Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

Photos from Repulse Bay and Stanley Village in Hong Kong, September 2017.

Relief

I feel like I'm living in a different world than I was in a few weeks ago, now that fall temperatures and lower humidity have made their way to my city. Leaving the house is enjoyable once again. However, I've spent the last two weeks with a cold or flu or sinus infection (who can tell the difference), that started with several days of high fever. My illness is on its last legs, and I'm looking forward to getting around town more soon. 

I have a weeklong trip to the tropics starting Sunday though. I can't put away my summer clothes just yet.

Big bathroom tour

I haven't shown you much of my apartment, but today I have a photo of my large bathroom to show you. I also have a smaller bathroom attached to the master bedroom, but it's hard to take photos of that one due to its size.

It's common in China to have the washing machine in the bathroom since plumbing fixtures are available there. An alternate location for a washing machine is an enclosed balcony, but I don't have an enclosed balcony.

Once upon a time, I had to bring towels from America to use here. The ones available here were tiny; even the ones people used to dry off after a shower were no larger than a hand towel. Also, they had children's drawings on them, like bears or tulips or constellations, and the colors were hideous, in my opinion. Then one day I saw some good larger towels at Wal-Mart and bought them. But I got tired of pink, and Wal-Mart closed down. So when I saw these turquoise ones for sale at the Japanese home furnishing store called Nitori, I got them. 

There is a large hot water heater on the wall above the toilet. The sliding glass doors in the back enclose the shower area. 

I have a small cube-size clothes drier on a piece of furniture on the wall to the right that you can't see. Most people here don't have electric clothes driers, preferring to hang their clothes to dry. The clothes driers that are available are either small and minimally effective, or they are good and really expensive. I ordered mine directly from the factory since I couldn't find any in the stores. It takes 3-4 hours to dry a pair of jeans. But during rainy season, it could take 3-4 days to dry a pair of jeans, so the drier is still a better deal.

I like the brightness of this room. All my rooms have windows. 

That's the bathroom tour!

Watching TV with me

I've been sick with a cold or sinus infection for seven days already. A few days, I was stuck in bed, watching TV. But I wasn't lonely, because Mimi the wonder dog was also there watching TV with me. She's eyeing DiNozzo on NCIS.

August

You may have noticed that I didn't post anything during August. I dislike August.

I also dislike January, February, and July.

Two of these months are bitterly cold and dreary. The other two are saunas.

We had a heat wave again this year. Heat index temperatures were around 116 degrees Fahrenheit by day and over 100 degrees Fahrenheit by night for about two months. I couldn't bear it. My activities were pared down to the bare minimum. Even Mimi didn't want to linger outside on her thrice daily trips downstairs to visit the grass. My electric bill was one of the highest I've ever had. I had to run the air-conditioners non-stop.

I hate to waste four months of the year. That's a whole third of the year! I keep telling myself I won't let heat or cold keep me from enjoying my life. But I don't have a car and getting out hurts sometimes. The heat wave broke three days ago. I have my life back now.