The incredible view of Hong Kong harbor from Kowloon...

One of the first things people do in Hong Kong is take the ferry from Central to Kowloon for an inspiring view of the Hong Kong skyline.
Visitors will stare in awe at glittering, sparkling smog that stretches from sea to heaven.  Visitors will be breathless in the face of such an inspiring example of modern humanity's ingenuity.









This view is only matched by looking down on the smog from atop Victoria Peak, far above the city.  Again I was left breathless and my eyes burned and watered.  I can only assume it was from weeping tears at the beauty of the view.

Back across the harbor, even monkeys are inspired by the view of Kowloon skyscrapers from Lion's Rock.

Visitors tired of the urban lifestyle can take the MTR to Lantau island and take a scenic ride into the countryside.  The airport, the harbor and distant hills will be hidden in haze on all sides. Towards the end of the ride, visitors can imagine a giant bronze statue of Buddha that is hidden in the haze below.

Hong Kong island: south side

A university Professor friend teaches her grad students about the "6th grade science introduction."  This is the introduction that proves some ridiculous thought wrong.  "Did you think clouds are big fluffy marshmallows?  Well actually (YOU MORON), they are drops of liquid suspended in the atmosphere."

Every travel guide about Hong Kong begins with this sort of intro.  Wikitravel guide may say it best:

"The traveller weary of its crowded streets may be tempted to describe it as Hong Kongcrete.  Yet this territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands is mostly a rural landscape.  Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid tourist."

Surviving the fire dragon

This is either 2 weeks late or 50 weeks early for next years festival...

Montessori Myth number 2

See part 1

Myth 2.

            In Montessori a child is allowed to avoid a subject that scares them.  A child might get great at math or reading but completely neglect other subjects.

Montessori parent's night, Common Myth 1

Parent’s Orientation and Common Myths about Montessori Education

            My first private school parent event was nerve wracking.  As a first year Montessori guide I feel insecure in gaining the confidence of parents who are paying huge sums of money for this education.  I needed to seem confident while I was still nervous and insecure about the looming first day of school.

I promised this blog wouldn't descend into showing only pictures of funny signs

Because that's what every American who goes to Asia does, is nothing but "haha look at how they tried to phrase that."

But there the signs are, staring me down every day, taunting me, daring me to share them with the world.

And so I'll give in, but this sign isn't funny because of misspelling of words.  Its instead a great example of the overly cautious public safety campaigns you see in wealthy Asian countries.

What's going on here?  These people win the MTR escalator trophy because they are holding the handrail, standing still and "not looking only at your mobile phone".  And yes, the trophy is a gold sculpture of a person standing and holding a handrail on the escalator.

Upon further research I found there's even a video...who will win the prize for escalator safety??  Everyone holds on, everyone wins!
http://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/main/hero_of_escalator_safety.html

Funniest intercultural exchange of the week?

Me: "What do you like to eat?"
Philipino friend: "Anything except spicy things and raw food.
Me: "Aww man, I wanted to eat raw frogs."
Philipino friend: "Gross!  I only eat frogs fried in a stew."