Lost in Vancouver?

I may not be lost, but I have moved. It's strange to believe that I have been back in Canada for almost a month now. The scenery in Vancouver isn't that different than Hong Kong but it is much cleaner as you would imagine. I still need to go through my photos from Japan but until then here are a few from Vancouver and Victoria.

This is 2 blocks from my new apartment. Somewhat resembles the harbour in HK, with the added sky instead of smog.

The walk along English Bay into Stanley Park.

If you need a pumpkin Victoria has millions of them.

After a little walk we came to this inlet.

Also in the same inlet.

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Lamaze GOLD! Live in Hong Kong!

Eric Lamaze has just won Canada's third gold medal of the Beijing Olympic Games!

In Hong Kong!

Not only did he win the gold, but he did it on his final jump, competed in a jump off showdown with the favored Swede, and all this under the T3 Typhoon warning signal! How good is that!?

Visitors have said the horse jumping venue was great, but it's being torn down as it was only temporary. A good thing too, as one of the strongest typhoons since 1999 is approaching to rip everything to shreds!

Good job Eric!

p.s. I still think horse jumping is a lame Olympic event...

China Biased?! Really????

It would be really nice if some of the athletes in Beijing would actually step up and complain about the judging at the games instead of just talking about it afterwards.

2 Canadians were robbed of wins. The men's trampoline gold should have gone to a Canadian, but I guess we should have expected he was only going to get silver, because a Chinese athlete was in the final. Many of the Chinese fans were also complaining that the bronze medalist from China should have won gold instead. Also one of the taekwondo medal favorites from Canada got screwed by Chinese favoritism (the judge). Had she won, she would have faced a Chinese athlete in the next round, and kicked her ass. Can't have that happening in Beijing, not good for national interests...

Canada should just rig the entire winter games in Vancouver and see if anyone complains.

Worst Commentary EVER!

Last night was the highly anticipate match between USA and China in men's basketball. Of course the US went on to totally smash China in a pretty lazy effort. I wonder if anyone will really challenge them this year.

Anyway, the best/worst part of the game was the garbage spewing from the mouths of the two Pearl TV commentators. (Pearl TV is one of HK's local channels) It's kind of hard to describe, it's one of those 'you had to be there' moments. The commentary was so bad, I can't give it justice by bitching about it. It sucked. It blooooowed. It was garbage. Total waste of breath...etc...etc...etc.

I can't believe these guys are actually being paid to talk. They should be paid to shut up. Two drunken Aussies in Wan Chai would do a better job than those two did last night. If was GAAAAAAAAAWD AWFUL!

They were much worse in the moment, but here are some zingers from last night,

"There's something about Carmello Anthony...he just makes me...uncomfortable." Thanks for letting us know you racist.

"You know why, it's physcological, he looks a lot like Alan Iverson." So you think he's a goon also, thanks for letting us know you racist.

"I wish they wouldn't have so many tatoos." Thanks for letting us know you racist.

"Chris Wade plays for Miami, he is also from there." It's Dwayne Wade, and he's not from Miami.

"Yao Ming looks like he sprained his foot. Yup he's hurt his foot. I think he's hurt his foot." Um, why is he walking perfectly fine then.

There's so much more I can't go on, it makes me angry/laugh too hard. The fact Pearl TV cut out numerous bits of the game because they were late getting back from commercial also didn't help. Next game I think I will watch on the Chinese channel.

Ya, it was THAT bad!

Hong Kong Summer! (Finally)

After a month of rain in June it felt like it would never stop. It finally has, and the weather has been hot and mostly clear. Last week we had the highest pollution ever recorded in HK, but that was a typhoon blew everything from Taiwan this way. Other than that mostly blue skies. As I look out the window now I am reminded of the next typhoon as it's been raining all day.

This is Tai Long Wan. The nicest place in Hong Kong, maybe all of China. The only way in is by boat or foot, and it's never crowded. The water and sand are amazing. The water is nicer than Cancun.
Not many boats were crowding this stretch as we hiked down.
One of the many flowers in full bloom along the hike.
To get to the tiny village you have to brave this pathetic looking footbridge, which didn't break by the way.
Hiroki managed to capture one of the small crabs that run along the sand.This was another area of Sai Kung we went to on a junk boat trip. Taking a boat is much nicer than hiking in, and at the end of the day when you're tired you can enjoy the sail back to HK Island.You are free to jump off the boat and swim. Not much danger of sharks as there are constantly boats and jet skis moving about.

Brain Freeze

Oh how I miss the tingling sensation. Running from the car in blizzard-like conditions, stepping into the local 7-11. And not just any 7-11, it had to be the one in Westwood. What city you ask? Do I really need to tell you?

WINNIPEG!

If there's one thing I miss about this town, it's the Slurpee. Virtually uncontested, Winnipeg has now been crowned the world Slurpee champion for the 9th straight year. Those pretenders in Calgary are trying to come close, but it's only the ex-peggers who are shifting the scale.

It has now been at least 3 years since I have had an ice-cold Slurpee in -35 degree weather. I miss Canada...

1 Month to go!

Only one month to go until the Olympics, yet all I hear from various news sources is bad news. Nothing positive whatsoever. China seems to be on everyone's naughty lists again. Prove me wrong! Find something positive!

"A Canadian businessman has been fined $1.9 million and sentenced to 20 years in jail in China, two years after he was detained on fraud charges, his lawyers have confirmed."

Wow, just going to China gets you 2 years in jail, without a sentence. And what good will $2mill do? China is already taking away 20 years of a possibly innocent man's life, they need money as well?