La mala education

It was one of those days when I felt like a world belongs to me. Even though I had to get up at 5 a.m. to catch a plane at 6.15. And actually I woke up half an hour earlier. Such travel fever did not happen to me for ages now. Anyways, five hours of sleep put me in that "friendly with everyone" mode. Usually it's other way round though.

We met with Marta at the airport, sweetly chatted to the lady at the counter and got an upgrade to business. We were flying to Prague. Already on the plane we've been chatting to some people. Later it was only better. We were even able to handle in a friendly manner and good moods the fact that our reservation in Marriott was not confirmed and that possibly we would have no place to sleep...

In the end we got a room and after doing necessary work we hit the city. Maybe not in the way everyone imagines when they hear that term. Nevertheless we've wondered around, met with a colleague who handed us over the relay goodies bags and bibs. We had a cup of coffee together and of course we were speaking English. Who could be bothered to try to understand each others mother language when all of us are fluent in English?

And as we were chatting like that, a guy from the table on my left disturbed me. He wanted to give me an advice. OK, keep going. What he meant is that my English is really good, but there was one tiny mistake. I should say "last night" and not "yesterday night". Except that everything was perfect.

Apparently he's an English teacher form S.F. and took his mission very seriously. Anyways that was nice. I took the compliment. And the lesson of course ;-) I was laughing my head off when he and his friend joined our conversation. Mental.

The other two days that we were in the city we did some sight seeing and shopping and eating and whole bunch of other stuff. Chillaxing.

Zizkov TV Tower.  It is 216 meters tall and besides providing Prague with a TV and radio signal, it offers a panoramic view of the city. Built in 1985 - 1992. In the year 2000, baby sculptures created by artist David Černý were attached to the tower and give the impression of babies crawling up and down the tower.

Church of the Most Sacred Heart of our Lord (Kostel nejsvětějšího srdce Páně) at the Jiřího z Poděbrad Square. Vinohrady.

Vinohrady Market Hall (Vinohradská tržnice)

Vltava River. View towards Smichov

Vltava

Prague Astronomical Clock. The Prague Orloj is mounted on the southern wall of Old Town City Hall in the Old Town Square

Getting ready

View from Hradcany

Toy Museum in Hradcany

Toy Museum

Yes. This figure sits here, just in front of an entrance to toy museum. I just wonder who polished it like this...

Golden Lane. In front of Franz Kafka house.

Old movie posters in one of the houses in the Golden Lane

Old movie posters in one of the houses in the Golden Lane

Library in the Old Royal Palace in the Prague Castle (Prazky Hrad)

Leadlight in the Basilica of St.George (Bazilika sv.Jiri)

Water level measurement device at Vltava river

Prasna Brana (Powrde Tower). Our meeting point for tomorrow.

National Museum and portable toilets for the runners ;-)

Sunday was a relay and marathon day. All together. I must admit that from my point of view the race was very well organised, big screens displaying numbers of relay members who should get ready, long water stations, bananas, oranges, sponges etc. And it was not a small event. No idea how many runners were taking part in it, but loads.

Our team did 3:43:42 which makes it a decent time. I was also glad about my part. 10k in 51:33. Maybe it's nothing special but bearing in mind all the recent events and antibiotics I was really proud.

Peacemakers at the Prasna Brana

Accenture Marathon Relay team

Ready,

Go!



After the run, on the way to the last changing point

Runners, just after the half way

Finished with time 3.46.42. If I could achieve this time on the whols distance just on my own...



Everyone is a winner

Cipa?

Finishers

The adverts of the run were everywhere throughout the city, even in the security baskets at the airport.

High Life in Hong Kong

I love HK. I could spend here more time, move here for a little while and enjoy.
The difference between HK and Shanghai is as big as difference between Beijing and Shanghai. Here they even have Pret, which has the best porrige and soups ever. It feels here like in London. Even tube is designed in the same way. Wall joins with the ceiling in the same curvy way and notice boards indicating stops are the same.
From the same beginning I've been enjoying the city and having a lot of fun. Already on Friday (so the day when I've come from Shanghai after 18h ride on the train) I went to see light and sound show on the bank of the sea/canal which separate HK Island from Kowloon. We've (with friend who I've first met in Xi'an) watched it from Kowloon side, music synchronised with lights on the skycrapers. Nice experience. And after that we went to Lan Kwai Fong (party street in L shape, street's name comes from that shape). Street were closed for the cars and people were basicaly drinking on the road, and waitresses serving there. I guess it's not always like that, but they've organised it for the Halloween Party which was suposed to be on Sat.
It's so cool to go out, sip your gin'n'tonic on the street and chat to ppl passing by.

Hong Kong by night from Kowloon

I think that my room mates in the hostel wanted to kill me when I've come back at 3 a.m. and than got up at 7.45 to meet my HK friend - Carol, who invited me for hiking trip with her friends from University. We went to Sai Kung to make a small part of MacLehose Trail. It leads you along the coast and water reservoir for HK and than later on up the hills, through sandy beaches and unexpectidly warm water in the bay. What a pity that I did not have my bikini with me and I could not get into the sea.

Sai Kung sweet water reservior

Carol, Catherine and I

Hiking crew

Sai Kung - rock that cracked

Beach

Bare feet

Octagonal rocks in Sai Kung

Fish market in Sai Kung

Sai Kung - sea food restaurant

By the time we got back I was completly shuttered, so I took 1h nap, drunk RedBull and got ready for a party, where I've went with one guy who I've met in hostel. This time it was real Halloween Party. And it seems true what everyone says about China, Chinese ppl are crazy about this holiday. It was crazy what was going on on the streets, on the Lan Kwai Fong especially. They've made them one way pedestrian streets, so whenever you wanted to go back somewhere you had to make the whole round of about 3x3 blocks. People were dressed up, party everywhere, photos, drinks. Fun, fun, fun!
Unfortunately or maybe fortunately I've lost my friend from the hostel, but I've met some other ppl, and one of them showed me another place to go. Wan Chai is another party district in HK. Bars with live music and clubs. We went to Dusk till Dawn and of course, I've lost him too. It was not intended at all, but he just disappeared somewhere and I had to make new friends again. But practice makes perfect, three times luck and this time I did not lost anyone who I've met, but had a lot of fun. Recently I have luck to meet guys working for Lufthansa, either flying cargo or private planes. I've always thought they have really nice jobs. Why am I doing consulting? I should have been aircraft pilot, wear cool suit, spend every evening in different city staying in posh hotel, cause from what I've seen Marriott here is pretty posh, with outdoor swimming pool, fully equiped bathroom (tooth brush, tooth paset, comb) unlike in all European hotels where you don't get it at all.
When I was coming back to hostel on Sunday I saw guy on the escalator with bag and some papers prolly trying to figure out where YesInn hostel is. I thought that I may help him and ask if he goes there and lead him there cause anyway I was going there too. And in fact I hit the jack pot. Right place, right time. Wallaby.
Later on he went with me to buy my notebook (Asus Eee PC, 1GB RAM, 250 HD, 10", Intel Atom N450 inside, 1,66 GHz, Windows 7, webcam, 3 USB slots, SD Card reader for 2400 HKD) which I'm jusing just now to write this note, but unfortunatelly I cannot connect to wireless in the hostel. I've tried other places and it works, but not here, and I have no clue what's that, especially that here I have Windows 7 which is brand new for me and I even dunno how to set or access different services or settings. So no idea when I'm going to post this note and update previous one with some photos. SO I gave up and we went for a dinner and to visit Temple Night Market.

Knick-knacks

Training chopsticks - I should have gotten some before coming to Asia

Luckbringingcatswavingtheirpaws

The Pennisula hotel and shopping centre

The Pennisula hotel and shopping centre

Hong Kong Island

And today we went to Disneyland. It was big luck. One of the Carol's friends who I met on Sat works there and she could let us in, so as I've never been to Disneyland I went there and even better that there was someone to share this experience with me. It was ok, but nothing special. If I'd have to pay 350 HKD for that I'd be disappointed, especially thas some attractions were closed after Halloween (to take off all Halloween ornaments) like the biggest attraction - rollercoaster. But I'm happy that I've finally been to Disneyland ;-)

Disneyland line

In the DIsneyland tube

Welcome to Disneyland

Sam is saving the world

I'm saving the world

Golden Mickey Show

Golden Mickey Show

Golden Mickey Show

Winnie the Pooh experience

Merlin

Tarzan Tree House

Sunny Bay Tube Station