Hong Kong Feb 2015

Taking advantage of the CNY long weekend, wifey and I took a short trip to Hong Kong my favorite city. It’s near from home with nice weather and of course meeting up with friends and visiting relatives for the CNY.

We took a morning flight arriving in Hong Kong just before noon. As the hotel check-in was at 2pm, we took a slow ride to the city on a public bus. This time round our hotel, Wifi Boutique was in the Hong Kong Island away from the city buzz of Kowloon - I thought so. Actually it’s not; it was just a stone throw from Causeway Bay – the happening area in Hong Kong Island. The place was so crowded at any time of the day. Not so bad though as there were three Indonesian Restaurants in the vicinity and a walking distance to the Islamic centre, the usual place where I lunch with my Hong Kong friends.

During week end, Indonesian house maids will fill the street and shopping areas. They are almost everywhere. Some even set up stalls in the street market. Not surprising the some local street vendors can speak Indonesian and Javanese.

This was my 10^th times here in Hong Kong with the 1st one thirty years ago in 1985 and the last one was last year. There were lots of changes in the landscape with old buildings tore down and new ones coming up. But the most distinct of all is the changes in the social environment - with the influx of mainland Chinese. They were pushy at the MTR station, noisy at the shopping area, so on and so forth but they are the big spender – welcome by the shop keepers but dislike by the others. In fact, the recent political unrest in Hong Kong was partly because of this. Anyway, that’s their business and we have ours to tend to. 

Having said that, Hong Kong is a nice place to be in between Nov and March with its cool weather. I’ll be back for sure.

At a community park in Chai Wan

Aberdeen 2015

Aberdeen 1985

Famous Chinese Halal Restaurant

As ussual - wifey's favourite, shopping

My favourite- a must in every trip - LP shopping

My usual Hong Kong kakis - Ah Sum and Charlie

CNY 2015

This year CNY was more eventful than ever albeit a little sadness because MIL was hospitalized due to some medical condition and FIL is still in the Home for the Aged. However, all had a chance to be together for a day celebrating this annual festival.

reunion dinner with friends - Richard and Mok

In fact the celebration starts early for me with a reunion dinner with wifey & friends a week before the festival. Then, we had another reunion dinner at home with my kids and grandkids together with nephew and niece.

Mok & Swee Leng, Richard & Josephine with wifey and me

Family reunion dinner on the eve of CNY 2015

photo session after 'lo hei'

On the actual CNY, we fetched FIL from the ‘Home’ for family celebrations at my SIL place. It was a day of chaotic happiness with 4 generations of family members gathered at one place.

Morning of CNY with the twins offering me oranges in exchange for an ang pow

Aliya waiting for the ang pow

bigger family lo hei

Nuri offering oranges to 'Ah Cho" (Great Grandma)

The next day, wifey and I left for Hong Kong for another reunion with friends there. It shows that having family members, brothers and sisters, buddies and old friends to talk, chat and laugh is true happiness.  So it’s a good start for the year of the Goat. 

with relatives in Hong Kong

reunion with friends in Hong Kong

Here wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year.

Family trip to Jogja and Semarang 12 - 16 Dec 2014

In less than a week of returning from Osaka, we were up in a flight again, to Jogjakarta with family members and my siblings. There were 14 of us and travelling in one big family was such a fun. We hired a 16-seater van that took us to Prambanan and Borobudur on the 2^nd day when we were joined by Irfan and Sarah who flew in later.

1st day in Jogja

Prambanan as background

Prambanan

the in-laws

wifey and daughters

Fun shot for the guys

Fun shot for the ladies

 

posed by the ruins

Baby Nuri also want to be in the limelight

the cousins

 

Borobudur as background

Yanti at Borobudur

wifey by the stupas of Borobudur

On the 3^rd day at 8 am we left Jogja for Semarang to meet relatives and cousins in Kendal. The drive took more than 3 hours’ and to avoid traffic congestion, the driver took the alternative route driving up mountain ranges. It was a good decision made as the drives was so scenic.

We arrived in Kendal around 12 noon and were met by my cousin, Harjo by the road side in case our driver overshot.  This was my second visit to Kendal but my siblings’ first. We were greeted and welcomed with joy by all the relatives. After some formal introduction we were feasted with traditional home cooked Javanese food prepared by Harjo’s wife, Miah. Stories and life experiences were exchanged over lunch and tea. 

 

 

feasting in Harjo's place

 

sharing and recording family tree with Harjo

 

We left Kendal later for Demak visiting the historical Masjid Agung Demak. This Masjid was built few hundred years ago during the spread of Islam in Indonesia. 

one big family

We and Nuri

After Asar we left Demak for Semarang checking into the hotel where we will be staying for the next 2 days.

 

resting in Masjid Agung Semarang

with Harjo at Masjid Agung Semarang

 

fun.... taking the van taxi in Semarang

Although this was only a short trip, it was good one as it strengthened family bonding. 

good bye Semarang