Day 8: Hong Kong Proper

China has very strict rules for park behavior..

A full day in Hong Kong means nonstop action. Today was such a day. We started things off by walking through Wan Chai and grabbing a kabob lunch (totally Asian, right?) We trekked on to Hong Kong Park, a neat sanctuary in the city with fountains, memorials, a conservatory, and a sweet bird observatory. The bird observatory was a highlight. 30 foot raised walkways literally give you a bird`s-eye-view of all the action. Yes, we saw mating. And no, it wasn`t Joe trying to pick up Asian girls on a field trip. The birds fly all around, with little disregard for walking tourists. A few close calls made me think of nearly hitting birds while driving on the highway, but this time I was clearly not in the drivers` seat.

It was hot, so Kevin adopted a...flamboyant pant roll.




Up next, we took the Tram up to the top of Hong Kong, the best view in the city of the entire skyline and the light show after sunset. It`s wild to see the green of the hillsides adjacent to the pulsing metropolis. I love the skyline; it is arguably the most beautiful in the world. Seeing pictures of the area before urbanization is equally beautiful. Same same, but different. Either way, the Peak Tram is a must in Hong Kong, although the light show was admittedly anticlimactic from this vantage point. I suggest a ferry in the bay, if that`s what you`re looking for.





And that was next up for us...we met Mrs. Green at the base of the Tram, and headed on a ferry to Kowloon and the famous Temple Street Night Market.


Nearly starved, we had a delicious Chinese dinner and headed to the land of trinkets and junk! Well, not all junk. Mrs. Green found some inexpensive Rolex watches, Joe got a fedora (bi-curious?), and the guys bought traditional Asian silk shirts for gambling in Macau. To be a baller, you must look like a baller.

After a beer and some close ups with live eel, fish, and several animals that somewhat resembled crabs, we headed back to our slum. They`re practically giving away 5-star ratings these days! Rubbish!