The King and I

Not just a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical anymore.

I'd like you to meet the King of Thailand. I dig this guy. Everybody digs this guy. He's very well loved in his country and there are funny pictures like this all over the place. I love it.

Wednesday was a HUGE party and holiday in Thailand for his 80th birthday. Unfortunately I left Thailand Sunday.

So instead I spent our birthday at a factory in China! It's what all late (am I now out of the mid-twenty category and into the late-20s category??) 20-somethings dream of right? Anyway, I was very happy to spend my birthday visiting China for the first time.

We only spent the day there, as the factory is maybe 2 hours outside Hong Kong. I don't know I wasn't really paying attention. I got up super early, as this has been a series of super early days, got on the MTR (I have to stop myself from saying metro), and met David at our bus to China. There's a chartered bus that leaves every 15 minutes to China and takes you to the border. It's a little a little bit of a hassle because once you get to the border you clear customs on the Hong Kong side, hop back on the bus for a few minutes, and then clear customs going in to China. Other than that it was seamless.

The factory was in an industrial area not too far from the border, so I didn't get to see much. It was a full day of meetings and we had an excellent lunch. This particular factory is quite massive and like it's only little city with dorms and everything.

I was completely spent by the time the work day was done, and the ride home was pretty exhausting. I didn't have it in me to meet up with some other lady expats having a Christmas dinner in Central. So instead I got back to my new home, dropped off my workload, and walked approximately 7 seconds to the rice bar on the corner. It's a very cute, small, dark, candle lit bar that I just might frequent. They played jazzy music and jazzy covers of An Eternal Flame, In My Life, and a song from Moulin Rouge. And on the monitor The Way We Were was playing! And my wine was 2 for 1 so I had a couple of good glasses for under 10 bucks. It was fabulous.

theloreline is right, I have not been quick with the updates but things will change right now. I'm still getting into my groove.

David left to go back to Thailand, so as of this moment, I am la jeffe de la oficina HK. Fortunately, we were able to hire a Jr. Merchandiser so I am not alone in the office and she can help me with all things Cantonese.

I miss you. I wish you were here. This place is F'ing amazing. How does the song go? I don't care how you get here, get here if you can!