very home like and festive. We had a Christmas tree with completely home made decorations: strings of popcorn and cranberries, and a tin foil star on top. We also made a ginger bread house from a kit that we bought at the grocery store. I attached a picture of it below, and I think that it looks pretty good. It was hilarious because Matt, Grandma and I were very seriously working on it...the room was dead silent and when Mitch and Tanner came in to say hello, we were like, "Hey, we are concentrating! Go back to your place and don't touch the frosting on your way out!" It was funny. It was great having Kristi and Craig stay with us too...they kept us amused with some really sick games, including Truth or Dare Jenga.
I also attached pictures of Matt and I in Park City. It is so gorgeous there! I am glad Matt seems to like it there as much as I do. Notice Matt's pose in the picture of him. It is so difficult to take pictures of him! He inevitably does a "retard pose", especially if it is in a picture involving large groups of people. If I get a picture of the Hardy family picture, I will post it and you will see what I mean. Matt is very creative about his retard poses. The one below is a new variation, but he has many more up his sleeve. You never know which one will come out the next time there is a camera around.
Our Gingerbread House!
I also attached pictures of Matt and I in Park City. It is so gorgeous there! I am glad Matt seems to like it there as much as I do. Notice Matt's pose in the picture of him. It is so difficult to take pictures of him! He inevitably does a "retard pose", especially if it is in a picture involving large groups of people. If I get a picture of the Hardy family picture, I will post it and you will see what I mean. Matt is very creative about his retard poses. The one below is a new variation, but he has many more up his sleeve. You never know which one will come out the next time there is a camera around.
Our Gingerbread House!
Saturday, December 18, 2004
Skiing without Dad
Matt and I are in Utah now with the Hardy family. It is REALLY weird to be here without my dad. The first night I got really scared because the house was so quiet and his room was empty. I started crying and couldn't sleep that night. I thought I was alright after that because I was so excited to go skiing. But every single slope and every single lift have memories of my dad. I have been skiing there with him since I was 4, so that is 20 years of skiing. When I was strapping up my boots and putting on my skis, I started crying because I felt like I could literally SEE him there next to me, putting on his gloves after his strapped his boots. The crying left as soon as ti came, and I thought I would be ok after that. Throughout the day I would just start crying randomly. It is so weird to be here, skiing, and know that I will never ski here with Dad again. His memory saturates everything about this place. Then, I realized that I have memories of Grandpa Hardy from every slope and lift here too, and I started crying again cause I felt like everyone is dying and leaving me. It is completely irrational, I know, but that is how I felt. When we got off the slopes, I was feeling great, because despite my sadness, it was a gorgeous day and the snow was good and it is hard to stay sad with those sort of conditions. Then, I saw my Grandma and all my cousins as I was on my way to the hot tub and I broke down right there in the middle of the street with my bathing suit on. I was really bawling. It is going to be a hard week but I think it will be good for me to have to face the sadness. I am really glad Matt is here to make me feel like I have someone.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Chinese Custard Apple
I just discovered the most wonderful new fruit! It is called a custard apple. Matt and I were down at the Park and Shop and on a whim we decided to buy it. It has the consistancy of custard (with big black seeds in it) and you can eat it with a spoon. It tastes mild and creamy, sort of banana -ey in a way. I think it is delicious, so I am very excited.
While I was googling "custard apple" I found a new blog that I like, so I added as a link to my blog. It is about Malaysian food and has lots of photos.
- Custard Apple (also called Cherimoya)
While I was googling "custard apple" I found a new blog that I like, so I added as a link to my blog. It is about Malaysian food and has lots of photos.
- Custard Apple (also called Cherimoya)
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
American Women's Association
My new friend Kelly (who is 25, from New York, and very cool) invited me to go to a luncheon for the American Women's Association. I had never been to any activities with the AWA, and it was a very...um...interesting and devastating experience. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have mixed feelings about British people. I like them well enough, but in general I feel like they have a tendency towards being extremely arrogant and snobby. But now that I have been to an AWA lunch, I think I had better reevaluate my position on that because the woman at this lunch outdid any British people I have met in the arrogance and snobbiness department. All they talked about were diamonds, how well they treat their servants (which probably means they don't treat them that well at all), boats, and luxurious spas around Asia. It wasn't so much the topic of the conversation, but it was the way they talked about it. One woman was particularly irritating to me. She needed to make it clear to every single person that SHE was from TEXAS. Texas came up in the conversation almost as much as diamonds, I am not sure why. She spoke with a very exaggerated Texas accent and said things like, "Girl, this ain't my first rodeo." She called diamonds "rocks" and said it like "rrrrrooocks" as if she thought she was the sassiest, most spunky cowgirl on the ranch. (See, people from other states can use wild west metaphors too!) Why do Texans feel so superior to other states? Why do they try to use cowboy and wild west lingo all the time? I just don't get it. This lady had lived in Boston for a few years before moving to Hong Kong, but she wanted everyone to know that she was NOT from Boston, as if that was the worst possible place to have grown up in.
Speaking of diamonds (oh, wait...rrrrrooocks), I have never seen such a huge display of jewelry in my life. I don't know how these women walk around being weighed down by so many carats. Maybe that is why they are so skinny and blonde.
I will quit my ranting now...I came home from the lunch feeling devastated, and I needed to vent. It made me feel like I will never find people in Hong Kong that I can relate to. Kelly assured me that most meetings aren't like that, so I will with hold my judgment on the AWA as much as possible.
Speaking of diamonds (oh, wait...rrrrrooocks), I have never seen such a huge display of jewelry in my life. I don't know how these women walk around being weighed down by so many carats. Maybe that is why they are so skinny and blonde.
I will quit my ranting now...I came home from the lunch feeling devastated, and I needed to vent. It made me feel like I will never find people in Hong Kong that I can relate to. Kelly assured me that most meetings aren't like that, so I will with hold my judgment on the AWA as much as possible.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
"Prepare to Meet God"
One thing that was very striking about the Philippines is how religious it was. Catholicism is very prevalent and it seems to influence the lives of the Filipinos quite a bit. Every town we went through, no matter how tiny, had it own church. Every single tricycle, which there are tons and tons of on Bohol and Panglao Island, had a religious slogan painted on the back of it. They said things like "Pray to the Rosary Daily" or "God loves my Family". They were all different, and some of them were very creative. My favorite said "Prepare to Meet God", which isn't exactly a comforting sentiment when you are about to get into one of those little, old, rickety tricycles to whiz through traffic. I wonder if the tricycle drivers are required to write things about God on the back of the tricycles. Do they think of the slogans themselves? Oh, and everything in the Philippines was decorated for Christmas. They really go all out. Our boatman, LouieGie, said that Christmas is the time when Filipinos from all over the world come back to the Philippines to see their families.
Luckily we made it out of the Philippines just before a huge typhoon hit, and over 500 people were killed. The typhoon hit Northern Luzon, which is much further north than we were, but it was still good to have left before then.
Tricycles in front of the Bilar Market
Matt at the tiny Tagbilaran Airport
Luckily we made it out of the Philippines just before a huge typhoon hit, and over 500 people were killed. The typhoon hit Northern Luzon, which is much further north than we were, but it was still good to have left before then.
Tricycles in front of the Bilar Market
Matt at the tiny Tagbilaran Airport
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Snorkelling
Panglao Island is famous because it is a great place to scuba dive. Matt and I, being completely lazy, didn't go scub diving because we would watch the divers get up in the morning and put on full wet suits, including booties and head gear, and it did not look fun, so we decided to go snorkelling instead. One night we were walking on the beach and this man approached us and asked if we wanted to go snorkelling and watch the dolphins from his boat. He showed us his little trimaran and said he would pick us up at 5:30 (!) the next morning, and we agreed. His name was LouieGie, and his boat was named that too.
Going out to watch the dolphins was really funny. Matt and I probably didn't need to do it, since we have both seen dolphins before and alot closer than the boats could get. There were 4 or 5 trimarans chasing these poor dolphins around, and none of us could get close, and we were all trying to beat eachother. It was hysterical. One of the other boats was full of Chinese women, and everytime we got close to them, we heard squealing and saw cameras. We finally told LouieGie to stop chasing the dolphins and just take us to the snorkelling area. When we went snorkelling, it was amazing. It was infinitely better than any scuba diving or snorkelling I have done before. There were about a zillion different types of fish in a zillion different colors and a zillion different sizes. It was truly amazing. and there were all different types of coral too. At one point we say a huge spiralling mass of silver jack fish, and you could swim through the spiral and they would all be around you. LouieGie went snorkelling with us and it was very fun. Then we had breakfast on an island and LouieGie told us a little about himself. His wife was only 19 and they already had 2 kids and she was 4 months pregnant. He was telling us how if he was president he would make it a rule that all Germans had to leave the Philippines and none could ever come back. They really don't have good feeling for Germans on Panglao Island! The taxi driver couldn't stop taling about how ugly they were. But there were tons of them around! Every morning we woudl hear them saying "Guten Morgen". LouiGie said that they married all the Filipina girls because their own women were fat and ugly and wouldn't even say hi to you when you walked by. Hmmm...I hate to say it, but it was strangely gratifying to finally be the nationality that was not reviled most by the locals.
Trimaran on Alona Beach
Going out to watch the dolphins was really funny. Matt and I probably didn't need to do it, since we have both seen dolphins before and alot closer than the boats could get. There were 4 or 5 trimarans chasing these poor dolphins around, and none of us could get close, and we were all trying to beat eachother. It was hysterical. One of the other boats was full of Chinese women, and everytime we got close to them, we heard squealing and saw cameras. We finally told LouieGie to stop chasing the dolphins and just take us to the snorkelling area. When we went snorkelling, it was amazing. It was infinitely better than any scuba diving or snorkelling I have done before. There were about a zillion different types of fish in a zillion different colors and a zillion different sizes. It was truly amazing. and there were all different types of coral too. At one point we say a huge spiralling mass of silver jack fish, and you could swim through the spiral and they would all be around you. LouieGie went snorkelling with us and it was very fun. Then we had breakfast on an island and LouieGie told us a little about himself. His wife was only 19 and they already had 2 kids and she was 4 months pregnant. He was telling us how if he was president he would make it a rule that all Germans had to leave the Philippines and none could ever come back. They really don't have good feeling for Germans on Panglao Island! The taxi driver couldn't stop taling about how ugly they were. But there were tons of them around! Every morning we woudl hear them saying "Guten Morgen". LouiGie said that they married all the Filipina girls because their own women were fat and ugly and wouldn't even say hi to you when you walked by. Hmmm...I hate to say it, but it was strangely gratifying to finally be the nationality that was not reviled most by the locals.
Trimaran on Alona Beach
Food in the Philippines
While we weren't in the Philippines long enough to explore alot of the food in the Philippines, I think that aside from the Halo Halo, it isn't my type of food. It seemed like alot of sausages and pork products. The seafood that we ate was excellent, and I pretty much subsisted on grilled squid and pancakes for the entire trip! The grilled squid was so yummy, I kept trying to tell myself to order different things but I couldn't because I don't have many opportunities for squid here in Hong Kong. I noticed that there were alot more bread and sweet shops than I have noticed in other countries, and they sort of reminded me of the panaderias in Mexico. At one of the markets we went to, they were even making fresh donuts! The girl in the picture sold us these really yummy rice bun things. They were made of glutinous rice and coconut milk in a banana leaf that is then steamed. It was delicious.
Girl selling goodies
Girl selling goodies
Boat Cruise, Tarsiers and Halo Halo
After the Chocolate Hills, we stopped to see the tarsiers. I had never heard of this animal, but apparently it is the smallest living primate and it was the Spielberg's inspiration for ET. It was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life! It was tiny and had huge eyes like saucers, and had these little delicate hands with big bony joints on them. They can almost rotate their heads 360 degrees and they can jump 3 meters, but when we saw them they looked very lethargic. They are endangered and only live in a few places in the Philippines. I felt very sorry that they were being ogled by so many tourists in the little cage by the side of the road, even though the place had a sign that said "Government approved Tarsier breeding facility".
After that we went on a boat cruise down the Lobok River. It was really fun! THe interior of the island is realy lush and green and the water was extremely green also. It was sort of misting while we were on our cruise and I felt like we were on the jungle boat ride at disneyland! You could see all of the kids playing and bathing in the water as we went by and there were villages and little huts also.
After our boat cruise, we ate at a restaurant on the river. Then we went to an old church and then we persuaded our driver to take us into Tagbilaran for Halo Halo ...the dessert specialty of the Philippines. Halo Halo is quite spectacular and very yummy. On the bottom, it has sweet red beans and pieces of purple yams. Then it has assorted gummy/jelly type sweet things, then pieces of fruit, then shaved ice, then corn sprinked ver the top, then a scoop of ice cream, and then corn flakes on top. They serve it with a shot glass of cream or creme caramel, which you pour over the top and it soaks into the ice. I loved it! It looks like a spectacle and it tastes like one too.
Matt and I on our cruise down the Lobok River
After that we went on a boat cruise down the Lobok River. It was really fun! THe interior of the island is realy lush and green and the water was extremely green also. It was sort of misting while we were on our cruise and I felt like we were on the jungle boat ride at disneyland! You could see all of the kids playing and bathing in the water as we went by and there were villages and little huts also.
After our boat cruise, we ate at a restaurant on the river. Then we went to an old church and then we persuaded our driver to take us into Tagbilaran for Halo Halo ...the dessert specialty of the Philippines. Halo Halo is quite spectacular and very yummy. On the bottom, it has sweet red beans and pieces of purple yams. Then it has assorted gummy/jelly type sweet things, then pieces of fruit, then shaved ice, then corn sprinked ver the top, then a scoop of ice cream, and then corn flakes on top. They serve it with a shot glass of cream or creme caramel, which you pour over the top and it soaks into the ice. I loved it! It looks like a spectacle and it tastes like one too.
Matt and I on our cruise down the Lobok River
Bohol Island
Once Matt and I had sufficiently relaxed, we decided to hire a car and driver to take us on a tour of the sights of Bohol Island. So, our hotel hooked us up with a driver named Bobby. He was really nice and didn't talk too much. (The taxi drivers that had brought us from the airport talked WAY too much and they annoyed me alot. The kept laughing maniacally and did not stop talking to us for one second. They thought Germans were ugly and told us that over and over again. Matt liked it but I didn't.)
The first place we went was the Chocolate Hills. In the summer they turn brown but when we went they were green, so not very chocolatey at all. They still looked cool though, cause they just popped out of the rice paddies randomly and it looked sort of unearthly. Even more interesting than the Chocolate Hills was the drive through the island. There were lots of rice paddies and since it was a Sunday there were lots of people at public markets and coming to or from church.
Chocolate Hills
Matt and Bobby
The first place we went was the Chocolate Hills. In the summer they turn brown but when we went they were green, so not very chocolatey at all. They still looked cool though, cause they just popped out of the rice paddies randomly and it looked sort of unearthly. Even more interesting than the Chocolate Hills was the drive through the island. There were lots of rice paddies and since it was a Sunday there were lots of people at public markets and coming to or from church.
Chocolate Hills
Matt and Bobby
The Philippines
Matt and I had a wonderful time in the Philippines. We didn't want to go to one of the ritzy, extremely touristed areas, so we randomly chose an island out of our Lonely Planet guide. We decided on Panglao Island, and it was absolutely gorgeous. We stayed on Alona Beach, which had perfect white sand and crystal clear water. To get there, we flew into Manila and stayed the night, and then early the next morning we flew on a little plane from Manila to Tagbilaran. From Tagbilaran we took a 45 minute taxi ride onto Panglao Island. The first place we stayed was called the Alona Tropicale and our bungalow was right on the beach. It was fantastic! It was unbelievable to wake up in the morning and open the door to the most gorgeous beach you have ever seen. The only problem with the Alona Tropicale was that we could only stay one night, as they were already booked up for the rest of the weekend. Another problem with it was that it was only hooked up for salt water. This meant that we had to shower and brush our teeth with salt water, which doesn't leave you feeling very refreshed! The next morning we moved on to a hotel called the Crystal Coast, which had alot less character but was a good deal because it was cheaper and had air conditioning and hot water.
For the first couple of days Matt and I just sort of relaxed and tried to take in our stunning surroundings...the beach was so white and the water was so blue and the sky was blue also, it was almost blinding. It is the sort of place where your eyes can't really comprehend how gorgeous it is so all you can do is keep looking and looking. It was nice because Matt had had a vacation for quite awhile and it was nice to finally have some time together!
Matt in front of our bungalow at the Alona Tropicale
For the first couple of days Matt and I just sort of relaxed and tried to take in our stunning surroundings...the beach was so white and the water was so blue and the sky was blue also, it was almost blinding. It is the sort of place where your eyes can't really comprehend how gorgeous it is so all you can do is keep looking and looking. It was nice because Matt had had a vacation for quite awhile and it was nice to finally have some time together!
Matt in front of our bungalow at the Alona Tropicale
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