UMBRELLA REVOLUTION

From the comforts of our flat beds on Turkish Airline we were rudely awaken by the news at home as soon as we landed in Istanbul. My blog is intended to cover my post retirement pursuit in the culinary arts, in street foods, in home cooking, in a life style I wish to share privately with family and friends. Not for a moment is it intended to be a political platform, no way. Call it apathy, call me whatever you wish but I am not going to be dragged into it.

One thing I can say, I am what one calls a '2-headed snake' which is a derogatory label, and I accept that. Why? I am on the one hand supportive of a less manipulated election process, but on the other I do not think Occupy Central or civil disobedience will get us there and in my best conscience I cannot say I am 100% supportive. The students are passionate, committed but they lack the maturity to be rational and can therefore be emotive, which is dangerous. There you have it. You can shoot people like me but you may run out of bullets quickly as I am no lone voice on this matter. There are just too many 'Monday Morning Quarterbacks' with pendulant comments, it is only wise for me to shut up.

One thing is certain, I am all knotted inside and my heart sank, Not being home for this historical landmark made me feel empty and left out. In my 65 years as a local boy I have never seen anything as divisive as what we face today. I am deeply troubled by what will happen next, and whatever and whenever that is, Hong Kong will never be the same. Time Magazine announced the 'Death of Hong Kong' before the handover in 1997 which was quoted left, right and center in the global press. They were dead wrong then, not so much in context, but in timing.

The verdict was 17 years too soon ... try 2014!