Signs of the times

Here is the view from the ferry as we're departing Hong Kong Island. Destination: Macao, a quasi-country known as the "Las Vegas of the East." Sadly, I don't like to gamble against strangers, so this trip was strictly business. I crossed the small sea to get my visa validated and returned back to the quasi-country of Hong Kong the same afternoon.
While in Macao, I skipped most of the casinos and went off in search of unique signs. Here's a little collection of friendly advice from Hong Kong's neighbor across the bay...


1. If you can't read Portuguese (either because you're near-sighted or Chinese), then don't assume that you can read the Mandarin words instead. For example, "Pousada de Sao Tiago" describes a Portuguese historic hotel, while "kung fei fei choi" (read vertically, not horizontally) is a Lunar New Year greeting.


2. If you're thirsty and tired, just look for the international sign for a beverage store.


3. Avoid buying fake goods! Go to "the only department store" to do your shopping. This is an ad about 20 feet long on the way from the ferry to the immigration window.

4. Very important! "Don't let your dog poop on the lovely green lawn!" This is a larger-than-life mural on the side of a building. To get a sense of the scale, those are cobblestone bricks that make up the road in the foreground.

5. Sadly, I found the true doggie bathroom signs to be significantly more bland than the mural...

And that's it from Macou. Remember, as you hop in a taxi back on the island of Hong Kong,

"Beware of the traffic conditions" while you're inside the taxi...

And if you happen to be crazy enough to drive on these streets, help preserve the bi-wheeled species!

My new home

Charming Wing Lok Street in Sheung Wan. Bustling with meat sales and jackhammers most hours, I've learned to love it. Yes, they sell birds' nests. It's for soup. Not quite sure how that works.

This is the exterior to my new home. You'd never even believe that this is also on Wing Lok Street. It's a little oasis. Note the florist next door - I bought a plant to improve the feng shui inside.


Modern, clean interior at Treasure View. Note the mini washing machine and mini-fridge. (Hint: the fridge is the only other appliance. Still can't find it? It's the hip-high cube in front of the sink.)

View from the 13th floor balcony. 13 isn't unlucky here. 4 is . So there's no 4th floor, no 14th, and definitely no 44th floors to be found in the city. The more western ones also skip 13. This picture looks west down Wing Lok Street, towards the financial center (just past those modern-looking skyscrapers in the middle).