Hong Kong Airport - New York Bound

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After a long flight or in transit with time to kill there is nothing like a very hot shower in an airport lounge. I recommend the Cathay Pacific lounge, but especially in Hong Kong where the airport is so large they have three Business Class lounges. The only complaint I have is that they are not open twenty-four hours.

I arrived last night from Beijing just before midnight and the lounges close a 1:00 a.m. The first lounge to spring back to life is at 4:00 with beverages and then 4:30 with full service. That lounge - the first open - is at Gate 4. My favourite lounge is at Gate 65. It opens at 6:00 a.m.

Friday in Beijing was of course a hectic day because three of the four - known as the 'The Fellowship' - were leaving Beijing today. At 6:00 p.m. I headed to Hong Kong and on to New York shortly (9:30 a.m.), about two and a half hours from now, WW to Hong Kong, and then WM to Shanghai. DP leaves this morning from Beijing for London. WM and I carried on a lengthy conversation by text messaging after he arrived in Shanghai.

The highlight of yesterday was our 2nd visit to the Imperial Palace, this time to visit the sculpture and painting galleries of the Tibetology Institute. Although I had been there several times before, some of or party had not. And it didn't matter anyway, I always learn something new by returning to study paintings and sculpture I have seen before. They have one sculpture that is approximately a meter tall, Manjushri with four arms, Imperial workshop, and they say 80% gold, made in approximately 1650. It is of a unique design unlike most other sculpture I have seen. I have only heard of one other similar piece possibly in the antiquities trade about fifteen years ago.

After the Palace we returned to the hotel to pack, rest and settle various bills for the hotel and between each other. When traveling with pleasant and generous friends it is hard to keep track of who owes what and for when and how much. Without these friends the trip would not have been the great success it was. I really do have to acknowledge Thubten Nyima for helping to steer a fruitful and auspicious course on the morning of the first day, Phuntsok for 'for helping to make a dumb man speak,' and Tulku Jamyang Lodro for blessing the change in itinerary and calming the turbulent waters of doubt prior to our Beijing visit.

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