.... February
Wow, a whole months and no entry... though actually quite a few things have been going on (well, that might as well be the reason for the silence).
So, let me see. I think there are three main things:
1. (freazing cold) Chinese New Year - obviously
2. Me participating in a half-marathon - unbelievable but true!
3. and my boyfriend here to witness it all.
1. Chinese New Year fell this year beginning of February and it was
really, really cold. Once of the things I will bring back from Hong Kong is a deep appreciation for central heating. It is something, I always took as a given, but it is not and it makes a HUGE difference. 10 degrees Celcius (positive, well marked) does not seem cold, looked upon from a European
perspective. But: A. we usually do not have 90% humitidy in the air & we only have the tempreature outside. If you have - like in Hong Kong - no central heating (what is kind of understandable) and no isolation of the buildings whatsoever (what is less understandable, as it would also be useful against the heat in summer) 10degrees are just cold. And it is coldeverywhere. From the moment you leave your bed (in which one sleeps with 2 blankets) to the moment you return there, everywhere you go its cold.
Why I write so much of the cold? Well, I think most probably because it was what marked me most of Chinese New Year. Besides that, CNY is a family festival and I know now, what Christmas must feel like to foreigeners:
increadibly dull. There was a nice firework though (the otherwise
characteristic firecrackers are forbidden in HK) and a rather poor
parade.
Besides that, business as usual, or rather not, as many shops
(unfortunately including our liddle laundry) closed over the holidays.
After CNY, it gained afterhall a nice aspect: Lai See, red envelopes containing "lucky" money (uncirculated notes) that are offered to the unmarried, if they wish older & married relatives (well, in my case more colleagues ;) ) "Kung Hai Fat Choi", what means as much as more money.
Very nicy, we (the four unmarried young ladies) got Lai See from pretty much everyone in our department and the CEO. Savory detail: in our integrity policy, "red envelopes" are "strictly forbidden under any circumstances"... What shall I say ;-)
2. Half-Marathon: my time 2hrs 36min & 16 seconds
So far the only sporty achivemeent achievement in my life...
I trained and everything
(you sporty people, stop
laughing ;-) ) and I have
to say that I am rather
proud of myself (though my
sporty colleagues all
told me that there is
still a lot of space for
improvement... oh, well)
It was a fun experience.
At first, everybody runs
like crazy, than after
7 to 10km, the ranks
start to lighten, as the
first people give up...
But still: if you look
before or behind you: an
infinity of runners...
And than you also run in places, you have never known form this perspective: like on the highway, which leads to the airport, through the harbortunnel and the big streets inbetween the skyscrapers... Fun :-)
3. Well, that‘s private, but I was really happy to have him here with me!
Donnerstag, 28. Februar 2008
