My Parents' First Visit to China: Part 一

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I arrived in Kowloon after taking the bus early Thursday morning. I had tried to take the ferry from Shekou, but the schedule I found online is either wrong or for a different port; I didn't feel like waiting 4 hours for the next ferry. The bus was actually cheaper and only took 40 minutes. From there I hopped a cab to the hotel. After getting my key from the front desk and walking through the cushy lobby up to the room, I went out in search of Page One books. I needed to get my copy of Lonely Planet China. I took the metro there with no problems, but then got a bit confused when it was time to come back. There were so many exits out, and in my earlier excitement I had forgotten to see which one I had come in! So I had to look like a tourist an pull out my map. Ahh, well.

My parents soon returned from their outting with their tour group. It was so good to see them after so many months! I hadn't seen them since last August! We quickly agreed food was in order and set out for Outback Steakhouse. After 2 weeks, they were wanting a break from Chinese food; after a so many months, I was wanting Western food, especially cheese and good beer.
I think our lunch lasted 2 hours, almost until dinner time.

We walked around by the Avenue of Stars by the bay. It was windy and a bit cooler than I had anticipated. We took some photos in the fading light before heading back to join the tour group for one last outting.

The tour guide, Richard, took us back down to the freezing Avenue of Stars to watch the light show on the bay. Lights shoot out from all the buildings on both sides of the water in time to various pieces of music. It was quite impressive, especially when you take into account the sheer magnitude of the project. Whoever choreographed it is a genius.

We ate dinner at a little pub of a place called Bulldogs (yep, we chose it for the name). I thoroughly enjoyed fish and chips and a proper pint of Guinness. Truly, is there a more perfect meal? Oh, wait, add cheese somehow and it's perfect.


Friday we arose too early for my liking and had a lovely breakfast, complete with newspaper. I do read the paper most days in Shenzhen, but reading it on the internet is not the same as holding the paper in my hands, smelling the smell of the ink, hearing the crackle of the paper as I turn the pages. Between that and the endless real coffee, I could have stayed there for hours.

After breakfast we attempted to ascend Victoria peak on Hong Kong Island. We took escalator after escalator up the steep mountain. Passing the city slowly, it seems like the city is build on top of itself, almost overlapping. Tiny roads appear where it seems they shouldn't, small shops in the tiniest of spaces; I wonder how they all survive, how people know they exist. I am able to look in the windows and see everything from furniture (how do they get it home?) to clothing to odds and ends. How they get so much into such a small space is almost magical.

After we ran out of escalators we tried to hike up the rest, took a wrong turn somehow, realized we were lost (or had missed the point we wanted to take the tram) and took a cab the rest of the way up. It's a steep climb, up hairpin curves, and not one we wanted to do on foot.

It was a bit too foggy to really enjoy the view the peak has to offer. I could still make out the backs of buildings and the outline of the water, but it would have been much nicer on a sunny day.

On a bright note, I did find shoes (ahhh, shoes) to wear in the warm weather for teaching. My feet are too big to buy shoes on the mainland and last fall I only bought shoes that go with pants, no sandals. I managed to get them for half off, too, only paying 300HKD.

We took the tram down the side of the mountain/hill. It was so steep, I think we were at a 45 degree angle compared to the buildings we were passing.

We were exhausted and took the ferry back to Kowloon for dinner. I was thrilled to have vegetarian lasagna for the first time in almost a year. It was a bit rich for me though--I'm not sure if it was this particular lasagna or if it was my stomach. We finished up the night by watching a certain sofa-jumping actor make friends with the mob to foil lawyers--truly a great end to an exciting day.

Saturday we had a leisurely breakfast, wandered a bit before lunch at a soup and sandwhich shop, and then caught the ferry to Shekou. It was time for the mainland adventure to begin!

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Photos

Mom and Dad in Hong Kong
It was windy and cold by the water that day. And every day after that.

Me, HK, Wind
'nuf said

Bruce Lee
As if you even have to ask...

OMG, it's Jackie Chan!
Well, almost.

Batman building and AIG?
AIG is still proudly advertising in HK.

The light show
The buildings changed colors.

And shoot beams of light
*laser sounds go here*

Down by the bay
There are no watermelons growing, don't even start singing.

Comments

[Barbara Carlton]

photographs
Your pictures are impressive, you have a great eye. Hong Kong looks prettier than I expected. Glad that yall got together. Happy Trails, Barbara Carlton