Go for the Gold Halloween

I tried to convince Lydia that she'd be a really cute Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for Halloween, but she didn't go for it.  However, I should consider myself lucky with what she wanted to be - a US Olympic gymnast. The thing we had to do was order a leotard that said "USA" on the front and were were all set.  (What's even better is that the leotard can be worn to gymnastics class now that Halloween is over.  Lydia is one smart girl!)

You can't see some of the special touches of her costume in the photo.  Her hair was gelled back, secured with a gazillion bobby pins, and decorated with red and silver glitter.  She had chalk (actually baby powder) and one of her wrists were wrapped, just like she'd been performing on the bars.  In any case, she was very cute:

A couple of years ago we trick or treated in our apartment complex.  What a fiasco!   Kids would go to the top floor in the elevator and have one person hold it, then would take it down one floor at a time.  There are 34 floors in our building; 46 in others.  That makes for a long wait to get on the elevator (just to get home!). The stairwells, which are not well ventilated, was hot and full of people going every which way.  The idea of doing that again filled me with dread.


Last year and this year we went to an area called Red Hill.  It's the closest thing to a "normal" US neighborhood that I've seen in Hong Kong:

For that reason, Red Hill is packed with trick or treaters.  I think Red Hill residents consider Halloween almost a public service to the other apartment-dwelling residents of the south side of Hong Kong island.  Many convert their carports into haunted houses.  It's a really festive atmosphere that feels like a small town.  
 

And, as a side note, while we were there we saw a dog that may be the largest dog I've ever seen.  Can't imagine taking it on a walk!!    

It was a very happy Halloween!