back in Hong Kong

ok things have been a bit busy lately...

I returned from Hong Kong only for us to head to Yosemite a few days later... here are some pictures:

This is the last night we were there.  Basti was trying on Kristine's sun glasses.

Renting bicycles with trailers (one for each kid so the big one didn't torture the little one) was the best idea we had the whole trip.  They both really liked it.  We pedaled around for hours.

upper valley... 

 Isabella climbed up there by herself.  She likes to climb to high spots.

Still smiling even after a long day hiking (morning).

someone offered to take this for us... that was nice!

Napping on the way to Vernal falls

our kids do not sit still (unless they're sleeping)

the first morning we were there, Isabella climbed into the bear box and found the crackers... maybe she's really a bear.

Half dome!  We did not attempt the hike this year of course.  Perhaps in a few years when the kiddos are older.  Marian has not been yet.

So now... on July 26th I'm back in Hong Kong working again.  This time I'm here for 4 weeks straight, staying in a serviced apt. right smack in the middle of the ex-pat area where all the old white guys and business men stay.  Most of them have little girlfriends they've acquired for the night or week or whatever following them around or sitting with them at tables in cafes or meals.

After going back home for a week, we (wife and kiddos too) come back out for a 3 month stint... sept, oct, nov.  Marian is excited, which is good because she's busy packing our entire house in preparation for the move to Austin, TX, and I'm not helping at all (besides working and making money out here in HK).

Hong Kong (and probably lots of places in mainland China as well) has a Starbuck's equivalent called "Pacific Coffee Company" which is 100 times better than Starbuck's.  Their locations tend to be comfier, more emphasis on "for here" dishes and not using as many napkins, plenty of pastries and good drinks etc... and of course wifi.  Wifi is never free in HK though, and it's not working in my apt. so you can by a month of wifi for about $10USD.  Not bad at all.

There are lots of great cheap restaurants nearby my apt, and a grocery store, and the office is about a 10 minute walk or less from here.  

My office at RLP (www.rlphk.com) is a nice one, with a view out to the sky scraper garden from the 33rd floor... it's a big office all to myself.  The rest of the 200+ staff  is mostly crammed double into cubicles but all working together happily.  I feel a little bad having this huge office to myself, but I am trying to do a lot of work very quickly and have lots of meetings in my office so I guess it's justified.  Although, the CFO was sort of looking around my office assessing it this morning.  It's not a corner office... so I guess there is still room on the corporate ladder for me. 

That's it for now...