dancing on the ledge

Monday, September 03, 2007

strangely at home

While I was walking down Gloucester this morning (i.e., the big main avenue in Wanchai where my office building is located), I was a trifle weirded out that it felt like I was walking down Ayala on any ordinary day in Manila.

This was the umpteenth time I had felt this since I arrived; the first time was yesterday evening, going home to the hotel from work, when I was at the corner deli grabbing a salad; the third and fourth and fifth was when I was riding the MTR; the sixth was when I was strolling down the streets of LKF, peering into bars and imagining I was in Malate (during more genteel, less jologs days); and so on.

Maybe every city is exactly the same as the rest, or maybe I haven't quite discovered the soul of Hong Kong just yet. The only difference I feel right now is that I can't hop into a cab and go to Greenbelt to meet my Bes, or go to the club to see Tan or Stef or Jef or Ets or the rest of the boys.

Put another way, like I told Jef when he called me last night, all I need is a friend's voice on the other line, and Wanchai transforms, in a heartbeat, into Makati in my mind ;-)

Sunday, September 02, 2007

Hong Kong harhar

Pakshet, I love Hong Kong ;-)

But how can I not?? I've had two amazing meals. Then there are so many cute boys, haha. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.

first meal in HK: the best burger i've had in months, haha. greasy and fat and delicious. i was GV for hours after that. had my first taste of coke zero... na wala namang pinagkaiba sa coke light, anobeh. typical of awi, i go up to the counter, smile at the cute thai-chinese-whatever counter boy who grilled my burger pattie, and tell him "lovely, lovely burger." Mwahaha! My first official HK pick-up line.

This afternoon, my friend Christine takes me to this long leisurely merienda at her favorite cafe in Soho -- healthy organic vegetarian food that's super delicious (but also slightly expensive). We have spinach wrapped in phyllo pastry, nice coffee, then this amazing chocolate TOFU fudge cake. My gosh, chocolate and tofu, two of my favorite things. We talk for two hours, fill up my after-work calendar for the week (south korean gay movie on tuesday, party at this LKF bar to introduce me to her friends on friday, then maybe clubbing with alvin on saturday) and I feel quite at home ;-)

I take the MTR for the first time today. Evérything's so hyper speed! I fear for a short while that I will get lost meeting Tin but realize that there are clear directions to everywhere and all I have to do is follow the signs. Then theres a digital display showing how may frigging minutes its gonna take the next train to arrive, anobeh! I love love love HK efficiency. Kaya pala sinabihan ako ni TIn, Ï think I'm gonna be 7 minutes late, haha. She knew because she could figure it out from the effing digital displays.

Took a nap, had a longish (7 minute) conversation with bes, then discover that it probably cost me 25 frigging HK dollars!! Heller, mamumulubi ako if I dont switch to an actual postpaid line. Must get one ASAP.

All for now. Gotta get me a camera to add pics to this blog....