Out & About with Grace: July 2005

Aerials

Here are some aerial shots of the area.
Thanks to David Brady for sending these images.

Here's the location of my flat....Bldg 16, 25th floor.

Discovery!

I have been watching NASA TV on my computer while updating the blog this evening. So happy to see Discovery take off!! It feels strange not being able to run outside or look out a window to see the Shuttle's smoke trail in the sky. It's such a Central Florida thing to do!!

A week ago...

Today made a week we departed the US to travel to Hong Kong!!
Thought I should go through and show some pictures from the past week.

We had a 3 hour layover in San Francisco.

After having dinner, sleeping, watching 2 movies and sleeping again...we still had 5 1/2 hours to go!

We made it!!
Baggage claim at Hong Kong Intl.Airport - John, Angie, Ken and me.

Photo: www.miguelpiedra.blogspot.com

It was fantastic to arrive to familiar, friendly faces!!

Me, Gary, Leanne & Miguel

Photo: www.miguelpiedra.blogspot.com

Ken's in Hong Kong!!

Miguel giving me a tour of the flat.

Kitchen & items supplied for flat...iron, ironing board, pans, blow dryer, dish towels, plates, etc.

Gary walked us over to the nearby grocery store to pick up some quick supplies. The store is named "Wellcome".

Nevermind the wall behind me...I bought water!

Angie, Gary and Ken at the register.

Rick, Miguel, Angie, Leanne & Al
It's tradition when there are new Hong Kong arrivals everyone goes out to dinner. This week they changed things up a bit and ordered pizza to Miguel's flat. We were a big group and a restaurant would have been tough to maneuver. It was great to relax and enjoy the evening.

Al, Ken, Leslie, John, Geoff and Mike

Later that evening we had an awful storm and our buildings lost power for about an hour. The lightning was amazing and the thunder was the loudest I have ever heard.
This photo was taken by David Roark.
Love this picture!!

Ni Hao...

I'm in Hong Kong...seems so unreal to me!!

I arrived Wednesday night (July 20th). It was a VERY long trip. We left on Tuesday at 7:10AM eastern (July 19th), had a 3 hour layover in San Francisco and arrived Wednesday in Hong Kong at 5:30AM eastern (Wednesday, 5:30PM HK time). In Hong Kong we are 12 hours ahead.

Here is my contact info:
Flat A, 25/F, Tower 16
1 Castle Peak Road
Castle Peak Bay, New Territories (NT), Hong Kong SAR
Apartment Phone: 011-852-3694-0073 (no voicemail)
Cellphone: 011-852-6779-4022

We had a busy weekend and I will post more photos soon. This photo was taken by Leanne as we arrived from the airport to our new Hong Kong home for the next couple of months.

St. Pete Beach

Every year my mom's family gets together for a week at St. Pete Beach. We have been going there since my generation of cousins were kids (to say the least, it's been a while). And now it's family, in-laws, friends...this year there were 85 people who made it over during the course of the week. I was fortunate to join in for the first weekend (July 15th). Then Monday I had to head home to finish prepping for my trip to Hong Kong.
Here are some photos from this year and last year....

St. Pete Beach 2005

St. Pete at sunset

Enjoying the sunset...Max, Grace & Ian

Celebrating Jasiel's graduation!!

Alberto's invention...handsfree cellphone & hotel key holder

Lunch at the tiki bar...Tia Julia, Jasiel, Mom, Grace, Kevin & Josie

Chicago-style suncreen application?

St. Pete Beach 2004

Mom & Nino

Little game of dominoes

Sitting at the best beach side tiki bar in St. Pete...thankfully located at our hotel!

Tio Papi & Tia Martha dancing at the beach

Ahoy maties!!

Max & Grace

Halloween at the Santoni's

Combo Halloween and birthday party at Martica & Alberto's house. Also, the opportunity for me to test posting pictures on the blog!!

Hurricane Reporters...Mary & Grace