Hong Kong

  Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Sunday, May 20, 2007

444 Days Until Olympics Start

Four days abroad; some 450 left to go.  I've found Hong Kong surprising.  Surprisingly clean, amazingly reliable, efficient, and courteous, and a surprising amount of good hiking.  It's also rained everyday I've been here.  Yesterday was by far the best day for me in Hong Kong. In the afternoon, I went to Lantau Island, checked out Giant Buddha, and decided at 4 something (I forgot to bring a watch) to hike (despite rain and no visibility) to the top of Lantau Peak.

Run When Giant Buddha Says Hottie

  It felt great to be hiking again and be out of cities.  Though I had no view when I got to the top, I enjoyed the solitude I found being the only one on the trail yet really just minutes from a major tourist attraction.  Dusk encroached as I returned. Big Buddha had closed, all the tourist had left, and I and half a dozen dogs had the entire Po Lin Monestary to myself.  As it grew dark an hour later, I wondered if I might be spending the night.  Luckily the last bus finally showed up around 7 and I was back in Hong Kong around 9:30. 

Fog atop Lantau Peak

Today turned out to not be the best, though really nothing that bad.  Already it seems funny.  After a stop at a travel agent to try and arrange a flight to Mongolia, I set out to take the ferry to Macau.  Despite practically walking right next to the obvious, busy, huge, well-signed ferry building, I somehow went the complete opposite direction, got lost, and a mammoth torrential downpour attacked me.  The wind disintegrated my stolen umbrella (umbrella number 2...the first--which I borrowed from the hostel--got taken at a night club) and I became drenched in seconds.  After about crying realizing had I walked a kilometer in a torrential downpour with no umbrella, only to realize I need to go back that same kilometer plus another, I hail a taxi to the terminal, buy a ferry ticket, which was way too expensive, and start to head on board.  Then, already past the ticket collection, it dawns on me that Macau is a separate administrative region with its own visa control and my passport is across the harbour at immigration awaiting a Chinese visa.  Whoops.  Time for plan B.  So instead I catch a bus to the beaches south of Hong Kong.  As soon as I disembark I realize I've left the disintegrated umbrella #2 on the bus.  Whoops.  Time for umbrella #3...which was cheap...and already sucks.  (I sense umbrella 4 joining me soon).  I start walking around the touristy beach town and out of nowhere a massive blister has developed on my right heal.  I can hardly walk.  To top it off, once I finally hobble to the temple above Stanley Beach, to the amusement of a woman standing at the bottom of the stairs, I slip on the wet stairs and fall flat on my ass.  Classic.  Luckily it ended there.  After a brief stop at a second beach called Repulse Bay, I've holed up in my hostel where I can limit my harm to myself.  Four days, three umbrellas, and already my Lonely Planet China book looks as if it's been lying in a cave since the Jurassic era.

Ruminations

I suck at chopsticks.  I have improved tremendously already.  But there is much room for growth.  Stay tuned.

Everyone says Hong Kong is expensive.  What they mean is, beer at the bars is expensive.  Everything else seems reasonable.  I figure now that's what it means when people talk about the cost of living.  They mean, how much does the bar charge for beer.

Hong Kong Skyline Light Show

Sunday night, after wandering around beautiful temples and parks north of Hong Kong, I headed up to the Sky Lounge atop the Hong Kong Sheraton for a beer and to check out the view.  At first they seated me one aisle back from the windows.  As everyone else was a couple, I didn't mind.  When the couple in front of me left, they asked if I'd like to move to the window.  Of course, I said.  As soon as I sat down, to my amazement, a light show began involving lasers, search lights, and LED lights from most of the major skyscrapers of the Hong Kong skyline.  The lights danced to the music playing right there in the Skyline Bar. I was blown away.  I had no idea that was going to happen.  That it started as soon as I sat down really blew me away. 

What does this mean?

I saw this warning sign.  I have no idea what it means. 

A few more days in Hong Kong awaiting Russian and Chinese visas, and I'm off to Mongolia.

Cheers,

Jeff

(Be sure to see alll the photos...there's more above the entry)