January Coming to an End

So everyday at lunch this week when I walked outside, whether I was with Patrick or another ex-pat, the first words out of my mouth were "It's January".  The weather had been amazingly wonderful.  Yes - I have been reading the Facebook posts from the US.  And I am sure I will not be loving the weather as much in July, but it is so nice now.

Yes that converts to 68F.

This week Gwen's team from all the global offices (Seoul, South Korea, Shanghai, China & New Delhi, India) came to Hong Kong for a global conference - along with our VP and Director from Minneapolis.  We worked hard all week long and we had some fun also.  I am only sharing the fun part here.

First fun part of work was celebrating my director's birthday with the global team.

Ada with the Shanghai team.

Ada making the first cut into the cake - which can't go all the way through (not sure why).

Lots of gifts - ignore the work on the tables.

Dinner that night was at a local Hong Kong restaurant.  More unique foods and a good time was had by all.

The chicken - the entire chicken from head to butt.

Sophie having fun with our chicken's head.

Marshmallow / Peep like, but not, bunnies for dessert.

Mahjong tiles were then broken out after dinner - non-locals posed for a picture.

India and HK team members with Mahjong tiles.

After dinner the groups split.  I headed for the local British pub with a few team members for a beer before calling it a night.

Helen, Das & Raj enjoying their Fosters.

Dawn, Helen & myself having fun.

The next day ended with a Happy Hour (It's Target, why not).  The team had a great time letting loose and getting to know each other - even if it was only juice they might be drinking.

Joanna, Cody & Sophie

Dawn, Man & Joanna

Sarah & Sami

Joe - our youngest male team member

Helen and I finishing out the night.

Next night was just the managers having a farewell dinner at an Australian steakhouse with an amazing view of the harbor.

Helen & I 

Outside of work - Chinese (or Lunar) New Year is fast approaching.  I hope to take as many pictures of CNY as I can over the next two weeks to share.  We are approaching the Year of the Snake.

Display in the mall in the place as the patchwork reindeer from Christmas.

Entrance to the shopping arcade in our complex.

A Disney New Year at another shopping mall.

One other constant I am finding in the malls here is - Ice Skating rinks.

One last left over from my week in Korea.  The colleague I was traveling with had stumbled upon Korean strawberries - they were in season.  And when I was in our grocery this week I spied them and had to try.  They are definitely sweeter then any I have had in the US.  I will be buying more before the season is over.

Trip to South Korea

So this past week Gwen travelled to Seoul for work.

I started in the business class lounge of Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon:

Noodles for lunch

Got bumped to business class - not complaining

I am always looking for interesting treats in lounges (habit from my days in domestics), and this day I found Tim Tams - chocolate biscuits.  I will be looking for these next time I go shopping.

It was a beautiful clear day - could not resist taking a pictures of the puffy clouds.

Best part of the meal :)

Day one was full of meetings in our office, but it ended at happy hour / dinner drinking Korean Rice Wine with my team.

This was breakfast in honor of my friends Bob & Wendy Pascucci.

I delivered a few gifts from the Minneapolis team.  Here is Helen modeling her Skaist-Taylor Faux Fur vest from the NM/Tgt collection.

Here is the making of the rice wine.

Another picture of wine making.

This reminded me of Germany or Rock Bottom Brewery where you can keep your own mug, but here it is a bottle of your own wine.

Elin and Lalit waiting to eat.

Sami & Gwen acting silly for the camera.

Helen preparing (mixing) one of the dishes with Dawn watching.  In the left side of the picture is a jug of Makgeolli - it looks like milk, but does not taste like milk.  I think the alcohol content was around 4-5%.

More food.

And more food.

Tuesday was half sample rooms and half office.  I could bore you will all the pictures, but I will just give you a taste.

Embroidery

Screen prints

Foil prints

Glitter prints

When I got back to the hotel I decided to cruise the mall attached to the hotel.  There is one thing Korea is not lacking - that is coffee shops.  I had breakfast at a different one everyday.

I saw this couple carrying boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts.

This place was tempting.

Wednesday was more factory visits.  I did take one picture of the mountains.  It snowed, and there are ski resorts here.

Thursday was wrapping up and heading back to HK.

The Korea team with HK visitors of Ninh & Gwen in the middle.

Lunch at a traditional Korean noodle restaurant.

Helen, Dawn & Elin at lunch.

Yes - that is Spam on top of rice with seaweed holding it together. 

 The drive to the airport was a little over an hour with lots of sights.

The sea we drove along was covered in ice.  It was between 0C and -7C while we were here and it was about the same temps in Minneapolis.  I was ready to head back to 15C in HK.

Korea is full of greenhouses and I was trying to get a good picture, but this was as good as I could get in a car doing 120kph.

Huge windmills at the airport.

Friday was back in the office and the first thing the team did was find me a doctor.  I caught something on my trip back from the US 2 1/2 weeks ago, and it kept getting worse.  I was chugging Robitussin the whole time I was in Korea.  I was diagnosed with bronchitis and have lots of pretty pills to take.  They seem to be be working - half way through the antibiotics.

That's all until next week...