Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Hong Kong)

Today is our last day in HK. We fly out early tomorrow morning. As in, it's just morning, 12:40am. As a precaution, I booked the room for the entire night so we weren't forced to wander the streets waiting for the gate to open at the airport. There is still much to do here but we opted not to try and see everything. It is a great place for a stop over on the way to Europe or back home, so I'm fairly certain we'll be back.

The morning wasn't as bright as yesterday but the temperature and humidity were still up there. We had breakfast in the hotel: pastries, juice and coffee. It was crowded and we had to wait for a table. One of the wait staff we met on day one explained the best time to arrive for breakfast was before 8:30am and that it was always crowded on the weekend at this time of year. Apparently HK is a weekend getaway for mainland Chinese. Note to self, avoid weekends in future visits.

A junk motoring down the harbour.

Before we ventured out, we discussed Dim Sum options with the concierge. He offered K11 as an option - a massive shopping centre filled with designer label stores. It was down on the harbour and we were intending to be down there so it was an option. The other place was next door to the hotel, away from the tourist and shopping crowds. It wasn't fancy like Maxim's Palace, just laminex tables. At least we had a choice.

The first target this morning was the walk along Victoria Harbour itself. It boasts a statue of Mr Bruce Lee and a walk that has the handprints of celebrities of the Hong Kong film industry. It is modelled on the Hollywood walk of fame and is named the Avenue of Stars. Rather than stars on the walkway, it has handprints in silver (probably stainless steel) on the hand railing along the water.

The walk down to the harbour proved to be as challenging as always. One incorrect choice on which side of the street to walk can make all the difference. Finding the entrance to the overhead walkway saw us chalk up more steps than was really necessary because we did choose the wrong side of the street. We finally made it harbourside and for the first time were able to identify our hotel building. Out came the camera. Frustration. I'd left it in the camera bag until that point. The lenses fogged up immediately due to the sudden temperature and humidity change from the hotel aircon to the outside. Hence the dearth of photos taken today (I used some I had prepared earlier).

That's us, centre picture.

While we waited for the problem to resolve itself, we were accosted by a local who wanted discuss the meaning of 'insecurity' and how misleading a word it could be. After a few minutes, he wandered off. Jayne asked, "Was he just practising his English on us?" Pretty much.

The breeze off the water was quite strong, but the humidity was sapping and there was no avoiding the sun. The boardwalk was completely uncovered. Dodging people and umbrellas, we set out for the other end of the walk and K11. We had completed almost half the walk before I realised that we hadn't been looking for the celebrity handprints. Today's title is inspired by the hands, Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey has the line "hands across the water".  A Wings classic from 1971, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvUkPtSheyg.

Across to HK Island.

Much like the Symphony of Lights, it was underwhelming and not just because I didn't know who most of the stars were. Crowds gathered around some exhibits while others were totally ignored. The biggest celebrity appeared to be a statue of a golden pig, McDull. Apparently the hero of a comic strip. Ring any bells, dear reader? No, me neither. Snapping a picture of said pig without someone hanging off its ear was a challenge.

McDull. Aptly named.

On we went in search of the entry to K11. It was not to be. Ingress was only from the street, not harbourside. Thankfully the end of the walk was insight and we made for K11 and the air conditioning. Also more crowds.

It was delightfully cool inside the shopping centre after the humid, blustery conditions outside. Now to locate the Dim Sum place. I found a board that named the different levels. Not helpful. And then another that directed hungry shoppers to a food court on B2. Jackpot.

Of course there is a Legoland.

As with all modern shopping malls, the escalators to differing levels are hidden throughout the complex to ensure shoppers are trapped for the maximum time to spend more money. We found the correct escalator and descended to the food court. It was packed. There was not a vacant table in sight. We did a couple of laps but it appeared nobody was keen to move. Not that they were eating; enjoying the cool temperatures and doom scrolling seemed the order of the day.

Back out into the real world, we set course for One Dim Sum, close to home. It was near capacity but a table for two was found underneath the air conditioning so my shirt dried off quickly. We were the only westerners in the restaurant, an excellent sign. The food was lovely. We had five different courses for just over $30AUD. The only disappointment? It wasn't licensed. After lunch we walked around the corner to one of the local bars that opens before 6pm and had a refreshing beer.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent preparing for the next leg of our journey. While we are in Business Class for the longer legs of the trip, we are in Economy from Zurich to Ljubljana and also from Dubrovnik to Barcelona. That requires playing with our bags to get the weight right. We travel with one suitcase between us, so it is slightly over the allowed 23kg in Economy. And of course, different airlines means different weight restrictions on baggage. Today's attempt will not pass muster. I'll need to have another look at it in Zurich.

The view from the Peak.

We vacated the room at 8:45pm and for once did not have to wait for the elevator. We were all checked out by 9pm and outside the hotel, chatting with staff while we waited for our Uber. The staff were all lovely and went out of their way to make you feel at home. I'm sure we'll be back in HK for a holiday or as a prolonged stopover and the Mondrian would definitely be our home.

HK turned on a thunderstorm and rain to make us feel at home as we drove to the airport. Once we had left the Kowloon traffic behind it was a quiet trip. Check-in and security went smoothly and we were soon in Emirates Lounge enjoying champagne with dinner. It is a 14 hour trip to Zurich plus a 4 hour layover in Dubai. Happily we are flying in my favourite aircraft, an A380.

An Oriental Magpie Robin

Catch you in the land of watches, Roger Federer and Lindt chocolates.

Until tomorrow.

Mickey Mouse Theme Song (Hong Kong)

This morning we woke to full sun. That might not seem important unless you're from Sydney. If you know, you know. Before I dive into the day that was, I need to tell you, dear reader, about last evening.

We dined at Avoca, the bar/restaurant within the hotel. By local restaurants standards it was not cheap, but the Surf and Turf for two was delightful. The steak was perfectly cooked, the clams were in a buttery sauce that deserved some sourdough to soak up the remnants, the red snapper was delicious with a crispy skin, the octopus, although a little over, had a tasty char and the Boston lobster was perfect. Boston lobster you ask? Another name for the American variety, it's like a huge maron. So very tasty. The French Chenin Blanc was the ideal accompaniment, especially after it warmed up a little.

The photo does not do the food justice.

We watched the crowds build along the waterfront as the sun began to dip below the towered horizon. It was still well before 8pm, the annointed time when the "light show" would commence. Every blog, every list of things to do in HK contained the Symphony of Lights as a 'must see'. I have travelled a bit in Asia, dear reader, and most of the major cities have natural light shows because of the way their buildings are illuminated. Neon was a god-send but LCD is next level. So, I was expecting something spectacular. Maybe not NYE fireworks in Sydney, but certainly eye-catching.

The view before the light show.

Um. Yeah, nah. We had to check our watches to ascertain that the 'spectacular' had commenced. Sure, there were changes to some of the buildings which now had their colours running up and down the façade. And yes, there were lasers atop two buildings, briefly, as part of the finale. However, I've seen better displays on a weeknight in provincial China. Jayne and I looked at each other in disbelief and laughed. Checked our watches again. Yep, it was over. Then the Ten Things I Hate About You jokes began about being "whelmed" or "underwhelmed". Definitely the latter. So glad we opted to stay and watch from the 38th floor in uncrowded, air conditioned comfort, with a wine in hand.

And so to today. Let's get the song title out of the way. It's still in my head. It's worse than being Rick Rolled. Anyway. Listen if you're brave enough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4C_lUy58Rw. 

After chatting to one of our granddaughters because she wanted to know where we were, we eventually made it to the foyer to order an Uber. 9am is not a good time to use the elevators. Unless you really like being up close and personal with complete strangers. Sorry, I digress.

There is some interesting architecture.

Uber decided a pre-paid taxi would be a better option for us. Taxi ordered, another Aussie, a furniture importer from Perth, who was waiting for his Uber, explained the HK version of Uber/taxis and how it operates. We chatted until our respective cars arrived.

The drive to Garden Road on HK Island was around 30 minutes. Traffic here often appears non-existent and then suddenly you're locked in a bumper-to-bumper slow moving mass. We arrived and walked past the ticket booth courtesy of our pre-purchased tickets. Where are we going you ask? How rude of me, dear reader. We were off to Central and our aim was to ride the tram (funicular) up to the Peak and Sky Terrace 428; a landmark building on the HK skyline, providing unrivalled views of the HK vista. It is, apparently, 428 metres above sea level.

There were a few people milling around the turnstiles. It appeared they were having trouble scanning the QR code. Deftly, we stepped off our left foot, Latrell style, and went to the turnstile that was vacant. It was there we discovered that everyone had to wait. Inadvertently, we had taken the prime position. Nice. Particularly in an area not known for queue etiquette.

The signal was given. We scanned our QR codes and sprinted up the very steep ramp to the doors. Oh alright, maybe sprinting is a stretch, but we moved with much animation and certainly faster than anyone else that was at the turnstiles. The reward? The very front of the line for the first carriage of the funicular. Front row seats. Winner.

Waiting for the tram to return.

I'm not about to rank world engineering feats, but this is a seriously steep mountain. I understand the concept of climbing a mountain because it's there, but...but, why build a funicular track? I have ridden a few funicular (is that also plural?) in my time but the G-force on this one was significant.

Here it comes.

The advice from everyone is to sit on the right side of the carriage. The left side view is mostly wall. I mean, if you're into that kind of thing. I'm not judging, it's your choice.

The journey takes less than 15 minutes and there are some spectacular views - if you're on the right side of the carriage. Or right hand side to be specific. Then you are ejected onto the platform at the top of the tram line and move fluidly with all the other travellers towards many, many, many stores (did you know that iridology is the new astrology?) and distractions that are there for no other reason than to take your money. And you thought you were here for the view. So foolish.

Nice view. A pity about the music.

As we approached the shopfronts the fluidity of movement became less so although the terminal playing of the Mickey Mouse song continued from the tram into the mall. People stopped, stared, turned back, looked for friends, shouted for lost friends ... the memory is painful. It wasn't a difficult task. Move forward. And turn that bloody music off. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E. Walt Disney has much to answer for. The music continued as did the proliferation of Disney characters: stickers on walls, floating balloons above us and statues to pose by. The tramway is obviously being used as a marketing ploy by HK Disneyland.

This arcade of stores was wrapped around a series of escalators that eventually carried you to the rooftop. Eventually. Finally. Hallelujah. Crowd angst then was amplified because the selfies were there; the family selfies - no not a family photo, six individual photos with the same background. FML. I do not like people. Or the groups that just had no notion of anyone but themselves, or if they did have an inkling, they didn't care. I could have justifiably murdered many people on the rooftop of Sky Terrace 428 and died a happy man. It would have been a community service. Cleansing the gene pool.

The view? Oh, yeah. It was OK. 360°. The highest point in HK. Whatever. Here are some pictures.

Looking away from HK mainland.

The Sky Terrace itself.

Disney characters everywhere. I'm not laughing.

We then set off in search of sustenance as we had not breakfasted. How hard would it be to find a cafe to enjoy a coffee and pastry in a major tourist destination on a crowded island? More difficult than I ever imagined, dear reader, as the majority of shops had not commenced operations for the day. The terrace complex opens at 10am but it seems the store holders observe HK etiquette which dictates early lunchtime is the appropriate moment to start fleecing tourists of their money. I shan't bore you with the details but we eventually found a 'bakery', procured something vaguely edible and headed back to a coffee shop we'd seen. The "Americano" in a paper cup was over $8AUD. Nope. And Americano? Don't get me started.

What goes up must come down. It's basic physics. Particularly for a funicular. Having had almost no-one invade my personal space for the last half hour, it was time to once again survive the frottage. Back to the funicular queue. The journey down is probably more challenging because the G-force is pressing onto the back of your head the whole time. It is an experience on a lot of levels and worth doing. Make sure you pre-purchase tickets and get there early. The crowd builds as the day grows older. When we walked past an hour or so later there was no space on the footpath outside the entrance.

The crowd before we went into HK Park.

Hong Kong Park is next door to the tramway and it boasts a huge walk-in aviary. You know I had to check it out, dear reader. Unfortunately the entrance was at the top of the aviary, many, many stairs away from where we were. Jayne opted for a bench in the shade and sent me off to climb the stairs.

The space is quite expansive with huge trees providing a shady canopy under the mesh roof. The inhabitants were all from the New Guinea/Indonesia area. I recognised Java Finches and some sort of lorikeet and that was about it. I could have spent hours in there had I the time and my larger lens and tripod. Next time.

Java Sparrow or Finch if you prefer.

A lorikeet. Do I have food on my beak?

It was now Dim Sum time and Jayne charted a course for Maxim's Palace, a highly recommended venue, to enjoy Dim Sum. Navigation in HK is not simple, either by road or footpath. There are numerous walkways one level up from the street because there are so few options to cross at street level. As we soon discovered. It was going to be a day where we didn't need to check our steps.

Much like The Man from Ironbark, we wandered here, we wandered there, until we were fit to drop and the Google maps said we had arrived at Maxim's. It appeared to the untrained eye to be a carpark. Then we spied an A4 laminated piece of paper that simply said Maxim's Palace with an arrow. We followed the arrow and ended up in City Hall via the back door. Still no real sign of the restaurant, so we ascended the flights of stairs. There is rarely just one.

On the top floor, we arrived at Maxim's Place and half the population of HK was already there, milling around the entrance to the restaurant; so much so, that we could barely squeeze onto the landing at the top of the stairs. There was a ticketing machine with no explanation as to how to procure a ticket or what the numbers meant. A nice Brit explained how to use the machine: you just punch in the number of people dining and it produces a ticket which is your place in the queue. Also on the machine was the number of people in front of you, depending on the size of your party. There were 39 couples waiting for a table before us. We bailed.

Back out on the streets, we reset the GPS for the Central Markets, a food destination. Had the heat and humidity affected us? Absolutely. We were tiring but once again faced the hordes on the elevated walkway to cover the 20 minutes to the Markets. And they were not what we expected. There were plenty of market-style stalls and huge number of places to buy food, but nowhere to sit and enjoy your purchase. It was a grab and go place.

A reminder of the British heritage.

Once again out onto the street. There were two choices: to the right, to what looked like a street market or to the left, up a street that potentially held places to eat. We went left and were rewarded by Homurice. Ok, not HK cuisine; it was Japanese, but as we paused outside, we were whisked inside by the tour de force lady in charge and seated before we could say anything. The place was packed and the turnover rapid. The food was good, the beer was better. Like Prince Planet, our energy levels were rising by the second.

Re-charged, we returned to the crowds and walked the short distance to the mid-level escalators, "the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world." No really. It was the first time I'd ever ridden an escalator to the end point, a travelator actually (there were no stairs involved), just to walk back down to where I started. For four hours of a morning, it operates from top to bottom and for the rest of the day until late in the evening, it carries people the other way, up to the top. Well, I've ticked that box, even though I didn't know there was a box to tick.

From there we body dodged through the people to the Central Ferry Pier, miraculously worked the ticket machine and walked straight onto an uncrowded ferry that departed within the minute. It was a pleasant ride back to the mainland and at $2.90HK each, much cheaper than the taxi.

From the ferry.

Also from the ferry.

It was mid afternoon as we disembarked and the heat, humidity and walking had taken their toll. Time to rehydrate in air conditioned comfort. Great in concept, but a lot of places don't open until 6pm. However, there was an Irish Pub, Delaney's, somewhere en route to our hotel. Challenge accepted. God bless Google maps and also Holafly for my e-sim and unlimited data.

Delaney's was not like Dante's descent into hell, although it was down some steep, dimly lit, narrow stairs. They opened out into any pub you've been to in Ireland. Complete with fireplace. A couple of Guinesses later, we felt refreshed enough to face the now blistering sun. The climb back up the stairs was like an ascent to hell. You felt the intensity of the heat increase with every step. The knowledge that our cool, air conditioned home was only a 10 minute walk away drew us forward.

It would require the skills of a tetris world champion to avoid the pedestrian traffic in this city. People step in front of you, they stop abruptly, push past, change directions without warning or slow down to look at their phones. Not to mention the ever present threat of losing an eye to an umbrella since avoiding the sun at all costs is a particularly female Asian preoccupation. I was seriously over it by this stage of the day. Just as we came to our street, someone stepped directly in front of me as we crossed the zebra crossing. So I swung my backpack as I turned to avoid them and pushed them onto the bonnet of the nearest car. Alright, I didn't, but I really wanted to and that's how the scene played out in my mind.

Back at the hotel, we relaxed and enjoyed afternoon drinks and waited without excitement or enthusiasm for the Symphony of Lights. It was the same underwhelming experience. Perhaps you need to be down by the water and listening to the accompanying music. Hopefully it's not from the Disney playlist,,,Yeah, nah.

Until tomorrow.

Who'll Stop the Rain (Sydney - Hong Kong)

It's that time of the year again, dear reader, when the wanderlust overtakes my soul and I need to get out and explore the world. Also, I'm over Sydney's shit weather with August on track to break a 160 year rainfall record. A shout out to all those who believe climate change is a myth. Obviously that brings me to today's title, and yes I am going to continue with song titles. Who'll Stop the Rain by Creedence Clearwater revival all the way from 1970. Enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIPan-rEQJA.

The journey to the airport was too easy, despite the early start and the rain. I may have mentioned previously that one of the many highlights of retirement is rarely having to set an alarm. 5:30am is somewhat of an affront these days. The Hughes car, courtesy of APT, was waiting downstairs before the allotted time so we were en route to Mascot by 6:45am. The back seat of the Audi A6 proved spacious and comfortable.

From Kowloon Park, purely to break up the text.

There was the requisite traffic jam as we neared the Departures on-ramp, but nothing that was unexpected on a Wednesday morning. And the rain continued. Did I mention that Sydney has had some inclement weather recently? 

Inside the terminal we made our way toward the Qantas desk and bumped into some friends we hadn't see for a few months. They were off to Bali. There was no-one waiting at check-in and we were soon in the queue for security screening. Not the sort one may be subjected to at US customs in the days of Trump.

It was here our smooth run stuttered slightly. Nothing happened. There were no tubs in which to place our items and so the line grew. People looked around perplexed. While we had not reached the wailing and gnashing of teeth, there was much muttering under the breath. Magically tubs appeared, people loaded them and sent them onto the conveyor and we were moving again. Momentarily.

From Kowloon Park, purely to break up the text.

We made it a very few metres to the other side of the body scanner and stopped once again. I'm so glad Sydney Airport Authority has spent so much money on this new system. The problem this time? An over zealous bag checker or a too finely calibrated x-ray machine. More bags were sent for a second check than were being sent through which ensured a repetition of the traffic jam outside, only with carry-on luggage.

At the head of the queue, were two young girls who were having their bags emptied and everything opened. Including lipstick. I've never been harmed by a lipstick before, although in the John Wick films. who knows what could happen? My first bag made it safely into my hands; my backpack was not so lucky. Nor was Jayne's. And so everyone milled around, waiting and striking up unusual, disgruntled camaraderie. A change of the bag searchers proved serendipitous - the process was magically expedited and we were soon ensconced in the Business Lounge, sipping bubbles. Yes dear reader, how the mighty have fallen. My Platinum status is gone forever and with it, access to the beloved First Class Lounge with it table service and champagne. Sigh. It was still raining btw.

Having endured the constant catarrhic cough (love a good alliterative phrase) of an elderly (read older than us) fellow lounger who we were sure would appear in QF 127 Business Class to Hong Kong to infect us right at the commencement of our odyssey, and suitably fortified by bubbles we walked the ten minutes to the gate. Boarding was slightly late but the new insistence on boarding groups by Qantas (welcome to the new century, other airlines have been doing it forever) works remarkably well. It also helps if you fly Business. And there go the last of my FF points.

Pretty sure you've got the concept.

The A330 is the plane they should be flying to Perth instead of those clapped out old 737s. Lie flat beds and plenty of space with the catarrhic woman nowhere in sight, made the almost 10 hour flight comfortable. Allowing for the fact that you are sitting in a metal tube in the sky. As to Cold Chisel and the words in that Australian rock anthem, Khe San, "in seven flying hours I'll be landing in Hong Kong", like what? Seven hours? Tell 'em they're dreaming.

HK Immigration was busy but the line moved efficiently and our bag rolled towards us as we approached the carousel. Magic. Out into the humidity we strolled to the taxi rank and straight into a cab. A note for anyone who has not been to HK previously, bring your cash. The trip to the hotel was almost $300HK -  about $60AUD but if paying by card, you will be directed to order an Uber.

HK traffic is manic. Happy to be in the back seat. Hotel check in was fast and attentive and our bags were delivered to our spacious corner room within minutes. The view of the harbour at night is quite pretty with the lights, like a poor person's Vivid. Bags unpacked, we headed to the 38th floor of the Mondrian Hotel to the bar for our complimentary welcome drink to discuss our itinerary for the next few days. It wasn't raining.

Looking back to the entry.

The view out to the harbour.

I'm still on Sydney time so I woke early and it still wasn't raining. Unlike home where there were dire weather predictions. Again. There was no reason to rush, Hong Kong plays late and starts late. We opted for breakfast in the hotel, not that we wanted much, pastries, coffee and juice will see us through to dinner. Jayne navigated the breakfast options once our high speed speaking waiter calmed down and spoke more slowly.

Even the turtles are into high rise.

A coffee report, dear reader? It was brewed but passable. The pastries were excellent. The juice freshly squeezed. We mapped out our day and headed down to the Concierge to discuss our options. 

Back in the room I changed into shorts and sandals and we caught the lift down to the Ground Floor. Catching a lift in Asia often is challenging. Well, confronting if you value personal space. It seems that a full lift is never quite full and we have been stunned by the number of people that emerge once the doors open. Memories of Mary Poppins' carpet bag.

The old and the new of Hong Kong.

I fired up the Holafly e-sim and put the address into maps and off we wandered toward the wharf to the Tourism Centre to discuss the concept of 'jump the queue' tickets for the Sky Terrace tram. I suspected it was an advertising ploy by a third party company and so it turned out. We will buy our tickets through the main website.

Hong Kong Island from Kowloon.

There was a slight breeze so the 84% humidity wasn't that problematic as we turned for Kowloon Park. Had I married a shopper, I would have been in serious trouble because our path crossed just about every designer store in the city. But I didn't and we walked directly to the park, an oasis among the towering apartment and office buildings.

WorkCover would love this.

There were numerous ponds and fountains which attracted the selfie brigade. In number. There was also an aviary which contained a very small number of larger parrots and cockatoos, some from Australia. Yellow Bitterns seemed to abound as did numerous other birds I am uncertain of, and an enclosure of slightly pink flamingos - a big drawcard for the park. Only one pond contained carp, surprisingly, the rest were overcrowded with turtles.

Flamingos with Bittern. Look closer.

It's high rise everywhere you look.

The Chinese garden was underwhelming compared to what we have seen elsewhere, Australia included. The highlight for some, not me, was the Hong Kong Avenue of Comic Stars. It featured many statues of, well, I guess, comic stars (1960's -2010's). Who am I to argue?

No idea who he is, but he looks hot. And angry. Mostly angry.

If ever I was researching kitsch and its origins I feel Hong kong would be a backbone of the research.

Supporting evidence.

Once again out in the shopping precinct (it never ends), we navigated our way back to the hotel. I was temporarily distracted by a wine store and popped in, purely to enjoy the air conditioning. The 10% off a two bottle purchase was too tempting and we left shortly thereafter: the proud, but temporary owners of a bottle of Petit Chablis and a Montepulciano.

It was beer time after we had recharged my phone. We chose to drink in the hotel, at our expense - it is pricier than a regular establishment. This was due to lack of local knowledge more than anything else. There are numerous 'pubs' or 'clubs' in the area, even in our street, but they were all closed. It is assumed they open later in the afternoon. Anyway, after photos snapped from Floor 40, where there is no rooftop bar (why?), we adjourned to the Avoca, Level 38, again, for two overpriced beers.

From Level 40

Where there is no rooftop bar

Great views, no alcohol, just a smokers' area. What a waste.

A quick side trip to a 7-Eleven for some snacks set us for a couple of hours of blogging and photo production, prior to dinner. Yep, you guessed it, here at the hotel at Avoca. The menu looked really interesting, if albeit, expensive. Ah, it's only money and you can't take it with you.

And that's probably enough for the first post. Stay dry Sydney. If that is at all possible.

Until tomorrow.