We arrive in Hong Kong very late in the evening at the door of Tim's cousin, Malcolm and his family, who have kindly and generously offered us a place to stay in their fabulous home. Despite the hour Malcolm cheerily greets us at the door and offers up a cup of tea. Many thanks Malcolm, Mary and kiddies for treating us so well and showing us such a good time. We are still humming 'Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend' (or Sandi is at least). Keep going with the trumpet Calum!
We begin sightseeing with a bargain-hunting trip to the Stanley Market and a wander along the waterfront. Seeking fresh breezes and an easy stroll, we board the Peak Tram for a circuit of Victoria Peak and spectacular views of the city skyline—undoubtedly one of the finest in the world.
At Tsim Sha Tsui we hop on the Star Ferry to the area of Kowloon, facing the sparkling high-rises of Hong Kong Island for a walk along the promenade and a sunset sharpener in the lounge of the Intercontinental Hotel, the perfect spot to watch the nightly sound and light show involving 20 buildings on Hong Kong Island. Sandi proudly shows off her new $13 Hermes belt! Is it real or isn't it?
Tim calls up one of his mates from school who he hasn't seen in 35 years. Rob, who has lived in Hong Kong for 25 years, invites us to stay for a few days and in true Shirburnian style, treats us to his good company as well as some of the best eating establishments the city has to offer. Upon his good recommendation we visited Lamma Island to seek out the local specialty—pigeon cooked to your liking. We felt we were being watched by our choice of this baked variety. Thank you for everything Rob!
Chinese opera isn't the easiest form of entertainment but is certainly colourful.
The fortresses, churches and food of former colonial Portuguese masters present a uniquely Mediterranean style on the China coast on the island of Macau—intermixed with cobblestone alleys, temples and shrines and a self-styled Las Vegas of the East. The ruins of the church of St. Paul's (above) are the most famous sight in Macau. The facade and stairway are all that remain of this early 17th century Jesuit church.
We hike up the hill to the museum in Monte Fort. Monte Fort, built by the Jesuits between 1617 and 1626, survived a two-year siege but the cannons were fired only once during the aborted attempt by the Dutch to invade Macau in 1622. From the top of Monte Fort we aim the camera at the Casino Grand Lisboa.
O solo mio. You can't be alone at the Venetian Hotel in Macau as it's the world's biggest casino—bigger than anything else in Las Vegas, large enough to hold ninety Boeing 747 jumbo jets. Needing to save dollars for our jumbo jet flight to Tokyo, Japan we fight off the urge to gamble but welcome the urge to have a couple of beers with complimentary nuts.
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