Hong Kong scots

A couple of weeks ago I saw something that goes up there on the list of things I never thought I’d ever see.

I was walking toward an escalator on my way to work, and just as I rounded a corner I saw four chinese men playing the bagpipes. Yes, that’s scottish bagpipes. They were actually playing quite well, but to complete the ambiance of the thing they were also wearing full scottish regalia.

Let me attempt to paint the picture for you, since most of it is a sight you have no doubt seen before, at the very least on television.

Imagine the unique and unmistakeable sound of bagpipe music whistling oddly through the Hong Kong air. Turn a corner, and there are the bagpipes in question held by four men in full, thick kilts in bold scottish reds, greens, and browns, knee-high bleach white socks, and scottish hats. Peer at the faces looking for the peach-white freckled faces and blonde hair of scottish highlanders, and, nope, there are the brown almond eyes, black hair and tannish skin of four smaller-stature chinese men struggling with bagpipes almost as large as they are.

I don’t know how they managed to do it, but they did play pretty well.

Definitely something I’ve never seen before in my life. And a good chance it will stay in my memory for quite awhile.

Hash browns stare down

Anyone who knows our two little boys knows that they are little food beggars.

The other day, we were on the bus with the boys, and something caught Andy's attention. He was absolutely transfixed on the man nearby who was enjoying his McDonalds meal. Andy stared and stared at the man eating, never easing his intense gaze for any other distraction. He was completely fixed on the food this man was eating.

I guess the man must have picked up on his mealtime spectator, because after some time of having a 1 year old staring his food down he finally reaching into his bag and handed his hash brown pattie to Andy. Andy took it without hesitation and munched away happily.

We thanked the mysterious hash brown benefactor, and he seemed pleased. Though I'm not sure he was pleased to have made our little Andy happy, or if he was instead pleased to be able to continue eating without an intense audience.