Start of day 2 in Hong Kong and it's a pity that it's the last day here - Everything is so clean, the people are very friendly and there are no hawkers/con artists every few metres just waiting to hassle you which is a vast contrast to Beijing and Shanghai last year. I'm sure the hawkers/con artists are lurking and we did encounter a few yesterday on the way down to the harbour but they are far less intrusive and much easier to spot since they all seem to be Indian so far!
We've had no set plans for the time here so we decided to wander down to the Star Ferry terminal on the harbour and head over to Hong Kong Island - about a 3k walk from the hotel through Mongkok, Kowloon and Tsim Sha Tsui. We had to make a pitstop at Carnarvon Road in Tsim Sha Tsui so I could buy a new camera since mine died in transit ! Digital camera shops are everywhere here but I had read some dire warnings about the goings on in these places so there was some pretty extensive research on Tuesday night to work out the safest local place would be .... very happy with the purchase though - a Sony Cyber-shot W200 which sells for $700 at home but I got it here for about 450 including a spare battery. Still could have done without having to spend that much unexpectedly on the first day !!!!
Anyway, the highlights of the day were -
1/ The Peak on HK Island -the tram ride up was incredible, it's so steep it feels like you are on a roller coaster heading up to the top for the big ride down ( coming down in the tram you sit facing backwards because facing forwards would see you sliding off the seat and rolling down the aisle of the tram ! The view from the top is breathtaking - pity about the smog but hey ! it's China. We has lunch at Bubba Gump's House of Shrimp - terribly terribly kitch Forrest Gump themed restaurant - signs on the table saying 'Run Forrest Run' and 'Stop Forrest Stop' - when you are ready to order you turn the sign to the 'Stop' side ..... after the waitress had taken the order I thanked her and she stood there for a minute and said "Can I run now?" huh ??? then it registered and I turned the sign back to 'Run Forrest Run' and off she went :-\
2/ The Symphony of Light on HK harbour - Asians love their light up buildings and this show takes it to the n'th degree - cheesy but on a clear night, looking across the harbour at the buildings and lasers etc was spectacular.
Today is a trip to Stanley Markets and Repulse Bay and possibly dinner tonight at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant at Aberdeen. A 4:30am start tomorrow to get to the airport and it's Paris here we come :-D
We've had no set plans for the time here so we decided to wander down to the Star Ferry terminal on the harbour and head over to Hong Kong Island - about a 3k walk from the hotel through Mongkok, Kowloon and Tsim Sha Tsui. We had to make a pitstop at Carnarvon Road in Tsim Sha Tsui so I could buy a new camera since mine died in transit ! Digital camera shops are everywhere here but I had read some dire warnings about the goings on in these places so there was some pretty extensive research on Tuesday night to work out the safest local place would be .... very happy with the purchase though - a Sony Cyber-shot W200 which sells for $700 at home but I got it here for about 450 including a spare battery. Still could have done without having to spend that much unexpectedly on the first day !!!!
Anyway, the highlights of the day were -
1/ The Peak on HK Island -the tram ride up was incredible, it's so steep it feels like you are on a roller coaster heading up to the top for the big ride down ( coming down in the tram you sit facing backwards because facing forwards would see you sliding off the seat and rolling down the aisle of the tram ! The view from the top is breathtaking - pity about the smog but hey ! it's China. We has lunch at Bubba Gump's House of Shrimp - terribly terribly kitch Forrest Gump themed restaurant - signs on the table saying 'Run Forrest Run' and 'Stop Forrest Stop' - when you are ready to order you turn the sign to the 'Stop' side ..... after the waitress had taken the order I thanked her and she stood there for a minute and said "Can I run now?" huh ??? then it registered and I turned the sign back to 'Run Forrest Run' and off she went :-\
2/ The Symphony of Light on HK harbour - Asians love their light up buildings and this show takes it to the n'th degree - cheesy but on a clear night, looking across the harbour at the buildings and lasers etc was spectacular.
Today is a trip to Stanley Markets and Repulse Bay and possibly dinner tonight at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant at Aberdeen. A 4:30am start tomorrow to get to the airport and it's Paris here we come :-D
A friend of MBB's we met at the Avenue of Stars
View from the hotel room
The streets of Mong Kok
Not much must happen in this park
??????
Never a truer word spoken
Fun at Bubba's
View from The Peak
Peak Tram heading down
Us at Symphony of Light
Symphony of Light ..... without us
4 comments:
Is that a ping-pong bat menu in M's hand?
Yes it is - if I recall correctly, Forrest Gump was a ping pong player at one point in the movie ??? In M's hand is a drinks menu .... EVERYTHING in the place relates to Forrest in one way or the other.
I knew he played ping pong, I just can't believe they've decided to use one as a menu.
Although I really shouldn't be surprised!
great to read about your adventures, can't wait for more.
thanks for taking us along for the ride
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