Day two in Hong Kong

My second day in Hong Kong was amazing. I was completely spoiled. It started with sleeping in (which was almost a miracle considering jet-lag) followed by a delicious breakfast in bed made by Mason. Since I'm taking a whole week off of school, it was inevitable that I would have to spend at least some time doing homework on this trip, so I worked on a paper for a couple hours, and then we headed out for lunch (me, Mason and Mason's mom).

This lunch was so awesome! Such a fun experience. It was a cooking school, and it was seriously awesome. First thing when we got there, they checked all of our temperatures to make sure we wouldn't contaminate everyone I guess. They led us into the dining room and it was awesome. All the students were wearing these bright green aprons and their teachers were wearing suits. Everyone was wearing little masks covering their mouths - little clear plastic ones held on by strings that went back around their ears. I wish I had taken pictures at this place, but alas. The food was really good, and I actually surprised myself by eating just about everything (there was lots of seafood!) We had chrysanthemum tea, and then tons of little tiny courses, almost like little samples of food. They just brought out one after another. I wanted to just laugh so many times though at the attentiveness of the students. The would like rush over after every sip of water or tea and ask you if they could fill up your cup or little teapot. It seemed like there was always a group of five or six students standing about ten feet away watching our every move. Some of them were so nervous too. So funny.

We came home and I spent a little more time working on my paper, which I finished and emailed to my teacher, and then we headed out to meet one of Mason's friends, Theresa. We went to the IFC mall, where we sampled and purchased fancy chocolates and frozen yogurt and sat outside over looking Hong Kong.

IFC's balcony - I just found this picture online, we were there in the daytime.

We were meeting some of Mason's other friends, Sunny and Jonathan, for dinner so we rode over to the Peninsula hotel on the MTR (Hong Kong's subway that we take everywhere). The Peninsula is this amazing old victorian hotel, and according to Mason, it's the nicest one here. It really was beautiful.

I didn't take these pictures... all from random websites

Sunny and Jonathan are here on business from LA, and it was funny cause I actually served in their ward, just a few months before they moved in. I also had even been to Sunny's parents house. She works for her parents business, which happens to be Sunrider (a family favorite).

We had an incredible meal at the Felix Restaurant.

Our view was amazing! We were seated right next to the window overlooking the city. It was such a fancy restaurant too. I went to use the bathroom, and there was a little lady in there who went and found me a stall and got the door for me... a little awkward, but whatever. Then when I went to wash my hands, she was standing there by this fountain thing (it was actually the sink, but it looked like a really fancy fountain/waterfall thing) and she like pumped my soap for me and dried my hands and everything. Kinda funny.

The food was so good. I had this really cool salad. They had cut out a slice of a head of iceberg lettuce about and inch thick, and then put the other ingredients on top of it. So tasty! For the main course I had this amazing duck with pumpkin and fois gras and four very artistically-placed green beans. It looked so fancy, and it was SO good! We were going to et dessert, but all of the 10 or so dessert items had alcohol in them, so we went elsewhere for our sugar fix. I ended up with a plate full of fresh watermelon, mango and other fruit, and Mango ice cream. Such a treat! Mason and I eventually made our way back home on the MTR.

I ate a lot of really good food, and was spoiled immensely. It was seriously such a fun day!

the journeys begin...

What's this you ask? Oh, just the view from the window next to me. I'm in Hong Kong, staying at Mason's parent's apartment. I've been here for only three days so far, and so far, I'm having the time of my life! Due to jet lag, I woke up really early today, which is good, cause it gives me some time to blog about my current adventure.

We'll start with last week... It was kind of horrible. I had to take tests early, write papers very quickly, and stay up really late to do my homework that I'd be missing whilst abroad. I was under-rested and overworked, and really just couldn't focus due to intense levels of excited anticipation.

I finally got out of a class that felt like it would never end on Friday morning, ran home, finished packing and getting ready for 24 hours of travel. My mom came to get me and bring me to the aiport (thanks so much for everything mom!) and then we met Brooklyn and Brittany, my lovely sisters, for lunch, which they provided (thanks sissies! love you!) and then I was off to the airport! That whole day is a bit of a blur. I was exhausted and still a little bit in shock I think that I was actually off to the other side of the world. Just didn't seem real.

LA, my city!

I flew into LA, and at Mason's suggestion (thanks Mason!) I spent about 6 hours there. LA is where I served my mission, and I have a lot of love for that place and those people. My dear friend Farnoosh picked me up and brought me to her apartment where she had prepared a feast!

Farnoosh and I

It was amazing! We had fish, and persian rice (with tadig!) and tons of little treats: pistachios straight from Iran (sooo good!) little pastries, and delicious fruit. After dinner we sat and visited for hours drinking this amazing Persian blossom tea (herbaland talking about everything from dating and Persian weddings to Iranian politics and underground movements.

The Persian feast

She eventually brought me back to the airport where I waited for my 1:00 am 15-hour flight. The flight was good... good food, and decent enough seats. I've discovered why sleeping on planes is so hard for me... it's because I always sleep on my side or my tummy, and if I'm on my back, I really just can't sleep at all. The means I can't sleep sitting... Despite all this, I was able to get about 8 hours of less-than-quality sleep, but it was fine.

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When I got to the airport, I'll admit, I was a little nervous. Well excited/nervous. I had no reason to be though, cause as soon as I saw Mason all the nerves left and I was just purely excited! It's so good to see a familiar face in a crowd of strangers.

We went to the Victoria 1st branch for church (the Hong Kong LDS chapel is so beautiful!). It was fun to meet some of the people there (Mason's parents included!) I was super tired and was still lugging around my luggage. I had changed in the bathroom at the church into somewhat wrinkled church clothes. After church Mason and I went on a walk and just kind of looked around. We caught the bus and went back to the apartment for lunch - super yummy fajitas. This apartment building is so cool by the way. I love the front entrance and the way it's all designed. I'll have to get some pics later.

Later in the afternoon we went to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Museum. It's this beautiful old mansion that the LDS church owned for a couple decades and then sold. Now it's a museum. Obviously. Mason used to go to church at this place, and even baptized his little brother in the font which remains near the front entrance. It was so cool to see how they'd restored this old building, and super fun to have Mason pointing out little details, and explaining how it used to function as a church. That evening we went to the Peak - which provides a lovely view of Hong Kong. We took this little trolly car thing up the hill and hung out for a bit up there and took a cab home.

At the old church building/new museum

I was exhausted by the end of the day, but it was such a fun day that I didn't even mind. Hopefully before too long I can write about day 2!

One day!

In just 24 hours (exactly!) I'm leaving Utah and heading to Hong Kong! I can't wait, and I can't focus on the paper I'm supposed to be writing. It doesn't help that I'm studying in the "Asian Collection" section of the library...

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