Hong Kong (historical), Hong Kong
22° 16' N 114° 9' E
Jan 17, 2005 08:39
Distance 2040km

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Hong Kong islands - aka Meet Gwenda's relatives!!

Text written in: English

We arrived around midday after a short flight from Beijing to Hong Kong. We were sad to leave and wished we had planned more time to stay and also did more travelling to Xian and Shanghai but at least that gave us an excuse to come back on another trip. We were met at the airport by Kelvin who is my aunt's son. She had very kindly allowed me and Stef to stay at her flat in Tuen Wan. Luckily I recognised Kelvin and he spotted us as well as it has been 16 years since I last saw him!! It turned out there was a bus straight from the airport to Tuen Wan and took only 45 minutes so we grabbed that bus. The weather was considerably warmer than in Beijing not surprisingly!!

The flat was great - it was in one of those huge high rise buildings, very modern and very safe. Stef was the only white face in the entire place although he did not get stared at as much as he did when we were in Beijing which was a relief to him. We spent the rest of the week here eating, eating, eating, sight seeing, eating, meeting family members, eating, shopping and oh did I mention eating?? My relatives took us to a steamboat meal which involves a bowl of soup or two in the middle of the table, heated underneath by gas burners, and then loads of fresh food being brought to the table and everyone dipping the food into the soup to be cooked. It was Stef's first experience of steamboat and he loved it as did I. He did however get slightly interrogated by my relatives - however I think he passed the test especially when he managed to speak some Cantonese to them which I think they were impressed by - phew those Cantonese books came in useful!!

We managed to visit some of the little islands such as Lantau and Lamma, and checked out most of the usual touristy areas such as Victoria Peak. Hong Kong now is definitely different from the Hong Kong I visited 16 years ago and I much prefer it now, especially the public loos which do not smell anymore!! The visit itself was too short and I think more regular visits will have to be made in the future!!

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Photos / videos of "Hong Kong islands - aka Meet Gwenda's relatives!!":

Gwenda, Heidy and Kelvin at Ocean Park At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island The statue of Buddha on Lantau Island Gwenda and Kelvin at Ocean Park At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island Statue of Buddha in Lantua Island seen from the bottom of the steps Lantau Peak from the Big Buddha View from the Big Buddha, Lantau It's a Big Buddha Standing in front of this giant incense burner with my aunt and uncle. I was slightly bemused why my uncle was reluctant to stand next to it with us. He did explain later that the giant incense burner is a fertility symbol for females and not for males!!! At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island Incense sticks Gwenda's aunt and uncle At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island At the Buddhist monastery on Lantau Island Climbing Victoria Peak Avenue of Stars Aberdeen from the viewing tower at Ocean Park Hong Kong skyscrapers from Victoria Peak Hong Kong skyscrapers from Victoria Peak Near the Hong Kong botanical gardens
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