:-)

Finally I made it - travelled to the UK again, end of January - beginning of February this year. 

I haven't been there for more than 2 years and it was a most welcome visit!

We had both never been to Scotland and it was our major destination on this trip.

What can I say...both William and I were fascinated by this part of the United Kingdom. There is a distinct difference between these two countries that is not clearly understood by someone who has never been to one of…

This is what's happening in Causeway Bay: the place has been literally conquered by Cheburashka displays.

Cheburashka (Чебурашка) is a character from a 1966 children's book by a popular Soviet writer Eduard Uspenskiy and the subsequent 1969 stop-motion cartoon. I was absolutely astonished when I saw that in Hong Kong!! 

I never even liked the cartoon...yet, first, the Japanese seemed to have gone mad about Cheburashka and the Co. Now it's Hong Kong's turn...My goodness. Who…

This was posted by a blogger that runs the Russian Language Centre in Hong Kong...I thought it might be quite an interesting read for any non-Russian :-) She borrowed this information from The Moscow News.

Here is the link: …

Lately, I have read about this British director Tom Hopes who is set to establish a repertory theatre in Hong Kong. 

There are tens if not hundreds of repertory theatres in Russia and the above-said director was really impressed with them when he visited Russia. 

What strikes me is that, apparently, repertory theatres are a rarity in the West....Surprisingly, I never thought so before.

Is your country the same and the concept of a theatre like this does not work…

So two days ago William and I went to watch The Nutcracker. 

What an amazing production it is...I've heard people say that sometimes Hong Kong Ballet isn't up to standard (although it surely depends on one's definition of standards!), but Nutcracker is sure to make you love the troupe! It is their 15th season. 

The only thing that I thought was slightly missing was in Act 2....when the scene and sets became more stale and hardly changed throughout the Act. That was a pity, as…