Has it been a year?

This weekend marked the one year anniversary of our move to the UK.  365 days since we waved goodbye to friends and family and set up house in a tiny flat in London. I find landmark moments in time warrant a complete review of how that time was spent so I created a personal end-of-the-year report card of sorts.

1.Moving was a major undertaking.  I give myself an A in that category only because someone else did the packing and shipping. Anything is better than the 10+ previous US Navy military moves. No one tried to pack a bicycle inside a cherry armoire this time, so I’ll consider it a win. Perspective is everything.

2. Adjusting to my new home country is still a work in progress…I give myself a B to B- strictly because of the rage inducing encounters I had with BT, O2 and NatWest during the first few months of our London life.  I’m working on adjusting to a new level of customer service and am happy to report I pleasantly negotiated a non-hostile refund with Gatwick Express today. Progress.

3. Traveling.  Travel was a prime motivator for accepting an overseas move and we’ve maximized every opportunity.  We get an A- with a side of Needs Improvement. I had a moment in Hong Kong when I woke up in a dark room at 3:00am and had absolutely no idea where I was.  No. Idea.  This disquieting middle-of-the night, jet-lagged moment led to an epiphany…perhaps, just perhaps, we were traveling a bit too much. Mind you, I’ve enjoyed every single minute of every trip, but realize that running from one place to the next with a camera and notebook in hand left me little time to really reflect on where I’ve been.   I’m going to take some time this summer to sift through my 5000 photos (don’t worry, I won’t post them all) and my little notebook stuffed with semi-legible notes.  There are good memories in there to share.

4.  Learning.  It goes beyond learning not to over-shop at the grocery store when you have a 2km walk home and not saying “pants” when you mean trousers.  It’s learning how create a new work life from nothing, how to reach out to others and establish new relationships with complete strangers and trusting that just this once it might be ok to figure everything out as you go along.

5.  Being thankful.  We are incredibly grateful every day for the opportunity to live as expats.  It comes with its own set of worries, true.  We worry about our parents, our kids, sick relatives, not being home to celebrate and/or grieve with people we love. We worry about never finding a community to call home, but in the end, we hope the pros outweigh the cons.  We’ve been blessed with a nice neighborhood, a shorter commute, more time together and fabulous friends in Crossfit Central London and elsewhere. We  have  a non-stop stream of house guests who bring us love, a bit of home and the good kind of peanut butter. We are blessed.

Thanks for following along.

Megan

Abu Dhabi: A Cultural Oasis in the Desert

“Our grandfathers and ancestors have left a wealth of cultural heritage we are proud of.  We shall conserve it and build on it as it is the soul of this land and its future generations.”  Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

Abu Dhabi skyline 1960

Abu Dhabi skyline 2013

Often seen as the quiet, more conservative neighbor to glitzy Dubai, Abu Dhabi is establishing itself as a 21st century, world-class cultural center. The discovery of oil in the 1960s and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan‘s vision for a prosperous nation transformed Abu Dhabi from  a sleepy, pearl-diving fishing village with an uncertain future into the wealthy political, economic and cultural metropolis it is today.

Saadiyat Island is the site of Abu Dhabi’s dynamic cultural development project, the  Saayidat Island Cultural District.  Five Pritzker Prize winning architects were selected to build five venues as part of this visionary project sure to attract architectural, cultural and art aficionados from all over the world.

The Zayed National Museum (Foster & Partners) will celebrate and honor the late founder and UAE visionary Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and celebrate the cultural legacy of Abu Dhabi and the UAE.  The National Museum is partnered with the British Museum for this endeavor and is slated to open in 2016.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Louvre Abu Dhabi/Interior

Jean Nouvel designed the stunning Louvre Abu Dhabi.  The Louvre Abu Dhabi is partnered with the Musee Du Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou in France and will utilize a unique curatorial concept demonstrating the connections between civilizations and cultures.  The museum is slated to open in 2015, although visitors can get a taste of what’s to come by visiting Manarat Al Saadiyat’s current preview exhibit.

Proposed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi/ photo skyscapercity.com

The architect of  Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Frank Gehry, designed GAD to reflect and “recall the region’s ancient wind-towers… in a fitting blend of Arabian tradition and modern, sustainable design (credit).”  The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will house permanent collections, exhibitions and educational programs that support its mission of examining modern art through multinational perspective and understanding. This museum is supported by the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and is scheduled to open in 2017.  If you are interested in the thought process behind the design, you can investigate that here.

Saadiyat Island model for future development

Saadiyat Island Cultural District will also house the Performing Arts Center, designed by Zaha Hadid and a Maritime Museum by Tadao Ando.

Things to Know

As you can see from the dates listed above, the key museums have yet to open.  Do not let that deter you from visiting.  The Manarat Al Saadiyat  in the Cultural District is currently hosting two brilliant exhibits.  ”Birth of a Museum” offers a preview of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s initial collection. “The Saadiyat Story”  provides a slick, interactive presentation about the island’s past, present and future.  In all honesty, The Saadiyat Story was my inspiration for this post. The excitement and pride about Abu Dhabi’s past, present and future is contagious.

There is a very nice cafe within the Manarat building, so despite the feeling of being “way out and away” from all things city, you can be well fed and happy.  If that isn’t your cup of tea, you can have exactly that at the newly opened St. Regis just up the road.

The Saadiyat Island master plan is here for anyone interested in the other districts and venues slated for development on the island.

As always, check times and details before you go.

Make Way For Dragons

If you spend more than 10 minutes in Hong Kong, you realize space is a precious commodity.  The streets are crowded, the roads are crowded, the markets are crowded. Towering apartment blocks line the Hong Kong skyline, housing a majority of city residents in flats considered small by any standard.

Dragon gates, Repulse Bay, Hong Kong

A cursory glance across the skyline draws attention to gaping holes carved through the center of many buildings. Why would a city allow such a glaring waste of space when very square inch of real estate is precious?  The answer?  Dragons. Dragons and feng shui. Dismissed by Western skeptics as weirdly new-age, the art of feng shui is serious business in Hong Kong.  Feng shui, translated as “wind and water” stems from the ancient art of geomancy, or connecting to the energy of the earth.

Hong Kong skyline. Can you find the “dragon holes?”

One school of feng shui concentrates on building placement in an environment in relation to the mountains, sea and sky.  Another school examines the influence of shape within the built and natural environment.  Most feng shui practitioners combine approaches when examining the design and placement of buildings/objects to ensure they are created in an auspicious and harmonious way. Hong Kong has naturally good feng shui.  It faces the water and is protected by mountains behind and across from it. Legend holds that dragons live in the mountains and hold positive and powerful energy. This energy blows through Hong Kong daily as the dragons make their way from the mountains to the sea to drink and bathe. As Hong Kong expands, builders and architects create massive structures that potentially  ”block” the dragons’ passage from the hills to the sea, creating bad feng shui and blocking the natural air flow through the city.  Thus, architects plan housing and office complexes with “gates” or “windows” allowing dragons to pass through the city unimpeded on  their way to the sea.

Bank of China, I M Pei

Before you dismiss feng shui as superstitious nonsense you should know that engineers, architects, property developers and real estate agents take feng shui courses before completing their training and certification. Prominent architectural and building firms consult feng shui experts at every step of a project when building in Hong Kong.  Fosters + Partners incorporated feng shui principles when planning the iconic HSBC Hong Kong building.  Foster stated “If a building has good feng shui, it’s probably also a good place to be.”  Bank of China architect, I. M. Pei chose to ignore these principles at his peril.  Criticized for its harsh, knife-edged angles and screw shaped top, it supposedly “cut” into the good fortune of nearby neighbors. Coincidently (or not), the nearby Lippo Center tenant went bankrupt and the first governor of Hong Kong refused to live or work in nearby Government House citing the bad feng shui.  Supposedly, the two rods that stand atop Foster’s HSBC building are a classic feng shui technique of deflecting negative energy back to its source.  The rods point in the direction of the Bank of China building.

Things to Know

Disney consulted feng shui experts when designing Hong Kong Disney.  The consultation resulted in shifting the main entrance angle by 12 degrees to ensure maximum prosperity.  Disney also modified the main pathway from the train station to the gate to prevent the “chi” or positive energy from slipping out of the gate and into the sea. You can read more about Disney and feng shui here.

If you’re interested in learning more about feng shui in Hong Kong, you can contact the Hong Kong Tourist Bureau for information on their Feng Shui tour.  Walk Hong Kong also offers a Temple and Feng Shui Walking Tour.

If you prefer a strictly architectural tour of the beautiful Hong Kong skyline, you can contact e-architects or the Hong Kong Tourist Bureau . 

Shiny, Happy Singapore

Long known as a city of skyscrapers, safety and high-end shopping malls, Singapore rolls out the red carpet for visitors.  Gleaming, spectacular, gravity-defying buildings frame the skyline along the harbor.  Crowds of label-loving shoppers stalk the malls in air-conditioned comfort. Families safely enjoy Singapore’s many offerings day, night (and in the middle of the night).

Singapore especially rewards those who are willing to see and seek things beyond the malls and luxury hotels.

Old Parliament Building

Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles

Raffles Hotel courtyard

Singapore has an interesting history, one I knew very little about. I had a vague knowledge of British involvement saw vestiges of the city’s colonial past while walking through the Pedang and Colonial Core…the cricket club, St. Andrew’s Cathedral and the iconic Raffles Hotel. 

Five- foot way, Chinatown

Shophouse windows, Tanjong Pagar Conservation Area

Traditional shophouses

I expected to see the blending of Chinese and colonial history as I walked from  Colonial Core into Chinatown. The architecture of colonialism gave way to winding streets lined with shops selling the wares of today in the beautifully restored shophouses of yesterday.  What I didn’t expect was the striking blend of different cultures and religions, all living harmoniously side-by-side in every area of the city.

Sultan Mosque, Little Arabia

Celebration at the Hindu temple, Little India

Sri Mariamman Temple, Chinatown

St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Colonial Core

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Chinatown

Singapore has, within its relatively small footprint (49km by 25km), mosques, temples, churches and shrines sitting side by side in every quarter of the city. Streets signs and shops post notices in four different languages. Singapore was clearly a city of  surprising cultural tolerance and diverse population, but how did that come to be? I was missing something and my ignorance was showing.  I went back to the National Museum of Singapore, where I should have started my trip…after all, you can’t understand a place unless you understand its history.

Things To Know

It’s hot in Singapore (at least in May).  Wear appropriate, lightweight clothing and prepare yourself for the arctic level of air conditioning present in the malls by tucking a sweater into your bag. Check the weather before you go.  Singaporeans are smart dressers, so leave those jorts and baseball hats at home.  Entrance to mosques and temples require suitable dress (shoulders and knees covered). If you are not suitably dressed to enter, you will be offered a “gown” at the door.

Walking along Singapore’s beautiful parks is a wonderful opportunity to see the tropical flowers and green spaces of the city. The heat, however, makes it advisable to take occasional advantage of the endless, air-conditioned connections through malls and buildings when going from point A to point B.   I also advise using a sun umbrella.  Really.

Singapore has great public transportation options.  The MRT (subway system) is incredibly clean, efficient and safe.  Everyone queues for the train by waiting in the marked-off green area until the train arrives.  Passengers disembark through the red/exit lanes. MRT maps current routes on the train by flashing upcoming stops so it’s easy to know where you are and when to get off.  I loved everything about their subway system, can you tell?  If you plan on using the SMRT and public buses throughout your stay, consider a purchasing a tourist pass , which allows almost unlimited travel (check for caveats).  Taxis are an excellent, although more expensive option depending on the size of your traveling party. The taxis are clean and the drivers are a wealth of local information.  

Yes, Singapore is safe.  Very safe, as long as you don’t do anything silly.  The Mister and I walked home from a movie at 1am and rejoiced at being able to do so.  There are rumors about Singaporean “rules” and subsequent harsh punishments for those who break them.  To dispel some of those rules….yes, you can chew gum.  No, you can’t spit it  onto the streets or stick it on a bus seat.  Smoking areas are restricted, as they are everywhere.  Defacing public property will bring a harsh fine.  Drugs are illegal and traffickers and users face harsh fines.  The only fine I risked in Singapore was a jaywalking fine.  It was stupid and deserved a fine if caught.  The near death experience was enough to convince me not to jaywalk twice.  Also, please do not stand on the toilets or pee in the elevator.  I don’t know if there are fines for either offense, but…really?

   

A Tale of Two Cities: Singapore and Hong Kong, First Impressions

I feel like a terrible traveler today.  Plan A, B and C went to hell as the sky filled with thunder, lightening and torrential rain. My Plan D is sitting in a dim sum tea house, drinking tea and trying to “figure out”  this city  I want desperately to love.

From the untrained and inexperienced eye of a Westerner, Singapore and Hong Kong should be similar on some accounts.  Both cities have long, complex histories heavily influenced by extended time under British control.  Both cities are culturally diverse and harmoniously host people of  different nationalities and religions. Both cities are world-class financial and commerce hubs and have endless opportunities for good eating and shopping.  It seems natural to compare the two, yes?  Yet Singapore and Hong Kong are so very, very different.

My initial impression of Singapore was it was all shiny-new, efficient, clean and green.  The airport itself was a study in good design with its free movie theater, 3 story slide, butterfly garden and rooftop pool and hot tub.  The ride from the airport to the hotel took you along palm-tree and garden-lined roads and bridges and deposited you at your hotel in full view of some of the most spectacular modern architecture in the world.  It was hot and steamy with a slight breeze (also hot).  Everyone was friendly, welcoming and willing to engage in lengthy conversations about anything/everything.

My first impression of Hong Kong was…different.  The airport was practical and efficient and the vibe  intense.  Everyone seemed intent on getting from point A to B in the most expeditious manner.  Efficiency was the name of the game.  The taxi ride to the hotel took us through a series of tunnels and overpasses framed by towering, glowing apartment blocks and glitzy office buildings.  We arrived at our hotel in time to see the nightly laser show sweeping Hong Kong’s waterfront skyline.  I didn’t realize how much of Hong Kong is tucked into the high hills above the harbor until the sun rose the next morning.  The lush, green hills and soaring skyscrapers make Hong Kong a study in contrast.

The rain stopped and I’m off to The Peak for a little hiking and picture-taking.  It’s amazing what an afternoon in a steamy tea house can do for the soul.  The lovely ladies sitting next to me told me “dim sum” means “touch the heart.” After my afternoon sitting in a steamy tea house, stuffing my face with dim sum and tea, I can already feel Hong Kong working its magic on mine.   Let me know if you have any great travel tips for Hong Kong.  I don’t want to miss anything…