It's been a wet dreary winter in Seattle, so we flew to Hong Kong for sun and fun. As it happened, Brendan and Melissa were passing through on their way home from Mumbai. So it was party time at the beach. Most people think of Hong Kong as a cluster of high rise buildings, but it has several beaches. We bused to Shek O, a tiny beach community on the east side of Hong Kong Island. It's home to the cutest little temple, a broad sandy beach and plenty of sunshine.
Soaking Up The Rays at Shek O Beach
News & Notes
This was our fourth visit to Hong Kong, and as before we sent ePostcards. But as the philosopher once said, the postcards are not the visit. This time we ...
- lived in Wan Chai, a bustling old HK neighborhood, which was a delight!
- walked up Stone Nullah Lane to visit Wan Chai's historic Taoist temple, built in 1863 by Hong Kong's earliest residents.
- poked through several food markets, several street markets, both day and night, as well as the popular-with-the-tourists fish, bird and flower markets.
- dined with Jane Mullins, an elementary school teacher in HK and the niece of our friend Judith Bishop.
- returned to the Happy Valley Race Track, and unlike last time, there were actual horses racing there.
- spent a lot of quality time with Brendan and Melissa.
Lunch at L16
Our niece Anna Paradee was competing at the University of Washington in Women's Pole Vault, representing
Western Washington University, so we stopped by to watch. In the
video Anna clears 12',
which was a winning vault at that early season meet. As of this writing, she has cleared 12' 5", and
continues to win! Yaaay, Anna!!!!
Our friend Anne McTiernan has just published a memoir of her childhood called Starved, A Nutrition Doctor's Journey from Empty to Full. It is a frightening story of nearly starving to death at a girls' boarding school at four, becoming obese once she returned home, becoming anorexic in high school to attract a boyfriend, all the while living with an abusive mother. The story is most amazing because today Anne is the epitome of a successful scientist, a loving mother and grandmother, and one of the nicest, kindest people we know. And her weight is perfectly normal.
Seattle citizens have been active in protesting the actions and policies of the new administration. We have joined the rallies, and have been gratified that our elected officials have successfully challenged those policies.
Seattle Citizens Protesting Bans on Muslim Immigration
