Sun, sand, and serenity

Sometimes, a shower feels indescribably good. When you have days that include this:

and this...

...in feels like temperature of 107 degrees where you have to make your daughter work for a piggy back ride....

...no amount of cleaning up in an outdoor shower was going to make us feel better.



We had a fun-filled, packed two days. We have had a streak of blue sky, hotter than I've ever felt, tropical days.  So hot, that some of the locals questioned my sanity when I told them we were going to a park. But our days in Hong Kong are coming to a close and there are things to do and adventures waiting to be had!

Both yesterday and today, we sought some relief in the water. Today, we ventured out to an area called Stanley, which is a bustling section of Hong Kong that includes beautiful beaches, loads of restaurants, and the Stanley Markets.  It has a really cool vibe -  it's slower paced, relaxing and removes you from the almost opposite Central area of Hong Kong where we live. This is an area I can see living in if we were here for a more extended period of time.  One of things I have come to love about Hong Kong, is that no matter how fast paced and crazy it can seem in the heart of the city, beaches and relaxation can be found minutes down the road. Overall, it was a fantastic way to spend our last Saturday here.

The bus ride was scenic and very bumpy. Sydney provided the seat belt for Cole.

I love that Cole is at the age where he can interact and play with his sisters. They love getting him to say new words and sending him off to do funny things.

A.B.C...

I must have this camera. From the signs, it appears that it gives you a sense of  direction.

Cole and his buddy waiting to get changed for the beach.

Ahhhh..

Sydney has enthusiasm for just about everything she does.  Swimming is no exception.

That's 96.8 degrees...

This man was sunbathing...face down in the sand...no towel...just a speedo. The sand felt like it was about 120 degrees...how is this comfortable? And on the topic of a speedo, I have yet to see anyone, no matter how buff, look good in a speedo on a public beach. Ever.

Although Cole can't verbalize this himself yet, I'm pretty sure his goal for the day was to get at least one grain of sand over each millimeter of his body.

He could have played like this for hours.

Snack Break! It's hard to eat fruit snacks with an inch of sand caked on to your sweaty hands.

Serenity now!

The restaurant we found was perfect for us. We were seated in an enclosed porch with fans and some toys for the kids to play with. This is the second time we've been to a place like this and I think its pure genius! We had such an enjoyable meal.

This is the owner of the restaurant. The scooter was already out and the kids were playing with. I look away for a second and the man is riding with Cole. I still find the stranger interaction with Cole a little disconcerting (even when am about a foot away), but I am realizing it is the norm.

The view from the restaurant.

Pocari Sweat is a common drink here. It's kind of like Gatorade. I'm guessing the marketing department didn't do an in depth market research study before naming the beverage. 

The owner came out to entertain the kids with a Buddha that when filled with water pees on them.  They thought it was hysterical.

The girls passing the time playing with a beach ball they called "the watermelon."

This is one sign I'm glad I didn't see.

People have "shop" dogs and cats all over the place. I almost thought this dog was fake.

Skyler was the first to notice this beautiful flower witting on a ledge. There were many more like it on the ground. We looked up and saw a tree full of them. 

Skyler asked me to take a picture of her with the flower for her Grandpa. This is for you, Ga!

Hard to pass up ice cream at the beach.

And, for those of you doubters out there...we made it to Kennedy Town Pool on the first try! Yes, karma was on our side! That, and a good taxi driver.  Kennedy Town Pool has a great children's swim area and was perfect for toddlers. I was only able to take a few pictures before I was scolded by a life guard as he pointed to the "no photos" sign.  After a fun hour and a half, we had to dry off as the pool closes everyday from 12 to 1 p.m. for cleaning. We packed up and headed over to a park across the street for a picnic lunch.  Once out of the water, we realized how truly hot it was.  95 degrees without the tropical humidity...107 with including that calculation. The slides were too hot to touch and our bodies were too sticky to slide down them. The girls hands were slipping off the monkey bars and within minutes, proclaimed that it was way too hot to play. The only one in the group that had a differing opinion was Cole. He wanted to stay at the Park, Park.  As our faces were going from beet red to a nice purple, we hailed a cab and made it home...and Cole now knows how to pay a taxi driver...he's turning into quite the city kid.

This was like a park and a pool combined and the water went up to Cole's waist. The kids had a great time!

The view from the pool.

Just a little proof that we made it there!

Cole the Chef.

Cole and his friend playing Maj Jong. Just like his Grandma.

Skyler seeking shelter!

The slow ride down the slide.

Cole paying the taxi.

Random picture for my friend, Marisa. This was tiramisu from a wonderful Italian restaurant. We thought of you!

And a final random picture of Sydney.  This sleeping mask is one of her favorite souvenirs. It has a gel in it to keep it cool. This is what she looked like when I went to wake her up this morning.

I can hardly contain my excitement for tomorrow. We are taking a three hour cruise to go to an area where we can see pink, flamingo colored dolphins that are native to Hong Kong. We will be up and out earlier tomorrow than we have been all summer, but it will be so worth it!