China

Wai (on left) taking me to meet some of his friends - a British-Chinese guy and his wife.
We are standing outside a centuries-old gated community.


w/ Wai, in front of Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree

outside of Tin Hau Temple

 

It took me three times for this object on a string to actually get stuck in the tree, which was the point. I guess I was destined to have a few years of bad luck for this.

relaxing on a bridge

apartment complex where Wai and Dorothy live

One of my favorite malls in Hong Kong.  The food court was excellent.  I found good coffee shops (w/ free internet) there.  It was also a place where I saw movies!

My flight arrived in Hong Kong and I easily took a bus into the city and put money down for a room at the Causeway Bay Guesthouse.  It was tiny, but was in the center of the action.  Once I got off the bus from the airport, a nice middle-aged lady walked up with a folder in her hand, and she showed me pictures and brochures of a guesthouse.  I said, "Ok."  And she got me on right bus, and I didn't really have to struggle at all.

I had seen Hong Kong in movies such as Enter the Dragon, starring Bruce Lee.   I was expecting a thriving metropolis, and that’s what I found.  However, the beauty of the Hong Kong skyline is a sight to behold, and is arguably the best in the world.  The city has everything.   The food is incredible and the shopping is first-rate.  One of my best dining experiences was at a Mongolian barbecue buffet.  I did a few touristy things, but mainly was content with walking around, jumping on ferries, and people-watching.   Also, whenever I found a coffee shop with free Internet usage, I took advantage of it.  one of my favorite coffee shop chains was Pacific Coffee.

To show how some of my travel experiences linked together unpredictably and memorably, a Hong Kong Chinese named Wai, who took my photo in front of an ancient temple in Matsushima (Japan), later met me in his home city, Hong Kong.  He gave me a fascinating day tour, and later introduced me to dim sum and the fine art of properly using chopsticks.

Two movies I saw "on the big screen" in Hong Kong:  Cider House Rules and The Insider.  I went to see Cider House Rules with a local lady - a Filipino who was working in Hong Kong.  The Insider still remains one of my favorite movies of all time.

I also got a half-day tour of Hong Kong after meeting a Korean lady and her friend, a mainland Chinese lady who worked in one of the office towers.  They were both young and pretty, and they happened to sit next to me at a food court in Pacific Place mall.  We then struck up a conversation.  The Korean lady, after lunch, showed me a bit around Hong Kong.  We rode the outdoor elevators, and went into some shops.  We stopped off at Shanghai Tang, a high-end fashion clothing store where I bought something that was on sale.  Then, we ended up having dinner.  I was fortunate to meet her.  She showed me what life would be like for an expat living in Hong Kong!