Lasting Memories

Having fun kayaking in Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung

Friends asked me if I had a bucket list to complete before leaving Hong Kong, but I didn't and instead they took me to their favourite places.

One took me on my first kayaking adventure in Hoi Ha Wan, a marine reserve at the north of Sai Kung Peninsula. We went on an overcast weekday to avoid the crowds, but ironically I still got sunburnt on my arms.

The amazing sunset we saw at Devil's Peak

It was practically just us there for most of the day. My friend gave me a quick lesson in how to kayak and we set off to explore the area. It was amazing to see sea creatures underneath us, from small fish and crab to sea urchin and sea cucumber. I did touch a sea cucumber which felt soft and springy. 

But overall it was so nice to be out in nature, with no one else around except us, the water and nature. After we came home I could still hear the whoosh of the water from paddling in my ears hours later.

On another day she took me up to Devil's Peak where we watched a stunning sunset over Hong Kong. Where we stood we could see both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon close together and the sun setting in between. 

Even though we went on a weekday it was popular that day with locals all wanting that perfect Instagram shot. So when we decided to leave, we were pleasantly surprised to find other fantastic views of the sunse with hardly anyone around. 

Looking down on Repulse Bay

Another friend took me to one of her favourite restaurants, Uehara for an omakase lunch. There were only eight diners and the chef gave us interesting dishes, like chopped up firefly squid that had a very intense flavour, scallop topped with ponzu jelly, and various sushi, like ebi, striped jack, sea bream, and otoro.

She also took me hiking from Tai Tam to Stanley. It was a nice easy walk, not too hot as it was mostly shaded by trees. By the end we worked up an appetite and had a quasi Reuben sandwich (no sauerkraut but caramelised onions) each with fries and a Caesar salad. Afterwards we took in the sunset which we couldn't see directly, but a soft pink glow in the sky.

When an acquaintance heard I was leaving he insisted on taking me to Japanese yakitori place Toritama. The last time I was there was when it opened, so it seemed like coming full circle. There were so many different skewers to try, including cock's comb -- literally the comb, five or six of them grilled together. Literally nothing was wasted! 

Chopped firefly squid with a mayonnaise sauce

Eating at this pace as items were being cooked was a great way to have a conversation that was not rushed and enjoyable. We also ate sancho peppers, grilled brussels sprouts, cheese melted on a stick, and soy sauce ice cream for dessert.

Yet another Japanese meal with another acquaintance was had at Nagamoto restaurant, where chef Nagamoto heard I was leaving and one of the courses was presented a boat (as a metaphor for my departure) and wrote in Japanese calligraphy that he wished me well on my journey! 

If that wasn't enough, at the end of our meal my chopsticks were presented back to me in a special wooden case to take back home as a souvenir! 

I also went to Mui Wo twice to catch up with two different friends. One took me on a walk around Pui O which was also a nice change from the urban landscape, where we visited a deserted rundown temple by the water. My other friend finally introduced me to his one and a half year old dog Cookie, a mutt he had fostered as a puppy and later decided to adopt. 

A non government beach at Pui O

Cookie needs a bit more obedience training, but after her initial excitement of seeing her owner, she calmed down and at one point put her front paws on my lap. My friend and his wife were so surprised to see this as Cookie has not done this with any of their other friends. They had to take a photo as evidence.

A colleague also wanted to cook for me before I left, and brought over some homestyle dishes from Wuhan, but luckily the spice level was turned way down for me. One was a chopped chicken stir-fried with peppers and lotus root, the other sliced beef with celtuce. 

More food was supplied by another ex-colleague who brought fried rice, vegetables and a very spicy chicken dish I didn't dare touch! We had a good time reminiscing and talking about our experiences and how this shaped our work.

I also managed to squeeze in time to find the block of flats where my dad grew up in Kowloon. Many decades later it is still there, in very good condition.

But perhaps the most important thing for me was visiting my grandparents' graves.

Cookie was excited to see us!

Last year I had already visited my paternal grandfather's grave and his younger sister, but needed to go see my maternal grandparents in Chai Wan.

The over two years of the pandemic has made my relatives terrified of the virus and even though they are triple jabbed and had promised to take me to the cemetery, they were very scared of venturing out. So I asked them for the addresses of the graves and luckily a friend offered to take me there.

It was a very hot day and it was a sweaty ordeal walking around in the heat trying to find my maternal grandmother's grave. We were in the right section, but I could not find her and despaired, but not before we walked further up the terraced hill and finally found her. 

As for my grandfather's grave I completely forgot how far apart they were -- we had to take a taxi to get there, and soon after we arrived we were able to locate him. 

The block of flats where my dad grew up

I placed flowers on the grave, bowed to him and felt relieved that this mission completed, and that I could now go home.

Gruesome Way to Teach National Education

This year marks the 84th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre

Some young children have been traumatised after watching explicitly violent videos about the Nanking Massacre, that happened 84 years ago.

PLK HKTA Yuen Yuen Primary School in Tuen Mun last Thursday showed footage of brutal killings to pupils, some who were as young as seven, or in Primary Two, as part of activities to commemorate the massacre that began on December 13, 1937 in the city now known as Nanjing.

The video included scenes of rampaging Japanese soldiers burying Chinese civilians alive and shooting them in the head, as well as fields littered with dead bodies, including those of babies.

Primary Two pupils were traumatised from footage

On Monday a Primary Two student told the media outside the school that some of his classmates cried, and some refused to watch the video, which contained "scenes of execution and babies".

Asked what the teacher did after the students cried, the boy said, "The teacher continued to watch the video. Some students did not watch, holding their books."

Presumably in a bid to hide their eyes from watching the gut-wrenching footage that is horrific for anyone at any age to watch.

The school wrote to parents on Saturday after they reportedly complained about the screening, saying it was "distressed and worried" to learn some children felt uneasy after the class. It also vowed to pay more attention to children's feelings and offer counselling to them.

The commemoration was part of the school's drive to follow a bureau call for educators to develop in students "a sense of national identity and a sense of commitment towards the nation".

But perhaps after that horrific experience they will be too terrified and paralysed to do anything for the nation...

Lam says China's history must be taught

While Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor stressed the importance of learning about China's past, she put the onus on teachers to decide on lessons that were age appropriate, as she noted past complaints of officials trying to "control everything".

"It's not for education officials to dictate or... provide very detailed guidelines on what to show, when to show and so on," she said on Tuesday.

Lam hoped the public would recognise that learning Chinese history was "absolutely important for school education".

"If we don't understand history, it's hard to understand the significance and uniqueness of 'one country, two systems'," she said, referring to the governing principle for Hong Kong.

Yes, history is very important, and at the moment the government is trying to control the narrative of the city's history especially two years ago... except millions of people know another version...

An Orwellian Day in Hong Kong

A dramatic backdrop for Carrie Lam commenting the IPCC report today

 

Today there was so much news going on besides the pandemic that as one local person on Twitter remarked: "Sometimes one gets the feeling Hong Kong is crumbling before one's eyes."

He was referring to a question on the DSE or the Diploma of Secondary Education exam, only one of the outrageous fiascos that happened today in another sign that Beijing is further inserting itself into Hong Kong.

The fall of Hong Kong to the Japanese in December 1941

The other day it was found one of the questions on the exam for students to be eligible for university had upset Beijing. Nay, it had "seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people" -- a line from the mainland Chinese playbook to demand sympathy.

That's because the history question asked students if they agreed Japan did more good than harm to China between 1900 and 1945. 

There were accusations from pro-establishment lawmakers that the question played down the impact of the Japanese occupation of China, and that it led exam candidates to come to a biased conclusion that "seriously hurt the feelings and dignity of the Chinese people who suffered great pain during the Japanese invasion of China".

Maybe it was a trick question to see if students were paying attention or not, but it is up to them to be in favour of or against the statement by supporting the argument with facts and analysis.

Education minister Kevin Yeung criticized an exam question

However it got too controversial to the point where Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung held a press conference today, saying the Education Bureau would ask the Examinations and Assessment Authority to void the question and make appropriate adjustments to ensure the credibility of the exam.

Yeung said given Japan's invasion of China, the answer to the exam question must be "doing more harm than good to China". "There is no room for discussion."

His curt comment probably came after Beijing was riled up about the question. The foreign ministry publicly criticized the authority over the question, warning that education could not be allowed to run out of control, like a "chicken coop without a flap".

Education in Hong Kong is becoming more politicized. Surely the teachers setting the exam questions knew they were going to be verging into hot-water territory with the Sino-Japanese war?

Sin Ka-ho, 22, was jailed for four years today for rioting

The next fiasco that happened today was the sentencing of 22-year-old Sin Ka-ho, who was jailed for four years for his part in the anti-government protests last year. The lifeguard pleaded guilty to ramming police barricades and hurling helmets and umbrellas at the police outside the Legislative Council on June 12.

Sin was a first-time offender and while his defense counsel said the young man did not regret his actions, he admitted setting a bad example to young people and would urge them not to resort to violence.

Many HongKongers were outraged by the sentence because he is being used as an example to others, being the first to plead guilty -- because he was clearly captured on video for his actions.

But compare this heavy sentence to a pro-Beijing tour guide who had attacked pro-democracy activists with knives at a Lennon Wall in Taipo last August, and was only sentenced to 45 months in jail last month. Three people were wounded in the attack, one seriously.

How is this justice?

Then the third event today was the release of the report on police violence by the IPCC, or Independent Police Complaints Council. The 1,000-page report details main events during the anti-government protests last year, including June 12 (where Sin was caught throwing umbrellas and helmets at police), July 1, July 21 and August 31.

How can there be no collusion from this photo taken July 21?

When it comes to July 21, when white-shirted men, apparently triad-related, were armed with sticks and attacked people, mostly protesters returning to Yuen Long at the MTR station, the IPCC report glosses over the violence and claims there was no collusion between the police and the white-shirted men.

How could there be no collusion when there are numerous videos of police officers patting the backs of some white shirted men? How can there still be so few arrests to this day?

One of the former independent advisors to the IPCC, Clifford Stott, a professor of social psychology at Keele University in the UK, has advised government around the world around policing. He says the section on July 21 was a result of "misinformation".

"It would seem the release of the IPCC report is part of a wider set of coordinated announcements designed to deliver the new 'truth'," he tweeted, attaching a quote by George Orwell.

Indeed.

At the 6pm press conference today, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor stood in front of a backdrop that featured a collage of photos from violent protests with the slogan: "The Truth About Hong Kong".

The IPCC report was released today, but soft on police actions

She said now was not the time to have an independent inquiry because the city is too busy fighting against the pandemic, and besides, people who volunteered to join the independent review panel were busy and dropped out.

Lam described the report as "comprehensive and objective", and that she would take into consideration "areas of improvement" where police clashed with protesters. She spent 10 hours reading the report and implement some of the 52 recommendations, which include drafting guidelines for journalists reporting at protest scenes, reviewing internal police command structures, and improving the identification of police officers with clear numbers.

If that didn't get more Orwellian, how about removing a pan-democratic lawmaker who heads a committee because he has been filibustering for months, but that is his legal right to do so?

After weeks of complaints from Beijing, Legislative Council President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen removed Dennis Kwok Wing-hang from the House Committee and replaced him with pro-Beijing councillor Chan Kin-por.

Legco President Andrew Leung removed Dennis Kwok today

Leung claimed he was invoking his power under article 92 of the council's rules of procedure to deal with the current impasse after seeking legal advice. He defended the unprecedented move, saying: "This is a hard decision, and I think it's incumbent upon me to take a decision to make sure that we can, as the legislature -- on the whole -- to fulfill our responsibility under the Basic Law."

He added that he chose Chan for his experience in chairing the Finance Committee. 

For all these four things to happen in one day, it's too much to digest and understand what is going on in Hong Kong. If anything, it is the increased "mainlandization" of the city, made possible to a pliant local government.

How can everyone, from opposition lawmakers to ordinary people stop more of this from happening before 2047?

Picture of the Day: Uni Cup Noodles

Uni in Cup Noodles? Not really worth it, but interesting...

A young relative of mine likes to travel to Japan whenever he can get a cheap ticket. He's going there again in a few weeks, but about a month ago he went to Tokyo and brought back some snacks that would raise a few eyebrows.

He went to a museum on technology and at the gift shop he bought a can that said "space bread" on it, and another packet for curry that would be eaten in space.

We tried those out and the space bread was more like a brioche bun than bread, but funnily enough it went well with the Japanese curry that just looked like a thick dark brown sauce.

Another of his favourite purchases was trying interesting Cup Noodle flavours. One we tried this week had uni, or sea urchin in it.

I wasn't holding my breath, but inside were these small orange things that really looked like pumpkin, but lo and behold they were tiny uni, though not having much flavour of course!

Why you would even bother to put uni in cup noodles... except to make customers buy it at a premium...

Artistic Passion for Trams

The specially-designed tram that celebrates its 115th anniversary this year

I spotted this special tram over the weekend and love the story behind it.

Up close the tram is covered in hundreds of pictures (about 350) -- of other trams in and around Hong Kong to celebrate 115 years in the city.

They are the work of Japanese artist Koichi Matsuda, who has taken as many as 10,000 photographs of trams in the past five years.

Koichi Matsuda has taken 10,000 pictures of trams in 5 years

He found not only this type of transport but also the advertising on them very eye-catching.

"Hong Kong trams are special. In Japan, there are no double-decker [trams]," Matsuda, 65, said.

"The constant change of tram advertisements is the most suitable subject to showcase the vigorous economic growth of Hong Kong."

In the past five years, Matsuda has visited Hong Kong 20 times and used the same camera and lens to take pictures of the trams, usually at the Shau Kei Wan terminus. He took so many pictures that from 2016 to last year, he held six exhibition in Japan and Taipei.

After seeing his pictures, some Japanese were inspired to visit Hong Kong. "Many of my friends became more interested in Hong Kong and trams after seeing my work," he said.

But Matsuda hoped to use his photos to decorate a tram and the opportunity came after Hong Kong Tramways "liked" one of his photos on social media, and he contacted the company about his idea.

He is thrilled his proposal became a reality. This tram will be running along Hong Kong Island for two or three months. It's one of 164 trams running along the 30km system that carries 200,000 passengers daily.

Ding ding!

Enough with the Self-Obsession

Everywhere you look in Hong Kong, people are taking selfies

Recently some colleagues and acquaintances and I have been talking about how people have become so obsessed with social media that it's become completely absurd.

Do we need to know what you're drinking?

There's a new hipster coffee shop that opened in my neighbourhood, and now every weekend there are throngs of people there -- just to take pictures -- to show that they are at the latest hot spot. Once they get their cups of coffee, they take selfies with the waterfront in the background, or the shop behind them.

The shop is located on the corner and there's heavy traffic right in front -- with so many people around the store, there's bound to be a car accident because people are too busy concentrating on taking pictures of themselves.

My colleague sarcastically joked that these people were proving that they had ticked another item off their bucket list, or that their social media posts would include hashtags like #lifegoals or #nocoffenolife or #goalaccomplished.

So getting a cup of coffee is an accomplishment?

Another acquaintance told of visiting a Japanese pancake shop, where the pancakes have egg whites folded into them to make them thick and jiggly, the latest dessert trend in Hong Kong. She reported that the customers who arrived just before her were a young couple.

Why not eat the pancakes instead of taking pictures of them?

She was there for about 45 minutes to make a video at the shop, take some footage of the signature pancakes, and eat them. When she was leaving, she noticed the couple was still sitting there, the man looking very bored and hungry while his female partner was still taking pictures of the pancakes from every conceivable angle.

Surely the pancakes were stone cold by then?

And then yet another acquaintance who was in a restaurant in Taiwan recently, and he saw the group of people next to them get up and go, and left behind a dish that was completely untouched. They had only come to photograph the food.

What a waste.

She wants to show everyone she had a bubble tea here

He also said he was in a cafe and a woman sat in a corner and was taking non-stop selfies of herself -- for an hour.

When will this self-absorbed obsession for likes and followers end?

How about putting the phone down and instead of focusing on taking the perfect picture, how about focusing on the moment?

Picture of the Day: Owl Pot

The other day a friend treated me to a teppanyaki lunch in Causeway Bay. It is a newly-opened restaurant so it still has a few kinks to sort out.

But one of the dishes on the set menu was so cute! The chawanmushi, or steamed egg custard with crab meat was presented in this ceramic pot shaped like an owl!

However to eat the chawanmushi inside I had to lift up the lid and decapitate the bird...

Picture of the Day: Louis Vuitton's Lucky Charm?

Giant red cat for Louis Vuitton -- will he bring good luck?

Tonight I went to Galaxy Macau for a dinner and as I rushed to the restaurant I saw this big red maneki-neko, or in Japanese "beckoning cat" and had to stop for a second and check him out.

Turns out he was part of a Louis Vuitton display with the "LV" initials on his chest. Apparently these maneki-neko are meant to bring good luck to the owner.

Perhaps Louis Vuitton needs a lot of luck after luxury sales fell down again thanks to the Chinese government cracking down on daigou, or people who shop overseas for customers who live in China, many of them used to buy fashion brands like LV...

Remembering the War Dead

Hong Kong war veterans make their way among the tombstones

As a Canadian who has lived in Hong Kong on and off for 15 years I am embarrassed to say I only visited the Sai Wan War Cemetery today! This is where 228 Canadian soldiers were buried following the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941.

They have been remembered ever year for the past 71 years since 1947, and today was no different.

The Canadian Consulate organizes the event every year and I was invited this time and jumped at the chance to visit the place and take part in the Canadian Commemorative Ceremony that is held on the first Sunday of December.

It meant waking up extra early to catch the shuttle bus in front of the General Post Office, but that is nothing compared to the sacrifice these soldiers made 77 years ago.

Veteran Peter Choi at 96 years of age

Originally the Japanese were allies of the British, but as the Japanese were occupying various Asian countries, there were concerns Hong Kong would be next.

To defend the British colony, Canada sent 1,975 soldiers from two battalions, the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers, who sailed from Vancouver to Hong Kong on October 27, 1941.

They came to Hong Kong not knowing much about the place and immediately went about training and adapting to their new environment -- but they didn't have much time to prepare.

In the early morning of December 8, 1941, the Battle of Hong Kong erupted and the Canadian soldiers fought for 17 and a half days, but the Japanese were no match for them and Hong Kong surrendered on Christmas Day.

In the end 290 Canadian soldiers lost their lives defending Hong Kong, and 269 died as prisoners of war, making the total number of deaths at 559, and another 500 wounded. That means of the 1,975 Canadian soldiers who were sent to Hong Kong, 1,059 were either killed or wounded -- making this casualty rate one of the highest ones in any Canadian theatre of action during World War II.

The bus ride to the cemetery was very fast -- about 15 minutes and we had an hour to look around before the ceremony started. There was an exhibition of old photographs showing the Canadian soldiers in Hong Kong, out in the field training.

A number of wreaths were laid during the ceremony

One in particular shows a group of soldiers around a black sheepdog called Sergeant Gander who was the Royal Rifles of Canada's mascot. He was so loyal to the soldiers that he even died in battle on December 19, 1941.

During a Japanese attack, Gander picked up a grenade that had landed next to a group of soldiers and carried it away. It exploded and killed Gander instantly. He was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal that honours animals who made great contributions during wartime.

There are 2,000 people buried here. Some of the Canadian tombstones do not have names, and if they do, they are soldiers who died mostly in their 20s. There are also British soldiers who were also in their 20s and 30s who are buried here, and there are plaques that recognize the Indians who fought in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile for the ceremony, there were many Hongkongers dressed in navy blue blazers, including Peter Choi, who I interviewed three years ago. He still looks good for 96! He is one of the last surviving soldiers who fought in the Battle of Hong Kong.

A soldier's grave decorated with poppy and flag

I made it down the stairs to where the ceremony would be held, and just before 10am, a single bagpiper performed for about 15 minutes as he led the procession of vets, including Choi, down the stairs.

Among the prayers, salutes and two minutes of silence, the Canadian Consul General Jeff Nankivell, who also speaks Cantonese and Mandarin, gave a bilingual speech in English and French. One remark he made was that these soldiers who died never became a teacher or builder, or become fathers and husbands, grandfathers, that they made this sacrifice for us.

His speech was followed by the laying of wreaths by a number of government and consular officials, veteran groups and community associations. Along with Choi, there was another elderly vet who fought in World War II and he was escorted by a representative from the Canadian Armed Forces.

We finally sang O Canada, which took on a very poignant meaning, and then the ceremony was over.

It was nice to see a good turnout, very young children to people in their 90s, and many students participated in the ceremony. What a beautiful day to come out and take time to reflect and remember those who sacrificed their lives to protect this city.  

Picture of the Day: Tax Refund

The line went all the way down to the end and to the left. Daunting, right?

Italy encourages tourists to shop shop shop -- the more the better. That's because if you reside outside the European Union, you are eligible for a tax refund when making purchases of 155 euros (US$175.36) or more in Italy.

The shop should help you fill out a tax refund form with the receipt attached so that you can claim the VAT refund of 22 percent. It's a huge difference which is why it's worth getting the refund.

However, the refund can only be processed at the airport, which is why it's advisable to go there with plenty of time before checking in. The morning I went, my flight was much later, and so I had time to get the refund.

The line for the VAT refund (in a big yellow sign) was very long to say the least, though it did move, slowly. It was full of mostly Japanese people who were holding wads of receipts.

Another rule about getting the refund is that you may have to show the officer your purchase so you can't pack it into your suitcase.

My biggest panic was waiting in line and not being in the right line. When I bought a pair of shoes, the sales assistant told me I would need a stamp on the form and then get the refund. So when my line slowly inched closer to the counters, I couldn't see where you were supposed to get a stamp and started to worry.

The people in front of me were Japanese tourists. They were young people who had bought many name brand luxury items. Thankfully they had an Italian guide, a well-dressed middle-aged man who spoke good Japanese and helped them with translation or questions.

I quickly asked him if I needed a stamp and he said no, and that I was in the right line.

Finally it was my turn at the counter and after showing them the receipt, the tax form (filled out by the store), my passport and credit card, the whole process took less than five minutes. She was even busy chatting with her colleague next to her that she didn't even ask to look at the shoes I bought.

She gave me a receipt showing the amount credited to my credit card and that everything was done. I was able to pack my shoes in my suitcase before checking it in, so there was one less thing to carry.

And in my next credit card statement, the refund was credited. It made my expensive purchase easier to justify. Ha!

Modern Australian Cuisine in Singapore

Whitegrass' circular dining room is elegant and not pretentious either

A food writer friend in Singapore suggested we have lunch at one of her favourite places, Whitegrass, which has just retained its Michelin one-star rating. It opened in 2016 and is run by executive chef-owner Sam Aisbett, who cooks modern Australian and uses Japanese ingredients in many of his dishes.

Sashimi yellowtail with caviar, yuzu kosho and seaweed oil

The restaurant is located in Chijmes, the complex that used to be a Catholic school, so the space Whitegrass uses is a heritage one so it has an old soul, but also sophisticated feel to it, but not over-the-top.

Outside there are tables to dine al fresco, but it's too hot for that and we went inside, sitting in the circular space at the back that fits about 28 people if completely full.

We looked at the three-course set lunch menu which looked like a good way to go, though there was an option for a five-course, and a tasting menu. To start an amuse bouche of ginger milk curd topped with delicious peas and seasoned with bottarga. It was so delicate and delicious, whetting the appetite for what was to come.

Scallop yin yang with Iberico pork neck underneath

My starter was sashimi yellowtail amberjack with Japanese land caviar, yuzu kosho and toasted seaweed oil. It was a taste of the sea in this dish, with the fresh yellowtail slices, mixed with small cucumbers and yuzu kosho, punctuated with bursts of caviar and seasoned with seaweed sauce.

Meanwhile my friend had the slow roasted young beetroots with fresh goats cheese fetta, with crispy red quinoa, juniper and sour leaves.

Next came an extra dish for us -- scallop yin yang that had one sheet white, the other black from squid ink made from scallops. Underneath were chunks of slow-roasted Iberico pork neck that was so tender, with shiitake custard, lotus seed, and pork rib broth poured in tableside.

Sea bream with razor clam, pomelo and kombu butter

It seems strange mixing scallop and pork together and we like the interesting presentation, but perhaps it's trying to get used to the idea of putting these two ingredients together.

Our main course was red sea bream with steamed razor clam, Japanese mukago yam, pomelo and shio kombu butter. It was disappointing the sea bream was a tad overcooked, but otherwise enjoyed the flavours of this dish, sweet and savoury along with the colours in the shallow bowl.

Finally for dessert, Amazake milk mousse with Japanese nashi pear, shiso leaf granita and a scoop of pear ice cream. Loved the shiso leaf granita! It was so refreshing and went well with the crunchy pear balls, but the milk mousse was too much cream for my taste.

Milk mousse (left) with shiso leaf granita and pear ice cream!

Redemption in the form of petite fours -- small strawberry lamingtons that had a cold strawberry middle, and the other was a gourmet bite that tasted like a snickers bar -- chocolate, peanut butter and a bit of caramel.

Our bill came to S$95 or HK$548 (US$70) each. We look forward to better things from the talented chef Sam!

Whitegrass
30 Victoria Street #01-26/27
Chijmes
Singapore
(65) 6837 0402
www.whitegrass.com.sg

Historical Legacy of Japanese Tea Garden

Walking into the garden one can't help but be in awe of its beauty

During our trip to San Francisco we spent a few hours at the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. It is the oldest Japanese park in the United States; originally it was created in 1894 as a "Japanese village" for the California Midwinter International Exposition that year, and it grew into a one-acre garden.

Delicate wisteria blowing in the breeze

When the fair ended, the gardener, immigrant Makoto Hagiwara and superintendent John McLaren had a gentleman's agreement where Hagiwara would look after the garden and even expanded it to five times the size, importing many plants, birds and koi fish, as well as effort into the place. His family also lived on the property.

Hagiwara died in 1925 and his daughter Takano Hagiwara and her children became the proprietors of the garden. However in 1942, she and her family along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans were evicted from the garden and sent to internment camps during World War II because of unfounded fears they were spies for Japan.

The zen rock garden invites contemplation...

When the war was over, the family was not allowed to return to the garden, nor were they reimbursed either, which is a sad indictment of these innocent people. While the family was away, all the Japanese buildings, including their home and the Shinto shrine in the garden were demolished.

After the war, the Hagiwara family gave minimal assistance to fix up the garden, and in 1949 a bronze Buddha was donated by the Gump family, both efforts some of many efforts in reconciliation.

Nevertheless the garden is still carefully looked after and beautiful to admire. The trees and bushes are meticulously sculpted and pathways are very clean. There are massive koi fish swimming in the ponds, but it's sad to see coins in there -- why aren't they retrieved?

Very well fed koi fish hanging in the pond

Everywhere you look, the garden is photogenic -- the wisteria are in full bloom along with the cherry blossoms. It also helped there were blue skies overhead making it a scenic visit.

There's a giant drum bridge that should really have a sign that says "Climb at your own risk" because it's very steep to climb up and down. Kids should definitely not be on there! And there's also a zen garden and a pagoda.

It's interesting the garden didn't give us the above information about the history of the place. But it would have given me a greater appreciation of how much work Hagiwara and his family put into the garden and how we must keep it going as a reminder of our past.

Enjoying the garden that is the oldest in America

Japanese Tea Garden

7 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

San Francisco
(415) 752 1171

japaneseteagardensf.com

Sampling of Sushi Saito

The minimalist look of the dining area of Sushi Saito using natural wood

On Thursday I had my first bona fide omakase experience at Sushi Saito, the latest premium high-end Japanese restaurant to open in Hong Kong. Select media were given a sneak peek, but no free lunches here -- we all shelled out HK$1,480 plus 10 percent for the lunch.

A few days before we were reminded to arrive 15 minutes before the seating at noon -- if you don't show up you will be charged, and do not wear any perfume or have a cigarette or cigar smell.

The chef de cuisine has worked for Saito for several years

As a result, many of us worried about being late and arrived at least half an hour early to ride up to the 45th floor of the Four Seasons Hong Kong for the highly-anticipated meal.

Sushi Saito is a three Michelin-starred restaurant that is also number 26 on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurant list that's located in Tokyo. Chef Takashi Saito is known for being very particular with his ingredients and only serves eight guests at a time in his small restaurant that is near impossible to get a reservation.

So when there was an opportunity to try it here, I jumped at the chance.

We soon understood why it was important not to wear any scent -- Saito wants his guests to soak in the fresh wood smell in the small restaurant that seats in total 16 seats, but today it was only seven. The large dining table seating three on one side, four on the other, the two thick slabs of gorgeous wood from a 400-year-old Japanese cypress.

Apparently each time they wipe down the table top, the scent from the wood comes out. Once in a while they will sand it down with the finest sandpaper and then polish it. It was so smooth I couldn't help but keep stroking the table top throughout the meal.

Grilled sea perch (back) with pickled turnip

There is a ritualistic etiquette to the meal -- the chef makes a sushi for each person on their plate and it should be eaten practically right away because he has made it for you at that moment.

There is no wasabi or soy sauce to dip it in, so just pick it up with your hand and put it in your mouth. To cleanse the palate, there is a small mound of finely shaved pickled ginger and it is refilled as necessary.

He makes each piece per person and then goes around again making the next one using different seafood. We started with a slice of monkfish liver seasoned in light soy, some sugar and seasoned with grated yuzu.

I can't remember all the names of the other dishes, but they included grilled sea perch (divine), a small fish called kohada seasoned with lime juice, maguro or tuna, squid with a bit of lime juice, large prawn, and clam. This was followed by a slice from the futomaki roll with two cubes of tamago or sweet egg that is considered dessert, and miso soup.

Kohada with a touch of lime juice and shaved ginger

The whole meal was accompanied with Champagne -- Saito considers it the best pairing with sushi, even better than sake.

We were surprised to find that in the beginning the sushi rice was quite warm, and also when the chef de cuisine served uni or sea urchin, it was quite cold, having just literally been taken out of the refrigerator -- it should be around room temperature. But perhaps Saito prefers to keep the uni as fresh as possible and not sitting out too long.

Nevertheless we quite enjoyed the experience and weren't stuffed either.

We found out afterwards behind the bar is a cabinet that when opened reveals blocks of ice to keep the fish chilled. These are considered better than refrigerators that can dry the fish out. Saito wants the fish to be as fresh as possible.

The prized maguro that has been aged for seven days

Since reservations here will be difficult to secure, I won't be going back to Sushi Saito anytime soon, but appreciated the opportunity to try it!

Sushi Saito

45/F, Four Seasons Hong Kong

8 Finance Street

Central

Picture of the Day: Handmade Dumplings

Twenty dumplings filled with minced pork, chives, mushrooms and ginger

I made more dumplings again yesterday and resolved to use some good quality ingredients. I headed to City Super, a high-end supermarket that specializes mostly in Japanese ingredients.

Originally I was only going to get the wrappers because they are refrigerated -- the other supermarkets I have visited put the wrappers in the freezer for some reason. Once they defrost, they are surely soggy? And I've tried the wrappers in the wet market, but they are on the thick side.

I saw that minced pork was 20 percent off and bought half a kilogram that had gone through a very fine grinder. Because it was all one solid pink colour, I couldn't tell if there was any fat in it. So I went to Wellcome to buy more pork with a bit more fat in it as dumplings need that for flavour. It was also half the price...

At the wet market I bought chives, mushrooms and ginger.

It turns out over 750 grams of pork, mixed with chives and finely chopped mushrooms and grated garlic are enough to make 60 dumplings. I followed my mother's instructions and after making four of them I boiled two to check the taste. The pork was on the very lean side (ie not much taste), and unfortunately I ran out of sesame oil so I added more olive oil and Shaoxing wine for flavour.

This time I endeavored to try another method of wrapping them and watched a few YouTube videos to get the gist of how to wrap them in different ways. In the end I settled on making pleats on one side much like gyoza. The wrappers I bought were quite thin so my wrapping wasn't very even, but improved as I went along.

I can't wait to make another batch of dumplings again -- this time with a bit more fattier pork -- because I still have another 60 wrappers in the refrigerator!

Another 450kg Bomb Found in Wan Chai

A bomb disposal officer looks at the second bomb found this afternoon

This afternoon it was deja-vu all over again in Wan Chai -- a second World War II bomb the same size as the one found on the weekend, was found 10 metres from the first one.

People had to be evacuated from the area again, resulting in shops, restaurants, offices and hotels clearing out for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Americans dropped bombs around Victoria Harbour in 1945

However this one, near the intersection of Tonnochy Road and Convention Avenue will be harder for bomb disposal experts to diffuse because the fuse mechanism is severely damaged and is in a harder to reach location.

In the meantime historians have surmised the American-made AN-M65 explosives were likely dropped by American warplanes during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, which was from January 1942 to August 1945.

Military historian Dave Macri believes the bombs landed close together because of a "dive bombing tactic" that was widely used by US Navy aircraft during the war. A squadron of six to 10 bombers would dive down towards the target, descending quickly from 10,000 feet to 2,000 feet and dumping the bombs when they were at their lowest point.

The University of Hong Kong professor said, "One [bomber] would come in, and would immediately be followed by another one," which may explain why the two explosive devices were found so close to each other.

The US Air Force strikes at Kowloon docks in 1944

By dropping the bombs at a lower altitude, the pilots could identify their targets more accurately and have more success at blowing them up, Macri said.

During World War II, Victoria Harbour was heavily bombed by US forces who were trying to destroy Japanese military shipping and docking facilities, while Admiralty was another major target because the British Royal Naval base was taken over by the Japanese, according to Kwong Chi-man, a history professor at Baptist University.

It just makes you wonder -- how many other bombs are lying underground?!