HK: Train, Random Photos

Train from HK to BJ

On our way back from Hong Kong we decided to try out the train. The journey totaled 24 hours and went over night.  Our soft sleeper tickets were nice and we had a western toilet :) We shared our room with a mother and daughter.

Train from HK to BJ

LS sleeping on the train

Bunk Beds and Kettle for Tea

View from Train

We took the train instead of a plane so we could see other parts of China, but the smog was so bad that we could barely see anything. I can't believe parts of China have worse smog than BJ.

Narrow Hallway on Train

Reading Paper in Dining Car

Random Photos:

Cramped Street in HK

HK Skyline during Symphony of Lights

A Symphony of Lights (幻彩詠香江) is a synchronised building exterior decorative light and laser multimedia display, featuring 44 buildings on both sides of the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong accompanied by music. The technology was developed by Australian firm Laservision and cost approximately 44 million HK dollars. It has attracted over 4 million visitors and locals so far, and is held every night for ten minutes.

HK Trolly (extra narrow)

Streets and alleys

HK: Horse Races, Peak Tram, Temple Street Night Market

Happy Valley Horse Races

Unusual race course located in the center of the city. This is a great places for after work drinks on a Wednesday night for many expats and you may even win some money :) 

The crowd

LS's winning horse ( HK$180)

The race is on

Chairman Z and LS

The Peak Tram up Victoria Peak
The history of the peak tram is not that exciting but we did find out that after its opening to 1926 the Peak Tram was divided into three classes: First Class: British colonial officials and residents of Victoria Peak; Second Class: British military and the Hong Kong Police Force personnel; Third Class: Other people and animals. So colonial.......................

G and Miss T gazing over HK

Howling winds and crazy hair

View over the city

Kuài zi Lessons

Miss T and G's insturctions on alternative uses of chopsticks (kuài zi).

Our wedding photo...he he

Bubba Gump

Temple Street Night Market
Our evening at the night market was great. The food was delicious and the cheap house wine was not too bad. Miss T and JDK mutilated a pigeon eating its head. JDK went even further to eat the brain and then spent the rest of the evening stressing about the diseases he could have got from eating the brain :)

Bustling night market

Delicious treats on the menu

One of our many discussions that night

The night also involved some heated discussions about the state of the environment and over population. A compromise was not reached and we all walked away with our original position.

HK: Ladies Night Out, Maclehose Trail

Night out

The night life in Hong Kong was fun and the roof top bars gave great panoramas of the city.

Chariman Z, LS, Miss T & G

disinterested, self absorption with a hint of vanity

Wine and Cheese Evening

The Ladies and the Eunuch

Maclehose Trail Section 1-3
Despite the rainy weather Chairman Z insisted we head off on a hike. There was some reluctance at first because of a forecasted level 3 monsoon. Once out there we enjoy the fresh air and great views and thankfully little rain.

JUMP 

The hikers

the view

GRRRR, the delayed jumpers

The pink fairy 

HK: Lantau Island and Big Buddha

Lantau Island and the Big Buddha

Lantua Island is the largest of the Hong Kong islands and home of the Po Lin Monastery and its 26m (85ft) high bronze Buddha. It also has stunning hiking trails and ancient fishing villages on stilts. In years gone by Lantau was a base for pirates and smugglers in the 19th Century. 

Our ferry ride 

G and JDK at the entrance

A glimpse of the big buddha with protectorate generals

JDK and I have a zen moment with our free ice creams

The Buddha was huge and had a swastika on his chest, which is a Buddhist symbol for the four virtues.

Buddha in the landscape

Hiking to Tai O
After out Buddha visit we decided to hike one of the many trails on the island. This particular trail took us from Sham Wat Wan to Tai O. A cab driver dropped us off in the village where we bought a few beers by engaging in some sign language with the locals and then headed for the trail.

JDK and bananas

The hiking trail

Tai O fishing village

Local village residence

The slough

Stir fry snails

BBQ oysters for lunch

Dried calamari, grilled and served

The abacus

Drying fish

Yummy......

HK: Food

Here are few pictures I took in a food market in Hong Kong.

Crab in Tank

Eels for Dinner?

Descaling and Cleaning Fish

Frogs for Sale

Cleaning Fish