My last ( I promise) Hong Kong story

 This week spring has finely sprung on my corner of Essex.  The frogs have spawned, flowers are flowering and I even managed to sit in the garden for a while this afternoon.  I have been trying to catch up on all the seed sowing and planting that needs to be done.  For weeks it has been TOO cold to plant anything, now it all needs to go in at once.

I did just want to tell my last story of Hong Kong, my last day there (which seems so long ago now).
My sister decided that we needed to see the Big Buddha, I was not sure what to expect.  We drove to town and took the Star Ferry across the see to the Island of Lantau. 

This was the ferry man, he was dressed like a sailor, and had obviously done this once or twice before.
 A choice of coach or taxi?  We picked the wrong choice and had the most hair raising drive across the island in a taxi.

 We stepped out of the taxi onto dry land(!) and could see the Big Buddha in the distance on top of the hill.  

Lots of gift shops to navigate before walking through this arch and up to the steps. 

Doesn't look too bad, just a few steps up, my sister wisely waited at the bottom with the pram, and sent me, Dan and the baby up!  With instructions for a photo of the baby at the top!  We approached the ticket office and thought that entrance tickets had to be purchased and that they included an ice cream (we didn't really want one) and climbed up all these steps

At the top!  Phew!

Time for my ice cream? 

We went to the ice cream stall and were told that we had to get our tickets stamped by the lady inside the building, in we went, tickets stamped, clicker clicked and ticked off on the clipboard.  We had a brief look around and then went back to the ice cream stall and..........

An ice cream and a drink!  Turns out we didn't actually have to buy a ticket, it was just for the ice cream!!

We then looked around the Monastery, where everyone was buying incense sticks and burning them, the air was thick!  We then took the cable car back down to the main land, a very long journey, took at least half an hour

It was an amazing day out, so many different types of transport and views.
 

 

ANTIQUES OR CARBOOT?

Yesterday my friend, tales from the greengate and I  went on a little outing to Ipswich.  We were heading to, what used to be called the Suffolk Show Ground and is now known as Trinity Park.  We were doing a spot of "Kirsty Allsopping" (as in Vintage Home) and going to a vintage and antiques fair. It wasn't quite like on the telly though, more carboot with some proper antiques thrown in.

Also running at the same venue was a Joules Outlet shop.  We even had to queue to get in!  Lots of lovely clothes, but all in the wrong size for me! 

 GreenGate(!) found two cups and saucers at a good price!

I have always wanted a darning mushroom, homemade socks get a lot of holes in them.

There were lots of stalls like this one selling a mixture of old stuff that had seen better days

And this one

And this one, it seems that you need a caravan, an awning and some carboot junk.

I bought this rather beautiful brooch.  An allotment brooch?  A watering can with a trowl, fork, peapod and sunflower dangling from it - love it!

 

MORE HONG KONG STORIES

I haven't finished my tales from my visit to Hong Kong last month.  One evening we got a taxi into Central and then took the ferry across the harbour.

This is the view we saw looking back from the boat.  At night all the buildings are lit up.

This was another ferry going back the other way.

When we got to the other side we stood an watched the light show.  This happens every evening and lasts for around 15 minutes.  The lights on all the buildings flash and move and lasers flash around the sky  - quite impressive!  

 And then we went for dinner, to the coolest, shiniest, highest up restaurant that I have ever been to.  It was 27 floors and glass and mirrors everywhere. The menu choice was either Italian or Japanese.

We started with cocktails - a Raspberry Bellini for me.  This was my starter a Mozzarella salad

Followed by the most Delicious mushroom risotto, even though it did look quite like a bowl of porridge!

This was something my sister had, that looked quite amazing, but I am not sure what it was.

Here is Daniel, who managed to book the best table, with the best view of Hong Kong!
 

 

RUSTY DRAIN PIPES AND HAPPY EVER AFTERS

On Saturday my friend Kathryn got married, her she is with her new husband James, her sister, their parents and their children

 it was a bit chilly, good thing they had those fur wraps!

We were invited to the church for the blessing and then to the reception which was held at the new gallery in Colchester called Firstsite

 

The gallery is quite controversial in the town, it costs loads money, was paid for out of council tax and worst of all (for some) it was built on the bus station.  Now there is no bus station, just lots of stops around the town and a massive, unusual art gallery which has displays like:

 Rusty drainpipes!! (can you see the word?) I think that there is a lot of modern art, which of course does not please those who would have preferred a bus station!

I hadn't had an opportunity to visit the gallery until now, so was quite pleased to go, unfortunately much of it was closed off for the wedding, so I didn't get to see as much as I would have liked, but will go back.

 This is the cake or cakes(!) the whole family sitting on top of the main cake and lots of different flavour cupcakes.

EASTER SWAP

Back in the depths of winter I spotted a swap, an Easter/ Spring swap organised by Joy at Daisy Row

The idea was to fill an ice cream tub with things related to Easter or Spring, wrap it up in a piece of fabric and tie with ribbon.  Post this to your swap partner and wait for the postman to bring you your surprise.

I was matched up with Kat at Kat a pillar

Spent a while thinking about what I could put in, then went off on my holidays and when I got back was a bit busy, so didn't get it posted until just before Easter, thankfully Kat was only a few days ahead of me, so our parcels arrived at almost the same time!  
This is my one all tied up.

And here is what I sent some Egg decorations, craft supplies, spring flower tissues, flower seeds, a candle (called spring rain, I couldn't find one called spring snow!!)  a chocolate bunny and a packet of Haribo (I think that these are someones favourite!)

 I opened a brown paper wrapped parcel and found a tub wrapped in this bright fabric with a beautiful ribbon tying it up

 And inside that was a decorated tub, painted green with stickers on the top

And inside that was a lovely  little book with quotes in it

A wooden bookmark, very pretty pink with a butterfly and dangly bit!

 I think Kat had sussed out that I am a gardener as next was this garden thermometer.  Need to find a good place to hang it up.

 

then this little gnome, with a big smile.  I think I will find a spot for him at the allotment.

And no swap is complete without chocolate and as an Easter swap what better than a bag of Mini Eggs.  mmmmm...  my favourite!

Here it is all together

 My very big thanks to Joy for organising this and to Kat for the lovely gifts

 

MARCH SCAVENGER HUNT

Well! I think that this has probably been the coldest snowiest March I have ever known.  At least I spent one week away in Hong Kong, where it was nice and warm.  While I was there I collected almost all my photos for this months Scavenger hunt, so with no futher rambling.....


The GREEN ribbons I bought in "Ribbon Street"

The THREE people that I went to stay with in Hong Kong, my sister, my brother-in-law and my nephew (under the hat!!)

Not sure if this is a traffic warden or police man, but is definitely a PERSON IN UNIFORM

At the Big Buhdda they sold bubble toys and here are some BUBBLES blowing in the wind

Two pairs of SHOES in the Chanel Shop at Hong Kong airport

This is my baby nephews TOY basket, I popped "Original Bunny" at the front as this is his very favourite thing. 

 

At the Peak, a very ornate GATE topped off with lots of barbed wire!

We went out for lunch and had Dim Sum, one choice was 1000 year old EGGS, had to try them, tasted better than they looked.

 

Forgot to take a photo of the best desert that I had, which was Panacotta with baked peaches!  But here is another DESSERT an apple muffin and mocha.

WATER,  yes I managed a paddle in the sea, but it was a bit chilly, well it is only March!

Two BRIDGES in the distance as we traveled back down the mountian on the cable car from the Big Buhdda, quiet a view of the airport on the left hand side.

this was my tricky one this month, I couldn't find anything while I was away, but have just finished using up a whole tin of this paint to do the Kitchen cupboards and now it is  EMPTY.

That is is for this month!  Thanks to Green Thumb for organising this and I wonder what she has up her sleeve for April?