The teams race the elaborately-decorated boats to the beat of heavy drums. The boats, more than ten metres in length, have ornately-carved and painted dragon heads and tails and each carries a crew of 12-22 paddlers. Sitting two abreast, with a steersman at the back and a drummer at the front, the paddlers are urged on by the pounding drums and the roar of the crowds. We rode the bus to Stanley early on Thursday morning and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the first two hours of the race. An atmosphere of excitement, fun and anticipation prevailed. The weather was mild while we were there -- apparently the "heavens opened" in the afternoon and the wind kicked in.
When a new business opens, unbelievable floral arrangements are displayed outside the store. At the new wine shoppe located a short distance from our office, there must have been 20 huge arrangements -- beautiful in every detail. Because of the heat and humidity, the day after we saw them, they were definitely wilting, and by the next day, those still alive were inside. Now only the orchids survive!
Gardens across from the office near the convention center are beautiful -- right in the middle of this huge city The red-brick building with a spire in the background is the church area administrative offices where we serve. The building is well-used by members all week long. We are so fortunate to be in a "perfect location" where thousands pass daily.
The waterways are filled with vessels of all kinds -- from large cruise ships to small sailboats. It is fun to look across the harbor and always see a "boat" of some kind. 
An apparatus was designed to look as though one child was easily supporting another. There were many such "floats" and the children were young and occasionally looked a bit frightened to be poised up in the air. 
The parade was so colorful with various groups participating. We decided everyone in the village must have been part of the parade, young and old alike. We particularly enjoyed the dragon and lion dances, the brightly colored and decorated flags, and the children. The parade lasted over two hours and then we made the trip back to HK island, seeing many container ships on the way. We commented that the goods they contained were probably headed to the USA where so many "Made in China" goods are sold.
Attending the bun festival on an Cheung Chau Island about 45 minutes from Hong Kong by ferry was great fun on a Saturday. It was a delightful day with perfect weather and lots of colorful events. The buns (pictured at right, with a Chinese symbol "stamped" in red on the top) are steamed and filled with an unusual paste mixture in the center. In the "city square" there was a huge tower of "lucky buns." Lunch was more than ample, with vegetarian food galore, some of it in the "mystery" category - it was "INTERESTING" to say the least.
From our apartment window, we see Hennessy Street below. Usually it is bustling, but was photographed during a "quiet time." Hong Kong's population is about 7 million people, and apartment housing is extremely dense. Also, there are shops and businesses EVERYWHERE! Perhaps that's why this city is called a "shoppers' paradise!"
The church office building is 14 storeys high -- we are on the 10th floor. There are three chapels on various floors, many classrooms, and three floors with Area Offices. Also, the upper floors house the General Authorities. We are "more than comfortable" in our surroundings, but "less than comfortable" -- yet, in our assignment as we have much to learn.
Four days were spent at the MTC -- April 6 through 9. It was a great opportunity to study, listen and learn. There were 52 of us in the large group, and eight of us in break-out sessions. We stayed at home and spent the evenings studying and making final preparations for our Hong Kong departure. Spending some time with the Jacksons (whom we were to replace in Hong Kong) on Friday and Saturday helped prepare us for our assignments in the Area Presidency office. We spoke in church on Easter Sunday and appreciated family and friends supporting us that day. Since our visas did not arrive on schedule, we were delayed in leaving SL Airport until Tuesday, April 14, rather than the 13th as planned.
