Hong Kong

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November 10th - Hong Kong
One thing that we will be pleased to leave behind in Japan are the heated toilets. It is one thing to say someone has a hot ass, but quite another when yours is being heated up. The toilet in our hotel seemed like it could do everything for your behind (had to use that word again).

Last year when we did our tour, the crew would be dressed in clothing representative of the place we had just visited, well they are doing it again this year. When we boarded the plane the stewardess were dressed as Geishas. One amusing comment when a stewardess closed one of the overhead bins aggressively and one of the passengers said that was not the gentle way a Geisha would do it. The retort was that in her heart she was still a Viking. We are staying at the Langham Place in Hong Kong, (talk about all the latest gadgetry in your room), the hotel is fantastic.

In the evening we took the funicular railway to the top of Victoria Peak for dinner and cocktails. Looking out over the water and the city with all its lights was a bit of a fantasy, unfortunately I had left my good camera back at the hotel and my smaller camera was unable to capture the view.


November 11th - Hong Kong
After breakfast we were off to Stanley Market for some shopping, then a ferry over to a floating restaurant for Dim-sum. The ferry is more like the local water taxi and is a smaller version of your typical image of a junk boat. We started the day after breakfast taking a walk down a nearby street which was dedicated to selling fruit, vegetables, fish and meat. The first stall had Mare making a quick withdrawal after she saw several large bins filled with live crabs, fish and frogs. We had to get out of the way as they transported a recently slaughtered pig, but the one that had her making an instant withdrawal was the stall where they had live snakes. Stanley market was interesting; I acquired 6 Greg Norman golf shirts at the equivalent of $6.50 Cdn each. In Toronto these shirts sell for over $100. The shirts were from over-runs. After lunch we walked for a couple of hours, surprise-surprise Mare picked up another pair of shoes. In the early evening we ventured forth into the Ladies Market (wall-to-wall stalls), which as its name suggests sells items that are of interest mostly to the ladies, again great bargains
are available. In recollection Hong Kong is many things but first one great large shopping mall. It is exciting, crowded and a concrete jungle. There are old buildings side-by-side with brand new 88 story office buildings. There are 7 million people crowded into an area420 square km area, however most of this is mountains and therefore uninhabitable. Approximately 50% of the populace is eligible for government housing; this translated into an apartment of 300 square feet for a family of 4. Each floor has a communal bathroom and kitchen. A 500 square feet apartment would cost approximately $500,000 Cdn and a 2 bedroom between $2 to 4 million. The city deserves a return visit.

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Photos

Icelandic Geishas
Bet you don't get this kind of service.

Hong Kong
When we were traveling over to the floating restaurant this junk sailed past.

Hong Kong
The floating restaurant we had lunch at.

Hong Kong Harbour
Boats were parked as one would with different streets and avenues. In boat streets between there were small boats with people jigging for fish.

Ladies Market in Hong Kong
Mare and I went with the tour leaders to Ladies Market in the evening. The place was packed, one does not know what crowds are until you come to the far east.

Comments

[Happy Pat]

Nice job, Morgan!
Enjoy your pictures! We did have fun at the market, didn't we??!!!!! Happy Pat