Dolphins In Hong Kong And Other Wonders
There is a beautiful art installation near Hong Kong’s waterfront that features dolphins.
You might be wondering why it is there.
It is because THERE ARE DOLPHINS IN HONG KONG’S WATERS!
Yes, I was super amazed about that fact also. We don’t associate that big city with dolphins.
But they are there.
They are Chinese White Dolphins, also known as Pink Dolphins (because they are pink!) and they are more rare now but you might, just might see one.
Look for them!
(smiles)
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Green Spaces In Hong Kong
The images usually captured of Hong Kong are the skyscrapers, the malls, the huge digital billboards, the urban spaces.
And there is plenty of that in the city.
But there are also green spaces, parks, trees, container gardens, and other bits of nature sufficient for even nature-loving me. (smiles)
There are hikes through parks on hills that give us great views of the city. There are areas to sit and watch the birds and the bees, tucked away from other people.
There is peace and serenity to be found in Hong Kong. Look for it.
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Muse Food – Tortoises In Hong Kong And Other Messengers
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this adorable tortoise in Hong Kong. He was being taken for a walk by his humans.
Whenever we see a unique creature in an unusual setting, we joke that they are a messenger, approaching us to assign to us a planet-critical mission. (grins)
Messengers can be awesome tools in our stories. That messenger could be a loyal subject warning the hero or heroine of an enemy drawing closer to their kingdom’s borders. Or a comet streaking across the night sky, a precursor to a planet-killing asteroid. Or a mafia squirrel chattering about a circling hawk.
Do you have any messengers in your stories?
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Muse Food – Hong Kong And Unexpected Art
These stairs in front of a park in Hong Kong was artwork the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I didn’t expect to see.
Many officials in other cities would have left the stairs a plain, rather ugly gray, the color of the cement. That would ‘save money.’ It would be simpler to maintain. There’s less risk of it turning out terribly.
Hong Kong administrators allowed an artist to use it as a canvas. And that says a lot about Hong Kong and the people living there. They value art. They value beauty. They care enough to make their surroundings gorgeous.
Your description of your story’s setting communicates a lot also. It sets the mood. It conveys the values of the beings living there…or the absence of beings.
Setting is a character. Use it to better tell your story.
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Muse Food – Hong Kong And Trees
In any major city, we often see sites like this one in Hong Kong – a tree or plant growing where it seems impossible for it to grow, trying to reclaim part of the terrain.
This happens almost everywhere on Earth.
There are stories of nature reclaiming the land around Chernobyl, for example. And the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I often joke that the super aggressive vine in our yard would devour our home completely in less than a decade.
Life WILL take over a vacated spot. That life could be plants or insects or bacteria or…something else.
I remember that when I’m writing about deserted planets or outposts. Those places are unlikely to look exactly like they had looked when the last human or humanoid left. Other lifeforms will move in and the places will change.
Our stories should address that.
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Muse Food – Hong Kong Reflections
The Dear Wonderful Hubby took this beautiful photo of Hong Kong while we were watching one of the nightly free light shows.
I love how all the colors are reflected in the water.
Having our characters reflect on past events is a very powerful tactic, especially if there has been a loss of a loved one in a battle or in some other action-packed event.
During battle, there’s no time for grief, for sorrow, for thinking about the loss. Everyone is fighting to stay alive. The action and reaction is fast, fast, fast.
It is not until later, when they are out of immediate danger, when they can slow down, that characters AND the reader can grieve. It is often during these reflections, during these internal replays that we are able to cry over the loss.
Use reflections or replays as a tool for great storytelling.
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Muse Food – Grouping Like Things
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this collection of smooth, triangular boulders in Hong Kong.
One such boulder would have been interesting. But it likely would have gotten lost in the rest of the display.
Four similar-looking boulders, however, grab our attention. We notice them. We notice their shape, their colors, their size.
Writers use this same technique in stories. We employ symbolism more than once (I use it around three times or more), for example, because that ensures readers notice it. We repeat a key idea multiple times in slightly different ways.
Grouping like things or like ideas is powerful. Use it in your own writing!
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