When Shaw Met Maggie (8 Nov 2010) [update p.2]

shaw_mag

2010/12/5  UPDATE pics on post #25（p.2）

On this visit to HK, my plan is purely “eat, drink, play, happy”.
But my final harvest was much beyond my original plan.

Arriving HK CLK airport in a gloomy early evening, I was greeted by a long queue in front of Immigration gate. Not a good start point. More than half an hour later, collected my big luggage, checked it into left-luggage locker for convenient and safety, bought Octopus card, finally I boarded airport bus heading to TST. The bus trip was convenient until traffic jam awed me in Mong Kok all the way to TST. This is normal for a Saturday night, I guessed. Hotel checked in process was quick. Growling stomach forced me to move to Yau Ma Tei area. Referred to Anthony Boudain (No Reservation), my destination is Four Season ClayPot Rice. Again, greeted by long queue. Luckily, a single seat was available in 10 minutes. Fried oyster omelette is a must. Any combination protein for the claypot rice will satisfy you. The total cost was very cheap.

With full stomach, I rendered around Temple Street heading south to Jordan area. A lot of Fortune Tellers offered service reading your future. Many jade vendors along the street too. Interesting! Stumbled upon Australia Milk Co., made a note to have breakfast the next morning at this place. Bought a local SIM card for easy communication with VanVan, MAN, and obo.
By the time I reached TST, many fashion stores already closed. Well, it’s time to called it a day.

I was able to sleep for almost 4 hours. Not bad for a jet-lagged person. Raised up early morning on Sunday, checked internet for weather and news (including M’s news for sure). Had a good egg sandwich and milk pudding for breakfast. Heading to TsingYi to meet relatives for lunch . Excited to meet VanVan and Anson that afternoon. Around 2:30pm, finally met VanVan at Prince area.
She is a sweet lady. And very nice!
We chatted a lot and took some pics on Tung Choi St while waiting for Anson. Another 30 minutes later came a pretty lady: Anson. Oh my, after more than 5 years, we finally met face to face. Ha…ha… We had afternoon tea at a bustling cha-chan-teng. As Anson knows the waiter, we received VIP treatment: no queue! Wow! And thanks, Anson, for the treats.

I was very happy to meet both ladies. Really appreciate them sparing their precious time meeting me.

shaw_mag

Next, at 4pm, heading to Central to take tram to the Peak. It was a fine clear day. No wonder, the queue line was long. It was a bizarre experience riding the steep path to the Peak. A must-do experience if you visit HK. It wasn’t dark yet when I arrived the top platform at the Peak. Snap. Snap. Snap many pictures. As the sky turned dark, the lightings from buildings on HK island and Kowloon show their wonder. I was amazed. Was very lucky for relatively clear sky.
Took many pictures that night. This is one of the best urban view on earth.

Took the last bus to Causeway Bay. Again, awed by the lights and bustling energy. People mountain people sea. Ha..ha…
I was considering had dinner here, but finally decided to fulfill gugu’s request to visit Auntie Sweet. As a sweet tooth person, how can I skip dessert? Heading to Electric St in Tin Hau area, it was easy to spot Auntie Sweet shop. It was busy. Again, as always, queue. Its famous tofu was too big portion to me, so I chose Mango 3-ways. Yummy! As much as I love durian, I prefer durian fruit in its original form, thus skipped durian dessert. Snap pic of its menu, but too coward to take pics of tvb series poster + A Mo + 771 pics on its walls. Sorry.

Afterward, rode tram to Admiralty. It was the best transportation for tourists, especially under clear and breezy autumn night sky.

It was 11:40pm, almost midnight, when I arrived back in the hotel. As hotel is the only place I can access the internet, I immediately checked e-mails and weibo account. As expected, a lot of e-mails were waiting for response. But one particular weibo message + sms from obo got my attention. In short it said: “Maggie and Moses were filming 心戰 tonight at Central”.

Woah! This is it! This is the only chance I have to meet M (a chance I almost never dare to wish for). Immediately texted obo asking for direction to get to that filming site in Central while preparing the gift I brought from Texas to M, plus writing a small note. The only thing I regret was did not preparing a long letter for her. Obo gave me the direction, but she was worried for me as it was already late at night and Maggie might have finished filming by the time I get there. I assured her I would be OK. Hence I left my hotel room.

shaw_mag

Before leaving hotel I remember asking the Security person about 24 hour access. Ha..ha…, don’t want to be left outside when I got back to hotel
1 or 2 hour later. Hailed for taxi. The first and second taxis
ignored me, the third one stopped. I jumped to the passenger seat, told the driver my destination. He hesitated for a while and said: “I need to radio my friend and ask him the direction to your destination, as I am not familiar with Central area.” The taxi stopped at road side for about 5 min while the driver on radio with his friend. Suddenly a police officer knocked the driver door. He asked if we had problem.
The driver explained the situation. I turned my head and looked back. There was a police van with the sirene light on, reminds me of PTU. Ha..ha…

Finally the driver steered the taxi toward Hong Kong island. He was quite talkactive and asked me various questions. I answered and chat with him to control light nervousness that suddenly rushed out of nowhere. We passed by Lan Kwai Fong. It was
Sunday midnight hence most bars were already closed.
We drived through Hollywood Street, turned right at Aberdeen Street, and finally found the Gough St. I stopped there, paid the driver and alighted.

About 30 meters ahead was a tvb white van. My heart pounded faster. While walking toward the van, a tvb crew gave me a hand sign to walk silently to the other side of the road. “Yes!” I remember unsoundly talking to myself, “they are still filming”. Passing the white van, at the opposite side, hided in a dark corner, was a white cute car. “Bingo! It is M’s car.” Again, I talked to myself as my heard pounded faster and faster. There was another tvb white van ahead. Walked past this van, looked to my left, “OMG, there she is!”
Wearing all black, seating there facing Moses, they were filming the same scene as what I read on weibo before heading to this location. Many tv crew were around. Electric cables were everywhere. Powerful lights were directed to M and Mo. There were 3 or 4 other bystanders, including me, curiously watching this filming process. Two of them are gwailo.

My mouth was very dry. My heart was pounding hard.
I raise up arms pointing camera phone toward M & Mo, took some pics. I remember cursing myself for shaking a lot. Ha..ha… and I couldn’t forget M wearing flip-flop sandal while filming this scene. Ha..ha…

About 15 minutes later, the director called: “Cut.” Suddenly all the crew moved and packed. They worked very efficiently. M & Mo headed into the café. I saw Kenny Wong, Rachel Kan, 771 were already in there. Saw them hurdled together for pictures (probably with the café owners and waiters). Several flashes later, they were ready to left.

I encouraged myself and walked toward the café. Asking a crew if I can talked to M. He said go ahead, we’ve finished filming. Suddenly M came out. Our eyes met. She stood still and smiled at me for a second, and continue to walk toward the tvb van. A lady accompanied her. I must have looked like a fool to her at that moment. Gathering my soul back to my body, I chased her and yelled: “Maggie!” She turned her head and smiled again.

shaw_mag

With the best of Cantonese I can do (and the slowest speaking pace M might ever listen to), I told her: “Maggie, I am shaw, your long time fan. I just arrived from US yesterday.” Handing her a paper bag I hold all night, I said: “This is a gift for you, a bottle of white wine from Texas.”

She was startled, said first in English: “Hello, you came from US? Wow!” Then in Cantonese: “Thank you for this gift. How do you know I was filming at this location tonight? How long are you going to stay in HK? Are you here for work or for fun?”

I said: “Other fans in your forum gave me this information and insisted I have to come here as I never met you before. I am very glad that finally I meet you tonight. I will leave on Tuesday morning. BTW, this afternoon I also got chance to have tea with Anson and VanVan.”

M’s eyes widen once I mentioned the two fans she knows. Maybe she is relieved I am not an out-of-nowhere fans. She said: “Good that you found them. Go and play with them. They will be able to walk you around Hong Kong.”

“OK, I will.” replied me.

At this moment, Moses and Kenny walked passed us and looked curiously, probably catched my unfamiliar Cantonese accent. Ha..ha… Moses smiled to me. He is as polite as a gentleman can be. They entered the tvb van and sat behind curtain.

Suddenly M offered, “Let’s take a picture.”

Again, I was caught unprepared. Never expected this offer as I know she is no fans of photo taking. But, probably she was wearing make up that night, plus feeling a pity of me being a lone fans that night. Ha..ha…

Regaining myself, I said: “You really don’t mind? Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said. “Do you have camera?”

I took out a camera of my bag. She asked that lady accompanying her to take our pic. I believe I was shaking a bit. Don’t know if M realized it. M offered to hold the paper bag. I said no, it will cover you. So, here we go. Snap. Snap.

My silly camera did not cooperate and worked poorly that night. The pic is a little yellowish due to poor lighting in that location. I did not dare to ask for another try as she was in rush.

M said: “I am sorry we can’t chat for more. I have to go with the crew. We have to go filming. They are waiting for me. Bye-bye.”

All I can said is: “No problem. Thank you. Thanks for this chat. Wish we can meet again. Bye-bye.” Still with the dry mouth and pounded heart.

shaw_mag

M walked toward her car. I still stood there like a fool. All the crew were already packed up and climbed into the vans. One of the van moved. Regained half of myself, I walked toward opposite direction. I stepped like dreaming. “So, this is what it feels like walking-in-the-sleep.” I remember talking to myself. Turned my head to the back, M’s car has not moved yet. The last tvb van was still there.

I walked for another 5 minutes trying to remember all scenes in the past 30 minutes. Still can not believe my luck tonight. Saw a taxi, hailed it, climbed in and moved toward TST to my hotel. The scenes repeated again in my head. The familiar face. Ha…ha… and cursing at myself for being so… nervous. I hope M understood my Cantonese. Duh! The drive back to hotel was short.

Got into the hotel. Could the Security saw my silly and dreamy smile? In the room, turned on iphone and posted on weibo. You all know that post. Texted VanVan telling her she did not have to spare time to meet me tomorrow because I met M and already gave her the gift. (Originally, the ever-nice VanVan offered to keep my gift for M and hand it to her in the future). VanVan was very excited and called me. I told her my experience. She was very happy for me. Ha..ha… Thanks, Van!

It was really like a dream to me. That night, more exactly that early morning, I can only sleep for 2 hours. Blame it to jet lag + M! ha..ha…

Monday morning, after a bowl of shrimp roe noddle + a cup of milk tea, I was prepared to browse HK island alone. Taking a short walk on Star Ferry Terminal and surrounding area, then crossing the strait by ferry to Central Ferry Terminal. Walked along the pedestrian bridge, strayed into IFC, suddenly received a call from MAN. She said she had day-off that day and willing to be my tourist guide for a day. Of course I couldn’t reject such offer.

Meeting MAN, she is as pretty as I saw in photo, and a nice lady as well. She didn’t mind my strange-accent Cantonese. He…he…
We took the longest elevator to elevator toward the Peak, and walked back to the original point. I must have lost a pound or two after that long walk. He..he…
Then MAN offered to guide me to the former Legislative House cum High Court house, where the “Justice Lady” statue stand on the peak of the building, the scene we saw on tv series “Conscience”. When we arrived there, my mind automatically was humming the theme song of “Conscience”. You can imagine how deep I fall for Wai Hoi Yi. We had a great day, ended by the watching the Symphony of Light show by Star Ferry terminal. Thanks, MAN.

End of adventure.

shaw_mag

shaw_mag

小米1105

好长的英文啊，慢慢看~~~

feily

Congrats, shaw!! u finally met her!!!

feily

Sauvignon Blanc咩?那我下次送Shiraz。。。

shaw_mag

Sauvignon Blanc咩?那我下次送Shiraz。。。
feily 发表于 2010-11-23 21:09

你當然要帶Shiraz.
我送的是 Riesling - late harvest. Dessert wine 來的。

feily

你當然要帶Shiraz.
我送的是 Riesling - late harvest. Dessert wine 來的。
shaw_mag 发表于 2010-11-23 21:21

一红一白凑成一双
你又知佢中意sweet点嘅？

elainehe

What a lucky day, shaw.

ps. I love koala~haha....

shaw_mag

一红一白凑成一双  
你又知佢中意sweet点嘅？
feily 发表于 2010-11-23 21:33

、
It's a safe bet. More acceptable to Asian palate.

MsTeresa

It must have made your trip.  Thanks for sharing.  

You know, with Photoshop, or perhaps some other photo software, you can fix up that photo.. take a lot of that yellow out.  Let me know if you need help with it.