HONG KONG—IMPRESSIONS PART 2 (3/12/12)

∙ WHAT WE DID/SAW/EXPERIENCED
          ∙ We were so exhausted from yesterday’s long day that we slept in and skipped our HAL tour of Lantau and the Big Buddha.
          ∙ We finally left the ship at about 11 a.m. and went on an “expedition” under the City of Hong Kong – a network of long hallways packed with people, hurrying here or there.  The walkways lead to other walkways, again leading to more walkways.  It goes on and on, for blocks.  HK’s transportation network, above and below ground, is sheer genius, borne out of necessity and ingenuity.
          ∙ We took our first subway ride ever, out to Lantau on our quest to see the Big Buddha.  It costs $300HK to get there by cab, and only $32HK (about $4US) by subway.  It’s fast, smooth, clean and well aerated.  Hoards of people enter and exit seamlessly.
          ∙ Upon arrival to the Tung Chung station at Lantau (where the cable car takes people to the Buddha), we had a great lunch at an Italian restaurant.  I had spaghetti, and Bill had pizza.  They were both great. Hong Kong is so large that they have a bit of everything, like America. They also have the same fast food restaurants that we’re used to in the States.
          ∙ Wouldn’t you know it, the cable car was under repair and not operating (which I already knew), but the bus takes 45 minutes each way from the Tung Chung station (which came as a surprise).  We simply didn’t have enough time to get up there, see the Buddha and get back in time to make the 4 p.m. deadline to return to the ship.  So we got back on the subway and returned to Kowloon.
          ∙ Not to be defeated, I invented a new “quest” – if I couldn’t see the Buddha, I was determined to see the Bruce Lee statue at their “Avenue of the Stars”.  After walking through the labyrinth of underground walkways, we finally found our way “outside”.  Yoo-hoo!  But it was the wrong one.  Back down, across the street, the moles poke their heads out again and – hurray, the right one!  I found Bruce!!!
          ∙ We attended the sail-away party with Mel, Pat, Sam, Sally, Bonnie and Woodlyn up in the Crow’s Nest Bar, a good time for all!

∙ THOUGHTS/IMPRESSIONS
          ∙ Any day that begins by sleeping in is a good one!  The subway was an interesting cultural experience, in itself!  Aside from the physical and language differences, and the diet, the people of Hong Kong are strikingly similar to Americans.  They play on their mobile devices all the time; they love to shop (based on the number of shopping centers everywhere); they love their kids and families; they cherish their civil rights and freedoms; and they carry on their regular lives much like we do back home.
          ∙ Next up:  Nha Trang, Vietnam . . .

FAREWELL HONG KONG . . .

 

ANCIENT CHINESE PROVERB?