Right Proctection ?

As usual, we took the boys to downstair playground in the evening time for normal activities. Normal activities includes cycling around, chasing around, mingle around with other kids and parents.

It was a fine evening until this unpleasant incident happened...

Same like many other countless evening, the bicycle gang that consist of 5-6 children, boys and girls, age from 3-7 years old, casually ride their tricycle or bicycle around and around the playground compound. Vincent and William are two of them. While they were cycling, we sat on the bench aside, kept an eyes on them and chit-chatting.

Our attention was captured when we saw a toddler, around 1.5 years old, suddenly ran out from the 'safe zone'. Just at this time, a little girl was riding her tricycle towards him and she was not looking straight. Within a few second, her tricycle knocked on the toddler. The toddler fell down. Luckily, she wasn't riding fast. We saw the mother quickly came to carry him away. Since he didn't cry or make a fuss or what, and no injuries was seen too, we thought it was no big deal and move away our eyes to follow the boys again. Frankly speaking, this kind of accident will happen once in a while and we have get used of it already.

The square black area is the safe zone. All the kids seems to know they shouldn't enter the zone when riding their bicycle.

About 10 min later, we saw that couple again, standing near to the pedestrian passway and talking to a safety guide. At first, no body paid attention. However, as they stood there too long for arguing, people was getting curious. Some adults went near to probe what's going on there. Even the bicycle gang stopped there and listened. Well, I went to check it out too. Basically, the mother was pointing to the sign of "NO CYCLING" and blaming the guide for didn't do his job to stop the children from cycling in the playground. The guide was so embarrasing and he couldn't defend himself well.

After a while, the crowd were bored to hear them repeat the same old things over and over, so we gradually moved away. I went back to where I sat to tell KS what I've heard. Before I finished, we saw this couple walked to us with black face. Immediately, we smelled something was going to happen.

Woman : You two sit there long enough and see what happen to my son. I'm going to call the police now, you two need to stay right here to testify. (with her finger pointed to us)

KS and I was shocked and we felt offended at the same time.

KS : Yes, we saw what happen. But do you think it's necessary to call the police?

Woman : This place is not meant for the children to ride the bicycle. There is a sign "NO CYCLING" over there. You see it too right? The guide doesn't seem to care about it, so we need to call the police.

KS : Aha...but the children have been cycling here for a very long time. Their bicycle are not very big one but all with small wheels. Even though collision happen at times, it never cause serious injuries to anyone.

Woman : (getting very furious) of couse you can say that. It's not your son who have been knocked down. He almost got killed just now.

I think our eyes must be wide opened, jaws dropped when we heard how exaggerated she was.

Me : Well, everyone's kid got knocked down in some way or another before. You son will grow up one day. He will learn to ride one day and he is likely to knock somebody too. We saw what happen, that little girl didn't do it for purpose. Can't you be more tolerate about it?

The woman muted for a few seconds, then her husband's turn.

Man : No matter what, the children are not suppose to ride bicycle in the playground. It's very dangerous to the small kids.

Me : Yeah, what's your suggestion then? They need a safe place to ride too. We as the parents have to watch our kids and remind them not to ride too fast lah. (Isn't she should have done the same too?)

Woman : (still furious) Well, we still want to call the police.

KS : Well, we are not going to testify then. You can't force us.

We really wanted to end this conversation fast. The couple was very furious, I could see their face turned real red. They walked back to the pedestrian passway and continue to argue with the guide for another 10-15 min time. From time to time, the woman gave us her fierce look, like we have insulted her or what. This really made me sick. Finally, they left after some time. Probably they didn't get any support from anyone.

Other parents were curious. Since we knew one another, so I walked to them and told them what happened. They all felt rediculous when they got to know the couple intended to call the police to settle down the things. What did they expect the police to do? To arrest that 5 years old little girl? To give summon to all those parents whose kid was cycling there?

No doubt there is a clear "NO CYCLING" sign board hanging over there to show this place is not meant for cycling. I wouldn't agree if the big bicycle is allowed here cause this would be dangerous to most of the kids. But for small bicycles, I think it's ok lo. Children need place to stretch their muscles at outdoor. In HK, there is really not much place we can choose for them other than the playground. I just think everyone should be more considerate and tolerate to one another, and treat things in a more humane ways.

After all, this is the playground we all share in the same community. And we will get to see one another and their kids almost everyday too. Unless one decided never to go and mingle with the people in the playground there, what's the point to put oneself into a difficult position?

This couple, they have just labelled themselves as the unfriendly neighbour. As for the poor toddler, though we won't isolate him by telling our kids not to play with him, I doubt his parents will ever take him to this playground again which clearly is not a SAFE place for him? If this you-can't-touch-my-son-a-bit attitude continue, I think in order to stay our nose out of the trouble, eventually most of the parents would just tell their kids to stay away from their son.

It's understandable we all want to protect our children from getting harm or injuries. But is it right to go to the extend to force other people to move ways to ensure their little darling's safety? Is this kind of protection justified?

10-year Recapitulation

In accordance with the 10th anniversary of the HKSAR establishment day, the mass media have made recap of the historical events that happenned in HK for the past 10 years.

This seems to have inspired many people, from all walks of life, to make their own 10-year recapitulation. It's indeed very interesting to get to know what other people have done or achieved in the past 10 years time. So, I want to write my own recapitulation too. It's no big deal actually, I just blog it for fun.

Oct, 1996

* Quit the last job in Penang and fly to HK to meet up with KS. Before he left, we went to register ourself as husband and wife in a hurry and non-romantic way.

* A few weeks after I arrived HK, I was lucky enough to find myself the 1st job in a local company.

* Basically this year was a very exciting and challeging year to me. Everything was so new that I have to learn and move on very fast in order to survive in the brand new environment.

1997-mid 1999

I would define these 2.5 years as play years.

*Besides working hard, we were also playing hard. In this period of time, KS and I have been to Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Canadian Rocky Mountains, LA, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Germany, Paris, Rome, Venice, Switzerland, Adelaide, Melbourne, Cairns, Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand south island.

* The ex-boss was very kind and generous to approve my frequest leave application.

Mid 1999

* Left the 1st company to join the 2nd company. Looking back, it's the climax in my career path.

* As I need to stay considerable amount of time in China mainland for working, I have no time to play. Even the business trip to Japan and Korea was not fun at all.

* Anyway, we managed to usher and count down for the new millennium year, watching the spectacular fireworks display along Thames River, London. The moment was indeed unforgetable.

2000

* After registered for about 4 years, KS and I finally held a traditional wedding ceremony in Malaysia.

* Soon after that, I was pregnant. Before my belly was getting real big and unfit for travelling, we went to Norway for a vacation. The heavy workload and the pregnancy had made this year a very stressful year to me.

2001

* Given birth to Vincent in January.

* Going back to work after the 10-week materinity leave. I was shocked to hear the company's financial condition was deteriorating fast. A month later, I was laid off. The company declared its bankruptcy not long later.

* Not knowing what's going to happen ahead, we went to South Africa - Johannesberg and Cape Town for a holiday, leaving Vincent under the custody of his grandparents for a month.

* I started to feel the impact of the worldwide economy downfall on me. It's difficult to look for another job that was equivalent to my last entitlement and salary. I was unemployed for 8 months but a full time mom to Vincent.

* Same year, the horrible 911 incident happened. This almost cause KS retrenched by his company. Since we were yet PR, if both of us unemployed that time, we could only stay HK until our visa expired in the next year.

* This year was really a tough one for me.

2002

* After being unemployed for 8 months, finally I got a job offer in another company. We went to Bangkok for a short vacation before starting work.

* This time, I work in the different field, same industry. I sort of have to start things all over again. Anyway, the new job had given me the time-flexibility that I needed most to take care of my baby son.

* Same year, we bought our 1st home in HK. It is a small apartment but our home sweet home until today.

2003

* At the beginning of the year, a mysterious disease, SARS, swept HK fast and fierce. As it was a contagiuos disease, we tend to avoid unnecessary outing. And when we had to, we wore face mask.

* Same like 911 incident, KS's company was doing real bad that they were forced to take 2 months no-paid leave. The worries of getting retrench was once again haunted us.

* While KS was idle, we went to Australia Gold Coast for a holiday. Under the tense and fear atmosphere, I was pregnant again and given birth the 2nd son same year at Decemeber. People described them as SARS Babies.

* At last, we were granted PR and can stay as long as we want.

2004-2005

* Life was getting very busy ever since the arrival of the 2nd baby to the family. In fact, I didn't quite remember how I spent those years besides working hard and wishing William would be growing up faster.

* At some point at the time, I did think of leaving HK and go back to Malaysia. I was naively hoping to off load the heavy responsibilities on my shoulder to my parents.

* Before the year of 2005 ended, I flied to Shanghai-SuZhou alone, for a short vacation and visited an old friend there. In summary, nothing bad happenned in that period of time. And I started to cherish the importance of world peace.

2006-till now

* Gradually, life reach its stability and consistancy as the boys are getting bigger. Athough still feeling stressful and tension, it's in a more manageable way.

* We started to take them for short distance vacation. Last summer holiday, we went to Singapore, JB and Sibu Island.

Lastly, I want to thank KS for his contribution and support all these years. Without him, I won't be who I am right now.

"3 Most" Bridges

Today is the HKSAR Establishment Day. It's the 10th anniversary since HK has been returned to China Mainland. How time does fly.

KS and I landed HK in the year of 1996, the last year when this place was still under the rule of British-government. Being a new comer with a bystander heart, we thought we would just stay until the day we witness its return to China. As people said, who knows what would happen to HK after the return?

Well, nothing much happen after that historical day. In fact, we don't feel much differences before-and-after in this 10 years time. In general, we still live the life we used to live, even though people always condemn the HKSAR government is just a puppet and a yes-man-sir to the China government.

I think we all have to accept this fact. Put in a simple metaphor, the situation is like a frustrated daddy finger pointing at his rebellious son : Listen, you better be good and obidient, else I will not give you any money, you got me?

Ting Kau Bridge, totaling 1178 metres long. It's the longest triplex-towered shape cable bridge of the world. Another bridge that built side by side TKB, known as Kap Shui Man Bridge, 1670 meters long, is also the longest hoisting cabled bridge providing for both vehicle traffic and railway transportation.

TKB as the backdrop (1)

TKB as the backdrop (2)

The Scenery Viewing Platform provide a closer look at the famous Tsing Ma Bridge.

The Tsing Ma Bridge stretching from Tsing Yi Isle to Ma Wan Bay, spans 22,000 meters long, is the world's sixth largest suspension bridge. It is also the longest bridge that consist of two decks which carries both motorway and railway. TSB, TKB & KSMB, these three bridges have been listed as the world's "Three Mosts".

The Tsing Ma Bridge was open to traffic in 1997, it serves an important gateway to Lantau Island where Chek Lap Kok International Airport and Disneyland are located.

The Kwai Chung terminal is located nearby. It's one of the most busy cargo terminal in HK.

TMB as backdrop (1)


TMB as the backdrop (2).


Unlike many places when the viewer got to drop 5 bucks into the telescrope for a short 2-3 min peep, the telescope here is FOC and we can use it as long as we want. Very generous...

See that small island? It is called Park Island.

The island has been developed into a holiday resort feel housing estate. It is the 1st residential area that incorporated pollution free concept, i.e. no private vehicles are allowed to enter the zone. We have visited the place not long ago. Though inconvenient, it's very comfortable to live there. Also, I keep wonder : this place is going to be the first place that sink when tsunami happen. Touch wood...

Some photos to share...

They like to pose themself : the Deka Rangers SPD.