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Safran
Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 1322 Location: Austria
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:40 am Post subject: An Autrian TLCW-fan in Hongkong - Part 4 |
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June, 27 th TONY´S BIRTHDAY ! - Karaoke.....Chungking Mansion.... and new faces
Ufff........more and more „the mission“ is becoming difficult and chronology and details get mixed up from all these exciting new impresssions ...- guess I would need the help from my friends to fresh-up. Anyway – all the better to shorten - (hahaha)
3rd day ….(one more day only - before our departure on 29 th )….and we still do not know if we will get the chance to meet our idol. Nevertheless we 4 girls keep our optimism - and Hong Kong has such a lot of interesting places to be discoverd.
Again we started this day with a delightful breakfast in „Sweet Dynasty“ - to be strenghtened for our new discoveries. My dear HK-experienced friends endeavour to fulfil all my wishes.
So Masako had a helpful advice for me, where to get some Tony DVD´s and other HK and Asian movies (I never would have the chance to get in my homecountry.) She guided us back to „Gateway“, a giant shopping mall on Canton Street, to „HK-Records“. I found a lot of titbits there - and had to force myself to abstain - though „special offers“. I finally left the store with 16 DVD´s „only“.
Afterwards my friends guided me to some „nostalgic“ places and districts - off the modern, chic and glamourous shopping streets. Having pictures from Tony-films and diverse HK-Thrillers in my head, I was curious whether all has changed – or if we still will find such places. Actually we would have needed much more time for this enterprise than we had - unfortunately.
Some scenes and quarters of Kowloon, like „Mongkok“ brought back / released shady HK movie-memories. Seedy buildings....steaming cookshops and restaurants.... lively streets with neon advertising signs above.... ….and the always corresponding „soundtrack“ …Though the modernized urban image, I .found many HK „Clicheés“ affirmed. At „Nathan Road“ for example - with „ The Chungking Mansions“ („Chungking Express“). The same feeling I had at „Temple Market“ and some parts of „Central“, we visited later.
BTW: „Chungking Mansions“ , is mainly occupied by Indian and African inhabitants nowadays, (we particularly visited the day before already ). Cause of Sunday most shops were closed - and we had a spooky walk through small dark and grey corridors with closed shutters.
It is said you can buy everything there ...everything legal and nonlegal you want .From mobiles and other electronic stuff - to Indian spicies and African groceries.........and it looks like it, yes.
Next we visited „Kubrick“, a specialist book shop for movie-literature. There we met with „Tony-addict“, a young, very kind and cheerful HK fellow fan who took the time for spending the day with us. Asian-Movie-struck I could not hold back myself from buying 3 english books (minding luggage limit 20 kg )
Accompanied and well guided by „Tony-addict“( I lost the orientation completly) , we went to a „Karaoke-Bar“ Totally styled in red - and furniture reminding the „80ies ?“. We all were to shy to sing, but watched old Tony-videos - and spent a relaxe time there (drinks and food in price included) On a short expedition - and searching the toilet, I almost became „lost in red“ and had problems to find back to our „Separee“. When we left - a short shock : Masako missed her handbag – first our search failed , but with Tony-addict´s help (speaking Kantonese) it came to an happy end fortunately.
Later this evening we all met „Info“ finally - our Forum´s competent „Leading Lady„ ( guess Info will not like this term ) I was very curious already to meet her finally – and noted for myself: she definitely is „the right woman in the right place“ !
„A“, another responsible and sympatically female HK fellow fan - and last but not least: Cisca, our busy girl from Jakarta - and youngest of us - joined.
Our kind HK hosts invited us for a Dinner at „Spring Deer“ a wellknown traditional Restaurant in „Central „. Spesialized on Beijing kitchen and duck-dishes, we enjoyed a next culinaric highligt – and watched the skilful cook presenting his impressive work with the fillet knife.
But there´s more to come this evening.
Cause I could not follow the conversation of my escort always – I often did not know exactly what is going on..... - simply moved on with my 7 companions.. Finally we reached a highrise building and took the elevator up to „The Eye“, a spacious trendy lounch, cosy-dimmed – and with beautiful view over illuminated Viktoria Harbour.
I do not know why – but maybe for the weariness,......the ambience.........combined with loosing hope to meet Tony.......I fantasized this probably could be THE moment for a surprising „Special Guest“ appearance ! Me silly old woman ! - First signs of mental overload and aberration ? - (as if our dear idol would not have better things to do...... – on his own birthday !)
No, actually we met „ Garfield“ here - another open-hearted and very cheerful HK- „Leading Lady“ - to celebrate her current birthday among friends – with a yummy surprise-BD-cake, a girls-choir singing the BD-song and clinking the glasses ......as is right and proper !
As surprising and friendly „extra“, we guests - and me HK-debutant - got some beautiful Tony-picture to choose - for present.
…..........to be continued soon
Helga |
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Jamaica
Joined: 27 Mar 2011 Posts: 419 Location: Lexington, KY United States
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:22 am Post subject: |
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Bless you, Helga, for all this time you are putting in to share your trip! _________________ "Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx |
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hamberger362
Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 599 Location: Thailand
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:56 am Post subject: |
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Hello Helga
Thank you sooo much for sharing the good memory in HK.
I'm looking forward to read the next part.
ham |
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Info
Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 1691 Location: Hong Kong
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:57 am Post subject: |
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You must be really disappointed to see Garfield instead of Tony...... |
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Zeefje
Joined: 03 Jul 2011 Posts: 98 Location: The Netherlands
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:34 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Helga,
What an exciting trip! i hope I'll be able to join you a next time....Tony's 50th birthday perhaps?....At least I will try to join the countdown in time next year...
Zeefje |
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yitian
Joined: 06 Jul 2011 Posts: 413 Location: United States
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:37 am Post subject: |
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Same here. |
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Eri
Joined: 28 May 2004 Posts: 589 Location: Japan
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you Helga for another report.
We met so many people and did so many different things on the day, even I didn't understand exactly what was going to happen.
It must have been exciting but disoriented for you.
Anyway, all these are also good memories for us now.
Thanks to friendly HK fans.
BTW, I wasn't exactly shy at Karaoke, but I think it is always better to listen to Tony singing than I sing by myself in HK, because we can watch Tony's music video (including the one I really love) on a big monitor. |
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Safran
Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 1322 Location: Austria
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:46 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you all - for your kind feed back !
The next (last ?) part will be the hardest - I guess
To Info : Not at all !
To Eri: You are right - we prefered Tony´s voice ! Wish to watch Tony walking......again and again (When writing my "report" I´m always listening Anny´s MD - helps !) |
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anny
Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Posts: 199
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:23 am Post subject: |
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Dear Helga,
Thank you so much for your nice report.
I'm very happy to read it, I remember the memories in Hong Kong.
And I'm glad to know my present helps you.... |
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Safran
Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 1322 Location: Austria
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 12:54 am Post subject: |
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Dear Anny !
Thank you for your reply - and for your wonderful present, once more !!!
(I am always afraight, Tony´s personal dedication could get scratched )
I love especially CD 1
From Austria with love -
Helga |
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Tony-addict
Joined: 15 Apr 2006 Posts: 6
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:32 am Post subject: |
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Dear Helga,
What a wonderful reports ! I can understand your feeling more
from your lively decription ! It's always our pleasure to meet foreign
fans and be happy together ! |
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Safran
Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 1322 Location: Austria
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Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 8:59 am Post subject: |
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Dear T.A.
You HK fellows were simply GREAT !
Helga |
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