We got in very late last night after a long day traveling. I think it was about 2:30 before we got to bed. For the first time I can remember Veronica slept past 7 a.m. - in fact she slept until 11:30! That's one for the record books.
To start the day we did what is becoming a pattern - ate our largest meal of the day at midday. We needed a break from Chinese food and went to the Spagghetti House. It was terrific! From the escargot appetizer to the seafood pasta, it was great. Three huge takehome boxes were enough for dinner, too.
Dave had some work to do so the girls and I left him slaving away at the hotel while the girls and I took to the streets. We found this cute little shop. Well, that's not the right word for it. It was more of an alley, or mabey half an alley, since she had the right wall and another salesman had the left. When one of the girls started looking at the man's stuff, the shopkeeper puller her closer, saying "not same store". It makes comparison shopping a little easier. This very nice woman was selling Chinese clothes and doodads. We bought the girls and I some Chinese shirts - I think it was something like $25 for 4 of them. Later on David came back with us and bout two for himself. We will be looking stylish for Chinese New Year.
Later on we went to the Temple Street Market and walked and shopped some more. We had many, may opportunities to purchase "copy watch" or "copy handbags". None of us are aporting rolexes, though.
Prices are much better for the same things than Beijing. We came back to see the laser lights over the harbour, but missed most of it. Now we are packing up for the trainride to Guangzhou and visit to Veronica's birth city, Foshan. We'll be back in Hong Kong Thursday night.
Hong Kong is interesting. I would like to spend more time exploring and getting to know it. It is quite a contrast arriving here after being in london. You'd think a century of British rule would have more impact. The Chinese sure have better processes for immigration. At the London airport it took more than an hour and a half to get through immigration. Beijing took 10 minutes. Of course in Beijing we had to fill out another form for customs, whereas in London and Hong Kong we just marched through a "nothing to declare" line. In Hong Kong they also had someone with a thermometer checking temperatures of random passengers, in a SARS prevention effort. We weren't checked.
The girls ahve become quite the seasoned travelers. They zip through security, shedding coats and taking their laptops out cases like seasoned business travelers. Veronica is quite a sight in her healys, rolling along with her carry-on on wheels. It may become a trend - I see the longing glances of the business travelers plodding along while she glides by. You heard it here first - heelys for businessmen.
As I write this I am staring our the floor to ceiling window curbing across half the walls of our hotel room. The lights of the skyscarpaers of still twinkling. Across the harbor there are even more lights, many of the building with colors and patterns, plus lights of the boats still crosing the harbor. It is midnight. The streets below are still busy with cars and people and quite a few businesses are open.
I understand that most of the stores in Wellington close a 6 p.m. That will be a change after Hong Kong.
