News Alert!! As we were leaving Hong Kong, we heard the ships horn blare and then the ship made some rumbling sounds and started to turn, but away from the channel out. For a while I thought Medical Emergency! We are headed back to port. Then we saw police boats headed our way. The Captain came on the loud speaker and announced the ship has dropped anchor and we are going to be here a while. Well, Captn' Dag says "I DID NOT Hit That Ferry" and some people are saying otherwise. It has been 3 hours and we are at a stand still as photos are being taked and a report is being filed..... One cruiser noted in jest...What would we do if they took Captn' Dag off the ship in handcuffs?" So How was Hong Kong, you ask?
More details later. This is all the excitement I can stand right now!
We have had 2 full days of great weather here in Hong Kong. During our time here we have had a few tours and have ventured out on our own. Our first day we had lunch at the luxurious Peninsula Hotel, Spring Moon. At night we had a night tour of Hong Kong which included a cable car ride up to The Peak Tower. The view was every bit as nice as the view we get in Chicago...:) Our second day we headed out of the city to experience Lantau Island. On this tour we saw two uniquely built bridges: Tsing Ma Bridge (double decker/2 railways/dual triple lane car expressway/cable stayed) and Ting Kau Bridge (suspension). Landscaped to perfection, even the center posts holding up the bridge had trees. We then ventured on to Lantau Island where we had to change buses, as the only vehicles allowed on this island must be licensed by Lantau. We were taken to an old but still bussling fishing village built on stilts. From there we headed on to see the huge Tian Tan Buddha built on the top of a mountain and had lunch at the Po Lin Monastery. You will be happy to hear it was a VEGAN lunch. Too much Tofu, said I. I thought of Meghan..:) We sat a while and people watched as they burned incense and prayed to the Buddha. From here we drove to a little touristy town called Ngong Ping where I took a great picture of a baby cow feeling very comfortable wandering the center streets. Finally, we took a 25 minute cable car ride down the mountain. Lantau Island is green and lush. I can see why it is a haven for the millions living in Hong Kong. It is a great get away if you want to feel the fresh air and get a taste of the country. Since we were missing the good ol USA, we dined at the InterContinental Hotel , Steak House and Wine Bar, and stayed on to have the best view in Hong Kong of their nightly laser and light show. I had a seven dragon drink...yum. The show was 'nice' with the skyscrapers showing off their dazzling lights and lasers being beamed from one building to another.....but if pressed, Chicago has them beat with the fireworks. :)
Our last day we spent on our own. I did some laundry then we headed out to Harbour City. It is probably a GOOD thing I did not realize where we were docked until the last day. Here I am.... the largest shopping mall in Hong Kong....2 million square feet..over 700 stores...2 cinemas,,,,,and I missed this? Geez. Well, if I had a million dollars and knew all of your sizes, I could have done some serious damage. It was four stories and just went on and on forever. We walked the whole mall and marveled at the luxurious high end stuff we saw. It may seem I am bathroom crazy but in this mall, when you use the rest room there is a lady in there who wipes the sink when you are done and hands you a towel...keeps it tidy in there....just like at WaterTower, right?
I tell you, I was humbled by what we saw and experienced in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Shanghai. I love the USA and living there, but these cities have left us in the dust with all that they have accomplished for its citizens in these cities. The roads are like new and all landscaped. The cities are clean, they prosecute those graffiti guys. Everything I saw- everywhere I went, were millions of people out and about enjoying life and working to make it a better place. Prices are HIGH, yet the malls and restaurants were filled. I wonder were we in the US have gone so wrong to no longer be the ones the world looks up to. It feels to me, we are spiraling downward compared to these 3 cities, from what I have seen. I don't know their issues and problems. The good thing we all share.....are the beautiful babies. We all share in our love and care for them from what I see....
On our last day here, the weather turned grey and misty. We no longer could see the skylines. A few minutes after we headed out toward the sea, we grazed a ferry boat... On a happy note, it only delayed us 4 hours. We didn't sink it! I think they probably tried to outrun us. I ask you, if you were a tiny ferry in the bay would you try to out run a huge cruise ship? Point Made.
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