IN THE STYLE OF SOMEWHERE ELSE

After dumplings, chips, and chocolate, it should not be surprising that dreams are vivid; Holland in the snow, and fried dough puffs (oliebollen) dusted with powdered sugar eaten from a streetside vendor in early evening after dark fall. Which is heavenly. An intense memory-shimmer, based on an unwell mind or shifty digestion. Then I woke up sneezing.

A friend recently mentioned that he dreams of Kaitak Airport in Hong Kong. His first landing there was when he was still a teenager, and it was during a typhoon. He particularly remembers the wind slamming at the plane, and severe jolting.

It was, he says, a nauseating experience.

This photo, from the South China Morning Post, shows why that must have been so memorable.

香港啟德機場 [Source: SCMP.]

Straight out into the harbour, after banking sharply right. Then braking furiously. As you see in the photograph, housing right next to, and in the approach; Kwun Tong (觀塘) and the typhoon shelter (觀塘避風塘) to the immediate right, Hung Hom(紅磡) and Kowloon (九龍) to the left. Kwun Tong was originally named differently but with the same sounds (官塘), after the Koon Fu Salt Yards (官富鹽場). The entire coastline on the left at one point had salt ponds (鹽田), which meant revenue, and smuggling.
Very shallow; probably a good place to crash an aircraft.

Other than the nausea of those first few moments, he remembers Hong Kong fondly. Particularly the snacks and the weather.
When it rains there, it is warm, not like here.

I likewise remember warm rain. Mid summer thunder storms in Holland, Monsoonal showers in insular South East Asia. Today's rain was not bad, but it is not the warm season, and at the moment it feels cold.
I shall not head out for a late night pipe.

Besides, the only thing edible out there at this time is a donut. And the nearby donut shop is NOT as good as when Mrs. An was still alive.

[Copyright: REUTERS/Maartje Blijdentein]

Donuts taste much better under some circumstances than others.

[Oliebollen - ANP archief]

It's a question of environment.

Instead, cardamom coffee à la Turc, some whiskey, and a small cigar.


There's a can of clams in the kitchen.
Plus oil and a fry pan.


Maybe not.





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