SFO to HKG

SFO to HKG

1/31/23-2/2/23

When my sabbatical started, mom, dad, and I had talked about going to Hong Kong together when it "opened up." To us, open up meant not having to quarantine upon arrival. Well, Hong Kong/China lifted the quarantine days and we purchased our tickets. However, dad decided not to go. Why? Well....it goes something like this:

• Dad was hospitalized in November for two nights with onset pneumonia. 
• Dad has been receiving Home Health Services after his release from the hospital. Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Nurse, Speech. The services provided were amazing and so helpful to dad in his recovery. With his hospitalization, we had to cancel our 15 day cruise to Hawaii.
• Dad has had a sinus infection since September and will soon have surgery to remedy this situation. 
• Dad is getting his a lot of dental work done. Fillings, root canal, and extractions. 
• Mom said: Dad needs to be alive and healthy for Mei Mei and Henry's wedding in June. He can't go away and risk being sick. 
• Dad said he'll go to HK at the end of 2023.

So it's just me and mom on the trip....

We used our TSA Precheck (don't have to take off shoes, belt, or laptop out of bag, shorter line). I still had to take off my Birkenstocks cause the metal buckle made the machine beep. Mom loved these brown chairs that swiveled. Mom and Auntie Debbie video called on WhatsApp to practice for when mom's away. And even though it's a video call, mom talked into the phone. 😂

Mom LOVED her seat on the plane. She could stretch out her legs and had access to the aisle for the restroom. Though she covered her head/body with her blanket, she told me when the flight was over that she couldn't sleep. The person sitting next to her was moving around a lot. Me on the other hand? Mom said that I was snoring loudly while sleeping. Poor people next to me. 

Well, I can't use my CPAP machine on the plane!

Cousin in law, Matteo, kindly met us at the airport and we rode the MTR and taxi to Wan Chai area. 

Hong Kong views are gorgeous. 

 

Baby Luca is 10 months old and the happiest baby ever! He doesn't cry when we look at him or hold him. He enjoys playing, clapping, and babbling. 

We settled in, and unpacked. Mom took a nap, while I went out with Matteo to get my bearings on where we were in relation to the main streets, etc. We're just a 15 minutes walk down the hill and some steep stairs from businesses and shops. I told mom, we can walk down, but will be taking the mini van or taxi back up. I know what are outings will be like. She'll buy up a storm, fill our backpacks, and there's no way I could walk up the hill and be happy. However, Rowena could do it as practice for her Tour De Mont Blanc trip! 

 

After mom's nap, we took a walk out and had dumplings! Broth was so yummy. You had a choice of ordering a bowl of 5 or 10 dumplings. Mom ordered a bowl of 10 and I was going to order a bowl of 5. She said to order 10 and we would have a total of 20 dumplings! I didn't think we'd be able to eat all of that. I was right. We ended up buying a container and taking the rest to go. Mom was hungry and over-ordered. I'm going to have to take the reins. 

Lee Tung Avenue is such a beautifully decorated space. 

I love all the lanterns, flowers, plants that are out for the Year of the Rabbit!

These stands are so fun to check out!

Mom is shopping for next year's decorations. We must've gone into five stores looking at all the decorations. And wow, there are so many vairiations. 

The kumquat trees were outside so many businesses! They are full of fruit! Kumquat trees are popular decorations symbolizing wealth and good luck. 

We took a break a McDonald's looking for specialty foods. We got the red bean custard pie. Drinks- milk tea for me and hot coffee for mom. It's surprisingly warm in HK. 

Went into a wedding shop looking for a red head piece for Mei. Which one do you like?

More New Year Decorations shopping. There was a store that sold all kinds of red envelopes in Causeway Bay. It was incredible!

Mom really loves drinking sugar cane juice. Glad she stopped and got some. 

I looked at this display of mochi, specifically mango mochi. Really wanted some, but I was still full from dumplings and iced milk tea. I walked past it and will get it another time. Another customer at the stand said I had self-control. Mmm, just don't want to eat when I'm so full!

We walked back to Wan Chai and hung out until dinner time. I could just sit and people watch and absorb this atmosphere for quite some time. 

 We decided to go to Modern China Restaurant for dumplings and noodles. However, Matteo mentioned that he was feeling a bit tired and wanted us to know (in case it was a symptom of Covid). Uncle Anthony, Auntie Rosemary, and Emily have Covid. Since Mom and I are trying to stay health so that we can really enjoy the trip, I suggested that we eat at an outdoor spot. Conveniently, there was a ramen place next door and that's what we ate! Super yummy, super full- again. 

Congratulations to Emily and Matteo on their fourth wedding anniversary. So sorry that Emily is sick, but good to have time to be home to recover. 

Feeling blessed to be in Hong Kong with mom and family. It's good to be back after five years. I'm grateful for a place to stay. Grateful for my able body to get me around on foot. Grateful to see Claire and Luca at this point in their lives. Grateful to have conversations with cousins. Grateful for the helpers that work with my family in Hong Kong. They make my stay an even more pleasant one. 

Hoping to get my daily mediation sessions in so that I can practice mindfulness and being grounded.