big footsteps across the world

Hey all, gonna try this posting thing again, along with a couple pictures hopefully.


Lingqing and me



Hong Kong Island, was a bit foggy


Another of Lingqing and me, forgot to turn the flash off


So, first, the wonderful. A couple weeks ago I met this girl playing badminton at the weekly badminton club meeting. We played a couple matches together, and then exchanged msn screenames. We've been getting together every once in awhile mostly to play badminton, but last week also saw a movie here on campus hosted by the Film Society (the movie was A Moment To Remember, Korean drama). Had a fun time, and have continued playing badminton together. A couple nights ago I thought of doing something special with her, maybe if she wanted to, cause she's been in Hong Kong only as long as I have. I asked her if she had been to the peak(HK's highest point) yet, and she had said no. So, I asked her to go with me, since I hadn't been either. We also decided to eat at a Japanese noodle restaurant, the same place Sing Sing and Mei Ling had brought me to awhile ago. So, we headed out from UST at 5, went to Hang Hau first, caught the MTR to Causeway Bay, and went to the noodle restaurant. Had a good meal there, then left headed towards the Peak and Central. Walked a bit out of central towards the tram to the peak. I had a small map, but as always, the maps are easier to read than when actually trying to find the streets and whatnot. We successfully got to the tram station, and rode up to the peak. These pictures are from the top of the Peak looking down on Hong Kong Island. After checking out the outside of the scenic view area, we walked around the shops for a bit in the small mall. This is where the night got interesting.

We stopped in a small shop with what appeared to be Indian crafts and clothes. Lingqing, the girl I went with, wondered where all of it was from, so I asked the worker in the store where the clothes were from and where he was from, since it appeared to be around the same place. He said he was from Kashmir India, and then asked where I was from along with Lingqing. I replied for me and then her too. After me telling him I was from the United States, he instantly began rambling on about how the United States is a superpower and that "I" want to control everything(he was telling this all to Lingqing who just gave him a weird look, not really knowing what he was saying). I butted in saying that it's not me who wants to take over the world, it's the crazy leader of the US, President Bush. He calmed down a bit, but then continued on saying things about how the US has screwed up so many times like during the cold war when the US funded the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden and the rest of his gang to fight the Soviets. But now, they are the ones that are fighting the US and killing many thousands of people. I just kept nodding my head, saying it was a big mistake, and we were stupid(this guy seemed crazy, i wasn't about to start a fight with him). As he was saying all this, I was sort of pushing Lingqing out and moving out myself. It wasn't until he was about to start on the crap in Iraq that I said I had to go, and that I dislike the current president myself, that I was able to escape the crazy man from India. Later Lingqing asked what that was all about, and I explained, or tried to explain most of what he was saying, but I don't think I did a very good job. She speaks great English(not what she thinks), but the whole history is just a little complex. Even I don't understand a lot of what happened during those years.

Anyway, I had a wonderful night. Was great spending some time with my new friend, and I believe she felt the same too. Had some great conversations and learned a lot about each other in only a few hours. Tomorrow morning, or in a few hours, I'm meeting up with her to play some badminton. Should be fun, as long as I wake up, I hope!!!! Gotta get going to bed. Check out my yahoo pictures all. Some from shanghai, and more will be posted soon. Take care, and have a goodnight/day.

Bill