Hong Kong Day 2

We had another half day in Hong Kong, so we decided to ride the Peak Tram to the top of the mountain overlooking Hong Kong and Kowloon to get the big picture.  Still on the morning jet-lag schedule, we arrived at 8 AM, and this was fortuitous since the crowds were non-existent.

The view from the top was awesome, and - no surprise - there were skyscrapers everywhere.  I've never seen so many tall buildings in such a small space ever.

Group selfie from the top of Hong Kong

Heading back, we walked through Hong Kong park, which features a free walk-in aviary.  Laurel really loves birds, and we saw some really cool exotic species.  The park itself was pleasant, and led us into a nearby mall where we could enjoy the relief of some air conditioning.

Admiring Birds

Fountain in the park

Hong Kong is quite a contrast. Kowloon was like Chinatown, with teeny tiny shops crammed into every possible space, yet nearby were opulent malls that make even our USA counterparts look run down. Bryce was thrilled to see some really expensive cards driving around. Clearly there's an income inequality issue here, but everyone seems to be able to get what they need. I wish we had more time to spend to get to know Hong Kong better, but it's a place we all would enjoy to return to in the future.

Hong Kong Day 1

We had two days to spend in Hong Kong. It's quite a place, with the biggest concentration of skyscrapers and high rise apartment buildings I've ever seen.  It's a city on a scale like no other.

Getting around Hong Kong is a joy.  Right from getting out of customs, you are at the Airport Express train station, and a high speed train takes you straight into Central Hong Kong.  From there, we were shepherded into a free hotel shuttle, which brought us to within 2 blocks of our hotel. Cheap, fast and efficient.

The subway system is just as well designed.  You get your tickets from an automated kiosk by pointing to the destination, and the electronic turnstiles get you in and out efficiently, even swallowing your card to be used at the end of the journey.

Every meal we had here was exquisite.  Our first dinner was at 22 Ships, a small tapas joint a few blocks from our hotel, the OZO Wesley. In spite of being a small hole-in-the-wall sort of place, it was a top-notch experience.

22 Ships

Thursday was our one full day here.  After a delicious breakfast at a local cafe, we set out to find the markets in Kowloon, and scavenger-hunt for passport photos and a Mac charger.  Since we weren't quite adjusted to the 15 hour time difference, we were up and at it at 7 AM.  Unfortunately, the markets weren't on our schedule, and didn't open until noon.  Nevertheless, we walked around, successfully completed our scavenger hunt, and wound up at H&M to buy some clothes for Bryce.  Hunger set in, and I found a Michelin-starred Dim Sum place nearby, the Ming Court. Again, the meal was awesome:

Ming Court dessert

Finally, the markets were open. By this time Sue and Laurel were tired from walking around, so Bryce and I set out to explore the Ladies Market. All the shopkeepers bring out their wares into a narrow street, and there;s tons of everything from clothing, watches, accessories, electronics and more.  The vendors were particularly keen on hawking knock-off designer watches.  Bryce found a cool car-themes jacket for a great deal, and he was thrilled.

Cruising the Ladies Market

After returning to the hotel and recharging, we went out later that night to experience the "Symphony of Lights".  This is a light show involving 40 buildings in Hong Kong, synchronized to music.  We subwayed across the harbor, found a spot to watch, and enjoyed the skyline overlooking the bay.

Hunger set in once again, and on our way back to the hotel we found a delicious Vietnamese restaurant, which was surprisingly good. The Pho dish I had was one of the best ever.