Hong Kong Photo Journal: Part 1

We had a great Hong Kong trip. Not only was it wonderful to see my family, but it was just plain cool to be back home. I lived in Hong Kong from age 5 to 18, so when I'm in Hong Kong I'm back in my comfort zone. I'm an expert in crowds, great at pushing my way into a jam-packed train. I can handle humidity and heat. I can keep my balance on a moving double-decker bus. And some of my favorite foods in the world might be foods you've never tried before (or maybe you have!): cha siu bao (barbequed pork buns), fish balls (processed fish balls in a spicy sauce, served on a stick from street vendors), Hong Kong waffles (they're just different from American waffles -- you buy them from a vendor and eat them out of a paper bag), Maltesers (chocolate!), and much, much more. 

Okay, now that I've made myself hungry, on to the photos!

Olivia waiting for the bus in Central. See the double-decker buses behind her? Those are one major form of transportation in Hong Kong, along with high speed trains, taxis and mini-buses.

My Dad, Mom and Olivia on the Star Ferry, a famous Hong Kong tourist attraction. We didn't take it for the attraction, but because it was the most convenient way to get where we wanted to go.

We visited Ocean Park, a massive Hong Kong amusement park. It was hot and crowded, but one of the highlights of our visit was visiting this AIR-CONDITIONED enclosure and getting this close to a giant panda. Do you see her sleeping in the background? She later came right up to the glass where we were standing. It was a very cool close encounter.

Olivia with her grandparents in front of the Hong Kong Disneyland castle.

Disneyland in the rain. When it rains in Hong Kong, it pours! People were still happily riding the outdoor rides in raincoats, however.

Hong Kong has over 200 outlying islands, many of which are uninhabited. Lantau Island is the largest of the islands and IS inhabited. In fact, that's where the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland are located. But the opposite side of Lantau is still relatively undisturbed. You can still find small villages there, and miles and miles of jungle. And hiking! We hiked up one of Hong Kong's highest mountains (which has no road-access-- in other words, you have to hike and take everything you need up with you), Sunset Peak on Lantau. It took us about three-and-a-half hours. We stayed on the top overnight in a stone cabin.... This picture is just above the treeline. As you can see, we're already getting into the clouds!

Michelle and Olivia -- we stopped at the first waterfall to enjoy the cool, clean water.

These are my new shoes. I wore them on the trek up Lantau and they were amazing. I know they look a little weird, but they were extremely comfortable on the hike.

This was dinnertime in the stone cabin on top of Lantau. We were literally in a cloud. Can you see how fuzzy the picture is? I now know the real definition of damp.  My sister, Michelle, was the cook: mac and cheese and hotdogs tasted great after that long hike.

What do you think of the pictures so far? Have you been to Hong Kong? Would you like to go? Do these photos reflect what you expected Hong Kong to be like?