Vacation - Part One - Hong Kong

We met up with Mom and Dad in Hong Kong for a few days before they flew home to Canada. Travelling around HK with my parents was wonderful. They told us lots of stories and pointed out where things used to be since things had changed so much. What great memories for us to have had such an opportunity to share HK with them!


Check out our pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/22798130@N07/sets/72157623245711636/


Day 1 – Monday

We left Shantou at 9 in the morning and finally arrived in Hong Kong around 4, an hour later than expected. The trip itself was not too bad, except for our neighbours on the bus who cleared their throats all the way to HK. The border crossing was a bit ridiculous though. We crossed over to HK at Shenzhen through a corridor that was walled and barbed wired, a bit like a war zone actually. The bus stopped at the first building and we all had to collect our luggage and pass through Chinese Immigration. Then, on the other side of the small building, we put our luggage back onto the bus and boarded the bus for the shortest ride ever, maybe 50 metres. Then we all got off the bus again, collected our luggage to go through HK Customs. Our coach bus even stopped for gas in the New Territories on the way into HK. We think the driver put in 200 litres and maybe the bill was 2300 HKD. It was hard to see the pump as we passed. After numerous stops throughout Kowloon, it let us off at the last stop and we took a cab for a short ride to the hotel.

It was a relief to finally see my parents, who had booked into the room next to ours. After a short rest, we went for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Since they had checked in the day before, they already had the lay of the land, that and it turns out to be our old neighbourhood.

Day 2 – Tuesday

Our first full day in HK began with dim sum, of course. It’s nice to just sit back and let someone else do the ordering for a change. We walked around the old neighbourhood with my parents pointing out places of interest. We checked out where we used to live and even managed to get a tour of my old primary school, Fresh Fish Traders’ School on Sycamore Street. The school was right beside where we used to live and I went to grades 1 to 3 there before we moved to Canada. My parents and I wanted to just have a peek and go but Don convinced us to stick around and someone finally got the headmaster. Mr. Leung gave us a personal tour of the school. Many of his students are from underprivileged families so he was showing us all the things people had donated to the school. Many of the toys are used as prizes for the students. He also proudly introduced us to some of the students. They were so adorable and tried to speak English. When we saw them in the hallways, they greeted us with great respect and politeness. The only thing I remembered was being dressed in a school uniform, which is probably very similar to theirs now, a navy jacket or sweater with grey pants or skirt and grey socks and black shoes. So civilized! In fact, all of the kids we saw in HK wore uniforms to school. We hope to be able to go back and volunteer there in the future.

Oh yeah, weird thing. The apartment complex that we used to live in has been torn down and replaced with high rises. Funny thing is that the name of the new complex is “June Garden”, ha ha.


Day 3 – Wednesday

We took my parents to Stanley. It turns out that they never had never been there. Having had neither the time nor money to see many of the places tourists go these days, we were happy to be able to share the experience with Mom and Dad. We took them on the subway then the bus for a trip over to Stanley on HK Island. We weren’t sure what would be there and ended up walking in a very touristy market filled with stalls of souvenirs and clothing. It was fun browsing still, at least for the women.

We took the Star Ferry back over to Kowloon and walked along the Avenue of the Stars. My parents walked along telling us which stars were still alive and /or living in Canada. Much more meaningful than when we walked it a year and a half ago. It was a nice afternoon.

Day 4 – Thursday

We had dim sum with old family friends. Our old postman and his wife treated us to a meal and they caught up with my parents. The last time he saw me, I was eight years old. He was kind enough to say that I hadn’t changed, ha ha.

The other highlights of the day were going to Wong Tai Sin temple and the Jade Market. At the temple, we burned incense and shook out bamboo sticks so we could get our fortunes read. Then we finally made it to the Jade Market where I bought a jade bangle, thanks to my mother’s superpowers of haggling! To have the privilege of wearing it though, I sustained injuries. You see, you’re supposed to buy a size that would fit your wrist but not too loosely. So after we fixed the price, the lady put lots of hand lotion on my hands and put the bangle on for me. Apparently, I tensed and yelped which scared the lady. It was all a blur for me. All I know is that I had a nice bruise on my hand for a few days after and I still periodically want to gnaw my hand off cause the bracelet feels foreign. I read that wearing jade has good benefits so I will try very hard to get used to it ☺

Day 5 -– Friday

After a last dim sum together, we took my parents to the airport. Fun for us since we’d never been to the HK Airport. Don and I took a double decker bus back into town and found our way back to a restaurant we really enjoyed the last time we were there. But first we had to stop on the streets and eat a couple of egg tarts we had been dreaming about from one particular restaurant. Ahhhh!

Day 6 – Saturday

We wandered around HK island some more. We took the old tram for 2 HKD and enjoyed a one hour ride into different parts of HK, less touristy. Did some shopping and walked around some more.

Day 7 – Sunday

More walking. We found our way into the HK park, checked out the area around the Escalator, rode it to the top and walked down the hills of HK, wandered through the Zoological and Botanical Gardens and made our way back to Central to see the Sunday Filipino Fiesta. The ladies who are usually employed as domestic helpers spend their only day off together in this area of HK. Everywhere we went they were gathered together seated on the ground, chatting and visiting with one another.

Day 8 – Monday

We love HK! Our second trip to my hometown was fantastic. We would love to live there some day soon and will be working very hard on this goal.

The second part of our vacation (we're off till March 2nd, tee hee) will be in Guangzhou. We are spending a few days here on campus, pretty much by ourselves since EVERYONE has gone home. We'll head to Guangzhou on Feb. 1 to spend the month there. Luckily, Mom's aunt has generously agreed to let us stay in their empty apartment. It'll be like living there :) We will spend the time exploring GZ, a lot better than hanging out here where it feels like everyone left Dodge but us. Hopefully, we'll find an Internet cafe but we'll probably be unable to post here. Take care everyone and see you in a bit.

J xo