more orchids 

orchids galore 

flower market in Hong Kong 

Cage-maker 

Pretty bird! 

yep, its all for sale at the bird market in Hong Kong 

Orange condos, and cages hanging in Hong Kong bird market 

stuff for sale... Don;t know what though for Chinese New Year 

street decorations Chinese New Year 

crowded strees for Chinese New Year 

Market --NOT Bloomingdale's! 

Knots of red decorations for Chinese New Year 

really large grapefruit things at Chinese New Year market 

Alex and me baking a cake 

monkey with MY cup 

monkey with MY soda can 

March 20, 2005

Hi all!
I must confess, I am delinquent with this newsletter because I have not been doing much! I suppose that can be translated into “settling in.” I suppose I am.
Mid February marked Chinese New Year, which means we are now in the year of the Rooster. The Chinese have an entirely different way of calculating time. I have a friend named Min who was born on the same day but a year later then her brother—according to our calendar. However, according to the Chinese calendar, they are actually a few weeks apart. The new year starts with a new moon, so it happens at different times according to our calendar. The celebration lasts 15 days and the last day is marked by a lantern festival and parades. The timing is based on lunar and solar movements, on a cycle of 29.5 days—and every 7 years they add a month (like our leap year). Complete with their own horoscopes, it is quite a celebration. Our office was closed for two days, and in Hong Kong, offices were closed for a week. As for gift giving, everyone gives each other tangerines (two is proper) and red packets—little red envelopes with cash. 8 dollars being the minimum, denominations in multiples of two. They decorate pussy-willows and plants with ornaments made of paper and figurines standing for wealth, happiness and health. I went to a New Year’s party where the night was spent playing games—Majong and 21. Like any good gambler, I was up in the beginning and went home penniless. My hosts got two tangerines and all my winnings!
At the end of February, I went to Hong Kong –This time, a girlie trip resulting in shopping and a French impressionist art show (what better place to see French art than in Hong Kong). We also went to the bird and flower markets. The flowers were amazing, mainly Orchids. With all the pollution in Hong Kong, the scent of flowers is completely refreshing! Just behind a huge cement wall was the Bird market where all kinds of birds and cages were for sale. Birds that I never have seen before with so many different colors and voices. They didn’t understand when I said “pretty bird” (neither did their vendors, actually). Some birds fly around looking for someone to buy them, however most are confined in “condo” cages. The local wild birds came around for socializing and no doubt any food they could gather. Oh, and the food for birds, that they sold too….grasshoppers and maggots make for a healthy Tweety! The cages for sale were made of wood with little porcelain bowls birds can feed from—Very classy. The craftsman (see picture) works where he can be watched by the patrons and each cage is handcrafted with an Asian style.
Staying close to home my friend Hugh, and his 3 year old son, Alex, and I had a picnic at McRitchie reservoir. While reading a story to Alex, a monkey stole the soda next to me. The size of a very large cat, he looked at me, and drank it right out of the cup (see picture with cup). Then he came back for the can and shared it with his friends who surrounded our blanket. Alex had a complete breakdown while Hugh packed away the food in a panic. I threatened to throw my shoe, but thought better of it when one hissed at me. They all ran up a tree (by this point about 20 of them) with the loot from another blanket of picnicers. From the tree above they began to bomb us with what seemed to be carefully prepared ammunition, made of compacted leaves turned into balls held together with saliva. We were being bombed by spitballs! To compound matters, we didn’t put the food away very well, so the next attack was one of a black mass of ants; teeny things with teeth as powerful as a shark--- the bites, oh the bites! We should consider ourselves lucky, I hear there are “guanas” at this park--- very large iguanas the size of alligators!

I was blessed with visitors recently, Suzanne and Jean Pierre who came to Singapore on business—the business of drinking Singapore Slings, lounging by the pool, and massages (chop, chop!) from what I could see.

16 months to go! Yes, no matter how fun it is, I still count the days. Which one of you said it goes by quickly? Time only goes quickly when you look back on it.

You can go to my blog at http://corrininasia.blogspot.com/ for the pictures that go along with this—By popular demand, I am putting this in my email because some folks have no access to pull up my blog.
Keep your emails coming. If I don’t get back immediately, I will soon enough. I love hearing about all the news and seeing pictures of you and the kids. Just because I am far away does not mean I am not a part of your life. You are a part of mine!