HONG KONG 1st International Conference on Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products

Before I will continue about our next trip to Australia, we have to do this en route Hong Kong Conference from 23-16 August, 1993.

Husband Pieter had already been to Hong Kong, but it was my FIRST trip ever.

This was also the view one gets when landing in Hong Kong, a beautiful city!

Above picture was on the post card that I bought for my Mom, as I always did from everywhere we traveled. 

We travelled very well because we had the luxury of getting an upgrade to Business Class on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, in seats 77 A+B on the upper deck. We both slept very well on our way from Atlanta to Amsterdam.

Next day we spent at the Van Gogh Business Class lounge in Amsterdam where we took a shower, posted lots of cards and shopped till we continued to Hong Kong at 21:30 and again we both slept a lot! Arrival in Hong Kong at 15:50 

Well over 350 participants from more than 40 countries...

Of those 350 participants I was one...!

We stayed at the Royal Park Hotel Shatin, Hong Kong

Indeed, Royal Park Hotel Grand Entrance...

Afer a shower at the Royal Park Hotel, we went with our host, Fred Giorgi, to a delicious Italian restaurant: Cucina!

Cucina, Marco Polo Hotel, Harbour City in Hong Kong with spectacular view!
Photo is from The Yum List
All this, followed by a very good night sleep...

Early morning photo from our room at Royal Park Hotel... lots of glare due to the early sun into the window.
You are actually looking here at Shatin Central Park just click link .

We left at 8:00 o'clock by bus to the Chinese University of Hong Kong for the opening of the conference.

After the opening at the University, we went back to our hotel for lunch and next to the Town Hall for  the lectures.

The first day got rounded off by a Reception with Hors d'oeuvres, at the Double Haven, 4/F Shatin Clubhouse of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club.

Husband Pieter and I at this reception...
Back at our hotel by 21:30
On Tuesday, August 12, we went again to the Town Hall after breakfast and after lunch continued to attend lectures.

For dinner we were included by Giorgio Foods as their guest.
I've scribbled some shop info to the left for Wednesday afternoon.

Now the Omni Hotel is called Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel...

Here husband Pieter and I, having a conversation with other guests, after dinner.

Fond memories of our blissful relationship.

On Wednesday, August 24 we did go to the lectures in the morning but went by taxi to down-town at Star House in Kowloon, for shopping. That yielded some beautiful silks, you find two links about those silk garments below this post.

Very helpful for having the street names written in Chinese, for the taxi driver!

Another day full of lectures and a lot of humor! We all laughed so hard with one gentleman from Thailand; he was hilarious in his presentation and no doubt captivated full attention from the audience.

In the evening on Thursday August 26, the Conference got rounded off by a regal 10-course dinner at Riverside Ballroom of the Regal Riverside Hotel

Whole Barbecued Suckling Pig

Braised Twin Vegetables with Ham

Sauteed Shrimp with Assorted Vegetables 

Braised Superior Shark's Fin Soup with Shredded Chicken

Steamed Fresh Gurnard 

Braised Sliced Abalone with Mushrooms and Vegetables

Double-Boiled Black Mushroom Soup with Whelk and Tien Tsin Vegetables

Deep-fried Crispy Chicken

Fried Rice with Seafood in Portuguese Sauce

Shrimp Dumplings and Noodles in Supreme Soup

Chilled Pudding in Seasonal Fruit

Chinese Petits Fours

Liquid Refreshments Generously Provided by Giorgio Foods, Inc.

Fond memories of a very happy time with husband Pieter in Hong Kong at this regal Banquet.

Love the silver spoon and chopstick rest!

Different from the usual Silver Knife Rest... 😏

Perfect Conference ending!

Pieter looking dashing in his Burberry tuxedo with silk velvet bow tie and cummerbund.

Next day we had a very lazy morning and we flew on Qantas Airlines at 21:00 to Sydney, Australia in  about 8 hours and 15 minutes = 7,300 km and a 2 hour time difference.

Stay tuned for the next segment...

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Related links:
Amazing Approach into Hong Kong International Airport! | video youtube

{Part XIII of Husband Pieter's Trip to East Asia - Hong Kong} | previous post by me
{Silk Velvet Dress from Hong Kong Trip Fabric} | previous post by me

{Raw Silk Purchased in Hong Kong for Sewing THIS} | previous post by me

Time for Repeating THIS...

Yep, on Wednesday my orthopedic surgeon gave me the green light for biking again and so I did yesterday! It feels great after 3 months of not having done so. My closed fractures of the pelvic bone continue to heal and I'm not supposed to jog.

Biking yesterday morning together with Pieter for the first time in 3 months, felt great! 

So we ought to repeat this lovely ride from last year. The Chattahoochee RiverWalk in Columbus, Georgia, along the Alabama border.

Quiet and in nature, and most important, rather flat area, as my husband Pieter no longer is allowed to bike in hilly areas due to his weakened heart.

Here I am on October 5, 2017 with my wicker basket that I used for Mauzie, my Dachshund and it is quite handy for storing things like extra bottles of water, snacks and such.

This is a kind of a covered, wooden bridge. Lots of surprises along this great trail!

We entered at the top, from Dillingham St going down to Convention and Trade Center's arch, where the trail starts. You see the initial red brick paved path along the river, where that circle is.
We were biking southbound.

Husband Pieter standing here under this wood covered bridge.

There are lots of little streams and bogs that the trail crosses, but always alongside the Chattahoochee river.

My TREK bike resting here against the map of the Chattahoochee RiverWalk.

We're in the center of it, where the red arrow is and to the right you see the city of Columbus.

The river is the divide between the state of Georgia and Alabama.

Right above my steering wheel you see Fort Benning and that's where we're going...

Nice view of the Chattahoochee River here and to the left is Alabama.

Yep, you come across this sign along the Chattahoochee RiverWalk - CAUTION ALLIGATOR HABITAT!

Sure hope to never encounter one...

Here my husband Pieter is biking and you clearly see how wide this RiverWalk is.

Starting with red bricks in the city of Columbus and here it is more towards Fort Benning area.

We're headed towards this special Gazebo that is near Bull Creek (written top right).

Pieter resting under the steel gazebo near Bull Creek where it merges into the Chattahoochee River.

Pieter resting on that bench and I climbed atop this concrete table with benches. Right behind me is Bull Creek visible.

There are plenty of resting benches along this RiverWalk!

We're now headed for Fort Benning...

Here we are under the dome at National Infantry Museum in Fort Benning.

Nice for getting a bite to eat and for using the bathroom!

There are no bathrooms along the RiverWalk and after some 15 km of biking and lots of water, you really like to use one.

So we biked back again to Columbus and really enjoyed this!

Thanks for your visit and comment!

Wet Monsoon - Magnolia Namnetensis Flore Pleno and BATS

So longing for sunshine and a dry surrounding instead of the soggy lawn that cannot even be mowed! The forecast however does not show such a sunny day in sight... 

Husband Pieter just managed to take this photo with raindrops from our Magnolia Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno'.
 They have been blooming but no chance to take a good photo from the balcony.

Rain does make them look wilted sooner...

We did notice this on the driveway... just in front of the cat door?
What IS it.

Pointing to the Attic Gable Vent...

Our Kia Soul with Bike Rack is visible here as well.

Husband Pieter did go up in the attic to inspect...
There is the attic fan, in front of the attic gable vent. Installed in 2011 for Going Green... and for Saving Energy by removing the heat from the attic.

Holding the camera up high and yes, there are bats visible behind the screen!

There they are; little brown bats hanging onto the screen, behind the louvres of the attic gable vent.
Smart mammals for finding such a sheltered spot!

Probably those are juveniles...
But we welcome these Garden Critters to our property.
We have had bat houses for decades but hanging up high on a tree, how does one check on them?
Here it is visible that they are present.

4 Facts About Georgia's Batty Creatures of the Night: Did you know? A single bat may consume 3,000 insects in one night. (click on hyperlink)
Bats! | Georgia Outdoors a beautiful video (click hyperlink) Bats are one of the most important animals on earth...

No, I did not dare to get onto the attic.
Still healing my double (closed) pelvic bone fracture.
June 12 is the date the orthopedic surgeon gave me for having to be without pain; an indication of healing.
So I'm anxious for getting outdoors again, walking and biking!
Did not get to sing and dance at the annual Revue on May 19, at the theatre with my choir... A big disappointment but I understood that the risk of falling could have been disastrous.
So for the time being I've been a Georgia Rebel on Crutch!

Hope you enjoyed reading and thanks for your visit and comment!

Update: Sad that upon our returning home from the mountains at the end of July, 2019 we noticed that the driveway didn't need any sweeping up of the dry droppings.
Pieter did check on the attic and they were ALL GONE! 
Now I got mosquito bites and so did Pieter and before there were none in the driveway or near the home... WE MISS THEM! 

But the next year they were back and we're quite happy!

Related link:

{Going GREEN with Attic Fan} | post from 2011 when Pieter placed the Attic Fan

{Saving Energy and Our Attic} | post from 2013 where Pieter managed to save us more energy with mega project