Last chapter of Brolly movement?
Finally the decision was taken to effectuate the court orders declaring the occupation of Mong Kok, Admiralty and Causeway Bay with police to assist the bailiffs. It was done in that order and ,apart from a little trouble in Mong Kok, occurred peacefully. The leaders of Occupy presented themselves of their own accord at the police station. In all over 900 were arrested during the 70 odd days the protest movement lasted and its aftermath, later to be released on bail. How many will be charged and brought to court is undecided and awaits the end of police investigations. Clearly the authorities are in no hurry.
The leaders of Occupy promised, like the Terminator, to be back, without saying how. Meanwhile Hong Kong’s problems remain unsolved. The executive promises to increase the number of housing units they are going to build. Whether these «shoebox « flats in tower blocks will be affordable remains to be seen; unlikely for those on average let alone minimum wages. Hong Kong’s gap between the rich and the rest grows.
Next up is the second round of negotiations on political reform, that is the composition of the nomination committee and how it is appointed (elected?). There may be room for some progress here towards a more widely representative committee.
Meanwhile traffic in the formerly occupied roads is back to normal, as are pollution levels.
Advent and Christmas
Christmas decorations were up in November and carols have sounded from sound systems in shopping malls. Getting the groceries in has meant struggling to get through choked aisles.
We have held a Christmas workshop for LTS and ISCS students. Ingrid has decorated a somewhat unorthodox tree in mini format to fit into our living room as well as decorating the trees in the garden and planting in pots on the terrace. So far the monkeys have not come to tear them down; they seem far less active in the relative «cold». I say relative because for us it seems like a chilly Norwegian summer while the locals walk about in down padded jackets and scarfs.
Christmas Eve was hectic but enjoyable. After a service in Christ Temple at ten the staff at Tao Fong Shan took a coach to a Japanese restaurant at Mong Kok for lunch. The amount and quality of food was amazing. We took an early exit because we had promised to roast pork and potatoes and prepare apple sauce for Christmas dinner at Pilgrims’ Hall. Much had been prepared beforehand but there was still work to do and it needed heating up. The dinner party for nearly 60 took place after the service for the English congregation. I hasten to add that many others came with food. Some of the students at LTS came too, mostly my students from Myanmar.
There were games and entertainment after the meal, which ended up with singing carols Scandinavian style around the Christmas tree. The highpoint for me was Pastor John Lemond’s fake conjuring act. does anyone apart from me remember Tommy Cooper. I asked John and he had never heard of him. I suppose there may have been an American with a sim liar act.
Family Visit
We have been fortunate enough to receive our eldest daughter, Laila, and her family. It has been a delight to have them here and see how much our grandson, August, has changed since we last met. So far we have managed to show them quite a bit of Hong Kong and plan to show them even more before they leave.
The youngest, Ann Elisabeth, and her family are coming to help us celebrate the Chinese New Year in February and the younger twin,Lise, and hers at Easter.
For photos see Ingrid’s Norwegian version.
Finally the decision was taken to effectuate the court orders declaring the occupation of Mong Kok, Admiralty and Causeway Bay with police to assist the bailiffs. It was done in that order and ,apart from a little trouble in Mong Kok, occurred peacefully. The leaders of Occupy presented themselves of their own accord at the police station. In all over 900 were arrested during the 70 odd days the protest movement lasted and its aftermath, later to be released on bail. How many will be charged and brought to court is undecided and awaits the end of police investigations. Clearly the authorities are in no hurry.
The leaders of Occupy promised, like the Terminator, to be back, without saying how. Meanwhile Hong Kong’s problems remain unsolved. The executive promises to increase the number of housing units they are going to build. Whether these «shoebox « flats in tower blocks will be affordable remains to be seen; unlikely for those on average let alone minimum wages. Hong Kong’s gap between the rich and the rest grows.
Next up is the second round of negotiations on political reform, that is the composition of the nomination committee and how it is appointed (elected?). There may be room for some progress here towards a more widely representative committee.
Meanwhile traffic in the formerly occupied roads is back to normal, as are pollution levels.
Advent and Christmas
Christmas decorations were up in November and carols have sounded from sound systems in shopping malls. Getting the groceries in has meant struggling to get through choked aisles.
We have held a Christmas workshop for LTS and ISCS students. Ingrid has decorated a somewhat unorthodox tree in mini format to fit into our living room as well as decorating the trees in the garden and planting in pots on the terrace. So far the monkeys have not come to tear them down; they seem far less active in the relative «cold». I say relative because for us it seems like a chilly Norwegian summer while the locals walk about in down padded jackets and scarfs.
Christmas Eve was hectic but enjoyable. After a service in Christ Temple at ten the staff at Tao Fong Shan took a coach to a Japanese restaurant at Mong Kok for lunch. The amount and quality of food was amazing. We took an early exit because we had promised to roast pork and potatoes and prepare apple sauce for Christmas dinner at Pilgrims’ Hall. Much had been prepared beforehand but there was still work to do and it needed heating up. The dinner party for nearly 60 took place after the service for the English congregation. I hasten to add that many others came with food. Some of the students at LTS came too, mostly my students from Myanmar.
There were games and entertainment after the meal, which ended up with singing carols Scandinavian style around the Christmas tree. The highpoint for me was Pastor John Lemond’s fake conjuring act. does anyone apart from me remember Tommy Cooper. I asked John and he had never heard of him. I suppose there may have been an American with a sim liar act.
Family Visit
We have been fortunate enough to receive our eldest daughter, Laila, and her family. It has been a delight to have them here and see how much our grandson, August, has changed since we last met. So far we have managed to show them quite a bit of Hong Kong and plan to show them even more before they leave.
The youngest, Ann Elisabeth, and her family are coming to help us celebrate the Chinese New Year in February and the younger twin,Lise, and hers at Easter.
For photos see Ingrid’s Norwegian version.