When my wife and I visited Hong Kong seven years ago in an effort to boost her chances of getting a U.S visa, we hit all the highlights: a Disney theme park, a huge aquarium, wax museum and tons of restaurants. One of the restaurants where we dined was the iconic Jumbo Kingdom, or Jumbo Floating Restaurant. The restaurant has entertained famous people like Bruce Lee, Jimmy Carter and Tom Cruise. Last week on CNN I was shocked to see that the restaurant reportedly sank in the sea where it was towed for maintenance. The story about the sinking has become more muddled as time goes on. I've read several online articles about the incident, one saying it's still afloat somewhere near the Paracel Islands. Conspiracy theories abound. Apparently, the owners have back-tracked on the sinking claim. One story that I can believe said that the restaurant was struggling financially since Covid, and the protests and unrest in Hong Kong. Insurance? Unlikely, the news reports say. Anyway, I don't remember much about our meal -- it was OK I think -- but I recall all of us in the tour group getting into a little boat to get to the restaurant, which was designed like an imperial palace; our trip was whirlwind and we always seemed to be tired. No one knows or will say now exactly what, if anything, happened to the Jumbo Kingdom other than the fact a tugboat pulled it out to sea. The only thing that's certain to me is that my wife and I can say we ate there.
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Vietnam is changing rapidly these days, mostly for the better. Many of the improvements are long overdue, such as public trash receptacles in parks and on the streets, or the ability to purchase with a bank card in some of the bigger retailers. The trash cans have reduced litter, which has reduced flooding since sewer drains aren't as clogged with discarded plastic. That's crucial this year since rainy season is prolific. The card purchases most likely have boosted spending by foreigners living here, especially on big-ticket items. I know I've bought more necessary items, such as hammocks and book shelves. Actually, the toaster oven I bought a while back is the most used item in the house, other than beds and bath soap. A new fridge is on the wish list and most certainly will be purchased if my wife doesn't get the waiver. There are so many more cars here now than when I first arrived, and most folks on bikes are smart enough to get out of their way. Bigger means right of way on the road. That's led to more bikes on sidewalks, probably out of necessity, which is unfortunate for me and my daughter, who are daily pedestrians, a real rarity here other than the women and few men who sell lottery tickets. Line cutting persists, but not to the extent of even a few years back. Covid barriers helped cool off that obnoxious behavior to a small degree. The staring continues but no one has yelled f@#% you! at me for no reason in at least four months. Ah, let the changes and good times roll.
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I'm wrapping up the book Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky. 931 days in a row of Kindle reading. The book was better than I initially stated, but I'm a little too obtuse for some of the details provided. ... The Jumbo Floating Restaurant news got me thinking about another site we visited which was tragically in the news: the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok was the site of a 2015 bombing that killed 20 people. ... My daughter is close to being able to swim, but progress is slow. She remains a little spooked by deep water since falling in a fish pond at a coffee shop. Understandable. ... I saw Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court and that same-sex marriage, contraception and other rulings may be in jeopardy. I'm also following the Jan. 6 hearings and war in Ukraine. No wonder I enjoy watching BabyTV so much with my 2-year-old son and daughter.
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