More of Hong Kong

Trip Start Jul 28, 2006
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Trip End Ongoing


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Flag of Hong Kong  ,
Wednesday, August 9, 2006

The typhoon signal has been hoisted in Hong Kong-so far it is only a level one which means to be on the alert but you can definitely tell the difference in the weather. It is literally like a sauna outside. We understand there are three typhoons in the area and one is headed toward Hong Kong. I will continue to monitor the weather but all of the locals have assured me that it is not a threat to the city proper.
This country is a shopping maniac's dream comes true. I usually spend little time shopping and know ahead of time what item I might want to buy but I confess I have been caught up in the frenzy. I spent the day combing the tiny warrens of the Chinese shopping arcades that the locals shop. I found some amazing art and a few other things. Matt is sick so he is spending the day at the hotel. We eat dinner at an Italian restaurant and Matt is not in a good mood. We had intended to go to the night markets but it is just too hot. Instead I had found a boutique called Charcoal that had the cutest and very unusual fashions. I take Matt there, as he wants to buy some clothes for Leslie. Two hours and $300 later we have bought her an entire new wardrobe. But they are on the cutting edge of the fashions available and would cost much, much more in the states.

It is the following day and I only thought it was hot yesterday. The air now resembles the inside of a sauna. Apparently the typhoon has developed into a major storm but is expected to hit landfall between Hong Kong and Shanghai. Matt continues to fight a cold and suffers from a scratchy throat so I head over to Hong Kong Island on my own. The subway system here is so efficient and clean it is a pleasure to travel. I tour the Center which is a huge chrome looking office center, have my chop (my name in Chinese and English to use like a stamp) made, visit Man Mo Temple, stroll down Hollywood Street which is the antique district but have the most fun visiting the street known as "Cat Street" because it was the area where former cat burglars would fence there goods. There old men and women lay their wares out on a cloth on the ground and much bargaining and debate occurs before a purchase is finalized. I find an antique puppet, some posters of the Shanghai girls from WWII and some "antique children's slippers". I am pretty sure the puppet is genuine and the slippers aren't but I like it all. I spend the lunch hour in the Soho district, which I reach via the world's largest outside covered escalator. The system links several areas of the Hong Kong area hundreds of feet in the air. You can watch the shoppers on the street and peer into top floor apartments as you ride. I have a most amazing lunch at a French café. The salad dressed with rosemary vinaigrette and filled with roasted chicken was followed by filet of sole in sauce served with polenta cake and green beans. It set me back all of $11. Later Matt and I celebrate our time in Hong Kong with a fancy dinner at Dynasty, but I am disappointed. While elegant, the food isn't nearly as good as the Chinese we had the other night.
Tomorrow we leave Hong Kong and there is so much more I wanted to see and do. I would highly recommend a week or 10 days in this amazing city.
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