Page 31 of Christmas at the Movies
‘So what do you want to do with the rest of the day?’ Sarah asked, pouring him another cup of tea.
‘Well, I wouldn’t mind doing that again …’ James tugged at the tie on her bathrobe.
‘Later,’ said Sarah, laughing. ‘We have a whole city to explore and we only have three days before we head home.’
James groaned. ‘Don’t remind me. I wish I didn’t have to go back to work’
Sarah didn’t relish the thought of going back to work, either. Budget cuts and redundancies at the BBC meant that the script-editing team was severely overstretched. She still loved working with screenwriters and nurturing new talent, but she felt frustrated by the organisation’s resistance to change. Rupert remained the head of drama commissioning and routinely blocked the programmes she championed – preferring to play it safe with crime serials and costume dramas. As much as Sarah adored Jane Austen, if she had to adapt another one of her novels, she thought she might scream. The BBC’s licence payers deserved programming that was as diverse as Britain was, not just petticoats and posh people.
‘We need stuff we can sell to the Yanks,’ Rupert was always telling her. ‘They can’t get enough of our corsets.’ He’d leered at Sarah, eyeing up her chest as he said it.
Pushing thoughts of work out of her mind, Sarah went over to the window and opened the blinds to an incredible view of skyscrapers. Far below, the Star Ferry chugged across Victoria Harbour.
‘How about we take the cable car to the top of Victoria Peak?’ suggested James.
‘Sounds good to me. I’d like to visit a few temples, too,’ said Sarah, flipping through the pages of theirRough Guide.
They took a long shower together, sampling all of the complimentary toiletries. James washed Sarah’s long hair with divine-smelling jasmine-scented shampoo.
‘Oh, that feels so good,’ murmured Sarah, as her husband’s fingers lovingly massaged her scalp.
Once they’d dressed, they set off to explore the city, crossing the harbour by ferry and taking the old-fashioned tram up to the top of Victoria Peak.
‘This was considered a marvel of modern engineering when it was first built,’ James read from the guidebook. ‘All the equipment and construction materials had to be hauled up the mountain by workers. It used to be powered by steam.’
Sarah was more impressed with the view of the city beneath them than the cable car’s inner workings as they climbed to the peak’s leafy summit. They weren’t the only people with the same idea; it was the Harvest Moon Festival, and families were enjoying the holiday together.
James used the camera on his new phone to take pictures of the view. ‘It’s so handy not to have to lug a camera around.’
Sarah shook her head affectionately. ‘You and your gadgets.’
Rather than taking the cable car back down, they hiked to the base along a winding path. By the time they reached the bottom, the sky was growing overcast. They took the ferry back across the harbour, then wandered down Tung Choi Street, browsing through market stalls selling counterfeit DVDS, designer knock-offs, sunglasses, tourist souvenirs and jade trinkets.
Sarah bought replica designer bags for Pari and her sister, and a pale blue cheongsam for herself. She had no idea if it would fit, but she loved the silky fabric with its delicate flower print.
‘These look so real,’ said James, admiring a tray of fake Rolexes. He held one up to his ear to hear it ticking. ‘And they actually work.’
‘Let me get you one for your birthday,’ said Sarah. The whole trip was James’s birthday celebration, but she wanted to get him a present too. ‘A successful thirty-year-old needs a fancy watch. Or at least a replica fancy watch …’
James strapped his new watch around his wrist and checked the time. ‘It says it’s time for lunch.’
‘Oh, good,’ said Sarah. ‘I’m starving.’
‘It’s probably from all the exercise this morning.’ James winked at her.
They sampled snacks from the market’s food vendors, walking along, eating deliciously spicy fish balls and soy-braised cuttlefish off bamboo skewers. Food had been a highlight of their trip; they’d sought out local delicacies wherever they had gone.
‘Ugh. What’s that smell?’ asked Sarah as she caught a whiff of something pungent.
A moment later, the odour’s source revealed itself to be a stall selling the appropriately named stinky tofu.
‘It’s meant to be really tasty.’ James ordered two squares of the fermented beancurd and held one out to her. ‘Go on – I think you’ll like it.’
Sarah took a cautious bite. The outside was crisp, but the inside was meltingly soft and creamy. ‘Yum.’ Despite its off-putting name, stinky tofu was delicious.
‘It’s even better with chilli sauce,’ said the vendor, offering them a bottle.
Sarah squeezed a dollop on her tofu. The vendor was right – the spicy tang perfectly complemented the fried snack.
