song birds

I had an unexpectedly busy week away from the computer! I cannot wait to show you what I have I been up to in a little bit, but in the meantime, I'd like to continue to take you through our experiences in Hong Kong.

Jin and I spent a day going through the interesting market streets of Mong Kok. There is a 'goldfish street' and a 'flower street' where an entire street has stores dedicated to selling everything you need to start an aquarium or a garden. My favourite market street was 'Bird Street'. I loved looking at all the colourful song birds and the beautiful wooden birdcages. We were highly considering shipping one of these intricate birdcages home. Maybe we will on our next visit...

Bird Street is also where men come to show off their song birds to other bird owners. I never questioned why some men carried birds in cages around with them wherever they go, I just accepted it from a young age. I like that these men pamper and treasure their little song birds.

Antiques & Treasures

Jin and I had some days to ourselves when my family was at work. On one of those days, we went to Hollywood Road in Central where there are some Chinese antique stores to see, and Man Mo temple. The inside of Man Mo temple was amazing. Unfortunately, they didn't allow any photos inside.

While the antique stores were interesting to see, I had more fun looking through the market stalls on Upper Lascar Row (aka Cat Street). These vendors carried items that were perfect as souvenirs because they were small and affordable. Some items were new, some were old, and some were just made to look old! It is a short pedestrian street, but every time I turned my head, there was something colourful that caught my eye.

visiting our ancestors

My aunts brought us to pay our respects to my other grandfather and my great grandmother up in the mountains, not far away from the city. The sights truly blew me away.

My great grandmother rests in an older style cemetery where they all sit pretty close together and the headstones are all shaped this way. We asked someone to repaint the words on the stone as part of keeping her resting place clean.

This is one of my most favourite places we visited in Hong Kong. It was so peaceful there.

with my grandparents

The first thing we did when we woke up in Hong Kong was visit my grandparents. My parents, cousins, uncles & aunts told me that they have gotten much older, and thought to myself, of course they have. But it doesn't really hit you until you see it for yourself.

I have always liked my grandfather. I remember him as a funny man and 20 years later, he still makes me laugh. He is such a good man. He is nearly 90 and he still takes care of everyone around him. Especially my grandmother who has changed the most because of her health condition. She struggles to do daily things like eating lunch, but he is patient with her every bite. As I watched this, the only thought going through my mind was 'this must be what true love looks like'.

We visited my grandparents a few times over our visit. He took Jin and I for a walk in the park. I love the photograph of my uncle and my grandfather gazing over the pond. Maybe it is because I spent time with them, but I think you can tell just by looking at them that they are father and son.