We arrived in Hong Kong then off to Shenzhen to get our massage fix

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While in New Jersey, we attended my niece's wedding and met our aunt and cousins who live in New Jersey and New York. It was a wonderfu re-union.

We arrived in Hong Kong on Oct 11, 2005. The continental flight from Newark, New Jersey was 15.5 hours non-stop and quite comfortable, except the food deserves no honourable mention.

After a couple of days of settling down, we headed out to Shenzhen to visit the massage areas that we used to frequent.

The area is called BarDung, and populated by many Taiwan citizens and locals.

Instead of 10 massage parlours, there are now 25, and some with much better facilities.

We spent about four hours in body masage, foot massage, Thai style shampoo, etc, and spent US$12 each. The parlour we went to even has sauna and shower facilities and individual rooms for massage. What a treat !

However, the transportation cost about $11 each (Home to bus station, bus to Shenzhen, China mini bus to Bardung, Bardung bus to Lo Wu train station, train to HK, then subway to home).

We looked for the little dinky Mongolian food stall that we used to go, but it is now replaced by the Japanese retail giants of Jusco and Seibu inside a big mall. However, dog meat is still available.

We had lunch and dinner and each meal costs about US$5 for both of us.
For lunch, we had dumplings, small dish of bitter melon, 4 BBQ goat skewer, one noodle roll like a spring roll, a bottle of 800ml Tsing Dao beer. For dinner, we had Rice with eel in a pineapple, 1 fried banana, 5 small scallop cakes (no good), two medicinal turtle jelly.

Shenzhen has grown so fast. I find some of the people dress better than Hong Kong people. Perhaps, the HK folks have gone more casual nowadays.

In Shenzhen, I picked up some anti-biotic (Doxycycline) for approx. US$4 which would have cost me about US$100 if bought in Canada. I know that I have to be careful with pharmaceuticals from China.

P.S. I am writing the prices down for my own reference.

Yesterday, we went to the Laos Embassy to get our visa (cost HK$210 each).

In the next few weeks, we are going to Shek-Kee (Chung Shan) to visit Mui Jer's family.
We plan to take a short operated 4-day tour to go to Guilin and Shiu Hing (around Oct 28)
Then we will go to Three River (San Shui) to visit my cousin and my father's family home.
After the visit to Three Rivers, we will head out to Yunnan/GuangXi.

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Photos

Man carrying mattress on bicycle
Here we can see the Chinese still have great skills in bicycle riding