MORE FROM HONG KONG ...

I'm still busy working out of our Hong Kong office, but thought I'd provide a quick update and share a few photos from my travels.  Hong Kong is a fascinating city.  It includes a series of islands, each with its own personality.  I'm staying in Kowloon, one of the most heavily populated areas of the city, across the bay from Hong Kong island and about 30-minutes -- or two train rides and a bus -- from our office in the New Territories.  The photo above is from the Man Mo temple on Hong Kong island.  Man Mo, built in 1847, is dedicated to the gods of Literature and the Martial Arts.  Especially during the Chinese New Year, hordes of people flock here to make offerings to the Gods and burn incense.  Every time you burn incense, you're supposed to make a wish, which is carried to the Gods on whisps of smoke.  One zealot standing in front of me last Saturday lit so much insence that an enormous pile of ash fell on my shoulder.

I also took a sampan around the Aberdeen Fishing Village.  A friend of mine told me these boats are also known as "Wala Walas" because of the distinct sound they make as they tool around the harbor ("walalalalalalala ....").  My sampan ride culminated in a trip to a restaurant called "Jumbo," otherwise known as the world's largest floating Chinese restaurant.  I won't bore you with a picture of that ... just imagine the Titanic covered from stem to stern with tacky golden dragons.

Here is a shot of Repulse Bay, a nice area of Hong Kong island that reminds me a bit of Santa Monica with mountains that go right to the beach.  Some of the area's wealthiest people live around Repulse Bay because, according to local custom, it has the best Fung Shui.  Ocean breezes supposedly blow good fortune right into the homes and the mountains keep it there.

This final shot is of my office at Hong Kong Science Park.  The egg shape is actually a conference room (called, appropriately enough, "the Egg.").  Our building across from the Egg but we use the Egg for company-wide meetings.  I've been busy, but my local colleagues have been terrific, hosting me for dinners at nice restaurants, and taking me around the area.  Will try to post some more photos later ...!