The contracts are signed - and we’re the owner of a new place near our old. A little bigger than what we have now, and with a terrace which is good for BBQs!

We’ll do some renovations in FEB / MAR and then will move in towards end of March.

It’s the house right in the middle of below Google Earth image - so we’re now even closer to the beach. We can literally walk up to the beach in our shorts - just bring a towel.

View Larger Map

Matthijs and I went up for a hike to the lookout point behind our house.

He’s doing very well walking up now - a good 300 mtr hill with lots of steps. If the weather stays nice we’ll do some more hikes during the christmas break.

Nadine is in Cebu - so Matt and I had a nice ‘men only’ weekend in DB.

Click the thumbnail for the picture:

It’s hot and humid in Hong Kong. The summer has landed in full force. It’s 34 degrees and very humid and really the only places to be are the swimming pool or our airconditioned house.

We’re relaxing here in Discovery Bay before we’ll both be in for some busy traveling. It’s good just to be home.

When taking off for a flight I had a beautiful view over my home the other week.

This is Lantau Island in the morning sun (10am take off to the East, then a right turn over the Tsing Ma bridge).

You can see Discovery Bay in the foreground and Disney park Hong Kong on bottom right.

The Lantau mountains show up between the clouds in the background - and the nice thing is I’ve climbed them all so know all the peaks.

The first ridge is the one nearest DB, with Tiger Head Hill the highest peak (~450m).
The second mountain - to the left - is Sunset peak - about 850m.
The third and highest - in the middle - is Lantau peak - about 950m (and it’s a bastard to climb).

Nice to see them all from my relaxing seat in the pointy end of this airplane.

Cheers,
Marc

Waren in het land.

Matthijs heeft zich dus goed vermaakt met oma en tante en zijn nederlands is er weer een stuk op vooruit gegaan.

Hij kent ook weer een aantal nieuwe nederlandse liedjes en verders is hij nu volledig in de ban van ‘chocolade hagelslag’ dat hij voor het eerst op z’n boterhammetje bij z’n ontbijt kreeg.

Toos en Mies hebben zich ook goed vermaakt - buiten het spelen met Matthijs in en rond het huis zijn de dames er bijna elke dag op uit getrokken om Hong Kong te bekijken.

Ook zijn we nog een avond wezen stappen in Lan Kwai Fong met een prima diner in Orange Tree restaurant. Cultureel zijn we ook geweest door eens in het Historisch Museum van Hong Kong te kijken. Daar was ik zelf na bijna acht jaar in Hong Kong ook nog niet eens geweest en ik moet zeggen - een aanrader.

Al met all een leuke twee weken - de tijd vliegt en inmiddels zijn moeders en tante mies alweer ruim een week thuis.

Hieronder wat foto impressies.

This looks to be a great weekend - it’s clear blue skies in hong kong and after nearly six weeks of cold weather that’s very welcome.

Today we’re having the “Nations Tennis Cup” here in Dbay, meaning all countries will strive to defend their honour in a game of tennis. I’m sure you’ll spot the red white & blue in this picture.

Matthijs is doing the old Kai Tak airport approach in the simulator here.

We’re in Skyplaza and this is part of the aviation exhibits there.

By the way - Kung Hei Fat Choi - a prosperous Chinese New Year, we’re entering the year of the Rat.

I love October in Hong Kong.

The heat and humidity of the summer is gone, and the weather is dry and cloudless at a nice 25 to 28 degrees. If we’re lucky this pleasant weather lasts all the way till January which is often the case - we’re in for the best time of the year!

This time of the year Hong Kong is just great and I feel happy to live here and in Discovery Bay. It may be the most un-Hong Kong like place in this little city-territory, but its relaxed atmosphere, green environment and the fact that everything you need is just here makes it one of the most comfortable places to live. It probably helps that this secluded community seems to be oblivious of poverty or low incomes, since everybody here is in a relatively good financial position. I’m not saying that it’s the place where Hong Kong’s wealth lives (i.e. like the Peak, South Island) but certainly people are well off financially.

As I’m writing this I’m sitting in my living room with the sliding windows wide open and a gentle breeze flowing through the air. A glass of cool Chardonnay is nearbye and I’m listening to some funky lounge CD (don’t even know the title and I’m too comfy on the coach to get up and check it). Life’s good!

On a different topic - here below are some pictures of yesterday. Matthijs wanted to go to the beach instead of the pool so we’ve sat there on DB beach for a few hours. He ventured farther and farther into the sea untill he went for a full swim and realized he wasn’t wearing his floaters. Let’s say he now understands that the ocean tastes salty!