Friday 31 March 2017

Hong Kong - March 2017

Love buying flowers at the market...



As a reward for doing well in his first Chinese test, we took Callum to the Cat Cafe in TST. You book a table and pay a set fee and you can sit there for as long as you want. For the fee, you get 2 drinks. The coffee was good and the food looked nice, although we didn't try any. It was a nice relaxing atmosphere and Callum enjoyed it.


On Sunday 19 March, Jacqui took Eliza to the airport for her school camp to Sri Lanka ! Yoga and surfing. Sounds amazing.

On Monday, Callum headed to his school camp on Lantau Island, and Jacqui headed to Sydney.

On Wednesday 22 March, my friend Julie, and her friend Michelle, arrived for a few days, on their way to Vietnam. I took them to Mirza's birthday drinks at Red on top of IFC, with workmates. Then we headed to Wang Fu for dinner. They were pretty tired so we went home after that. 

On Thursday night, we went to Temple Street and wandered through the markets, found Sneaker Street and the Ladies Market in Mongkok, and then to Aqua in One Peking.

Friday night we went to Wooloomooloo in Wan Chai, followed by Fu Lu Shou in Hollywood Road. after that we had some noodles in Elgin Street and then to The Iron Fairies where there was a great band.

Wooloomooloo Rooftop Bar in Wan Chai...


View over Happy Valley Racecourse...


Friends for 30+ years...


Iron Fairies...


Saturday morning I put them in a taxi at 6am. I then went to the airport to pick up Eliza who flew in from Columbo, Sri Lanka. 

Another day, Jacqui, Callum and I went to Ma Wan which is an island under the Tsing Yi Bridge. We caught a ferry from Central. They have a replica Noah's Ark and a nice beach...



One afternoon Callum and I discovered the electronics market at Sam Shui Po...


We then wandered around Temple Street where he insisted on solving all the Rubiks Cubes...


Dinner at Temple Street Night Market...


Street market...


One Sunday I had a friend here from Singapore, so I took him to the Big Buddha and then to Tai O. I had been to Tai O before but didn't really enjoy it as it was packed with mainlander tours. This day was much better, maybe because it was the Sunday before Ching Ming Festival and very quiet.



Big Buddha...




View from our lounge room...never get tired of it...



Dinner at the new noodle place right near us...

Friday 17 March 2017

Limassol to Hong Kong - Wednesday 17 March 2017

Woke and went for a last work along the beach, then breakfast. Checked out and taxi to airport. Easy check-in and immigration. Hung out in Swissport lounge.

Easy flight to Doha. Good legroom in the A320 from LCA to DOH...


Long layover at Doha, so booked a sleeping cubicle and had a nap.

The lounge at Hamad International is pretty impressive...


Easy flight back to Hong Kong. Only 6.5 hours. I'm sure it was longer the other way. 

Cute vanity pack...


Good to be home.



Tuesday 14 March 2017

Limassol - Monday 13 March and Tuesday 14 March 2017

Woke Monday to gorgeous blue skies. D'oh...

Filled car with petrol and left keys with Reception as it will be picked up.

Normal work day. For dinner tried a new place near the castle. Prawn and mango salad. I am eating such big breakfasts and heavy lunches that for dinner all I want is a salad.

Tuesday also a lovely day. Walked down to the beach and put my feet in the water. I really want to swim but it's on 14 degrees with a very cold wind. So no swim today.

Walked to work as usual. My last day in the office as I leave tomorrow.

Dinner at a different place near the castle. I tried the moussaka which was good.

A last walk along the beach...



Treats at breakfast...


Tai Chi...


Cypriot bakery...


Monday 13 March 2017

Omodos and Paphos (again!) - Sunday 12 March 2017

The weather is even worse today. Oh well. I set off to the mountains. Not far from Limassol is Omodos. It's a nice European village in the foothills of the Troodos Mountains.

Walked around. Lots of narrow cobbled streets. Had a coffee.

Then drove back to Paphos. I ran out of time yesterday and missed Tomb of the Kings and the main archeological site which had all the mosaics. I liked Tomb of the Kings.

Then drove to Governors Beach on the other side of Limassol for lunch. Weather was truly awful so drove back and had lunch in hotel.

At night I drove up to marina / old town and went to microbrewery for dinner, next to the castle. I keep being drawn back to this area.

You can't see but the car is filthy thanks to dirty rain caused by dust blowing over from Africa...


Omodos Bakery...I took the photo in case I got lost and couldn't find my way out...breadcrumbs etc...



Omodos main square...





Part of the monastery...





Cyprus coffee...had it with sugar this time...it's growing on me...



Paphos archeological site...








Tomb of the Kings...





Melbourne - June 2024

 Had to go to Melbourne for work. Flew on the Monday morning and straight to the office. After work I checked in to Voco and crossed Lonsdal...