A Thousand Little Betrayals

I speak, of course, of having eaten KFC twice in the last two weeks. Sorry Hong Kong, my bad. The delivery is just so convienent!

Vending machine by itself = fail. Vending machine + octopus card? Total victory. No fumbling about with loose change, no getting more loose change. Just sweet, sweet Vitasoy brand goodness.

Made it into Hong Kong island today to get a mainland China visa. First off, of course, was lunch. The group made it to HK island hungry, so we all busted out those little guidebooks to find a restaurant under the Wan Chai MTR stop. Found a nice Indian place called The Viceroy which offered an all-you-can eat lunch buffet. I think it worked out well for both parties. Got into the visa line with all sorts of outsiders, eventually made it up to the visa office after being x-rayed and having to prove that my bottle of water was not indeed explosives by drinking some. Then I dropped 40 HKD to buy some passport photos, during which I used my wonderful English/Mandarin skills to confuse the lady working the photo booth:

A friend wanted a service that she didn't offer/understand (not cutting the photos out of the strip), so I tell him that he shouldn't worry about it (in English), her (in Mandarin) that it's ok and she shouldn't worry about it, then when she follows up in Mandarin, I reply in Mandarin to tell her that I only speak English. Earned a weird look for my troubles.

On my visa application I only put down Shenzen for my travel destination because everywhere else required proof of a hotel/proof of plane tickets. Which we don't have. So I've been approved for a mainland visa, but I'm worried because the ticket lady kept on saying "Only Shenzen right? Only Shenzen." I've either just gamed the system and will go to Beijing anyways, or will just have to content myself with Shenzen for a while.

Afterwords I ended up dragging the group with me to Tom Lee Music in Tsim Sha Tsui, which is apparently the Asia/Canada equivalent of Guitar Center. Except with higher prices. I went in with the intent to buy a bass to practice with while in HK, but the cheapest one was 1,200 HKD, and not the one I was looking for. Maybe I'm just spoiled by MusiciansFriend, but I get the feeling I'll be back there to make a purchase before too long.

Played basketball in the United Gym (which is the new place to be: ~10 minute walk, indoors). Went 2-0 (yes!) bumping my overall vs. HK people record up to 3-1. My observations so far:

1. Chinese people like to shoot jump shots, with varying degrees of success/techinical proficiency
2. Those who can handle the ball play guard like Allen Iverson. Dribble dribble dribble crossover step back crossover dribble dribble slash to basket jack up a shot. Not too much use-handle-to-get-into-lane-to-free-up-a-teammate play
3. It's not really a team game as much as I'm used to: lots of iso, no setting screens/pin-downs
4. When rebounding the players I've played with don't try to grab the ball for themselves. They're very content to repeatedly slap the ball up/around and hoping their team comes out with it.
5. When they do post up (rarely), it's a lot of pump fakes

I'm getting a bit better though I think. Thanks to my size and corn-fed, weight-lifted (American Shaolin reference) athletic ability I have a pretty ok time posting up. It's becoming more natural to find my way to get to a spot to post up, and I can back down pretty well. Hitting my actual shot has proved the challenge though. In two games tonight probably split my points from the left and right block. Had a good post up, teammate cuts outside/baseline, fake handoff (selling his man and mine to seal off his cut: we had pulled that one on them a little earlier) turn inside into shot sequence (actually hit it too, that's the important part. I need to play better defense/help better in defending slashers though - not used to playing against those kinds of players.

Then it was KFC/poker night. I've failed the HK night life again, but I still want to go karaoke. Moreso than clubbing, I think that sounds fun.

Lantau Island and Big Bhudda tomorrow. Still need to buy my books/do my HW. Three day weekends every weekend (4 days when I skip Thursdays to travel) are also nice.

And oh yes, I'm now a lifetime member of the Shaw Band Society. For only 80 HKD, I get a sweet t-shirt, and half off whenever I want to rent out the rehearsal room.