Canada Narrowly Misses Third Place at Copa

Canada played against Uruguay for third place in Copa

Earlier today Canada played against Uruguay for third place in the Copa America tournament and it was so close, but in the end Canada lost 4-3 in the shoot out after a 2-2 draw.

In the shoot out, Canada lost out on two tries, one was saved by the Uruguayan goalkeeper, the other ball hit the crossbar and bounced out.

Nevertheless both teams were pretty evenly matched up and head coach Jesse Marsch was pleased with how the Canadians played tonight.

Marsch gave the team a positive post-game talk

"The players are disappointed in the way that we gave the match away," Marsch said. "But I was very positive with them. We have been together for about six weeks and to play against one of the best teams in the world and dominate the match -- we were too much for them for most of the match -- is pretty good."

He said the team simply gave the ball away too often in the final minutes.

"We should have been able to shut the game down," Marsch said. "But that savviness of how to handle those situations, we need to develop that -- and we will."

After the match Marsch gave an encouraging pep talk to the Canadian team as they huddled on the pitch in a circle.

While the Copa final will see Argentina playing against Colombia tomorrow, Canadian football fans are already looking forward to what their team can do two years from now at the World Cup in North America.

We are all thrilled at how well Canada did at Copa -- our debut and we made it to the semifinals! 

Picture of the Day: Thimbleberries

Thimbleberries are starting to ripen

These are thimbleberries!

At first glance they look like raspberries, but don't look as bulbous. I picked a few today and was surprised when I pulled them off the shrub they were like tiny skull caps, or thimbles, which is probably where it gets its name from.

I tried these thimbleberries today

Biting into them, they aren't juicy, but more like a dried fruit taste and texture, though hardly sweet. Apparently they are a good source of vitamin C.

They can also be made into a jam or jelly, but that would mean having to harvest a lot of them when I only see a few here and there!

Marimekko-inspired Finnish Food

The salmon chowder is served in a Marimekko bowl and plate

I have a friend in Hong Kong who is a devoted Marimekko fan. She wears the large dresses featuring the block flower prints, and has the tableware at home too. 

Like many people I was surprised to discover it is a Finnish brand, not Japanese! Marimekko is actually a textiles, clothing and home furnishing company started by Viljo and Armi Ratia in Helsinki in 1951.

The cafe has the Unikko poppy decor

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Unikko, or poppy pattern, and Canadian high-end retailer Holt Renfrew has a mini pop-up selling some Marimekko items from clothing to handbags to bowls and tea cups, as well as offering Finnish-inspired dishes at Holts Cafe.

Curious to see how they tasted, I went to the cafe today for brunch. Holts Cafe opens at 10am and I was there half an hour later, the only customer! It's a nice space, with lounge seating mostly for two and a dining room area to the left of the entrance. 

The cafe is decorated with a pillar in the grey Unikko design, as well as some cushions, alternating with blue striped ones from Marimekko as well. For the special menu, all the dishes are served on Marimekko tableware, a great way to promote the brand.

Perusing the menu, there are bites for the ladies-who-lunch crowd, such as a spring pea and cucumber salad, salmon chowder, and open-face smoked whitefish sandwiches called tartine. There's also cabbage rolls, and shrimp on toast.

Smoked whitefish tartine with salad

Keeping with the Finnish theme are drinks using Finlandia vodka -- but who is drinking vodka during the day, and especially at 10.30am? I asked for the non-alcoholic berry caipiroska, and it was served in a tiny (Marimekko) glass with lime juice, syrup and blueberries. Refreshing, but considering it's zero-proof, how about a larger glass or a discount on the drink (C$15)?

The salmon kasu chowder (C$18) arrived smelling fragrant from the fresh dill. The cream-based soup, featured chunks of kasu-cured salmon, leek, carrot, and potato. It was a delicious soup that wasn't too heavy on the cream, but the small potatoes were not bite-sized. Even though they were sliced in half, they had to be fished out and cut in half again.

I also ordered the smoked fish tartine (C$19) that came with small strips of smoked fish with thin slices of radish and red onion on yogurt and rye bread. The fish was a tad salty, but the flavour was flat -- it could have benefited from pickled red onion to elevate the taste. Nevertheless I enjoyed the mini butter lettuce salad on the side.

Finishing these two dishes left me feeling quite full for the rest of the day! 

The Marimekko pop-up and takeover is until July 31.

Holts Cafe

Holt Renfrew

737 Dunsmuir Street

Vancouver

604 678 0316

Night Vibes Become Quiet Vibes

Not much activity happening at the Wan Chai waterfront

The Hong Kong government's "Night Vibes" campaign, with evening bazaars in various parts of the city has already fizzled out, as Temple Street is seeing far less crowds than when it started back in January. 

Originally it was launched by Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po to entice visitors and locals alike to spend in the city, but the initial wave of interest has already faded and people aren't coming back.

It seems the government has very little idea of how to promote the city, let alone the logistics of putting these events together. If they don't know how much electricity is needed to power up food stalls and prepare for adverse weather conditions, then how will the authorities be able to handle mega events?

Chan launched the campaign last September

A local businessman who asked to be anonymous was frustrated at how the Wan Chai bazaar was organised last September when the power was cut and some stalls struggled to serve hot food, while others could not collect electronic payments. 

"That's the thing, they talk, talk, talk, but have no idea how to do it," he said.

"They should hire professional companies if they want to organise a great market for Hong Kong because, from the way they handled it, it doesn't even feel like they cared."

Indeed -- the authorities haven't even bother to measure how many visitors attended "Night Vibes" or recorded feedback; Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun dismissed the need to analyse attendance numbers, saying it was more important to look at the social impact.

Perhaps it's because they just wanted to tick Night Vibes off their "to-do list" and not be held accountable for how they spent taxpayer dollars?

Interest in the night bazaar has fizzled out

But lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon said it was necessary to look at the numbers in order to learn from mistakes and improve the next time.

"These things are necessary so we can properly monitor, assess, learn from the experience and avoid repeating mistakes," she said. "If things don't work out, that's fine. It's not that we want to blame authorities for trying something new."

She added: "The problem now is that we never do any reviews, so we keep doing the wrong thing once, twice, and a third time."

Kong's other piece of advice was for the government to listen to the public.

"If you want to gain the trust of Hongkongers and increase their happiness, public engagement is very important," she said.

Unfortunately that's not what motivates government officials these days, but rather praise from Beijing. Yet another sign of how things operate in Hong Kong...

Canada's Historic Ride at Copa America

Canada has come so far in first appearance in Copa America!

Canada put up a good fight this evening, but it wasn't enough to beat world number one Argentina -- and Lionel Messi -- at the Copa America semifinal losing 2-0.

But when you think about it, Canada was the complete outlier, the underdog, the long shot in 48th place. And we made it into the semifinals!

Canada did quite well in the match, only allowing two goals, and here are some other stats from the game:

Pretty impressive stats against Argentina

In the post-game interviews, the players are gutted. One explained they had let Messi have the ball too much, and when you do, "he punishes you". Canada will learn from this match, regroup and refocus for Saturday's match for third place. 

The team is coached by American Jesse Marsch, and the players have only been playing together for the last five, six weeks. Captain Alphonso Davies has been exceptional, as well as goalie Max Crepeau, who was grace under pressure in the shoot out to beat Venezuela to get into the semifinal.

Canadians have jumped on the football bandwagon and hopefully the momentum will carry into the next two years when Canada, the United States and Mexico host the 2026 World Cup!

 

The Hype of Pandas Coming to HK

HK and Chinese officials are excited about pandas coming

As if a distraction from Hong Kong's struggling economy, there's a lot of attention focused on the city getting a pair of pandas from China. Even Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has flown to Sichuan to see pandas, though it's not clear if he's seen the pandas chosen for Hong Kong.

"The male panda weights 120kg and has been described as agile, clever and active, while the female is around 100kg and is gentle and adorable, with a mild temperament," Lee said. 

Hmm... sounds like what he expects male-female relationships to be like... whatever the species...

Lee (far left) seeing pandas in Sichuan

Lee hopes the pair will produce offspring to bring "even more joy and warmth" to the public.

Before the pandas come to Hong Kong, they need to be quarantined for 30 days in China and another 30 days in Hong Kong before the public can see them.

Again where did this 60-day quarantine number come from?

The Chief Executive hopes to have the pandas by -- you guessed it -- October 1, National Day.

Communist Party secretary of Sichuan Wang Xiaohui met the Hong Kong delegation on Monday and said the central government's move to give the pair of pandas to Hong Kong showed its care and support.

"Sichuan is the hometown of giant pandas, and the pandas gifted to Hong Kong by the central government all come from Sichuan," Wang said. "Giant pandas have become special envoys and a bond of friendship between the people of Sichuan and Hong Kong.

"Under the unified arrangements of the central government, we will fully cooperate and make all necessary preparations to ensure that the giant pandas can soon arrive and meet with the people of Hong Kong."

The hype is growing...

When the Rolling Stones Rocked Vancouver

Richards, Jagger and Wood performed in Vancouver on Friday

The Rolling Stones came to Vancouver to play two shows on Friday night. Fans were thrilled to see 80-year-old Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood in fine form when they performed at BC Place Stadium.

The reviewer from the Vancouver Sun was impressed the seniors are way more fit than the US President, asking "How is it that Keith Richards is in better shape than Joe Biden?"

"I mean, all the health and wellness articles in the world can't explain how Immortan Mick has lived to become the most dangerous senior citizen since Betty White."

Indeed!

Vij with Jagger on Saturday night

The band didn't leave Vancouver right away -- they stayed another day. 

And where did the Stones' frontman go in Vancouver?

Jagger went to Vij's, a well-known Indian restaurant on Cambie Street for dinner on Saturday night. Chef and owner Vikram Vij was there to greet the superstar.

"(We) had the incredible honour of hosting the legendary Mick Jagger at Vij's last night!" was the post on Vij's Instagram page. "An unforgettable evening filled with great conversations, laughter, and of course, amazing food.

"Thank you, Mick, for gracing us with your presence," the post says.

Now we're all wondering what Jagger ate!

Macau is Also Struggling for Business

Small Macanese businesses struggling post pandemic

It looks like Hong Kong isn't the only one moaning about people escaping on the weekends to go across the border to Shenzhen -- Macau is too.

Casinos are still drawing visitors willing to part with their money, but when it comes to food, there are no more freebies, like gold-flecked abalone tarts and pork chop buns washed down with bubble tea.

No more free egg tarts in casinos

Visitors followed the advice of social media posts that told them where to get free transportation from hotel shuttles, free food from casinos, from ice cream to egg tarts, popcorn and pineapple buns, and souvenir streets for food samples like beef jerky and almond cookies, and free entertainment in hotels, like animated water fountains, and radio-controlled dolphins made of helium balloons floating around.

Nearby restaurants complained they had no customers because the casinos were giving away free food so the latter obliged and stopped the practice. But even then the restaurants don't have any business because even office workers drive across the border for lunch.

"We had a period just after the pandemic when things seemed like they were improving, but as soon as borders reopened with the mainland and people were allowed to drive north again... it has been very difficult for proper restaurants like us to survive," said Moon Tong Ut-i, manager of Riquexo, a Macanese restaurant that has opened for more than 30 years.

Another cafe that opened after the pandemic and serves Southeast Asian noodles and snacks is also struggling. 

People go across the border to eat cheaper food

"We all assumed life would return to normal after the pandemic, so I thought I would give it a try. Who would've thought everyone would leave?" said owner and businessman Justin Chang.

Looks like for both Hong Kong and Macau it's going to get worse before it gets better... 

First Chinese-born MP in the UK

Yang on election night after she won her seat

The results of the UK election are devastating -- the Conservatives were literally booted out of office and Labour is in, led by Keir Starmer.

But while Labour won by a landslide, a closer look at the numbers reveal the party won 63 percent of the seats with 34 percent of the vote.

It's not a confident position for Starmer, which is why he knows he needs to get to work right away to fix the UK.

Yang's book profiles four women born in 1990s

One of those helping him do that is Yuan Yang, the first Chinese-elected MP. She was born in China and at the age of four moved with her family to the UK. She is in her mid-30s and is a former journalist, having worked at the Financial Times in the UK and in Beijing as deputy bureau chief. 

Not only that but she has just published a book called Private Revolutions: Four Women Face China's New Social Order, profiling four women who were born in the 1990s and how they faced overwhelming odds to find success, or they clinched success and now find the current economic atmosphere very challenging. 

She had a planned book tour to promote Private Revolutions because she had to go campaigning for the election that was on July 4.

On NPR she talked about her book, but also her time in Beijing, and how she felt going back and forth between the UK and China. She said people in the west don't appreciate what they have until they lose it. 

Yang said she was answering questions from residents and one remarked how she had an optimistic disposition when she talks about the future.

"I thought about this and I think I'm optimistic by personality but I also think that my optimism, my hope, a renewal of British democracy comes from seeing the exact opposite, which is the rise of authoritarianism in China, the crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong in 2019 and onwards, and the tightening of restrictions around speech, around what journalists can do, and the closing down on China from the outside world. 

"And coming back to the UK has been a breath of fresh air in terms of our ability to write, to knock on somebody's door and ask them who they might vote for and what they think of the prime minister. These are the kinds of things that are unimaginable for activists and journalists in China," she said.

We're excited to see how Yang does as MP for the new constituency of Earley and Woodley in Reading. She won the seat with 18,209 votes, just beating Conservative candidate Pauline Jorgensen with 17,361 votes. 

Celebrating the Museum's First Birthday

Did tonight's event spark serious donations for the museum?

This evening the Chinese Canadian Museum held a low-key fundraising dinner at Floata Seafood Restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown. The event marks the one-year anniversary of the museum's opening, which also coincided with the 100th anniversary of the 1923 Exclusion Act, when the Canadian government refused the entry of ethnic Chinese people into the country until 1947.

Tonight's event was called Spark Community Dinner and it had all the trappings of a big gala -- the invitation encouraged people to wear Chinese outfits, and some 800 people turned out including politicians from all three levels of government. Interesting to note Premier David Eby was not available, nor was Mayor Ken Sim... was he at the Missy Elliott concert tonight?

We were all starving by the time dinner started; two people at our table didn't show up and then two more people left half way -- Elenore Sturko who is a provincial-level politician and her aide -- so only six of us had food for 10 people. 

The museum needed to raise money to keep itself going, but a raffle where C$50 for three tickets isn't going to raise a lot of cash. The museum was too shy to ask for more money beyond the raffle and individual donations.

But then Bob Rennie stepped up. He is the real estate marketer who bought the Yip Sang building, spent C$22 million to renovate it and then the provincial government shelled out C$25.5 million to purchase the building, the oldest one in Chinatown.

Rennie came on stage and immediately got down to business. He spontaneously asked the biggest sponsor of the dinner, Onni Group onto the stage and said that if he himself donated C$10,000, would Onni do the same? 

They immediately had C$20,000 and now could 40 individuals donate C$500 each? or each person in the room donate C$25?

Rennie pointed out that the infighting in Chinatown had to stop, "or Hastings is going to win," he said, referring to the Downtown Eastside which is filled with homeless people and drug addicts.

That got a lot of applause. Then Rennie added he was running for mayor, which got him more applause but then he said he was just joking.

Nevertheless it took a gweilo, a non-Chinese to tell a room full of Chinese people to put their differences aside and get their act together to fight for Chinatown. Part of it is generational, but mostly it's political. He's right, but will they listen? 

And did the museum get C$40,000 by the end of the evening? 

Picture of the Day: Ocean Spray

Ocean spray are blooming in Vancouver

These flowers are called ocean spray, with the Latin name holodiscus discolor. A prolific contributor to the neighbourhood email discussion board pointed out they were in bloom in a nearby park so I checked them out.

On closer inspection they are very tiny white flowers that are clumped together and look like mini floral chandeliers. The flowers attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The other day I saw a bee spending a lot of time in them.

Doing a bit of research, there are seven to 10 species of holodiscus, from British Columbia all the way down to Bolivia! 

It's also good to know these plants are drought-resistant and are pretty hardy. 

HK's Economy Strugging in the Doldrums

Hong Kong's economy won't be recovering anytime soon

Hong Kong's economy isn't going to be bouncing back anytime soon with the latest numbers.

According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, the statistics are as follows:

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, there's even more Hongkongers leaving the city than five years earlier, and a 39 percent drop in mainlanders coming to Hong Kong.

These numbers are not a good sign, and when Beijing has announced that permanent residents who are not ethnically Chinese can now apply for a five-year visa to the mainland, there's going to be a greater exodus from Hong Kong.

What is the Hong Kong government going to do about it, besides chasing mega events as if they were women?

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism must be relieved that he just needs to focus on collecting two pandas from Sichuan to bring to the city within months. That will involve him leading a delegation to go there to discuss the logistics of transporting the pandas, quarantine and naming them.

The Opposite House is No More

Will miss the delicious Peking duck at Jin Yaa Tang

I just found out through a social media post that The Opposite House, a hotel run by Swire in Beijing has closed down. The hotel had a blow-out farewell party on June 29 and then closed its doors the next day.

The 16-year-old hotel was part of the complex known as Sanlitun, which featured a shopping mall anchored by Apple and Uniqlo, and when I was there, a Hong Kong-style restaurant that served Cantonese dishes.

The porcelain Mao jacket

Many years ago I got a tour of the hotel, and it was forward-thinking at the time with minimalist interiors, and the lobby was decorated with a larger-than-life cheongsam and a Mao jacket made from fragmented blue and white bowls and plates. 

On the lower ground floor was a fantastic restaurant called Jin Yaa Tang that served one of the city's best Peking ducks. There was an open kitchen where diners could watch ducks roasted over a jujube wood-fired oven.

According to The Beijinger, an English-language magazine, The Opposite House probably closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and high room rates. Apparently the hotel will be "converted into an innovated retail landmark."

In a sign posted outside the hotel, the Beijing Sanlitun Hotel Management Company Limited thanked people for their support.

"We deeply regret that we made such a difficult decision. We believe that the hotel closure is not a permanent separation, but a new beginning. We sincerely welcome your continued attention and support to Sanlitun Taikoo Li, and very much look forward to serving you in the near future," part of the notice read.

Why is it always spun as "separation", when the hotel is closing down for good? And it wasn't a divorce, it was a business decision that had to be made. 

Looking down on the swimming pool

The Opposite House was the sister hotel to the Upper House in Hong Kong, The Temple House in Chengdu, and The Middle House in Shanghai.

Hong Kong Marks 27th Anniversary of Handover

Flag-raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Convention Centre

Hey it's July 1! The 27th anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong back to the motherland!

Some 4,000 police officers were deployed across the city to ensure celebrations go ahead smoothly. Those wearing what is considered seditious clothing could be stopped and questioned by police, or worse, arrested.

Celebrating the 27th anniversary of the handover

At the flag-raising ceremony held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, top officials attended, but there was no room for the public to witness the proceedings. Former chief executives Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, Leung Chun-ying, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and Tung Chee-hwa were there along with Zheng Yanxiong, head of the liaison office.

In an article published on Monday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu wrote about the passing of Article 23 that has become part of Hong Kong's "glorious history".

He said the city's door was once "wide open to both thieves and friends", and now with Article 23 in place, it is a sophisticated security system that can identify "thieves" and protect its "friends".

"For an extremely small minority of those who jeopardise national security, this law is a sharp sword pointed at them; for the community at large and foreign investors, this law is a 'protector' of their rights, freedoms, property and investments," Lee wrote.

Two new pandas will come to Ocean Park

As part of the celebrations for the anniversary of the handover, Hong Kong will receive two giant pandas that will be cared for at Ocean Park. 

In a Facebook post, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung wrote: "A new pair of giant pandas will attract a massive amount of tourists and residents, injecting impetus into Hong Kong's tourism industry."

How massive is massive? 

Meanwhile, Hong Kong permanent residents who are not of Chinese nationality will be eligible for five-year permits to enter the mainland starting from July 10. Each stay can be no longer than 90 days. Yet more people will be coming to Shenzhen to shop...

 

Seattle Sights

An iconic element of Seattle's skyline

During my one-day trip to Seattle I didn't really see the sights, but a good place to start is the Space Needle. In that vicinity are various places to check out that are all walking distance from each other.

There's the Space Needle itself where visitors can go up the 605 ft (184.4m) tall tower and have a 360-degree view of the city below. It was built for the 1962 World's Fair, where the theme was "The Age of Space".

International Fountain with its space theme

And the Chihuly Garden and Glass, where people can get a taste of glass artist Dale Chihuly's work rain or shine. His creations are fantastical, colourful and awe-inspiring, such large pieces that are suspended from the ceiling or placed in unconventional places. 

The International Fountain is also a remnant from the 1962 World's Fair. The metal dome is meant to convey the feeling of a lunar landscape. The fountain has 274 water jets and the water it spouts out has been treated and recycled. While we visited on an overcast day, one can only imagine it's the perfect place for kids to beat the heat.

Next to the fountain is a work called Neototems by Seattle artist Gloria Bornstein. It features two whales showing off their dorsal fins in bronze. 

Neototems by Glora Bornstein

We were mesmerised by the Frank Gehry-designed Museum of Pop Culture with its wavy walls and various colours. The museum captures the essence of pop culture, from music like grunge and hip hop, to science fiction and fantasy. 

Convenient Ride with a Dose of Attitude

Convenient but a mean bus driver didn't make it a fun ride

Yesterday I made a one-day trip to Seattle to see a friend from Hong Kong visiting her brother.

To get there economically without driving, I took the bus down. When I was a kid, we took the Greyhound bus, but these days it's called Flixbus and my experience on it was mixed.

While the bus departure time was 9.15am from Pacific Central Station, the fine print warned passengers to board 15 minutes beforehand, which meant getting on the bus at 9am. So I made sure I arrived early, at 8.45am to be precise.

The Flixbus driver wore black and a newsboy cap and was in a sour mood. He didn't have to be like that. Instead he barked orders at people, particularly those with suitcases because they had to be placed in different compartments according to where they were getting off. 

Flixbus tickets are priced according to demand, and you can buy the seat next to you to ensure a more personal space. However, this particular bus did not have a phone charger nor wifi; yesterday morning the electricity was down in our house and so my phone battery was already at under 70 percent.

The bus driver pulled out of the parking lot at 9.15am, when some people started banging on the door. It was a family that had just arrived with suitcases in tow but the driver refused to stop and shouted at them repeatedly to stand back from the bus. English was not their first language. He was not in the mood to stop and open the doors as well as the cargo compartments to include them on the bus and drove away, muttering they were late.

Then he had the gall to put on his nice voice over the microphone to welcome passengers on the bus and gave some strict house rules: Sit in your assigned seat, no wifi today, no smoking or vaping in the bus, wear headphones if you are using your phone.

In 50 minutes we arrived at the border crossing at Blaine. It took him a while to get the customs officers ready for us. A short Asian woman rushed to the front to get off the bus. But when she stood in line waiting to be processed she saw no fruits allowed in and took out two apples from her bag. And then she read no nuts either and pulled out a box of nuts that was wrapped in a plastic bag. What else was she carrying?

Everyone else who had suitcases had to drag them out from the bus and bring them into the customs area. As people were getting back on the bus, one young woman realised she had left her passport behind. The entire family was ordered off the bus and to bring their suitcases in again to be questioned. The bus driver was less than pleased and expressed this loudly. Another woman passenger tried to console him by saying it was not his fault, but that wasn't the answer he was looking for.

When the family finally got back on the bus, the bus driver said we were six minutes behind schedule. Six minutes! And in fact by the time we arrived at my stop at the University of Washington, we were perhaps one or two minutes behind schedule. I was so relieved to get off the bus.

He again barked at people who were waiting there to get on...

My return trip experience was completely different. Thinking I had to be there 15 minutes ahead of time again, I made sure I returned to the same stop early. But a woman sitting on the steps told me the bus was one hour behind schedule with no explanation. So I rushed to the nearest Starbucks to get a sandwich (my dinner).

Each time a bus arrived we went over to check if it was ours or not. They were driven by women and they were nice to passengers. One even retrieved a lost phone and the young man was so grateful. 

Finally our bus arrived at 8.23pm, and a cheerful driver came out. He didn't explain why they were late, but was easy going and relaxed. When we got on board, he also laid out the house rules, and I was pleased to find a phone charger though the wifi didn't work either. 

There wasn't too much traffic on the highway and we made good time to Bellingham and then to the border. This time we were only at customs for half an hour and that helped us get back to Vancouver by 11.36pm, just a few minutes shy of the original schedule. 

So I finished the trip with a good experience, but I can't shake the demeanor of the first driver. Why did he have to be so rude? I understand driving from Vancouver to Portland in one day is stressful, but we are all anxious too. I wondered what happened to that family that missed the ride in the morning... and what would have happened if we had a different driver...

The Mayor's Private Mojo Dojo

Councillor Fry's picture of Sim's gym space

There are a lot of questions about what Vancouver's mayor is doing at City Hall these days. 

Ken Sim, the city's first Chinese-Canadian mayor seems more interested in working out than actually running the city.

Green Party Councillor Pete Fry took a picture of what used to be a meeting room next to the mayor's office that was used for meetings and now seems to be Sims' personal gym space.

Sim riding on the Peloton bike for the cameras

There's a Peloton stationary bike, a chin-up apparatus, weights, resistance bands, and an exercise mat in the 300 sq ft space that used to be a board room.

Fry posted the picture on X, formerly known as Twitter and wrote: "The deeply unserious and absolute absurdity of a civic asset being repurposed as Ken's mojo dojo casa house belies a very real problem with process, transparency and good governance that we continue to get stonewalled on."

In a radio interview this morning Fry explained council had received a memo in January from the city manager explaining the meeting room was now being used by the mayor and would not be used for meetings.

So when Fry saw it unlocked and open, he took a picture as evidence of how the room was being used.

Fry said he had tried to ask about the mayor taking over the space during council meetings on Tuesday, but was shut down by other ABC councillors.

Then the mayor invited the media to come look at the space and spun the opportunity as his way of being transparent. He rode the stationary bike for the cameras.

"It allows me to actually get to promote health, including my own health -- the hours are pretty long here," Sim said Wednesday. "If you don't have your health, you can't help your family out and you can't help your organisation."

Sim accused Fry of playing politics, but it should be pointed out there is an existing gym in City Hall for people to use... there is no need for this extra gym next to the mayor's office. Taxpayers are fuming to see their mayor more concerned about his physical health than the city's fiscal outlook...

Hong Kong's Sexist Attitudes Persist

Lee and his wife Janet attracted to the colour red

Women are on the Hong Kong government's mind these days.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu equated trying to seal some deals to attract mega events to the city was akin to chasing women.

In an interview with Sing Tao newspaper, Lee admitted there was stiff competition in trying to lure overseas performers to Hong Kong.

Last week Lo compared women's fertility to soil

"It's like how I used to chase girls. For the good ones, of course everybody will chase them, [we] must work hard and fight," he said in Cantonese.

Then Lee added he would not disclose their strategy of attracting big events to Hong Kong.

In the case of Lee's personal life, he was 22 years old when he chased his then girlfriend Janet Lam Lai-sin who became his wife at the age of 16 in 1980...

Then last week Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau compared female fertility to soil, in that they should not delay having children and that freezing their eggs now would not necessarily help them conceive either.

"It's not just a problem with the eggs, it is also a problem with the soil. Even if you have frozen your eggs, when you have reached 40, the chance that the egg could become a healthy baby will drop substantially," he said in Cantonese.

"Freezing the eggs could not revert the physiological limit on women's reproductive age," he added.

Lam said not all women can give birth early

Lo was immediately criticised by lawmaker Nixie Lam, who opted for assisted reproduction and gave birth to her first child last year, said his remarks were a "heavy blow" to all women in the city.

"The way the minister spoke just now, is it that I couldn't give birth because my soil was bad?" she asked. 

"I believe the minister's remarks would deal a heavy blow even to women without childbirth issues. You are telling them... they cannot get pregnant because the soil in their bodies is bad, and they should give birth naturally whilst they are still young," Lam continued.

"How can you give birth when you are 18 and still studying?" Lam said. "Not everyone is like the minister yourself, who met your match in your 20s, got your degree, got married and had a kid, all in a row."

How much more sexist can this administration get? Perhaps that's why they aren't attracting any big acts either? It is 2024, not 1980...

HK Schools Graded on National Security Education

Hey kids! Time to learn about national security at school!

National education is in full swing in Hong Kong schools, except officials feel the students aren't singing their hearts out when it comes to the national anthem, March of the Volunteers.

The Education Bureau has accused the students at two schools of singing the national anthem too softly and that they should singing with more confidence.

Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church Primary School in Tseung Kwan O and Yan Chai Hospital Lim Por Yen Secondary School in Tsuen Wan were both told in the bureau's review report the students' voices were weak when singing March of the Volunteers.

Some students criticised for singing too softly

"Teachers need to remind students more to help students develop the habit of singing the national anthem loudly in unison," the report said of the students of the latter school.

Maybe the kids just don't like singing? 

Meanwhile the bureau told a special school for moderately mentally disabled students in Shek Kip Mei that its teachers don't have a comprehensive understanding of national security education.

"The school must strengthen the professional development of teachers and clarify relevant concepts in order to effectively implement national security education," the report said.

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kwan Fong Kai Chi School, which offers special education, said implementing national security education was still in the initial stages.

"Some teachers are taking the lead [in terms of the implementation], and it is understandable that other teachers may not have a complete grasp of national security education," it said in its response to the review report.

Flag-raising ceremonies are scrutinised as well

"The school will continue to strengthen the professional development of teachers according to school conditions and clarify relevant concepts in a bid to implement national security education in the school more effectively."

The report, released by the Education Bureau, covers various education performance indicators and offers suggestions.

Now how students sing the national anthem and conduct flag-raising ceremonies are scrutinised as well...

Settling into Vancouver, Cats and All

The peaceful view from Coquitlam 

Almost a month ago, a friend from Hong Kong landed in Vancouver. She has been preparing to move for years and now it's finally happened.

We had a chat yesterday on the phone and she seems to be settling in well. She said she spent the first two weeks doing all kinds of mundane but necessary things, from opening up bank accounts, buying insurance to finding a place to live.

One cat investigates the blinds

She is currently staying in an Airbnb in Coquitlam and enjoying it, despite the location not being the most convenient. Her exercise consists of walking up and down hills to get to the supermarket and back, but she loves inhaling the fresh air.

"It's so nice to be here, in freedom," she says. Since she arrived she stopped watching Hong Kong news because she found it depressing. "People are being arrested everyday," she says.

Next month she will move into her rental flat, also in Coquitlam and needs to buy furniture and other household goods and is eyeing the Ikea catalogue. But being in Vancouver is  all exciting to her and she hopes to soon be reunited with her mother, who is currently in Malaysia.

In the meantime her two cats are keeping her company, one 14 years old, the other four years old, though they don't get along. Hopefully they at least like Vancouver!

Scratching Your Way to Wealth

People buying up lottery tickets for a chance at quick returns

Young Chinese continue to look for get-quick-rich schemes like live streaming and trying their luck in show business. But for those without the looks and talent, there's lottery tickets.

Gua gua le are scratch lottery tickets at 20 yuan each, which may make them seem accessible, but these days shops are fast selling out of them in cities like Beijing, Guangzhou and eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

In general the government has banned gambling unless buying tickets from the China Sports Lottery and China Welfare Lottery. People can either pick numbers or buy scratch cards.

Gua gua le tickets are popular if you can find them

"When the economy slows down, the lottery may move forward," Su Guojing, founder of the non-governmental trade organisation China Lottery Industry Salon, said in an interview with CCTV.

In the first quarter this year, sales from all types of lotteries nationwide exceeded 149.5 billion yuan (US$20.6 billion), an increase of 19.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Gua gua le sales accounted for 26.1 percent of the total, a n 81.4 percent year-on-year increase.

This compares to the national general budget revenue in the first quarter which was at 6.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year decline of 2.3 percent.

"The price per ticket is not high, and the prizes aren't big either. It makes people happy. It's entertainment," said Zhao Xijun, a finance professor at Renmin University in Beijing.

"There might be people who, for economic reasons, participate to relieve stress."

Or perhaps they are desperate for a chance at a quick return?

A 20 yuan ticket might win 500 yuan which at first may seem thrilling, but that will soon wear off and people will demand a bigger jackpot, like those lotteries in North America that go into the millions.

It's a slippery slope, but that's how you get people interested in lotteries, otherwise they'll stop playing them... 

Manually Running Airline Information

Here's what passengers look at for flight info at the airport

Hong Kong International Airport is having major issues with its real-time flight and baggage collection information. It's so bad it's hard to resort to handwriting the information on whiteboards. 

I kid you not.

The Airport Authority admitted the system "cannot be restored within a short period of time", and executive director Steven Yiu Siu-chung urged passengers to contact their airlines for flight details and budget enough time for check-in.

What is this? Back to the 1980s?

Staff member manually updates flight information

The massive computer glitch is the second major incident to hit the airport in a week after an emergency landing that caused a burst tire led to hundreds of flights being delayed.

Yiu said abnormalities in the computer system were discovered at 7am, and as a result real-time flight information could not be displayed in departure and arrival halls, and the authority's website.

"We commenced large-scale contingency measures after we confirmed that the system cannot be restored within a short period of time," he said.

While Yiu did not give an estimate on how much time would be needed to fix the problem, he stressed human error was not involved in the incident.

But many people missed their flights and blamed the airport authority for it.

One passenger surnamed Ng had a flight scheduled for 9.40am and entered the restricted area of the airport at 6am with no gate information on his boarding pass. However it wasn't until 10am when he found out where the gate was, and that he was one of six passengers who missed the flight.

"Airline staff told me it was the airport's fault. No one from the Airport Authority approached me with a solution, like how I will be compensated," Ng said, adding he did not know if he should book another flight or go back to Macau to fly from there.

"I am disappointed with Hong Kong International Airport. How can their risk management be qualified to tell good Hong Kong stories?"

Indeed. How can the HKIA not even have a backup system in 2024?

Insolvencies Creeping Up in Hong Kong

The number of bankruptcies filed at a two-year monthly high

Things in Hong Kong aren't getting better, with the number of bankruptcies filed at a two-year monthly high. 

According to the Official Receiver's Office, 871 people filed for insolvency in May, up from 742 in April, and 783 in March.

May's figure is a 35 percent increase over the 646 recorded last May, and it is the highest monthly figure since April 2022, when 930 bankruptcies were filed.

While economists blame the bankruptcy applications on banks recalling loans, others cited high interest rates these past two years.

But the government doesn't see it that way. 

The Financial Services and Treasury Bureau said the figures should be viewed from a macro perspective and "do not actually reflect the overall economic trend and economic reality".

"One cannot accurately assess the actual situation of the Hong Kong economy based soley on the rise and fall of individual monthly figures," the bureau said in a social media post.

"In fact, a comprehensive analysis of various economic indicators shows that the Hong Kong economy is steadily improving and exhibiting a recovery momentum."

The bureau even pointed out the unemployment rate is at 3 percent, and the gross domestic product (GDP) is growing by 2.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter.

Perhaps that's grasping straws? Hong Kong has always had a low unemployment rate, and even more so with fewer people in the city. Is the GDP really on an uptick because of more mainland Chinese tourists coming to Hong Kong to shop?

That's a lot of luxury handbags if that's true...