A few observations

1.  Tiny Towels
   Towels are tiny.  The size of a hand-towel.There should be a rule about towels; at least half your height and at least half your width.  My aunt says there's no need for big towels.  I beg to differ.  So maybe I'm in the minority here, so to speak, to think that a towel should be at least big enough to soak up all the water from you when you get out.  Especially with the humidity here, it's your last resort to getting that water off - because if you don't, it ain't coming off.
   
2. Restaurant Orders
   They leave the orders at the tables here.  You make your order, they write it down, and put it on the table and go off to order it.  Makes more sense. Any waiter or chef can then bring it out.  They check the bill when they drop it off.  Much more sensible for the waitresses and waiters, especially during peak times.  They don't have to keep track of the bills (what order for what table) and, if you want, when you're ready you can bring the bill to the front where they charge you.  No need to wait.  This is the country that invented paper, gun powder by the way.
   
3. Paying the bill
   My aunt won't let me pay. My aunt and I went out to lunch at the "Spaghetti House" on Sunday after shopping at the Mong Kok market.  I spoke with the manager, wanting to leave him my credit card, he insisted I keep it because it's like money - but assured me I'd pay.  When it was time, he swiftly gave me the signal and the operation was underway for me to pay.  My aunt caught wind of what was going on and there was almost a fist-fight between the guy and Mona as she tore away the bill - geezus, last time I'm gonna try that.  He looked at me for help; I surrendered and so did he. 
   Do not get in the way of the Chinese and their kindness.  The Mongolians didn't let China pay the bill once, and the Mongolians weren't invited over to eat again. Eventually this Great Wall was built.  Maybe you've heard about it.
   
   
4. The people of Hong Kong are more sociable than the people of Canada
   
   
   There, I wrote it.  You don't need to talk long before you find yourself going out to eat with them.  In Canada, it is a big deal who you "break bread" with.  Canadian dining is exclusive, and the company of strangers is not company you eat with.  You eat to enjoy another's company.  Here you eat to welcome another's company.  And shop.  And talk.  And talk shop.  Everybody goes out to eat - regularly.  In my one-sided singular view, I have subjectively concluded that it is neither uncommon nor uncomfortable to have at the table the presence of a stranger.  I have been taken aback the invitations to eat with family and friends with people I've never met.  My silence, an inhibited gesture, a consequence of not being familiar with the local parlance, is neither uncomfortable or unusual.  In Canada, many time I have been concerned by the tight-lipped presence of guests at the table.  "Are they uncomfortable?" "Do they not like the food?" "Do they not like the company?"  New company is a curiosity, and new faces are pleasant company, it seems.  The national sport of Hong Kong is eating, and they are getting a gold medal.
   
   
   I was eating with these people - Hardly knew any of them
   
    According to the US Department of State Post report on Hong Kong:
   
   About 1.5 million people eat in restaurants daily, the highest per capita rate in the world. 
   Source: U.S. Department of State Post Reports - Hong Kong
   
   Hey, everybody needs to eat.  Might as well make it enjoyable.  Come one, come all.
   

Reflecting on US Customs

US customs really scared me.  I was really scared.  I saw overhead the directions to the inquisition room.  There was a webcam at each one with a fingerprint scanner.  A big crest that says "US Department of Justice". 
The chinese travel agency who booked my ticket with a stopover in Chicago and said it was a bit more convenient with me being Canadian.  When they book tickets for chinese citizens, they don't book trips through the US because the US won't accept them - or something.  Don't even want them touching US soil.  I thought I was lucky having a Chinese customs officer - and I was actually looking forward to telling her my interest to go to Hong Kong.  She was ruthless. She shot out questions looking for something, anything to pin down on me.  I knew it.  She asked about my degree, destination, my aunt.  I started to doubt myself. I wanted to belt out "Okay, you got me!" but I kept my cool.  She asked my destination.  "Hong Kong".  She asked how much American dollars I was bringing to my stopover in Chicago.  I said $40. Dammit!  It was really only $30!  They got something.  They're going to send to Scotland to rejoin my grandmother's family!  Keep cool.  After a few more questions she casually asked again "Where did you say you're going?" I forgot!  I looked around - "Hong Kong!" Phewf.  She let me go.  She told me to "Keep out of trouble."  Walking away I gathered my dignity, and recollected how sharp that woman was.  Trying to get me by asking where I was going a second time.  I wonder what questions get asked to notable dissidents - Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore or Howard Zinn.

My day (two days ago)

Two days ago I woke up from a semi-long sleep watching a VCD I bought for $4CDN (Yeah, $4) of "The Whole Nine Yards. I bought it because it's one of 2 Hollywood movies I know of that takes place in my native Montreal. I can't recall the name of the other one- (looking it up on IMDB) here it is, The Score (2001) with Edward Norton. 

The day before that I went to check out a Teaching English job at a Language Center. Sat in on a class with a group. Ended up telling them of my perspectives on Hong Kong. Recording my thoughts in a journal/e-mail updates/blog sure helped. ("And what's with all the minorities? They're everywhere! Ha!") I told them I think the Chinese food here is pretty good, and although it seems Hong Kong has everything, I can't seem to find the Chinatown! Ba-doom-boom.

So...I was supposed to go in but there was a typhoon warning and like Christmas in Canada everything was closed. I bet Christmas here is like Chinese New Year in Canada and vice versa. (Think about that.)

Meanwhile, in Canada dept.
Been keeping up-to-date with the news back home in Canada. At night I put on the CBC news National. Like everything else on the CBC, it gets me to sleep pretty fast. If I want entertainment I'll tune into CTV and if I want fiction I'll tune into CNN.

Preview dept.
I'll write a bit about the politics of Hong Kong. It's about time, eh?
Well it'll be published soon...but it's a long post.
My aunt-cousin (my mother's cousin) says the people of Hong Kong have no choice but to like the Commander-in-Chief ("Chief Executive") of Hong Kong; he's placed by Beijing and things could be worse.  She says that China paid off a huge debt owed by his father.  I'll have to look into this.

Leaving Reflections Meetings...

Reflection on leaving
During my last (few) weeks in Montreal, I was going nuts.  Already saying bye to people a second, third time.  Then I pretty much left when my mom booked my ticket.  Like ripping off a bandaid that's been there way longer than it had to. 
 
Even here I'm still saying bye to people back home.  It's a bit easier doing it here because they can't delay my leave and I can't choose to stay (in Montreal).
 
I had a dream not too long ago that I was back in Montreal, never left.  I was having another going-away party.  My friends Yasmin and Trevor came up to me asking me what was wrong, and how come I wasn't gone yet.  I just couldn't leave.  Some other things happened and I woke up dramatically - in a shocked daze I found myself in Hong Kong - at my aunt-cousin (my mother's cousin)'s place - on her couch.  It was the first time I was there - actually the night of the first time I met my aunt-cousin and her family.  Her step-daughter and step-son are the most adorable things.  Pictures will come soon. 
 
Meeting people is all relative
Found out I have a second cousin a year younger than me.  not used to having any relatives anywhere near my age.  My closest is my bro at 3 years younger, but does that count?  I do have two cousins in Australia (girls) who are 21 and 19 (I think).  So my second cousin wants to go for beer - could be neat.  His English isn't that good - and he's 6'1" - imagine that, here in Hong Kong.  I'm taller than 5 million people here - but shorter, I imagine, than 1 million too.
 
I have more relatives to visit - got a phone call from a cousin, or an aunt, or someone I had never met or talked to before, but we're going to have dinner - hopefully soon.   Then there's friends and acquaintances of my parents  to meet, arg, the time.  Then there's the whole thing with meeting people on my own.  I was hoping to kick some ass in Badminton already - and show the people here how it's done.   
Booya, I got game.  Villages will write songs about my game.  Do you know how hard it is to travel through 3 airports with a (crappy) badminton racket coming out of your backpack?  Not that difficult, but it can get cumbersome when trying to check your baggage above your head.  One x-ray pesron at an airport security checkpoint had me take it out to show them. 

Me: "It's a badminton racket"
Them: "A what?"
M: "Badminton.  Racket.  See.  See Spot.  See Spot run."
T: "Oh, like a tennis racket."
M: "Yes.  Just like a tennis racket. Exactly.  With two shuttlecocks.  Like a tennis racket."
T: "Shuttle-wha-? Umm, fine, go."
 
TIP: If you can master french, talk French to airport security when they stop you about stupid things.  Use harsh French accent with English if questions persist.
 
Other blog dept.
I'm seriously considering setting up a second blog to post my philosophical/political thoughts, gathered from e-mail I send out and thoughts I jot down.  I should keep it separate from my HK experience, as it would have a different theme (no pictures, links to online articles).  On the blogger site (the service provider for this blog) there was a link to an article about the "blog overload" experienced by some people.