Travel Journal - Day Three
It was thundering this morning and there were storm warnings throughout Hong Kong. They had the first red level alert of the year and school was cancelled. Though, this being a Saturday, that doesn't relaly make all that much sense to me. Different school schedule perhaps? On the island, there were two floods. I was awakened by Paupau turning on the tv at about 9:00. Apparently she thought I had slept enough. So much for the 8 hours of sleep rule.
In the morning I hung out with my cousins, playing Scrabble and X-Box. We met Gabby's grandmother and cousins for lunch at the Jockey Club, which is for horse racing and stuff. Gabby's grandmother is a member. There was a cafeteria there with a selection of Chinese and Western foods. Downstairs there was an arcade and children's playroom.
After that we went back to the hotel and changed into our formal clothing. The children were in navy blue and the adults wore black. My dress was short sleeved with a small scalloped collar, skirt falling to a little longer than knee length. It had a kind of schoolmarm look to it. My mother tells me that the design is similar to her old school uniform.
Sam Ee provided a bus that we took to the funeral hall. We had a small reception room there, about the size of an average classroom. The walls were lined with flowers from family and friends, a sign indicating each name. Chairs were set up on each side - left for family, right for visitors. In the center of the back wall was an altar with a picture of GoungGoung framed in flowers. In front of the picture was a larg epot with incense flanked by candles. Spread on the altar were all of his favorite foods and drinks. A discreetly placed CD player filtered background music in.
When we entered the room, we first stood in front of the altar. The master of ceremonies lit some incense in one of the candles and handed out one to each of us. When he called out we bowed to the altar, a total of three times. Then the MC recollected the incense. We walked up to the altar one by one and picked up a lucky packet. Inside was a one dollar coin, a napkin, and a piece of candy. You eat the candy right away to sweeten the sad experience. The money must be spent or thrown away or given away before you leave, you can't take it home. Sey Ee Durng took ours to the vending machine.
There were two doorways leading off the back wall. The one on the right led to a room that contained GoungGoung's body. The room on the left had a small furnace where a constant fire must be maintained by burning money and paper folded to represent gold and silver.
We spent much of the 6 hours we were at the funeral home folding these gold and silver papers. When the MC announced that somebody had entered the room, al the people in the family stood. After bowing to GoungGoung three times, teh visitors bowed once to the family who bowed in return. Everyone who came received the lucky packet.
The funeral home had a cafeteria on the lower floors where we had a Vegetarian meal similar to the night before.
In the morning I hung out with my cousins, playing Scrabble and X-Box. We met Gabby's grandmother and cousins for lunch at the Jockey Club, which is for horse racing and stuff. Gabby's grandmother is a member. There was a cafeteria there with a selection of Chinese and Western foods. Downstairs there was an arcade and children's playroom.
After that we went back to the hotel and changed into our formal clothing. The children were in navy blue and the adults wore black. My dress was short sleeved with a small scalloped collar, skirt falling to a little longer than knee length. It had a kind of schoolmarm look to it. My mother tells me that the design is similar to her old school uniform.
Sam Ee provided a bus that we took to the funeral hall. We had a small reception room there, about the size of an average classroom. The walls were lined with flowers from family and friends, a sign indicating each name. Chairs were set up on each side - left for family, right for visitors. In the center of the back wall was an altar with a picture of GoungGoung framed in flowers. In front of the picture was a larg epot with incense flanked by candles. Spread on the altar were all of his favorite foods and drinks. A discreetly placed CD player filtered background music in.
When we entered the room, we first stood in front of the altar. The master of ceremonies lit some incense in one of the candles and handed out one to each of us. When he called out we bowed to the altar, a total of three times. Then the MC recollected the incense. We walked up to the altar one by one and picked up a lucky packet. Inside was a one dollar coin, a napkin, and a piece of candy. You eat the candy right away to sweeten the sad experience. The money must be spent or thrown away or given away before you leave, you can't take it home. Sey Ee Durng took ours to the vending machine.
There were two doorways leading off the back wall. The one on the right led to a room that contained GoungGoung's body. The room on the left had a small furnace where a constant fire must be maintained by burning money and paper folded to represent gold and silver.
We spent much of the 6 hours we were at the funeral home folding these gold and silver papers. When the MC announced that somebody had entered the room, al the people in the family stood. After bowing to GoungGoung three times, teh visitors bowed once to the family who bowed in return. Everyone who came received the lucky packet.
The funeral home had a cafeteria on the lower floors where we had a Vegetarian meal similar to the night before.