Farewell to "2009"

The year came to an end as we shared the holidays with our wonderful Paris family -- little Max was loved and adored every minute of every day -- nine to be exact. He was a trooper, a real "city boy" who adapted incredibly well to the sightseeing adventures of his parents and grandparents. We feel so blessed to have had them here -- and they fell in love with Hong Kong!

At 10,000 Buddhas, Max felt right at home with the statues, and the "other children." His 9-month birthday was celebrated while in Asia.

Grandpa became a "fast favorite" with Max and he was always happy when Grandpa was nearby.

Ashley, senior secretary to the Area President, is a dear Chinese friend. She offered to join us for lunch and ordered our "dim sum" from the menu -- good thing she was there, as there was no English spoken or written. We thoroughly enjoyed every item brought to the table -- Dave and Les are great with chopsticks, and Max will certainly learn before too long. He'll surpass his grandparents in "chopsticks ability," we surmise!

Max was tended by one of Grandma's friends while the adults attended a session at the Hong Kong Temple. It was a treat for our kids to be so close to a temple (about 20 minutes by bus) since they travel to Bern, Switzerland; Frankfurt, Germany or London, England to attend the temple. Someday there will be one in Paris!

This little guy is willing to explore in stroller or on the back of his dad. The markets are definitely colorful and interesting for his little eyes!

It seems that there are things to buy everywhere, and mom and son have serious decisions to make. With Chinese New Year not far off (February 14 this year -- the latest possible date according to the lunar calendar), Leslie will be preparing a celebration for the French and Chinese members in Paris. She found a few things to add pizazz to her decorating theme.

The sights of Hong Kong -- the crowds and the overwhelming presence of people, confirm that this is the most densely populated city in the world. Dave and Les were surprised at the concentration of people everywhere!

These two little ones are only about a week apart in age. Max' little Chinese friend is a cutie -- her nanny is a member of the church from the Philippines and brought her to the party on Christmas Day.

The women in our "group" couldn't get enough of little Max. He was hugged and fussed over by many "would be" moms. Several of the women have little ones far away back home, and it was especially meaningful for them to see Max.

The tradition of "new PJ's" for Christmas seemed to dictate a pair of Chinese jammies. The smallest size available was still too large, so Max will have this "suit" for quite some time. He was happy to find Monchichi in his stocking -- the same little "monkey" that was a favorite of Dave's 30 years earlier.

A very different Christmas Eve was enjoyed in HK. Crossing the harbor via the ferry, we stood with thousands (tens of thousands) of people to watch the laser light show. There was definitely a feeling of New Years/Mardi Gras rather than Christmas Eve. We were happy that families were together, but we wondered if the reading of Luke 2 was even considered as part of their celebration.

The fishing village of Tai O provided a backdrop for three generations of Arnold "men" -- perfect weather helped our Parisians enjoy their time here.

With the Big Buddha in the background, Max and grandpa complete the 6.2 kilometer cable car ride (along with the rest of us) and explore the monastery (vegetarian lunch was the fare -- not wonderful food, but acceptable) and Big Buddha.

Max (left) and Leslie are perfectly "dressed" in traditional Chinese garb!

If you are in a big city, you have to get around -- and the MTR (subway) is the method of preference when traveling a bit longer distances. Sometimes they are incredibly crowded and you are obliged to "stand" and hang on (as above); other times you might be lucky enough to get a seat (grandma likes that!!)

Upon their arrival, Dave, Leslie and Max "hit the ground" running, literally, and were fantastic house guests. Times Square is a short distance (5 minutes) from our apartment, so we ventured out to see what we could find for Max to eat -- their suitcases took three days to arrive! Challenges, yes, but adaptable people make the best of any situation!

While at Times Square, we saw the crowds enjoying a performance given by small Chinese children. They were singing all sorts of Christmas songs (in English) and were delightful!

The airport was highly decorated -- Dave, Leslie and Max arrive in Hong Kong on December 22 -- sans the luggage. Fortunately, Les was wise and packed a bag with some essentials, but they didn't last "forever."

Grandma Arnold meets her 14th grandchild -- Maxwell David Arnold. He was smiling and seemed happy to become acquainted!

On Sunday, December 20, our branch choir (I accompany on the piano) performed a cantata. Pictured are the women of the choir (we have only two men, who were elsewhere when the photo was taken) and they worked for several months to prepare. The performance was excellent and the spirit of Christmas was truly felt by all in attendance.

Sandy and Andrew Lai hosted a very fun Christmas party at their mansion. The Christmas tree was 20 feet and covered with more ornaments than you can imagine. A collection of more than 100 creches as well as many other decorations on the five floors of their home made for a very festive event. Several of the senior couples attended -- wonderful turkey and ham dinner, great opportunity to socialize, and laughs with a "white elephant game" made for a special party. The following evening, the senior couples and Area Presidency had a dinner at Elder & Sister Watsons' home. We enjoyed eating in the atrium, singing Christmas carols, being entertained by a very musical family and the reading of a favorite Christmas story, "The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey."

Brian Frederick and his friend Matt Broadbent came to Hong Kong (and subsequently to mainland China) on a 2-week "spur of the moment" adventure. We were happy to see them several times during the week they were in HK -- Brian was one of our Rostov missionaries, and we are always thrilled to reconnect with those with whom we shared the Russian experience. They loved Hong Kong.

A Senior Missionary Conference was held in late November -- the morning was spent in wonderful meetings, lunch was provided and the afternoon was spent at Hong Kong Park, aviary and zoological gardens. Perfect weather made for a great day!

The monkeys performed royally for all to enjoy.

Hong Kong Park is a perfect oasis of peace and tranquility surrounded by city skyscrapers.

By special assignment, I was asked to provide the makings for Christmas cards (300 in total!!) so that our Filipina women could have a creative opportunity to make something special to send home to their families. Lots of cutting and stamping ahead of time made it possible for things to run smoothly. It was fun to see their excitement as they each made three or more cards.

A Saturday afternoon in mid-November was made more pleasant by a visit to 10,000 Buddhas -- a place we decided we will certainly bring guests. The monasteries at the top house the many Buddhas.

A birthday dinner (don't you just love those birthdays???!!) at Dan Ryan's in Pacific Place was really enjoyable -- we wandered around the mall briefly and noted "Max & Co." -- we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our "MAX" from Paris!

Finally . . . an update!

It is beginning to look like Christmas . . . and word has it that in the weeks to come, the entire place will be lighted. We look forward to seeing that. In the meantime, spots like the one above keep popping up -- this one on the way to the office. Just had to snap a shot!

On October 31, a group of about 22 of us rode the hydrofoil and went the 60 kms. to Macau. Formerly a Portuguese colony, it now has similar status to Hong Kong with regards to China. The big thing in Macau is the gambling -- the city of 1/2 million people "welcomed" over 22 million visitors last year. The photo of the Venetian Hotel and Casino proves that the Las Vegas influence is strong there. Bigger and better must be the goal, because it is now the gaming capital of the world.

Of real interest to us was seeing the historical sites, like the ruins of St. Paul's church. Built in the 1600s, fire destroyed all but the facade which still stands.

A-Ma Buddist temple was crowded and filled with people burning incense. Very ornate in decoration, the temple was built in several stages and sections.

Government officials live in very nice spots, as above. The feel of the city is definitely European and much different from Hong Kong. We enjoyed the 1/2 day tour and our guide was very knowledgeable.

Halloween is definitely celebrated here in HK -- Ned and I walked over to Times Square and watched many who were decked out. This little guy decided to turn his head when I received permission from his parents to photograph him. He was a cute little pumpkin!

The best news of the month was "visitors from home." Less than a week after Blake and Becky left, my sister Barbara arrived for a couple of days. She was in Manila visiting her granddaughter and family, and decided she was too close to Hong Kong to miss seeing this place (and us). So I met her at the airport and we had a whirlwind 48 hours together. We climbed, walked, visited, shopped -- she was a trooper and wanted to see and do as much as possible in the time here. The only time she sat down was when she was treated to a wheelchair at the airports. Thanks, Barbara, for including us in your 16 day adventure in the Philippines.

Blake and Becky arrived in mid-October; we had a fantastic time together (sometimes just "them and me" as Ned had commitments at the office); but there were times when the four of us explored together. Blake and Becky seemed to enjoy everything here . . . even the warm weather! The last night in Hong Kong for Blake and Becky found us eating at California Pizza Kitchen and enjoying the plaza at Times' Square. Truly we loved having these two with us. We now look forward to more visitors in the future!

The fishing village at Tai O brought us "back in time" to a simple way of life for Chinese. The open waters are home to pink dolphins (only one of two known places where they live) and we were lucky to see some, but not quick enough with a camera to get great photos. They really are PINK!

People live in homes on stilts -- small and simple places, where fishing is "king."

Fishing boats are everywhere -- and at the markets in Hong Kong, we know it takes lots of fish to supply all the demand by the locals.

Big Buddha is impressive.

Over 200 steps were climbed by Blake, Becky and Ned (I watched from a comfortable perch) to get to the top of Big Buddha. At the top there were six or more additional smaller figures.

We were excited to try someplace new -- and the cable car ride (6.2 kilometers) over wooded areas to see "big Buddha" was great. Definitely a tourist destination, it was built about 12 years ago . . . "because if you build it, they will come." And they do.

Visiting Stanley Market is a must for anyone coming to Hong Kong. We weren't disappointed in the things we found there. One big attraction of Stanley is its location on the bay -- it seems removed from the city which is only a short distance (about 20 minutes) away!

Flyovers across busy Gloucester Road provide a backdrop of the hectic city streets. There is an abundance of trees and beautiful plantings to enhance the views.

Views from Central Plaza across from our office are quite amazing -- more so if the haze isn't present. Unfortunately, we had days and days of "haze" while Blake and Becky were here, so they had to imagine some things on the horizon.

We became quite good at riding the MTR -- Hong Kong's incredibly clean and orderly subway system. Transfers became the norm and we got from one place to another quickly and without difficulty.

MTR stations are easy to find (if you have a good map) and we rode several lines to navigate the city.

Nan Lian Gardens is a favorite spot of ours -- Blake and Becky agreed. We enjoyed a pleasant stroll along its paths on Sunday afternoon before viewing the laser light show later that evening.

Sunday was a special day with an Asia Area Conference Broadcast from Salt Lake City. President Uchtdorf, Elders Oaks and Watson and Sister Dalton spoke. It was excellent and very specific to the people who live in this vast area. Coinciding that weekend was an area council meeting which included seven area authority seventies and our area presidency. A few meal preparations by me were needed. But all in all, it was a great time for our Blake and Becky to visit and experience the special meetings and meet some incredible people.

Wan Chai market is only 10 minutes from our apartment and a great spot to shop with the locals. The weather while Blake and Becky were here was generally good -- warm days and a little cooler nights than we had been experiencing. Jackets were not needed, and rain didn't even appear.

The ding-dings (trams) are often colorful and highly decorated advertising mediums. Campbell's' Soup has done a great job with this one!

Hong Kong streets provide some interesting sites such as this fellow and his heavy load!

Saturday night we ventured out to the night market -- a happening place! All sorts of bargains were located, and some were even purchased. Blake and Becky are really fun and have energy enough to go from early morning until late night, even though they did suffer some jet-lag.

These adorable little girls were standing in a school doorway and we asked a father if we could take a photo. I chuckled when the little "rabbit ears" sign was made -- international in nature. These little ones are likely older than they look.

The jade market provided some good shopping moments. Sandra and her pearls has become a favorite of mine, and Becky agreed. Another "new friend" Matthew, has a shop nearby with some real treasures. But we were controlled enough to be able to carry our purchases!

Close to the flower market is an interesting park-like setting -- a bird market with so many colorful birds in very unusual and lovely cages.

The flower market was a favorite spot for photo taking and enjoying so many varieties of flowers.

The first morning after their arrival (first time we have ever met people at an airport and brought them to our "home" via a bus!) we ventured out and began our day at the Hong Kong Temple.

Their Hong Kong adventure proved to be a great one for Blake and Becky.

The fireworks to celebrate the Peoples' Republic of China 60th anniversary were really spectacular. We watched from the harbor about three blocks from our apartment.

A Week of Celebrations!

The Mid-Autumn festival is one of the four biggest holidays during the year. At Victoria Park, less than two miles from our apartment, we enjoyed seeing the many lanterns, lights, and attractions.

Notice the full moon! The lunar calendar determines the date for many celebrations in China, so each year the dates can vary widely.

Everywhere we looked there were . . .

happy families, young and older, carried small lanterns -- in all shapes and varieties.

A wonderful exhibit of children's art, depicting the 60th anniversary of the Peoples' Republic of China, featured very talented "budding" artists.

Dragons, dragons, everywhere!

The fire dragon parade was most interesting -- with an extremely long (approximately 250 feet) "man-carried" dragon winding its way through the streets. The base of the dragon had thousands of incense sticks that were actually lighted.

A parade was staged on Hennessy Road (our apartment address) that lasted for several hours in celebration of the PRC anniversary. No parade would be complete without Chinese traditions -- and that means dragons . . .

and more dragons!