Hong Kong
Yesterday we went for a pleasant morning walk around Macau. We visited a Buddist temple dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy. Afterwards we went to a pretty park took a cable car ride to the top of a huge hill. The park at the top had the oldest lighthouse in China and a well preserved fort with great views of the city. There were tons of people exercising and I found it interesting that the park had a communal outdoor gym. The gym machines were pretty basic and used your own body weight for resistence.
Another funny thing is that they have dog W.C.'s. There are special little enclosed areas designed for dogs to do their business. The dogs are very well trained! I even saw a dog picking up litter.
In the afternoon we took a 75 minute ferry ride to Hong Kong. We are staying near the famous Temple Street night market in Kowloon.
There is a large amount of East Indian guys on the street hassling tourists to buy fake Rolex watches. As you walk by they shove their wrist in you face and yell at you to buy. It is quite annoying. I DO NOT WANT A ROLEX!
We had to stop at a corner for me to check my map. As I was doing so, a crowd of Rolex watch guys and ladies trying to give out foot massage coupons crowded Daryl. I wasn't paying attention but poor Daryl was almost smothered by the crew!
We went to Man Mo Temple which is dedicated to both the God of War and the God of Literature. My guide book said policeman and Triad members frequently come here to pay their respects. I didn't see any suspicious mafia-looking characters but the place was so smoky with incense I could hardly see.
In the evening we took the famous tram up to Victoria Peak. The tram is currently celebrating 120 years of operation. The ride was quite steep and I was glad I was not walking up! At the top we had a great view of the Hong Kong night skyline and ate dinner at a very touristy restuarant.
On the way back to hotel we checked out the night market. I picked up "The Reader" and the new James Bond DVD for $2.
On Hong Kong Island you can not simply walk around on the street to get from point A to point B. You have to take underground walkways or skywalks to cross some of the major roads. It can be confusing and quite frustrating when you are trying to follow a map.
I would estimate we walked four to five hours in total today. I find it less hassle to walk places than to figure out the local buses. Plus I get to absorb more of the city.
Today we are going to visit Ocean Park.
Another funny thing is that they have dog W.C.'s. There are special little enclosed areas designed for dogs to do their business. The dogs are very well trained! I even saw a dog picking up litter.
In the afternoon we took a 75 minute ferry ride to Hong Kong. We are staying near the famous Temple Street night market in Kowloon.
There is a large amount of East Indian guys on the street hassling tourists to buy fake Rolex watches. As you walk by they shove their wrist in you face and yell at you to buy. It is quite annoying. I DO NOT WANT A ROLEX!
We had to stop at a corner for me to check my map. As I was doing so, a crowd of Rolex watch guys and ladies trying to give out foot massage coupons crowded Daryl. I wasn't paying attention but poor Daryl was almost smothered by the crew!
We went to Man Mo Temple which is dedicated to both the God of War and the God of Literature. My guide book said policeman and Triad members frequently come here to pay their respects. I didn't see any suspicious mafia-looking characters but the place was so smoky with incense I could hardly see.
In the evening we took the famous tram up to Victoria Peak. The tram is currently celebrating 120 years of operation. The ride was quite steep and I was glad I was not walking up! At the top we had a great view of the Hong Kong night skyline and ate dinner at a very touristy restuarant.
On the way back to hotel we checked out the night market. I picked up "The Reader" and the new James Bond DVD for $2.
On Hong Kong Island you can not simply walk around on the street to get from point A to point B. You have to take underground walkways or skywalks to cross some of the major roads. It can be confusing and quite frustrating when you are trying to follow a map.
I would estimate we walked four to five hours in total today. I find it less hassle to walk places than to figure out the local buses. Plus I get to absorb more of the city.
Today we are going to visit Ocean Park.