Sunday, September 9, 2012

Picking Up Good Vibes

I can honestly say that I'm ecstatic for class to really begin tomorrow.
I need my lifestyle to calm down a bit. I've been putting on the brakes on it over the last couple days, but it's a locomotive- it's going to take a while to come to a stop. I took my daily routine from San Francisco- working out, watching movies, reading books, general relaxation punctuated by bits of social interaction- and turned it on it's friggin' head. So lately, I've been taking a little more time for myself.

Yesterday was spectacular. I braved heat and humidity to see one of the top attractions in Hong Kong- The 10,000 Buddhas Monastery. Past an office building, through a small break in the fence, is a sweat-inducing climb, flanked on both sides by hundreds of unique, golden Buddhas. It was incredible. At the top, you're greeted by the monastery itself- bright red and gold, full to the brim with a menagerie of some of the most colorful statues you'll ever see. Inside the Buddha hole, the walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of small, seated Buddhas, each holding a little electric orange candle. The atmosphere is incredible, if you can ignore the sauna that is the Kowloon Hills. I'd like to go back there with a smaller group, and spend more time there.

The day was capped with a visit to the trendiest place I've been in Hong Kong thus far- Vibes. A hole-in-the-wall watering hole attached to The Mira Hong Kong, one of the most upscale hotels in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. A lone doorway leads to an elevator lit in full by soft orange accents, which takes you to a minimal yet beautiful wood-paneled hallway. All of a sudden, you're out in the open air, in a small courtyard lined by thick bamboo and the hotel's towers. It's the coolest place. Great music, great drinks, the perfect atmosphere. I loved it, and we ended up talking to the DJ, who invited us back to see a special show next week, and offered to make us some mixtapes. A perfect night.

Today, not as pristine. I forgot to tell my bank that I'd be living abroad, so yesterday, they froze my account. I got them to reactivate it shortly thereafter, but it takes a business day to get it going again. I way overslept today, and when I went to the ATM to grab some cash to put towards a trip to Lamma Island, I was rewarded with an error message and a dejected walk back to the residence halls. My buddies offered to spot me, but I just really don't want to fall into the habit of borrowing money. I decided to take the day to read and listen to music, get some personal time in before the whirlwind of Hong Kong grabs me again.


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