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Published: June 25th 2017
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Geo: 22.33, 114.18
A group tour. Our fist one! So we were down to the lobby quick smart and joined tour guide Alex, photographer Ping and driver Bob and thirteen other Honk Kong explorers for our half day "Hong Kong Island Tour."
First stop was Victoria Peak via the famous vernacular tram. The usual Asia crush had our group of 15 tourers on board and we trundled up the hill in the German built tram system. In colonial times, this ascent would have been completed in a sedan car....glad we were rattling up in the tram because I have resisted any human carried vehicle for the entire tour! We were expecting sweeping, majestic views of Victoria Harbour and the skyline of the island of Hong Kong. What we got was rain and a mist/fog/cloud/smog layer that was so thick and sluggishly settled that it was difficult to see a hand in front of your eyes. So we looked at pictures on the wall instead and ewe then invited to use the toilets and visit the coffee shop.
Uh - uh, not us!
We were not going to be outdone by the weather so we joined two equally heroic American guys from "deep in the heart
of Texas and braved the elements outside to visit all if the normal viewing spots just so we could say we were there. Drenched and battered by wind and rain ,but happy, we scaled the lookout steps, found the glass observation decks, peered through the binoculars at absolutely nothing and exchanged stories with the Americans. Not a bad visit to the summit....given the weather conditions.
The tour included a round island drive with visits to the Aberdeen fishing village and a jewellery factory. We took a ride on a (motorised) Sam Pan and looked at the floating house boats of the impoverished local fisherman and inspected exquisite diamond, jade, gold and pearls of the "other half" in the same breath.
We finished off the tour with a visit to The Stanley Markets after some tips and hints on bargaining and what to expect on the shopping adventure. It was wasted advice really because the stop was only 30 minutes and by the time we visited the loo and toddled around to Stanley Harbour to have a look at the Dragon Boat Racing Festival our time was up. Didn't even have time to think about unzipping our wallet.
The afternoon was quite a
novel experience for us..we didn't have anyone to tell us what to do or where to go...so armed with a map...we just set off. We found some lunch (just joined a queue where everyone else was eating), explored some alleys and shops, bought a few bargains, visiting some brand names and even without the taxes and import duties the Birkin bag ($470 000 HK) was out of our price range. We visited Tiffany's and TAG Hauer for Michael ( don't get excited...we just looked) and then explored the Heritage Trail and the Museum of. Modern Art, the Space Centre and the harbour foreshore.
Mac scored his best photo bomb yet and managed to get himself invited to be part of a wedding photoshoot. It was a crowd stopper ...literally....as people stopped to try and work out the connection between the very Asian couple and the white foreigner with a big nose. Mac has acknowledged that "his work in Asia is done." That lasted for about 15 minutes because he was at it again at the Living Art display at the Museum of Contemporary Art. But one Chinese girl was determined to beat him at his own game. Much to the delight
of her entourage...she got him a beauty.
We took a break back at the hotel and caught up on world news and then went and did it all again with a city nightscape. And although the mist and fog still lingered in the evening we could get a true feeling of the light spectacle of the harbour.
Dinner was at 10 pm for us in the Window Bar of the hotel and included a relaxing drink and a hot chocolate. Lights out at midnight and tomorrow holds the promise of some shopping...well...more like ....looking with the potential to purchase.
Pedometer reading: 12 576
Temperature: 19 C, rain and fog decreasing in the late afternoon
@JennyFugle thinking of you for the 5 th and celebrating for y
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Liz
non-member comment
Make your way to the longest elevator in the Southern Hemisphere. It takes you almost to the peak. A good walk up and back!