James D. McCurdy

Most of you will get a kick out of these pictures.   The people of Asia have an incredible ability to GET ‘ER DONE!

The first is a pump rigged to an old truck motor.  It is lifting water from a lower canal to a retention pond.  To the right is an old rotary mower converted to pull three reel mowers with a complex, cut you to pieces, belt and pulley system.  The lady operating it is dressed like a bandit.  Notice her bare feet are only inches away from being severed.  She is mowing Paspalum for sod production.  Below and to the left, a “jeep”.  To the right, a grill on wheels.  These were everywhere in Thailand.  I am told that they cook and display field rats on Saturdays, and that they are tasty if prepared with hot spices.   

It is somewhat difficult to spend frivolously in Bangkok.  Things are pretty cheap.  I bought a sweet new t-shirt, a few post cards, some Buddha heads, and a sweet lighter that, from the non-lighting end, projects the photo of a nude woman.  Mom, it’s for my smoking memorabilia collection. 

Believe it or not, I spent most of my time doing work.  I met up with some turfgrass professionals and visited several golf courses and a research facility.  I learned a lot and met some fascinating people.

Oh, I ate some delicious Thai food too.

Additionally, I’m glad to have cable so that I can watch intellectually stimulating movies like “Talladega Nights:  Ballad Of Ricky Bobby” while lounging around in my sophisticated new t-shirt.

Yours truly,

Jay

p.s. In case you don’t know how to wear a seat belt, I’ve included a photo from the back seat of today’s taxi ride.  Buckle up for safety!  Click it or ticket!

Strange days have found us
Strange days have tracked us down
They’re going to destroy
Our casual joys
We shall go on playing
Or find a new town
Yeah!

- Jim Morrison

This is just another sign of the times, pun definitely intended, that lies right by the club house.  Someone at the Club must have enough clout to impose a horn honking restriction on the good people of Sheung Shui. 

Further craziness:  the villagers of the area are free to pretty much do as they please on the course.  In fact, they allow the locals to play golf nearly everyday except certain weekends and tournaments.  Explanation:  It’s not an ownership society.  Because of this, I’m allowed to roam a back-country trail through rice paddies, whilst the locals get to play at “Fanling.”  BUT, they can only use one club — them’s the rules!  So we call them the “one clubbers.”  They walk around whacking balls all morning or until the superintendent turns the overhead irrigation on in order to run them off.

Another sign of the times:  Thai Chi on the course.  I see tons of men and women doing their morning exercises in the fairways of the course.  I took this picture of an elderly woman  on 17 Old course.  The Chinese don’t like their pictures taken, especially at 6:15 in the morning.  She looks like a 90 year old Jackie Chan…

Ahhh!  I’ve taken the afternoon quite easy.  A quick trip to the “Wellcome” mart (not miss-spelled) yielded some chicken breasts and fresh veggies.  It’s so hard to find quality chicken in Shueng Shui.  Don’t even ask about steak – nothing but fat and grizzle.  I’ve just finished my meal and sat to write a few words about the past week. 

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What a weekend!  I worked Saturday morning before taking a short nap then going for a long run through the hills of Shueng Shui.  The hills are quite nice, full of trails, and, like the rest of Hong Kong, people.  There are grave sites and alters throughout the hills which are visited regularly by family and friends.  The graves are usually concrete or stone, some elaborately painted or carved.  The past week was a grave cleaning holiday.  The Chinese have two or three a year, which makes good sense when you consider the growth rate of plants here.   

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It would be more fitting to call it a water closet.  It’s tiny but cozy, and the door can’t be shut without stepping into the shower or squeezing between the toilet and the sink.  It really is a nice room though.  It is tiled and even has mood lighting beneath the mirror.  Based upon the smell, I assume that many of the surrounding villagers don’t even have indoor plumbing. 

I’ve been trying to find trails to run, but nearly all of them dead end at a rice paddy or pen full of dogs, both of which are very common.  Dogs run wild and eat scraps, but no, I don’t think they eat them.  At least I haven’t been offered any.  Although, I have wondered what kind of meat I was eating on more than one occasion. 

It’s a beautiful day to be in Hong Kong.  The temperature is in the mid 70’s at night and mid 80’s during the day.  According to my Lonely Planet, Hong Kong, October thru December is the best time to visit, but I dread the summer heat. 

Work has been busy this week as we are installing drainage tile at the research facility.  We have been using a 45 horse power trencher to lay the pipe approximately a foot to foot and a half deep.  Trenchers cause great carnage to shallow irrigation lines.  We spent one hour trenching and two hours mending what we tore up.   Nice day!

Joy Gin (See you later),

Jay

After a week of settling in and adjusting, I suppose it’s time to write about my work.  The Golf Club is old and has lots of money.  The membership is mostly Chinese, but there are a fair share of Westerners, say 25%.  My Boss is Randy; he’s from Wisconsin, nice guy.  His Boss is Howard, Englishman, also nice.  There are three course superintendents, one for each course; Chris from Wisconsin via Colorado, Lee, and Tony; three assistant superintendents, Jason, Sammy, and Vincent; and a few other division heads, like Prisca who does landscaping, Derrick who runs the shop, another lady who is the arborist, and me. 

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How is it that everything in the States says “Made in China”, while everything in China says “Made in U.S.A.”  I just bought a pillow — brand name “Comfortable Pillow,” not kidding — for $HK 55 (less than $US 8 ) that was made where?  The USA.  And the only reason I bought it was because it was the only “regular” pillow sold in the store.  The rest had little extras like one side would be a bean bag or would conform to your face.  One pillow even advertised having a condom pocket.  Come on!!! 

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This is where I live, a 40 story apartment complex that everyone calls Yui Wan Tang — Chinese for Royal Palace.  From my 16th floor flat I can see Shenzhen which is about 12 miles away in Red China.  Commies, that is!

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Within walking distance of my research site is the Po Ji (little restaurant). Its real name is the Lotus Cafe.  But a rose (or lotus) by any other name would smell just as sweet.  And it does smell sweet, kind of like garbage, cat, and some of the best pork lo mien I have ever eaten.

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