Day-20: Arrival - Hong Kong

Day-20: Friday, February 21, 2014

Beginning Location: South China Sea
Final Location: Hong Kong

Our day had begun around 0630 when I awoke for photo ops of the port entry to Hong Kong. We again had the standard fruit plate fare for breakfast as the ship glided through the morning haze but soon the city skyline appeared and by 0800 we were tied up to the Kowloon Ocean Terminal quay.

Mighty close by the stern!





Our plans for the morning were basic, a tour highlighting the key tourist stops in Hong Kong. We traveled from Kowloon to Hong Kong Island through the "mid-town tunnel" one of three spanning the inner harbor.

The Penninsula Hotel

Famous 7-Eleven & Pizza Hut

For starters we traveled to Repulse Bay, a popular beach area also know as "Excuse Me Beach" named such because during summer weather there are so many people that you're constantly saying "excuse me" as you cross the beach. The area is loaded with mega-million dollar homes and condos for those with a little less. The guide's example was for his home of 500 sqft, smaller than our shipboard room. His house had two bedrooms, a bath, a kitchen and living area in the 500 sqft. priced at a mere $4,000/month plus tax, utilities, etc.

At Repulse Bay we walked through a temple of sorts. A park area loaded with statuary, very colorful and with interesting myths, legends and or superstitions.

• Cross red bridge = Add 3 days to life (crossed several times)
• Rub belly of statuette = Have baby (not this age group)
• Touch statuette, put hand in pocket = Expect riches (we'll see)

Hong Kong ATV
It's A "Deere"

Our next stop was in the Aberdeen Harbor area where we boarded sampans for a 20-minute ride. It's the new age, sampans no longer use oars and sails, only motors now. The tour took us through the local waterway, home to a residential area on water with boats of all sizes and design, some new, some old, some little, some big, etc. Amongst the boats were a fair number of private powerboats of the 60+ foot variety; must be where the money hides.

 

"Largest Floating Restaurant
In The World?"

Our Sampan Captain

Sampan "Main Control"

Not a Sampan

James Bond Boat?

Our next stop was Victoria Peak for Starbucks, the view of the city, a dish of Haagen Daz ice cream and the funicular ride down the mountain. It was a good stop, an iconic ride and a check-off of a Hong Kong must-do.

Last but not least we had the market stop, this time at a "very special" silver, gem stone and jewelry factory and store. The coffee was good the demo on jewelry making okay and the retail blitz typical of the tour trade.

So far we've seen a multitude of fabric shops, gem and jewelry shops but not a single fly-fishing "fly" shop. I thought they made flies over here, must not be one of Hong Kong's major sources of revenue; maybe we'll seed such a shop on the mainland next week.

We returned to the ship around 1400, had lunch and rested our weary soles for a few hours.

After drinks in the Martini Bar we watched the Hong Kong 8 PM light show. The show is sponsored by the major companies and the local government and uses video, lasers and other interactive lighting on the high-rise buildings to decorative the skyline of the city.


Following the light show we had dinner in the Grand Dining Room, the Salmon with tomato bernaise sauce was excellent, Sheila had the Cracker Barrel Special, turkey dinner with all the fixins'.

As this was the last night of the Singapore to Hong Kong cruise segment, we spent time saying our good byes to new-found friends who would be disembarking tomorrow. Of the 600 or so passengers only about 150 are going on to Beijing but we'll pick up new folks tomorrow.

My final comment for the day was derived from this picture of three restaurant staffers all three smoking and all three using their smart phones. MUST BUY MORE APPLE & PHILIP MORRIS!