HKGW01: Top 20* Random Observations

this first week in our new country has been pretty intense in terms of new experiences. we have had a ton of fun beginning to become acquainted with our new home. these are our top 20 random observations about our new surroundings for this week:

1. there's a serious napkin shortage here. napkins are not available in most restaurants. it turns out you have to bring your own!
2. gigantic glasses of ice water at a restaurant meal are not a given here....you have to request water, and it comes in a tiny glass with no ice.
3. i have learned never to underestimate the deliciousness of a fried egg sitting on top of a bowl of steamed rice and surrounded by bbq pork...this is my new favorite comfort meal.
4. i think hong kong residents might love their canine companions even more than americans. we see dozens and dozens of adorably dressed and impeccably groomed dogs each day. none of them bark. there's no pee or poo on the ground. i am fascinated by this! we even saw one golden pee in a grate, and when we stopped to talk to his owner, the owner nonchalantly told us that he trained the dog to pee in grates (makes the clean up easier).
5. i love the sound of the trams...as they slow down/stop at their stops, they make a sound that reminds me of sea lions barking.
6. i also love the sound of the crosswalk lights...they beep slowly when the signal is red, and they beep quickly when the signal is green.
7. it takes less than 7 days to get used to walking several miles a day. as of now, i do not miss driving, though i do miss sylvia. yes, i have an unnatural affection for our former minivan.
8. it takes less than 7 days to overcome a lifetime fear of escalators. i have officially been on more escalators in the last 7 days than i have in my entire life.
9. while i spent precious time worrying that quinn would be motion sick on the ferrys, i neglected to contemplate that i might be the queasy one. i was. for the first day or so....subsequent ferry rides did not bother me.
10. pizza hut tastes the same here as it does in texas.
11. mcdonald's tastes WAAAAAYYYYY better here than it does in texas. HK has some strict rules about how food is prepared, and b/c of that, mcdonald's food is cooked upon ordering...it does not sit under a light.
12. it is difficult to convince a five year old to pee in a hole in the ground.
13. why does the hole in the ground have a porcelain surround...why not just raise that porcelain surround a foot or so :-)
14. i have never seen such a beautiful public bathroom as i have here in HK...the public bathrooms in times square are made of glass and marble...seriously beautiful. (the fact that i think public bathrooms are beautiful prolly indicates i should get out more)
15. i am fascinated by the fruits and vegetables here. i have a new favorite vegetable called choy sum....it makes me think of broccoli and spinach combined.
16. i also am fascinated by appliances here. there's this doohickey in our kitchen that we have nicknamed the water hotter...you put water in, plug it in, push a button, and less than 30 seconds later, you have boiling water.
17. the water hotter is essential for coffee here....ground/drip coffee and coffee makers aren't very common...instant 3-in-1 coffees are...we have found our favorite dark roast version already. the 3-in-1 is coffee, cream, and sugar.
18. it's more common to hang clothes to dry here instead of using a dryer, and standalone dryers are not common. the washers, though, also can be dryers with just a flip of a switch!
19. there are no dishwashers in typical apartments.
20. despite my extreme dislike of talking on the phone, i am finding that skype is the best thing ever. i have thoroughly enjoyed surprising each of my parents with a phone call...made possible by skype. i have also REALLY enjoyed skyping with some of our family and friends in texas...eases the homesickness.

*i must add these observations : bread, coke products (except for dr. pepper), and milk are readily available here! i even have seen some cheese at the regular grocery stores (not just the international stores), though not shredded cheese (simple fix!). i have seen cream cheese but not sour cream (yet)...there is hope for my love of tex mex. oh, and there's a whole section of old el paso products at the international market! oh, and we saw at least 2 mexican restaurants in SOHO....there is hope for my love of all things saucy-cheesey-jalepeno-y!