Saturday, July 7, 2012

Hong Kong1: Contemplation and Cookies!

Another amazing day! Up at 4:30 to catch an early flight Hong Kong. Chuni and Michael got their temperature taken to rule out bird flu. Picked up by Chuni and Chia's friends. Father Paul, head of the Trappist Monastery and Lucy. Good thing we partied with the Bunons yesterday as quiet contemplation and prayer is the mission of the Trappist order and we are staying at the Monastery on Lantau Island tonight. Simple food and quiet, I presume. I am ready for that!!

But first, NUMEROUS plates of dim sum at the outlet mall. treated by Lucy and her husband, a retired government veterinarian.

Then, a quick trip to Disneyworld, then Sky 100 for the amazing view from the observation deck.

Lucy had to leave, so Fr. Paul whipped us through Sky 100, then we ran for subway then ran to a ferry to Discovery Bat in Lantau Island. We then walked 2 miles with our backpacks and suitcase through a squatter's area and small village right on the bay. Gorgeous. Up and down and up mountains at a FAST clip. We were sweating bullets except for Fr. Paul. (Quiet contemplation will do that for you.) Accommodations are modest and comfortable though Chuni was freaked out by the cute little gecko inside my room.

Fr. Paul gave us 5 minutes to take a cold shower before benedictions. Then we ate a modest dinner of rice, soup a little meat and salad before a private mass Fr. Paul said just for us in a tiny chapel. Right after mass, pre-bed benediction. All in Cantonese with some Mandarin. So peaceful.

Fr. Paul said the Trappists run a dairy farm business but the cows are on Mainland China. The part of the industry they do here is make BUTTER COOKIES!!!! Woohoooo! They don't make them on Sunday, though and we have to leave early tomorrow, although the monks get up at 3:30 am, so maybe we could join them if we got up that early! Fr. Paul gave us 3 boxes of the cookies, so we do get fed everywhere we go!

In my little room writing this during quiet time. Will see our friend's daughter, Leigh, who just moved to Hong Kong with her husband, Chi, (who is from here) and their darling baby, Julia tomorrow.

If I don't have the power to post from here, it will have to be tomorrow morning with free WiFi on the ferry!

I can't believe how lucky I am to be having this incredible experience.

On the ferry now with Brother Samuel!
Adding pix of our departure!!

4 comments:

  1. Hi colleen!
    It's Mary-Anne, I finally remembered to read your blog! :)
    Nice to see your still enjoying your trip, I'm already back home studying and working again:(.
    How long are you in hong kong?
    If you have time you should go to Tim Ho Wan in Mongkok. Theyre a little shop, with a Michelin star! Me and Alice waited two hours for a table. But we ate like 10 dishes that tasted amazing, and only coated us like $20australian ;D


    Hope your trip is going well!!

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    1. Hi Mary-Anne from Australia! Good to hear from you! Good luck with your studies and keep in touch. Even though you weren't a BOB, (back of busser, I felt close to you ever since you saved me from getting lost! Hi to Alice and thanks for the HK tips. We leave here Wednesday evening.

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  2. Hi Colleen,
    Wow, quite a mixture of pictures.
    I am looking foward to the milk cookies, although I am not sure Chuni will have any space in her luggage for them.
    By now you know well that you cannot count on Michael to help you for anything in a car, or boat, or airplane. He most likely would be dozing off and you probably have taken notice, since you caught him in no-action in many pictures :)
    You must feel very refreshed with the meditation in the quite monastery last night and are ready for the exciting part of Hong Kong :)
    Have fun!
    Chia

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  3. I would say at least 1/4 of your blog is pictures of poor Michael sleeping. I would be sleeping too if I woke up that early! Eve the ferry ride look beautiful! My favorite picture is of you and Chuni in the little wooden faces haha. The monastery sounds terrific, too bad you couldnt stay a tiny bit longer!
    On to read your next post, I had two whole ones saved to read at work today, hooray!
    han

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