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hkfromhk
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Name: Howard
Country: United States
Birthday: 10/3/1986
Gender: Male
Interests: Photography, Computers, Videogames, Clasic Rock, Cycling, stage lighting
Expertise: ...expertise? me?
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Other
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
6/7/2003
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| Bonnie Tyler- Total Eclipse of the Heart
September 3rd.... I have one month left in being a teenager. Come to think of it I have never done much of the cliche teenager stuff. Never went on a road trip. Never went skinny dipping. Never got so trashed that I urinate publicly . I never had any of those American Pie moments... well maybe one or two. Not that I regret not doing those stuff. Now I have one month left. Is there something I have to do to justify my existance?
Anyways, i'm definitely feeling my age.
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| Currently Listening to:
Not listneing to music, iPod not next to me.
So I went down to NYC to visit Karen. It's so great to see her again, she seems to be very happy these days.
We went to Norma's in Le Parker Meridien for brunch. It's a very nice breakfast only restaurant with ridiculously good (and filling) creative french food. I ordered a duck confit with poached eggs on top. Karen ordered Macaroni and Cheese with lobster. For some reason, her dish took over 45 minutes to come out. She was famished by the time her food arrived. Apart from the delay, the restaurant was excellent.
I just cruised around NYC in the afternoon because Karen had to go back to her office for work, on a Saturday. We met up again for dinner. She promised to bring me to somewhere fancy because she just received a very generous bonus from work. We ended up going to Jean Georges in the Trump Hotel. It was a wicked nice restaurant. Karen was so proud that she could bring her little brother to somewhere nice that she didn't cared what we ordered. We ended up ordering the tasting menu, which was fantastic.
We just chilled at home at night. We're not crazy party seekers. Reading and resting is what both of us need.
I'm also very pleased to find out that she really likes Beyond's "HaikuoTiankong" (ummm.... I don't even want to translate it, i'd just butcher it). This is my absolute favorite song of all time. When she selected this song on her iPod I thought she choosed this song for me. I thanked her for selecting this song. She said "what do you mean?"
hk: Are you kidding me? Did you choose this song because you like it?
kk: Yeah of course. I love this song.
By this point I thought she was being her usualy sarcastic self making fun of me for liking this song. Some people find it corny, and I thought she thought so as well. I still thought she chose this song because she knew I liked it.
hk: No way Karen. I love this song
kk: Really? I never knew that. I really like the song. I find it very inspiring.
It's just cool to know we share another favorite song. | | |
| Listening toL
Kyo - Le Chemin
My last stay in Europe was spent in the Charles de Gaulle Airport in France. With around 4 hours to kill I managed to wander around the Airport and went around terminal 2, the new extension.
I arrived in 2F, which is now half international and half domestic.
2F spots a modern design with lots of glass for sunlight.
When I checked in in Bordeaux, I was very surprised to find that my Air France flight for Boston was located in terminal 2E. This was the ill fated terminal that collapsed a few years ago
A bit of wishful thinking, I was hoping that the terminal may have reopened after 3 years.
When I arrived at the Check in point, everything seems normal. The public area is beautifully decorated.
They still have the really really cool message board.
However once you passed the security check point you see that the entire area is covered by temporary set up walls. I am not entirely sure I am allowed to take pictures in the restricted area... I hope I don't get in trouble for posting these.
we are directed through iron sheeted hallways into an extension of the terminal
I'm not sure if this extension existed before or was built temporarily after the collapse of 2E. Regardless, this is a very boring terminal that has a tiny duty free shop and an overpriced cafe. I think there's also a Relay and a mini Virgin Electronics. Otherwise it's very bald.
I took the liberty to ask a security gaurd if I could wander to other terminals because I still had 3 hours to kill, after spending over an hour in the pathetic 2E. They let me ride the transfer buses to different terminals. Unfortunately the only terminal I was allowed to enter was 2B, since all other terminals require a boarding pass that permits me to enter their terminal. I tried to explain my situation to the guards ("Dude I have 3 hours and you have to admit 2E is very very plain now....") but their respond would be "Nothing to see here, please go back to your terminal." I was hoping not to stirr too much suspicion so I didn't push too much, nor take pictures during this ordeal. Grrrr At least I killed another 2 hours riding the bus. So finally I remained in 2E and waited until I was allowed to board my plane.
I considered going to Terminal 1 to find "Afred" Merhan Karimi Nasseri, this dude have been living in CDG terminal 1 for the past 18 years. His life has inspired the 2004 movie "The Terminal." But I didn't want to draw too many attention by going to Terminal 1, which was pretty far away, so I scratched the idea. | | |
| Currently listening to:
Cake- Comfort Eagle
This will be the second last of my Europe trip blog. Tomorrow I will report my day in the Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and I will be done. I hope you've all enjoyed my entries and the colorful pictures. After today I will resume in reporting my banal everyday life in Somerville 02143......
This picture was actually taken in the evening... I don't have the self discipline to wake up at 6 am in the morning to take photos. I have to admit that when we left home at 6am on our last day to catch a plane I saw St Emilion in all its morning glory.
For most of this trip I was on my own, so I have to take my own pictures
Although the area is most famous for St Emilion, we actually go to the town of Libourne for our everyday affairs such as grocery shopping. Libourne is much less fascinating than St Emilion, but a beautiful town in its own right.
Libourne was a city built by the English during the 100 year war, when this area of France was under English control. It is important as it is next to the river Isles, which goes straight into the Dordogne River, which was a major trading route at that period
If you come by train from Paris, you would get off from the Libourne train station
Anyways, we were originally staying in St Emilion until Saturday, and go to Paris for 2 days. Elaine would meet us there for the weekend. However because of my mother's infection (and subsequent hospitalization), we had to make last minute plans to stay in St Emilion. Elaine therefore flew down to meet us there.
This kid is a good childhood friend of mine. We went to the same elementary school and secondary school in Hong Kong. The kid is two years younger than I am. He was home staying in Paris and we were going to meet him over the weekend. Because of our last minute plans, we made him spend the weekend in the countryside with us. Here's a very awkward picture showing us wearing polo of very uncomfortably similar color
Just kidding. He's a cool kid.
Before I let you go today, Let's talk about Grocery Shopping. As mentioned, we do grocery shopping in the town of Libourne. Specifically we go to Carrefour for most of our grocery needs.
This place is the equivalent to Walmart of France. It's a huge superstore that sells everything at a bargain price. The company is huge and expands all over souther France. There's also a lot of them in China as well as other Asian countries.
What I would like to share with you is the curious arrangement of its liquor selection.
On your right is the hard liquor. Vodka, Tequila, Rum, Scotch, you name it.
On your left are children snacks and chips. So if kids want their Bonbons, they'll have to go into the same row as the hard liquor selection.
Imagine the outcry of conservatives if such a catastrophe is found in the US of A. One can only imagine the French made such an arrangement because the chips compliments the liquor rather well in parties, and delays the effects of alcohol on the consumer. In this train of thought, the chips obviously go side by side with liquor.
Alright, that's it for the day.
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