Friday was another awesome day in the life of Evan the Lame. Sidenote: I just read a chapter in my Chinese history book about a young man named Tamerlane, or Tamur the Lame in his native language, who raped and pillaged every town from northern Turkey to southern India, so “lame” isn’t so bad. Apparently he was a cripple, which I am not. Anyway, I had two God awful classes and then came back and took the first nap I’ve taken in Hong Kong. I woke just in time to see half my program and all my friends off to some marathon cooking class they had signed up with awhile back. I didn’t come here to play Top Chef, so I skipped that. What I did do was get lost in the chaos of Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei, the neighborhoods around where I love.
The pedestrian traffic at night on many of these streets is so heavy that cars wont even try to get through. I put my iPod to “Where the Streets Have No Name” and walked it out all the way down with only my camera in tow. It was a blast. I loved just walking down the streets with my music in, among the crowds I felt alone. My friend Melanie once said that loneliness can breed contentment and I completely agree. I was alone because of choice and seeing Hong Kong on my terms.
Saturday was definitely not on my terms, as I was required to attend a school fieldtrip. It was a flashback to that third grade trip to a farm that everyone in suburbia takes. It’s supposed to awaken us to the hard life of a farmer, but I just thought it stank and wondered why we needed cows for milk. Isn’t this the 21st century? Where’s my instant food maker? Nonetheless, the 11 of us and my favorite professor, Prof. Hase, struck out towards the HK Museum of History. Professor Hase is a stocky older man who has to sit the length of our two hour lectures on Thursday and Friday. He majored in Ancient English Ecclesiastical Studies, but somehow found enough brain space to store an incredible amount of Chinese historical knowledge. He’s brilliant, and he reminds me of Prof. Slughorn from Harry Potter to boot, accent and all. The museum was great, especially with Hase telling us how he is on the advisory board and helped purchase a lot of the storefronts that line the “HK in the Early 20th Century” exhibit. Quite spectacular. Due to the heat (96 degrees and 93% humidity), we cut our visits to Chi Lin nunnery and Kowloon’s Tin Hau temple a bit short, but those were both great as well. Saturday night a group of us went for our tri-weekly Mexican, to a restaurant called Agave in LKF, the local club/bar district. Agave had the best margaritas I’ve ever had (Which of course arne’t many), especially the Wild Berry ones. So good. That’s all I have for Agave, though.
I won’t write any more and bore you all. I did however put up new pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/evanjdoran. Thank you for reading!
Evan, napping is a GOOD thing. and learn to cook jerk!–we all know I cant and the peanut butter sandwiches and dominoes aren’t going to cut it for -two- semesters, though bekah is a great cook, so maybe we’re covered?
you crack me up. miss you!