These condos are on the hill above Victoria Peak. Ken says the higher you live, the richer you are, so these owners must be very rich.
After we walk around the small Stanley Market we ride on a sampan around the harbor. The boats are called Wa Las. Wa means one rower and La means second rower. Actually, they were motorized. Ken laughs when we tell her there is a town in Washington named Walla Walla. She tells us fishing is becoming a lost art here, too. It's a good thing these boat owners can haul tourists around. The drivers have to be certified. She says the government will eventually reclaim the harbor to build low income housing. As I step onto the boat the old man's cell phone rings. It just seems out of place there.
The Jumbo Restaurant floating in the harbor.
Older condos in front of newer ones
By now a familiar scene that we have seen all over China and Hong Kong - row after row of highrise condos. A couple of nice boats moored there.
This boat is obviously in "dry dock." But families live on houseboats, which have electricity, water and pay no rent. Ken tells us she knows a 90 year old woman who has lived on them all her life. She gets off to go to the doctor, etc., but never stays anywhere else.
On the bus Ken gives us more information. Someone asks if Hong Kong has the One Child Policy. She says no, but many couples are electing to have only one child or none because life is so expensive. Most couples spend about 50% of their income on the mortgage payment and about 80% of the kids attend college and that is so expensive. Someone asks about typhoons. She said they don't worry about them and just stay inside their condos. She said they have 8 - 10 per year and there is a warning if the wind reaches more than 60 KM. She also tells us if the temperature is over 36C (97 degrees), everyone gets a day off. But the government controls the weather report, so the temperature never reaches that high!
We have all noticed that Hong Kong isn't as clean as the other 3 cities we've visited, even though we see street cleaners quite often.
She tells us that Hong Kong produces virtually nothing so everything is imported. She said the older citizens seemed more comfortable with the Chinese ruling Hong Kong, but younger people are more comfortable with British and American ways, companies, etc.
We drove past the beach where Love Is A Many Splendored Thing was filmed. The beaches have orange shark nets to keep them out. We saw those along the Mainland beaches too. She tells us that having fish on the family table is one of the ways a family shows respect to the parents. The head goes to the father to eat and the tail to the mother. The children wouldn't think of asking for those. Hmm, I'd be happy for the body!
She said they have very small refrigerators here too. Most women who don't work go to the fresh markets twice daily. Since the bird flu outbreak a few years ago they don't allow people to watch the chickens being killed.
We are driving through a tunnel through a mountain on our way to a jewelry factory. What is supposed to last 30 minutes ends up lasting about 70 and most of us just want to leave. We have seen everything they show us in several huge showrooms since we have already been to jade and pearl factories. These aren't open to the general public, only to tour groups. They know we've seen it all before. Ken was doing some paperwork inside since she must fill in for someone on another tour this afternoon and lost track of time.
Someone asks if golf is popular here. Ken says it is for the rich only and there are long waiting lists to join a club. Probably the only way anyone moves up on it is when a member dies.
She mentions families again, saying some of the children are spoiled rotten since they are only children. And many couples work long hours and have in-home Filipino domestic help. She said some of the children are more attached to them than their parents.
The bus takes us back to the hotel and we are free to do whatever we want from this afternoon (Saturday) until we leave Monday. She told us about a good Italian restaurant called Fat Angelo's that is a few blocks from the hotel so Tom and I walk there and have a wonderful New York style pizza and a green salad that tasted so good with tomatoes and an Italian dressing.
The we walk around and see a Baptist church, Outback sign, TGIF, Clark's shoe store, Bank of America. We have seen a large number of East Indians and decide that isn't so unusual since India was a British colony too. We also see several African men in full garb with hats and a lot of other black men seem to be staying at a hostel across the street from the hotel. Tom needed deodorant and we stop at a drugstore and buy an Adidas one.
We are weary of all of the hawkers along the streets. Here in Hong Kong we are constantly accosted with flyers about buying suits and silk shirts. When Tom says no they tell me I should buy them for him. Sometimes 6 or more talk to us in a block's walk. Our hotel room looks across the street to a tailor shop. Today is a national holiday, but the tailors are still working after we return from the laser light show!
We are talking about all the walking we've done on this trip - good for us! Here in Hong Kong we've had to go up or down 20-25 steps to a business or restaurant.
One of the casino boats. Gambling is illegal on land, so the casinos are in the harbor. There is a nearby island called Macau Island that is like a small Las Vegas, even having an MGM casino. The older part is Portugese architecture etc. We could take a tour of it, but have made reservations to tour Lantau Island tomorrow instead.
On the bus Ken gives us more information. Someone asks if Hong Kong has the One Child Policy. She says no, but many couples are electing to have only one child or none because life is so expensive. Most couples spend about 50% of their income on the mortgage payment and about 80% of the kids attend college and that is so expensive. Someone asks about typhoons. She said they don't worry about them and just stay inside their condos. She said they have 8 - 10 per year and there is a warning if the wind reaches more than 60 KM. She also tells us if the temperature is over 36C (97 degrees), everyone gets a day off. But the government controls the weather report, so the temperature never reaches that high!
We have all noticed that Hong Kong isn't as clean as the other 3 cities we've visited, even though we see street cleaners quite often.
She tells us that Hong Kong produces virtually nothing so everything is imported. She said the older citizens seemed more comfortable with the Chinese ruling Hong Kong, but younger people are more comfortable with British and American ways, companies, etc.
We drove past the beach where Love Is A Many Splendored Thing was filmed. The beaches have orange shark nets to keep them out. We saw those along the Mainland beaches too. She tells us that having fish on the family table is one of the ways a family shows respect to the parents. The head goes to the father to eat and the tail to the mother. The children wouldn't think of asking for those. Hmm, I'd be happy for the body!
She said they have very small refrigerators here too. Most women who don't work go to the fresh markets twice daily. Since the bird flu outbreak a few years ago they don't allow people to watch the chickens being killed.
We are driving through a tunnel through a mountain on our way to a jewelry factory. What is supposed to last 30 minutes ends up lasting about 70 and most of us just want to leave. We have seen everything they show us in several huge showrooms since we have already been to jade and pearl factories. These aren't open to the general public, only to tour groups. They know we've seen it all before. Ken was doing some paperwork inside since she must fill in for someone on another tour this afternoon and lost track of time.
Someone asks if golf is popular here. Ken says it is for the rich only and there are long waiting lists to join a club. Probably the only way anyone moves up on it is when a member dies.
She mentions families again, saying some of the children are spoiled rotten since they are only children. And many couples work long hours and have in-home Filipino domestic help. She said some of the children are more attached to them than their parents.
The bus takes us back to the hotel and we are free to do whatever we want from this afternoon (Saturday) until we leave Monday. She told us about a good Italian restaurant called Fat Angelo's that is a few blocks from the hotel so Tom and I walk there and have a wonderful New York style pizza and a green salad that tasted so good with tomatoes and an Italian dressing.
The we walk around and see a Baptist church, Outback sign, TGIF, Clark's shoe store, Bank of America. We have seen a large number of East Indians and decide that isn't so unusual since India was a British colony too. We also see several African men in full garb with hats and a lot of other black men seem to be staying at a hostel across the street from the hotel. Tom needed deodorant and we stop at a drugstore and buy an Adidas one.
We are weary of all of the hawkers along the streets. Here in Hong Kong we are constantly accosted with flyers about buying suits and silk shirts. When Tom says no they tell me I should buy them for him. Sometimes 6 or more talk to us in a block's walk. Our hotel room looks across the street to a tailor shop. Today is a national holiday, but the tailors are still working after we return from the laser light show!
We are talking about all the walking we've done on this trip - good for us! Here in Hong Kong we've had to go up or down 20-25 steps to a business or restaurant.
Our junk for the harbor evening cruise. When it docks it was really bouncing around and I am worried. But when we take off it is smooth sailing. The harbor is on the South China Sea.
This was another interesting boat in the harbor conducting harbor cruises.
View of city lights from the boat. Two financial buildings are the tallest in town - one is 88 stories and one is 118 stories. There are 6500 highrises, including condo buildings and apartments. We passed one group of condos called The Waterfront that has several 50 story buildings. People behind them complain that the buildings are blocking the cool sea air. More 50-story buildings are scheduled to be built near them.
Once we depart the boat we are just in time to sit on the harbor walk and watch the nightly laser light show. Many of the buildings' lights danced, flashed on and off etc. while it was going on. Hundreds of people were watching the light show and blue laser beams.
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