Memories of Hong Kong

Oh Gosh..................how did this happen!
We are over a week away from our last journey from Hong kong and our feet have literally skipped along to this day within one  blink. So sorry for not keeping the journal going . We were so very very busy and when we were not busy we were sleeping , albeit briefly. I think I have just recovered from lack of Zzzz,s seriously.
We had such an incredibly memorable time. Our hosts were the dearest, kindest, sweetest people and we were so very well looked after. The weather was hot and steamy and most of the time I  was dressed in wet clothes  which are not particularly comfortable and definitely not attractive . All images of me that have of course been heavily censored show me with a certain patina that would look so right on a glorious antique table perhaps, but not an English geriatric florist up to arms in Mandarin and Cantonese!
On the final day Carolyn and I treated ourselves to an adventure to the much revered Stanley market. Where  risking life and limb we took a double decker bus. The drivers are ingenious how they master the intestinel like route that takes you from one Island to the next next.
On arrival the antenna soon perked up  as the market unfurled before us. Ooooh colours and smells and bargains galore!!!! From cashmere to chopsticks and  linens to laundered labels. We were in our element. Poor Carolyn with back pack resembled a pack horse by the time I was finished poor girl. We came across a small stall selling fruits and flowers with orchids begging for my attention ....how I wanted to take them all home.
As it was on returning to the Hotel bags and cases were stuffed , Carolyn took pity on my overflow bless her.   I was saved at the check-in as my seriously overweight case wobbled , groaned and leant on the scale barrier relieving itself off a few tell tale 1Lbs just in time not to have to pay any ecxcess!!!
Our Memories of HK will last for a lifetime , the kindness, humility, complete utter madness and disbelief at the volume of people, the culture shock and the real discovery that shopping and eating are the biggest pastimes for  everyone.
Eating! How is it they eat so much so often and stay so slim........if only I could bottle it!!

HONG KONG DAY 2!

We arrived yesterday afternoon after a longer than usual flight - (having been diverted to Helsinki en route to drop off a passenger who needed urgent medical attention.) Our wonderful Hong Kong liaison, Betty, met us at the airport and delivered us to our hotel. Having only left here 10 days ago it was rather like a home-coming.

Not wanting to waste valuable free time last night we set off on a nocturnal adventure, heading by train for the 'ladies market' in the frantically frenetic district of Mong Kok. It was a designer label paradise .... as long as you didnt look too closely and disappoint yourself when you realised that they were 99% fake reproductions! From 'Harrods' shopping totes to 'Herods' shopping totes (that's a bad fake!!) Burberry, Kath Kidstone, YSL, 'Polo' shirts (but not Ralph's polo) Jimmy Choo, Christian Dior were all there in abundance. We shopped a little and bargained a lot. The vendors all seemed to have developed a similar expression of deep disapproval, that they wore as they grudgingly agreed to your lowest bid.

Unfortunately Sarah discovered half way through the evening that the small camera that had been suspended from her wrist was no longer there.  We re-traced our steps but to no avail. That lead on to our next adventure this morning when we went to find a police station to report the missing camera; it was a very long and slow process.

After that it was finally time for me to present myself in the kitchen for the big run through of all the dishes for tomorrow and Sunday. All restaurant kitchens seem to be hot, steamy and tiny - but this one wins hands down on all scores. Added to which the chefs speak but a few words of English - so it was interesting!

Sarah meanwhile was at the hotel instructing her 4 'assistants' for the workshops tomorrow and Sunday, which seemed to be a lively and high spirited gathering. Apparently some showed more dexterity with a tube of glue, some leaves and a slippery bag than others..... We wait with baited breath to see what tomorrow will bring!

That wedding.......

It is late on Monday night, Sarah is driving home from France and I am in the throes of packing ...again! In just 48 hours we will be half way to Hong Kong for our extravaganzas at the New town Plaza. It seems like no time at all since we were getting off the plane 9 days ago, but a lot has happened in that time including, of course, THE WEDDING. What a breath-taking, seamless and exciting spectacle that was. It certainly left me feeling both very proud to be British but also proud to have been a part of the Royal household and privileged to have been part of Williams life for those 11 years.  It would have been lovely to have been able to contribute something to that special day for William, but it is now 10 years since I left the household and I couldn't hang on forever - there were always going to be things in the future that I knew I would wish I could still be a part of! Perhaps in a sense I did contribute something... one of my favourite tasks when I first joined the household and William was just 7 and Harry was 4 was preparing the afternoon tea to send up to the nursery. Chocolate fridge cake was a firm favourite then and clearly it still is now as it was his choice of wedding cake!
More news from Hong Kong later in the week......