Tue, Nov 30:
'Loitering with Intent to Commit an Arrestable Offence'
I've just received this email
from the Cheung Chau HQ of the Lamma police force. They asked me
"for widest circulation to our Lamma islanders,
please."
Well, this law-abiding citizen & part-time
court interpreter is happy to oblige, as official news from the
authorities will always be most welcome in this Lamma-zine Blog, Lamma-zine & the
discussion forums. Have a read, this is most informative, even
entertaining:
Mr SIU
Man-hon, Mann, Cheung Chau Police wrote:
Subject: Suspected Mainlander
Burglar Arrested in Pak Kok, Lamma
Dear Lamma-Gung,
May I have your assistance in
disseminating to our Lamma foreign islanders, particularly for those
in Pak Kok, a piece of information that relates to a recent arrest
of a "Two-Way Permit" Mainlander male in the early hours of
2004-11-24.
The arrested Mainlander was
first discovered intruding Pak Kok in the evening of 2004-11-23, by
a local villager. Though he tried to disguise himself as a visitor,
there was nothing to convince a normal person with reasonable mind
that he was a genuine visitor (carrying no camera and wearing
relatively shabby clothing, etc). As a result of the information,
police deputies were immediately deployed to seal off the area to
bait that suspected Mainlander.
Eventually, by 0330 hours, the
Mainlander was spotted acting suspiciously in Pak Kok New Village.
He was immediately intercepted while about to tamper with the window
of a village block. He gave an unbelievable account for his presence
during such early hours of the morning: that he had lost his way
after enjoying the scenery on hills of Lamma. He was then arrested
for "Loitering with Intent to Commit an Arrestable Offence",
as there was strong circumstantial evidence that he would burgle if
not stopped. Police then found that the arrested Mainlander bore a
burglary conviction record in 1999 and he had been awarded 2 years'
imprisonment.
The arrested Mainlander has
been charged with one count of "Loitering with Intent" and has
appeared before court in the morning on 2004-11-27. An adjournment
until 2004-12-03 was granted for further elimination with those
undetected burglaries on the islands of Cheung Chau Division.
While police will remain
vigilant for burglar intrusion and we are determined to protect the
people on Lamma who we serve, I would also like to take this
opportunity to remind our foreign islanders again of the need to
secure their homes properly. The success of crime prevention relies
much on their home-safety cooperation and awareness, which we do
opine has some room for further improvement.
It is also not uncommon to see
that windows (specially those in kitchens and toilets) and drainage
pipes leading directly to balconies, etc are unguarded with any
window grilles or security means. In some occasions the main doors
were also left ajar by occupants for convenient access of their
family members.
Electronic anti-theft devices,
that bear only reasonable costs, are also recommended.
SCMP website:
"Operation Santa
Claus presents a wonderful evening for SCMP Book Club members. Come and
join SCMP columnists and wise men Kevin Sinclair, Jake van der
Kamp and cartoonist Harry Harrison in celebration of their latest
book debuts – just in time for your Christmas shopping!"
These book launches will be happening on Mon, Dec 6,
from 6:30pm, in the LaO2 Theater of the HK Fringe Club, Central!
Click on Harry's nose on the left to reserve a place ($180)! Or
grab him in the Island Bar to sign your copy of Harry's View!
I've photographed my favourite
bug on Lamma, Pyrops candelaria,on the side of the road
during a morning hike. 2" long, this specimen lost part of its wing
cover, revealing its bright-gold & black wings.
This beautiful bug, also called HK Lantern Fly,
made
it onto an official HK stamp in the year 2000.
Lammadonna will personally be opening this event tonight.
Expect lots of Karaoke and speed-eating & drinking games:
sipping beer & soft drinks through a straw, being fed ice cream by a
blind-folded partner, stuffing yourself with Wasabi-stuffed,
tear-jerking sushi... all the usual, typical Saturday night
entertainment on Lamma...
Here's
the photo
gallery of this very interesting event. Not my idea of a good
time, but a really local event for the whole family. The children loved
it and got really into the spirit of the fun & games.
Fri, Nov
26: Thai Lantern Festival Tonight (Loy
Krathong)
Stunning candle boats
floating serenely and romantically in Yung Shue Wan harbour at night. Is
that something you might want to
enjoy with your friends or, even better, with a date? Yes? It's Loy
Krathong tonight and our active local Thai community is celebrating
their yearly Lantern Festival at the ferry pier, starting at 9:30pm
this year. You're invited!
How do Lamma's many
Vegetarians celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving, usually heavy on meat
and fowl? Well, here's an interesting Thanksgiving menu from Life
restaurant, the half-year-old offspring of Lamma's Bookworm Café:
click on the left.
These colourful (cran?)berries are growing
wild on Trig Point hill (below), but I can give no guarantee on
their edibility or toxicity!
I've just discovered the best 360-degree
panoramic view of North Lamma, from a 130-metre-high hilltop beyond Mt
Panorama (click on map - or any photo - to enlarge). A pleasant,
slightly challenging hike.
Its unofficial name comes from having a little
man-size, chest-high concrete tower at the top, a so-called "Height
Reference Point" or "Trigonometri-cal Station". It's set up
and used by the surveyors & cartographers of the Lands Dept., the very
people who keep the extremely detailed internet maps of Hong Kong
up-to-date, where you can find any address in all of HK, incl. Lamma
Island.
... Lamma consists of a variety of small social
groups, all following their own agenda, whether that be dragon
boating, beating people up or sitting outside Spicy Island becoming
alcohol-soaked, to name but a few.
This one big happy Lamma community baloney is a myth
and there is no in-crowd, just a load of acquaintances thrown
together by the smallness of the village and the ferry who have to
get on or put up with one another...
Of course, you've created a sort of virtual in-crowd
here, but it doesn't exist in the analog world.
Agree?
Disagree? Join in this brand-new discussion topic, where Beatrix
Kiddo (fresh from Killing Bill, probably?) is raising the
sophistication level by talking about "The paradise of dysfunction" &
describes Lamma as "This little sparkling enigma of village life".
I'm
putting together the "official" photo gallery of the 5th Lamma Fun Day
2004 for the Lamma-zine and the Fun Day website I'm
webmastering.
Click on photos above to enlarge. I
need more photos! Full credits and email/website links will be
given to all contributors. Show off your best shots in this collective
community photo gallery!
Please email
info@LammaFunDay.com with your photos.I can scan in
non-digital photos for you, if necessary.
Mon, Nov 22:
Welcome to Waterfront Bar & Restaurant!
Have you heard
about Bob Davis new freelance job as a "PR Boy" (like the ubiquitous
beer PR girls) for the Waterfront Bar & Restaurant? See him on
the left, standing at Nick's the Bookman's Corner, pointing the way,
luring new customers to visit this newly opened place. His 10-year-old
T-shirt, worn for the very first time, from the former Waterfront is a
nice & classy touch. Below, is Bob claiming his "PR Boy" fees?
The Waterfront reopened on Nov 14.
Our first visit was a positive experience: great
terrace, reasonably-priced Italian-style menu, good spot to meet
friends. More
details & reviews to follow soon!
It was a really great Funday today, lots of fun & food,
friends & families. Sunny, warm weather all day, loads of people milling
around, live bands & lots of entertainment.
But the main thing everybody kept talking
about was the small bush fire that started around 3pm behind the main
stage. Firefighters from the Power Station doused it quickly,
but
it got people talking for days...
See photos submitted by
Barry Swerdlow. See more photos by V J and myself by
clicking Talkback!
Fri, Nov 19:
Signs you've lived off Lamma for too long
The worldwide community of ex-Lammaites,
named LOVE (Lamma Overseas
Visitors Empire), is among
the most loyal
visitors of this
site. Often homesick for "the best place
they've ever lived in", some of them have come up with great "Signs
you've lived off Lamma for too long", describing some of the more
"unusual" aspects of life here. Click on Talkback!
Finally, my
favourite season of the year has started. Deep blue skies, fresh
breezes, all-day sunshine, cool & dry air, marvelous for hiking &
enjoying nature, especially on beauuuutiful Lamma Island!
Click on banner above to enlarge. We've
started an autumn leaves collection in the discussion forums. Send us
your photos & scans for posting. Click on Talkback!
Finally,
here's my photo
gallery of DickStock X from last Sat, Nov 13. Selecting,
cropping & processing the best of my 303 photos took a little while.
Click on 10-years-of-DickStock banner above!
High-resolution pictures for printing are
available, just
email me.
The North Lamma
Police asked me to publish this leaflet on this website. With the start
of the cooler season, burglaries have started to happen again
occasionally, after a welcome break of several months. Click Talkback!
for more tips & a lively discussion.
Police research on
a number of recent burglary cases on Lamma Island indicates that the
inadequate burglary prevention measures and awareness are the main
causes leading to an opportunity offered to the burglars. Your attention is drawn to the
following useful tips:
Windows and Balcony Doors
Before you sleep or
leave your home unattended, all windows and balcony doors must be
securely closed and locked. For ventilation, windows must be guarded
with proper window grilles if they are left opened. Never leave your
balcony doors opened.
Balcony
It is common that
drainage pipe system on exterior wall is so close to your balcony that
it offers good opportunity for burglar to climb up and reach the balcony
to burgle. Putting some barbed wires around the drainage pipes or
installation of suitable device is a good idea to stop your home from
becoming next target.
Adoption of sufficient precautionary measures is generally perceived by
our islanders an impedance against their wish to enjoy the natural
environment of Lamma Island but you are reminded of the utmost
importance of a more secured home.
To fight crime,
your concerted efforts, sound crime prevention awareness and alertness
can always help.
Should you require further advice, please contact us:
Yung Shue Wan
Police Post: 2982 0251 / 2982 1577
Sok Kwu Wan Police
Post: 2982 8272
Hong Kong Police
Cheung Chau Divisional Headquarters
Sun, Nov 14:
Bakery Opening 6:30am, Plus Ownership Statement
From tomorrow morning, Monday, the Village
Bakery will be opening at 6:30am, to serve the early morning
ferry crowd.
All their usual wares, plus the new HERO 6-inch
baguette,
white or whole-wheat, with various fillings. More new products in the
pipeline; "official opening" party in December.
Due to some recent rumours, the Village
Bakery and other local businesses asked me to publish the following
statement:
"The Directors and
Proprietors of the following Businesses
would like
to state that nobody else besides the person(s) in parentheses
has any interest - financial, administrative or otherwise – nor
does exert any influence over:
Deli Lamma
(Prafull) Lamma Bistro (Dave & Charlie) YSW Village Bakery (Charlie) Lamma.com.hk discussion forums
(owner Webdog, site admin
Lamma-Gung) Lamma-zine, Blog, Calendar & Galleries
(Lamma-Gung)"
If you love
butterflies, hurry up and get out into the forests and bushlands of
Lamma right now. The best season to watch and photograph
butterflies, moths & bugs is
slowly drawing to a close for this year. These four shy & skittish
specimens were shot in the last three days, with a lot of patience.
Click to
enlarge. For more and better pictures, click on Talkback!
A MUSIC
graffiti inside a deserted house above Tai Peng which I've discovered &
explored today. Isn't this the ideal illustration for today's topic,
the schedule for the Lamma Fun Day bands?
On Sunday,
Nov 21, these bands will be playing on Power Station Beach:
1pm: Odyssey; 2pm:
Jacknife Sugartruck; 3pm: Fantastic Day;
4pm: Sponsor presentation, followed by the HK Electric Band;
5:30pm: Papa Jack; 6:30pm: Yung Shue Wankers.
Any questions
re: the bands, call Fred at 9374-0277.
"Lamma Island
Lying just a half-hour ferry ride from Central, Lamma – the third
largest of Hong Kong's islands – offers a great escape from the city.
There are no cars here and few buildings are over three storeys high.
Trails meander along hills and coastline. There are
fine bathing beaches and the island is home to some of the Hong Kong's
most popular seafood restaurants. Our walk leads from north to south,
linking the island's two main villages. There's a gentle hill climb but
the hike can be completed in a leisurely couple of hours."
Yung Shue Wan
"Until a few decades
ago, Yung Shue Wan was a small rural village, depending chiefly on
agriculture and fishing. It has expanded in recent years, mostly to
accommodate people attracted by lower
rents and a more laid-back lifestyle.
Walking the narrow
streets between the tightly packed buildings, you'll see
shops and restaurants that reflect this mixed
heritage: stalls with dried fish, shops selling hi-tech appliances and
outlets that look as if they've been established by latter-day
hippies."
More about our other five "official"
Tourist Attractions: Tin Hau Temple, Hung Shing Yeh Beach,
Pavilion, Lo So Shing Beach, Sok Kwu Wan & a
Walking Map.
This reads all
so nice and safe, the very traditional view of Lamma. For newer,
deeper, more exciting info on daily life on Lamma and its secrets - by
people actually living here - continue reading this Lamma-zine Blog!
The popular beach
volleyball spectacle! Popular Lammaite Zara Hannaford surrounded
by her friends/band members! Many more bands, Drumming, Australian Bush
Dance, Face Painting, Circus School, Kids’ Games, Raffle Prizes, Food &
Drink Stalls, Bric-a-Brac, etc. All in benefit of a children charity!
How could you resist a visit? No way!
See you there on Sun Nov
21! Prepare for a great lot of fun & games for all the family!
Disclaimer: I'm part of the
all-volunteer organisation committee of the Lamma Fun Day. That might
explain my enthusiastic enthusiasm & excuse my non-stop promotion of
this event?
I'm making a
determined, but strenuous effort to hike around Lamma every single day
nowadays, trying in vain to get fit, slim & handsome. But the amazing
variety and surprising diversity of the local plant & animal life makes
it all worthwhile. Without any special effort, the sharp-eyed can come
across so many delights for nature lovers!
I'm presenting a small selection
of flowers, fruits and bugs, mostly photographed during the last 3
days. Click for a lot
more great photos by a senior Lammaite with his first-ever
digicam!
Tips:
Take along enough spare memory & batteries! Click to enlarge:
Photos taken this morning from the top of the
hill between Yung Shue Wan and the Power Station, then stitched
together in Photoshop into a panorama. Click to enlarge.
Thu, Nov 4:
Granola Eater - New Fight Club Moderator
Congratulations to the newest
moderator in the Lamma.com.hk forums, Granola Eater (see left),
who has been appointed after winning a fierce election battleby
a landslide of public votes. His campaign against "Guy Miller"
paralleled the US elections in many ways, but was much more
entertaining and had a better outcome.
Granola will
take over tomorrow when the currently closed Fight Club will be
reopened, after some extensive clean-up and overhaul.
Lamma's "Fiddler on the Roof", Ravey Davey, has
been practicing in public for his performance with the Yung Shu Wankers
at DickStock X on Nov 13 (DIXSTOCK for short).
This photo was
shot in the evening today when David was playing to the
evening
rush hour crowds in Central. People were gathering to listen to his
amazing fiddling skills, dropping coins and even bills into his violin
case!
Lammaites have
long been fortunate to enjoy his music for free at concerts in the
Island Bar, together with his band mates John, Frazer (back
from exile just for DIXSTOCK!), Harry, & co. Email
David and tell him how you found out his email address!
The Lamma-zine
(this daily Blog & the monthly magazine on Compunicate.com),
together with the interlinked discussion forums on Lamma.com.hk
have reached a very important milestone: 1
million hits/month in October, for the first time ever!
This is mostly
due to this daily Blog which has really rocketed our number of visitors
in a very short time! Thank you very much for visiting this
Blog. Welcome!
If you're
numerically or even statistically inclined, here are some traffic
details:
Summary by Month
October
2004
Daily Average
Monthly Totals
Hits
Pages
Visits
Sites
KBytes
Visits
Pages
Hits
Lamma-zine
16,714
1,020
247
4,992
7,179,169
7,684
31,639
518,149
Forums
16,513
2,808
361
5,491
5,175,626
11,211
87,068
511,918
TOTAL
33,227
3,828
608
10,483
12,354,795
18,895
118,707
1,030,067
Warning, house commercial!
If you'd like
to promote your goods or services to a highly targeted &
(mostly) affluent audience of people either living on Lamma or very
interested in Lamma for many reasons, you should consider advertising
or sponsorship in the daily Lamma-zine Blog and/or the monthly
Lamma-zine!
Many options
are available for your needs & budget: from HK$50 personal
classifieds, $115 sponsorships, $450 ad banners, up to $2K
title sponsorships, all per month.
Today at 1pm,
the Village Bakery opened its doors to the first eager
customers. Crowds gathered quickly and the Chinese-style bread products
were sold out quickly. The huge variety of Western-style *real* breads,
cakes & pastries is wider than in many hotel bakeries in town! A range
of gourmet sandwiches will be offered later, after the *official*
opening. See recent official
announcement.
Warmest congratulations to owner Charlie, project
manager Dave & his capable crew, jolly baker Tommy and the cheerful &
friendly counter staff!
First
food tasting review by Lamma-Gung: Very wide selection; clean, appetising presentation; crusty,
*real* bread; yummy, savoury fillings; great-looking cakes; many
flavours of "Flavoured Spring Water"; friendly, bilingual service;
expect to pay a little extra for quality!
Lamma-zine Blog started on Sep 1, 2004,
and will be updated frequently with anything related to Lamma
Island or its residents, be it news, events or photos.
Contact Lamma-Gung with anything relevant to Lamma that
you'd like to see published on this home page!
Posts from all former
months are stored in the Blog Archives, see below.
All photos, text &
graphics by Lamma-Gung, if not otherwise credited.
At the end of each month, the best of this Lamma
News Blog will be collected and published in the Lamma-zine,
together with many other additional original contributions.
Free subscriptions!
I've photographed my favourite
bug on Lamma, Pyrops candelaria, on the side of the road
during a morning hike. 2" long, this specimen lost part of its wing
cover, revealing its bright-gold & black wings.
Stunning candle boats
floating serenely and romantically in Yung Shue Wan harbour at night. Is
that something you might want to
enjoy with your friends or, even better, with a date? Yes? It's Loy
Krathong tonight and our active local Thai community is celebrating
their yearly Lantern Festival at the ferry pier, starting at 9:30pm
this year. You're invited!
was a positive experience: great
terrace, reasonably-priced Italian-style menu, good spot to meet
friends. 
Your attention is drawn to the
following useful tips: 
Should you require further advice, please contact us:
Trails meander along hills and coastline. There are
fine bathing beaches and the island is home to some of the Hong Kong's
most popular seafood restaurants. Our walk leads from north to south,
linking the island's two main villages. There's a gentle hill climb but
the hike can be completed in a leisurely couple of hours."
Yung Shue Wan
More about our other five "official"
Warmest congratulations to owner Charlie, project
manager Dave & his capable crew, jolly baker Tommy and the cheerful &
friendly counter staff!