Monday 6th December

When we got up this morning, we didn't realise what the day would bring!


Our plans kept changing today, so I ended up going back to the bead shops to finish shopping for my daughter-in-law's wishlist. NM decided to come with me and make sure I went the right way out of the station, haha, then he could go on to do some shopping in Fish Shop Street.

A bead shop, just for Manda :)

After getting waylaid looking at mobile phone cases, we eventually got to the bead shops and he then headed back to the station. On his way through a side street, he bumped into his old best friend from when he lived in Hong Kong. They hadn't seen each other for 12 years! Neither of them would normally have been in that area; it must have been fate.

We all had a drink together and made plans to meet up for a meal and a proper catch up on Thursday before we go home. What a lovely thing to have happened, we are both so excited!

But then, when NM arrived at Tung Choi Street, it was full of fire engines, ambulances and Police. There had been 3 arson attacks at 5am, many shops and stalls in the next street were totally destroyed and about 200 residents had to be evacuated.

http://www6.lexisnexis.com/publisher/EndUser?Action=UserDisplayFullDocument&orgId=574&topicId=100020474&docId=l:1316977942&isRss=true


Even 12 hours after the attacks, the emergency services were all still present, and the residents were sheltering in a small park, some of them still in their nightclothes.


My favourite shop must be amongst those destroyed. The majority of the shop and stall owners had no insurance, and their shops were totally stocked up for Christmas. I hope the Police catch the man responsible, and quickly, before he ruins any other livelihoods.


And then this was our tea. Not very Chinese, but delicious all the same. Thanks Pizza Hut!








And today? No laughing at the back, but we're going bike riding through the New Territories!

Anyone who knows us will be laughing hysterically at this point. I haven't ridden a bike for about 30 years, and neither of us are exactly built for the activity any longer, but Ceci thinks it's an excellent idea. It's pretty hot and sunny still, so we have to buy sunhats as well, but carry jackets for later. We've got a busy few final days coming up, with lots already planned, and I can see both of us being unable to move much tomorrow....

Until then, dear readers. Think of us and our saddle sores as you toddle off to work today ;)