Tuen Ng.. Dragon Boat or lack thereof...

Happy Tuen Ng (Duan Wu Jie)!!

This heat and humidity are really kicking us in the butt (or smooshy face should we say). With the temperature at 29 Celsius and humidity at 80%, Mummy and Daddy have now resorted to taking us out on early morning walks that last no longer than 45 minutes, and by 8 A.M. we are back in the apartment cool as cucumbers.

So today was Tuen Ng festival where lore has it a wise, old advisor, Wut Yuan (during the Chu kingdom), to the emperor drowned himself after his long opposition and suspicions to an alliance with the Qin kingdom proved true when the Qin used the alliance to rid the Chu. In his despair, he committed suicide by drowning. However, because he was much loved by all, nobody wanted his body to be eaten away by the fish. Villagers devised a plan, whereby, Wut Yuan's body would eventually be recovered, while the fish could feed on rice dumplings or zong.

Today and yesterday, we could only salivate watching Daddy eat rice dumplings. A huge lump of rice with fillings of meat, egg yolk and various ingredients wrapped in green leaves we were anxious to try some. Alas, that was not to be.

SO as our way (or any way of observing the holiday safely for any animal) of observing the festival, zongzi eating was the way to go. In our case, we got fed carrot and celery sticks in place on zongzi.

Pugs and smooches,

C. & P.

Mummy and Daddy's visit to China

Hello all:

Chestnut and Pepper posting together today. Mummy went to China and left us poor pugs with Daddy for almost a week. We can't whine too much as Mummy went for a good cause, Pediatric AIDS Treatment Support or just PATS. Thank goodness she hired a really good sitter, Sophie, of Pitter Patter Pet Care.

We had a blast with Sophie, even though we missed our parents.

Now that they're both back, we have another announcement! While Mummy was in China, she and my auntie, Eliza, came up with an idea to promote PATS with us pugs as mascots. Meeooowwwww and Mooooohhhhhhh! Mummy thought it appropriate since we pugs have Chinese lineage we should be promoting awareness on children with HIV and AIDS in rural China.

It's really sad. Mummy says we are very fortunate to have parents, whereas these kids do not, and largely because their parents wanted to give them and their families a better life by selling blood. They did, but the needles weren't clean. Many of their parents contracted HIV, and are now no longer alive to love them and take care of them. Even the kids have HIV because many of these kids were born to already HIV+ parents (the same parents who sold blood).

We now even have a Facebook page as mascots for PETS for PATS. Please check us out on Facebook!

Pugs and kisses,

Chestnut and Pepper

Ching Ming in Stanley

Hello humans and doggies:

Chestnut and I are resting from a long, long day out. Yesterday was Ching Ming, where we were supposed to pay respects to our deceased ancestors. Well our deceased are in the States, and luckily for us our mummy and daddy took us for a visit to Stanley.

Unfortunately, everyone else seemed to be at Stanley too... We met up with my dear friend, Seva, and her mum where we also stopped by a little makeshift temple by Stanley promenade. Notice us "pay" respects to our pug ancestors at the make shift temple.

After temple, we were seated at the Pickled Pelican for lunch where I perched atop of mummy's lap and Chestnut on daddy's.

Stanley and then lunch.. Makes us quite pampered pugs... Then to sleep.

Walk all around The Peak

Checking back from all the excitement and festivities of the New Year.. Chestnut here...

My pug sis, Pepper, and I spent 2 whole hours up at the Peak today. Wheeww, boy am I tired. With the increasing humidity and warmth, as well as walking almost vertically to get to the Peak, we are tired!

We walked up to the Peak with our mum. From thereon, I was determined to walk the whole loop that starts from the Peak Lookout Restaurant ending up on Lugard Road. Mummy thought it was so funny that I had so much energy, only to find ourselves back where we started after a whole hour's worth of walk.

We have Peaked, and now we can't get up.

Pugs and kisses!

On the 2nd Day of Lunar New Year...

Hello my friends! It's Pepper here today...

I have to spill the beans on my brother, Chestnut. He's a 'fraidy cat.. Yes, MEEOOOOOOWWW.

Yesterday morning, which is the second day of the Lunar New Year, Mummy and Daddy took us downstairs to observe the traditional Chinese lion dance taking place at our apartment complex. From several stories above, we could already hear clinging and clanging raucous caused by the cymbals and drums. Needless to say, I was not so into it all, but as usual Chestnut, who thrives on such excitement and noise loved it.

Daddy tells us that the lions are meant to scare the bad spirits away so we will have a good start for the new year, but they seemingly also scared my brother away! My nosy brother, Chestnut, was very curious in observing the two dancing lions at first, however, when a white lion approached him, he got so scared he ended being wedged underneath the balustrade of the water fountain. Daddy had to retrieve him as he was just a step from falling into the fountain! And what a sight that would have been!!! My brother detests water. That was hilarious because Chestnut always likes to play with bigger creatures multiples of his size, but I guess not this time with the white lion!

Ok, we've had too much clanging now. We need some good rest before we check in again. 'Til then check out our video clips of the lions dancing.

Pugs & smooches,

Pepper

Lunar New Year, Year of Rabbit

Gong hay fat choi (Gong xi fa cai)! We are celebrating our first Lunar New Year in Hong Kong. This year Pepper and I are celebrating with Mummy and Daddy the year of the Bunny Rabbit.

Today, we received lai see (or red envelopes) filled with $$$, unfortunately $$$ is not directly useful to us. We prefer yummy treats of either Smooches or Nuzzles. Mummy and Daddy say that receiving red envelopes mean prosperity and good fortune. As children, they were delighted to receive these lai see. Well, like we said, lai see is not directly useful to us. Mummy contends that with enough lai see we can buy our favorite Canine Caviar beef tendons. Ok, let's start counting up our lai see then...

Tomorrow, in line with tradition, will be a dragon dance taking place downstairs at our apartment complex. Mummy and Daddy are bringing us down to view it along with whatever festivities that entail. Chat with you after the Dragon Dance.

pugs and kisses!!

Happy New Year!!!

Wow! What a year it has been! Pepper and I have had quite some experiences to recap...
The major thing that happened was our move to Hong Kong in 2010. Asides from the move, we made new friends, met up with old ones and have discovered places in Hong Kong where we might not otherwise have been to with our Mummy and Daddy.

After all the madness of last night's countdown, we made it to Central Piers today. The lights, ferries and water are not unlike South Street Seaport. And oh, what another adventure. All around Central we're so reminded of how truly it is like our hometown in New York City. The crowds, bustling traffic and city lights are stuff that so remind us being in Midtown.

WE promise you more descriptions of the new sights and sounds!! Next time, we might even land ourselves a rickshaw ride ;)

Til then pugs and kisses. Smooches to all... Meeeoow and mooh.

Chestnut and Pepper