The Queen of heaven.

Sai Kung has got a new Opera house. And they build it in only a few days. "Wauw", some might say; "they are surely efficient those Chinese, building a new opera building in a few days". And yes they are. But the building is not going to stay, it is build out of bamboo like the scaffolding on the construction sites, and is only here for 5 days, then it will be torn down and moved to another place.It is kind of amazing to me how efficient they are and what they can do with bamboo. They build this theater, hosting approximately 500 people, in the very center of Sai Kung, using a corner of the public basket court, blocking one road and a part of a car park in front of the Temple. The back side of the of the building on the basket court.
All around this new opera, a huge number of small stall's rose like fungus out of the wet ground and people trying to sell all kind of snacks, drinks and other thing to the visitors, it is like a little festival. The reason for this event is the Queen of heaven. The wet season has started for sure so the people need to send prayers and gifts to the Queen of heaven, and in that way try to make an influent of the amount of water coming down. If it is too much, everything will wash away, if it is too little nothing will grow to make a good harvest. So they have these plays for trying to get in a good position to the gods.Along with the building, a huge number of artists, actors, technicians and stage workers also showed up, and during the day the inhabitants and other curious people like me, can go and have a look on the preparations behind and on the stage. So was i, as i tried to take a photo of an actor doing his make up in front of the stage, kindli told to go behind the stage to have a look and take my pictures. At first I got a bit scared as he started to wave his arm n front of me, as wanted he to show some sympathy with a German movement from the 30ies. But he was just being kind, telling me to go backstage.And there I was, surrounded by busy actors, tailor's and technicians orking to get the show up and running. The entrance is free and I enjoyed the open and friendly way they let everybody have a look on all the aspects of the Theater. For an European it is kind of odd being allowed to just walk behind the scenes and stick your curious nose into the makeup box of some actor, without being dragged away by some aggressive security guy and a furious screaming primadonna.On the night I went to have a look, I didn't understand a thing but it must have been quite funny as the audience often burst into a big laugh. On Monday the hole thing will be dismantled and we get the corner of the basket court, the road and the car park back and hopefully we will not get to much rain neither to much sun, because all the effort then would have been for the cat.

If you wanna know how Catriona looks like a jellyfish with green hair and I as a drowned pirate, then you have to log on again tomorrow -maybe- or Monday, as tonight we're invited to an; "under the sea" pub crawl in Lan Kwai Fong.

Celebrating Leslie's birthbay with a young Bud Spencer, the probably biggest Margarita, mexican cuisine and why Hong Kong becomes too small for me?

Like always on this site; better late than never. An honest; it is a week ago today but anyway. Our good college -Lesley Stellwagen - celebrates her birthday in Wan Chai, and it most be published here on this site.Leslie (to the left) can't really decide if she should take another Tequila, Kerri tries to convince her maybe not to, as the night is still young. Location: Restaurant "Coyote" on Lockhart Road in Wan Chai. Even that her surname is as German as it is: "Stellwagen" then she is American and on her first international job. So on this evening she was surrounded by folks from New Zealand, China, USA, England, Scotland, Australia, Holland and Denmark to celebrate in a Mexican place in Hong Kong. It was a night of many surprises. Next to me I recognized the young Bud Spencer but it later turned out to be Leslie's boyfriend Jason, whom I in fact knew, but couldn't recognize because of the similarity to the previous mentioned film star. As I told him about the similarity he -to my big surprise- said; "Bud Spencer; who's that?" As I tried to explain the Trinity Brothers and all the other masterpieces of the film history, he still looked like it was all strange to him, I realized that there is another world beyond growing up in the 70ties. But to all others; isn't this the young Bud Spencer? If you don't know Bud Spencer, then please click HERE.
And then in best Trinity brother style, the biggest Margarita I've ever seen came on to the table and that seemed to please everybody.Paul, a kiwi rugby player just manage to grab the big bowl, before he, Grant, Jonathan and Kelsey tries to finish it of.Which they couldn't, so we had to stay about an hour more, where we all tried our luck, but the mix seemed to be without a bottom.Even Nanette and Catriona had to give up against that monster Margarita, but as we were a lot at the table we managed to finish that thing and then we walked out in the streets of Wan Chai.

Wan Chai is one of the most famous districts of Hong Kong Island and also because of it's red light district. There you find a lot of bar's mainly for single men and where the word; "lap top" could mean something completely different, but you can also find a lot of decent bars to go to and listen to some live music. And so we did after the dinner and the monster margarita.
On the way Catriona ad I sort of lost our companions because of a phone call, but phoning Jason lead us on the right thread: "we are in a bar where old men plays Rock 'n roll" he said, and by following his instructions we entered a very small bar with a band playing. As I walked in and looked up to the stage I felt that Hong Kong was a bit to small for me?????
To really understand this, should go back and read the last post from Macau, the part with the rock band, and then study the picture. Do you see somebody with very long Grey unhealthy hair on that photo. Well then try o go back and then afterwards compare to this picture:Leslie grooving out with the band.
As I came into the bar and recognized the same musician that I've seen -or heard- in Macau, I felt real funny, and as he recognized me as well and we shook hands, and all my mates asked me: "DO YOU KNOW HIM?" Then I had to tell them the same story as I just told you.
The world is just a small place and you always get surprised what can happen to you. At the end of the evening -or night- Leslie forgot about that.Leslie keep on rocking, but as I saw her again she was fine. Another thing; the old guys playing rock 'n roll - did a very good job.
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Traktor Trotzdem in new Shirt at Alauncup 2008

On Saturday the famous Alauncup in Dresden Neustadt take place for the 5th time and of course I suppose that Traktor will be in the final -like the recent 5 times in fact, but only won one time- and there for I want to present the new Traktor Away Jersey 2008/09.I can only say that I really like it and that it reminds me of John Deere, one of the most famous manufactures of Traktores and that can't be that bad. Who don't know that can have a look here.
I feel sad that I can't just go down to Geoeffnet T-Shirt sofort druck in der Rothenburger Strasse and get one, unfortunately I guess I'll have to wait until I manage to go back to visit Dresden again -sometime!!!!
Go TrakToor - GOOO

Better late than never!

I know that it is some days ago now and it is maybe not so funny and has no actuality anymore, but anyway, I've planed it and my friends in Dresden worked very hard for it, so now I have to do it and post it. It is about the Champions league final, and how people experienced it in the pub: "Schnurz" in Dresden Neustadt, and in the pub: The Duke of York" in Sai Kung - Hong Kong. Not only the distance of more than 12 thousand kilometers apart those two pubs, also a time difference of 6 hours lay in between. These pictures is taken almost simultaniously in the two locations. So what in Dresden starts at 8:45 pm Wednesday night, start here at 2:45 am on Thursday morning. But the tension was the same and in the recent years I've never missed the CL Final and wouldn't miss it this time either, so I really sat my alarm clock to wake me up at 2:15 am, got out of my bed and went about 1 mile to "The Duke of York" in Sai Kung to watch that match together with a lot of english expats and local Chinese. The previous year I've watch the games in Dresden and met after work with guys like these. Traktor captain Mark and Traktor Presidente Paolo in Dresden.
I was a bit anxious it could turn out to be a boring tactical game like the FA Cup final in 2007 where the same two teams met, and every body knows that when a match involves that blue team from London, is it almost certain that it is going to be a boring game as that team play just sooo boring football.Team Londonski supporters slept already at the beginning of the match.
Normally The Duke of York isn't open at that time of the night, but Ricky - the man behind the bar- made an exception this night because as a Man Utd supporter he was curious as well. When I arrived the place was surprisingly full with both Expats and local Chinese waiting for the game to start. One of my friends -Martin, a BIG Man Utd. supporter was of course already there biting the last millimeters of his nails together with Heineken bottle beer. Thats the guy with the number 18 om his shirt. I was not sure who the rest of the guests was going to support, but I've seen some of them to Premiere league games before and then they were supporting those from London, and lots of the Chinese support that team, as they have no real football culture and then just supports those who gets the most exposure in the media, and mostly that's the teams with the most money.
The game started and the atmosphere got tense. Man Utd were the obvious better team in the beginning and then at 9:13 pm Ronaldo jumps up and hit a cross from Wes Brown school like with his head -Toor in Dresden - and at 3:13 am in Sai Kung and Martin could leave the rest of the nails on his fingers and start dancing.The first half turned out to be a humiliation of the London team until just before the break, where what shouldn't have happened - happened: 1 - 1 and the tension started all over and the rest of the match was really too exiting, but because no more goals was scored, also the Champions league final 2008 had to be decided on penalty shoot out.Martin can't watch; John Terry approaches the penalty spot -is it over?In Dresden they have even time and the nerve to order another beer.
In Portugal 2004 another English captain also slipped away and missed an important penalty, so maybe they should ban all captains to take penalties in important games. Never the less, it ended like it should according to Martin and myself. The probably best team so far in 2008 won the Champions League, and that was also a victory for attractive offensive football, and thank god for that.At 6 in the morning I got home and to be honest; I've never stayed out so late to watch a football game in Television -I think.

One minute of silence!

Before starting todays post I have to comment on the latest disasters in our area -the devastating cyclone in Birma and the earthquake in the Sichuan province of China. Here in Hong Kong we haven't felt anything physically. Like reports said, the earthquake was felt in Hanoi in Vietnam and even in Beijing thousands of kilometers away, then here there were nothing of that kind and we only know through the news. Also Hong Kong can be hit by Typhoon's , and some of them can be really hard. But on a scale like the one hitting Birma in late April we can only hope it to be a one timer, but like it turned out; you never know what can happen. We are very close to the recent disaster in China because now it gets the biggest publicity in the news around here. Both events is sad and need attention and the only thing we can do from here is to donate money to help the thousands -or even millions- who lost relatives and property.
Who wants to read about the Sichuan province before the devastating earthquake can read the blog from Holly Benson, who traveled around the region by bike just before the disaster.
www.holly-adventures-china.blogspot.com

Lanwa international FA Cup 2008

The two teams and all the spectator's show their respect for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake with one minute of silence.

Like in England this week-end also here in Hong Kong; The FA Cup final.
In Hong Kong Stadium on Sunday the 18th of May the Hong Kong FA Cup final took place.
One of my Sai Kung football mates; Nick from Bolton, called me and told that he got some free tickets to the Final, and if I would like to come. Nick and Yeu outside our Suit no 50 in Hong Kong Stadium.
We met up with Yeu's aunt and family and the tickets was to an air conditioned Suite with bar and television and an outside area where we could watch the match. The two teams was Citizen AA vs Wofoo Tai Po FC. I knew nothing about the teams, so I asked who to support. Tai po was the answer as they were the underdogs. I felt good about that decision because I felt like supporting Tai Po as our friend Christy Lau comes from there, and it is a small team.
But at the beginning it looked like a clear case that Citizen AA would win. They were the better and more active team and after 17 minutes their midfielder Chen ZZ hammered a shot up under the crossbar to 1-0. Until halftime nothing more happened. In the second half Tai Po got better and came to 3 or 4 very good chances and so Citizen AA was lucky that the Tai Po strikers acted so poorly when they came into the box.Tai Po trying to take control of the game and then it happened like always; by starting a new attack from their own half a defender looses the ball and a Citizen striker goes to the goal line and pases into the box and - a Tai Po defender tackles the ball into his own goal; 2-0 and 5 minutes to go. So also here in Hong Kong -no big surprise in the Cup final.

Decorate your head contest 2008

On the 17th of May in the Caldercott Road in Kowloon the first "Decorate your head" contest 2008 took place.Nearly 50 people entered the Hall of the hip hats, hoping to be the one selected for the best and most beautiful headgear. In a tight final Catriona creation turned out to be the most silly, and so she went of with gold medal as the best decorated.
Victory! Catriona meets Freddie Mercury and celebrates her medal. Enjoy some more silly heads (hats)

The ordinary people admires the "Queen of Hats"

Es kann doch nicht sein!!!

Nee, eigentlich ist das auch richtig, es kann nicht sein das hier nicht mehr viel passiert. Obwohl das leben auch in Hong Kong von alltag und von unlust und mangel an kreativitaet gepraeght werden kann, so kann man doch von einen blog verlangen das ab und zu etwas neues erscheint, und jetzt ist es also so weit, ich habe heute mich vorgenommen kreativ zu sein.
Sophie, eine fransøschisen freundin, hat mich vorgevorfen das meinen blog in der letzten zeit sich zu viel mit Fussball beschaeftigt haben. kann ja auch sein, aber was soll ich machen wenn Fussball eines grossen teils meines lebens ist, und wenn ich mich seit einiger zeit damit viel beschaeftige, als coach, als spieler und auch in der Flimmer kiste und in Internet, und auch weil Fussball ja bekanntlich der schøenste nebensache der Welt ist, hat es hier auch sein platz. Und es ist wieder Fruehling und das heisst ja auch das jetzt die meisten Ligen zu ende geht und damit viele entscheidungen fest steht. Aber am meistens ist alles beim alten in den grøssten Ligen von Europa und damit braucht man sich ja dann nicht mehr zu beschaeftigen, vielleicht ist es nur in Deutschland noch spannend, weil da wird ja noch am letzten spieltag einen absteiger gesucht, und auch den wahren Meister wird dar noch gesucht; Bremen oder Schalke?
Mein eigenes leben als coach ist auch nicht so toll gewesen, und wenn ioch in der Bundesliga gearbeitet haette waere ich schon wieder gefeuert worden. Einen sieg und drei niederlagen waren die bilanz von den U20ern und glatte vier niederlagen mit den U16ern, und beim letzten spiel der beiden manschaften sind wir gar nicht angetreten weil die jungs zur Examen musste, und deswegen nicht zum training kam. Und da kann mann einfach nur staunen; studieren statt baebblen? Die U20 Mannschaft des schwarzen Traktoren von Hong Kong beim Spiel in Happy Vally. Weil die nicht als team so gut waren habe ich die dann gelernt Bøse zu kucken, um so den gegner angst einjagen um fehler zu begehen, hat aber nicht geholfen. Uebrigens ist auf dem bild hier etwas ganz besonderes zu sehen. Jetzt bin ich fast zehn monaten hier in Hong Kong, aber ich glaube ich habe nur, sage und schreibe, satte drei male traktoren gesehen. Ok Hong Kong ist ja wohl auch nicht wegen seine ausgepraegten Landwirtszhaftliche produktion bekannt, aber einen traktor kann doch fuer vieles benutzt werden; Winterdienst zum beispiel -na ja, ist ja auch hier fehl anzeige, so vielleicht ist es dann doch ganz logish. Aber dann am den tag wo die "Black Traktors Hong Kong" im Sportspark in Happy Vally spielen sollte, wurde ich belohnt und gleich auf einmal waren um mich herum 8 oder 9 Traktoren. Als dann in zweiten halbzeit die Black Traktors auch ihren 5ten gross chance liegen liess und der gegner sein drittes Tor auf gleich viele chancen erziehlte, dannbin ich einfach gegangen um traktoren zu Fotografieren.
Aber wie kommt es dazu das hier in Happy Vally, inmitten von dicht besiedelten und von Wolkenkratzern gesaehten Hong Kong Island, so viele Traktoren rumstehen? Die antwort darauf ist wie folgende. In Happy Vally befindet sich einer der 2 Pferderennbahnen in Hong Kong, und der Sportpark lieght inmitten der Rennbahn. Es ist ganz schøn gross das gelaende, und 12 spielplaetze in verschiedene grøsse befindet sich dort drin, und die Traktoren sind am meisten dafuer da um den Rennbahn zu pflegen.

Keep on rocking in the free world!!!

Hier in Asien feiert mann kein Pfingsten, aber trotzdem haben wir am vergangenen Wochenende einen zusatchlichen freien tag gehabt; es war neamlich Buddahs geburtstag. Wir sind dann nochmal nach Macau gefahren. Diesmal mit 2 freunden zusammen; Sophie und Craig.
Nein wir sind nicht hingefahren um ins Casino zu gehen, in Macau gibt es auch viel anderes zu tun, und die atmosfaere dort ist einfach anders als in Hong Kong. Und wie es oft so ist mit nachbar laender, dann fahren leute hin um einzukaufen. In Macau ist einiges viel billiger als in Hong Kong, und wie die Daehnen frueher nach Flensburg fuhr um Bier und wein zu kaufen, wie die Dredsner nach Polen oder in die Tschechische Republik fahren um Kippen zu holen, dann fahren die Ong Gonger nach Macau um Suessigkeiten aller art zu holen. Wir auch.Craig, Catriona und Sophie in Taipa Village nach den Suessen Shoppen. In Macau ist es einfach den turisten von den einheimischen zu unterscheiden; man sieht es gleich and den Tueten -Plaste Tueten meine ich.
Taipa Village ist einen ehmaligen dorf auf der zu Macau gehørende Insel; Taipa. Die ist jetzt mit drei Bruecken mit Macau City verbunden und nach Sueden haben die alles aufgeschuettet und Taipa ist so mit dem Insel Coloane verbunden. Hier auf dieses auggeschuette land werden in Zukunft Casinos gebaut.

View Larger Map

Hier sind wir dann in den Old Tavern Taipa eingekehrt und dar waren grade ein Rock cover band aus Hong Kong am aufbauen, und so kam es das wir am Sonntag nachmittag beim gemuetlichen Bier, auch ein bischen Rocken und mitbruellen koennte.Spaeter sind wir dann doch ins Casino gegangen, aber nur um ne par Bier zu geniessen und Fussball im Fernsehen zu kucken, weil Manchester Utd wurde am den tag Englische meister.
Um diese Uhrzeit sind wir dann wieder mit der Turbojet Faehre zurrueck nach Hong Kong gefahren.Bis spaeter
Jørgen