Wednesday-Saturday, August 5-8
We arrived in Beijing late in the afternoon on Wednesday after a delay in our flight schedule. We were still able to go to dinner that first night and then see the Olympic sites- the water cube, bird's nest, flame, and 7 star hotel! The rest of the Beijing tour would prove to be very well planned out and easy to go along with - have breakfast, get on a bus, see a site, have lunch, see a site, have dinner, go out, go to bed, repeat!
While in Beijing we were able to see the Summer Palace, Forbidden City, Tieneman square, the old water village and housing, and the Great Wall! The steps to the Great Wall were massive and surprisingly it was almost like hiking up a mountain to get to the top. I was only able to make it a part of the way up, but several trip members went to the 7th stopping point! We also really enjoyed the "snack market" in Beijing which was right near our hotel. We were able to try scorpions, starfish, and crickets - yum!
The Beijing trip quickly came to an end, and we headed back to Hong Kong for a night before flying back to the USA.
Farewell Weekend...
Friday-Monday, July 31-August 3
On Friday, we all went to the CUHK International Summer School Farewell Dinner held at a fabulous hotel in Kowloon. We had a great time, and really were sad to see the summer school program come to an end. After the dinner, all of our friends from the program continued the party at Azure in Central HK.
Saturday was spent sleeping in from the night before, and then some studying. We also went into HK to get Marc and Saj's suits, and do some other gift shopping. Sunday was our main studying day for the finals that we had on Monday. For once, Grace Tien was full of students studying and busy trying to wrap up the semester. I had never seen so many people sharing books, quizzing each other, and pulling all nighters, as we did that night. I was thrilled when I finally finished my Chinese Culture and Society paper just after midnight, and could focus solely on my HRM studying.
On Monday, I finished cleaning my room a bit to get ready to leave, and then spent the afternoon in the library studying for my HRM final. The final was at 6 pm, but it went quickly. After the final we all had dinner and got ready to say good bye to be off for Beijing the next day!
On Friday, we all went to the CUHK International Summer School Farewell Dinner held at a fabulous hotel in Kowloon. We had a great time, and really were sad to see the summer school program come to an end. After the dinner, all of our friends from the program continued the party at Azure in Central HK.
Saturday was spent sleeping in from the night before, and then some studying. We also went into HK to get Marc and Saj's suits, and do some other gift shopping. Sunday was our main studying day for the finals that we had on Monday. For once, Grace Tien was full of students studying and busy trying to wrap up the semester. I had never seen so many people sharing books, quizzing each other, and pulling all nighters, as we did that night. I was thrilled when I finally finished my Chinese Culture and Society paper just after midnight, and could focus solely on my HRM studying.
On Monday, I finished cleaning my room a bit to get ready to leave, and then spent the afternoon in the library studying for my HRM final. The final was at 6 pm, but it went quickly. After the final we all had dinner and got ready to say good bye to be off for Beijing the next day!
3 days of sickness...
Tuesday-Thursday, July 28-30
For the next few days after the Philippines, I was in bed with what I thought might be food poisoning. I was pretty certain it wasn't swine flu (H1N1), but whatever it was, it wiped me out and kept me in bed for a majority of the time. I didn't do much socializing, and went to as many classes as possible, but I quickly realized how difficult it is to be sick in a foreign country. It was difficult to get the medicines I would normally want, and there was no such thing as a convenience store just around the corner, so it was hard to pick up some snacks or drinks. Eating at the canteen was out of the question for the first few days since the food was really greasy, but by day 3, I was back to eating and drinking coffee normally.
For the next few days after the Philippines, I was in bed with what I thought might be food poisoning. I was pretty certain it wasn't swine flu (H1N1), but whatever it was, it wiped me out and kept me in bed for a majority of the time. I didn't do much socializing, and went to as many classes as possible, but I quickly realized how difficult it is to be sick in a foreign country. It was difficult to get the medicines I would normally want, and there was no such thing as a convenience store just around the corner, so it was hard to pick up some snacks or drinks. Eating at the canteen was out of the question for the first few days since the food was really greasy, but by day 3, I was back to eating and drinking coffee normally.
One L, Two Ps, One N....Philippines
Thursday-Monday, July 24-27
Do I need to know how to spell Philippines to visit??
Although I had the worst time trying to figure how to spell Philippines, and MULTIPLE problems trying to purchase tickets.. I was excited to be off on another excursion.
Thursday
We left HK airport around 9 pm on Thursday, after a full day of classes and a quick packing session. Our flight attendant, Michelangelo, was so nice and helpful and one of the other women was also helpful in giving us suggestions on what to do and see while in Manila. When we arrived we were surprised at how small the airport was and quickly tried to get through the temperature control and customs. We had been warned to only take yellow taxis, so we found a yellow taxi to take us to La Casa Nicorosa, our hotel. We had been on the plane with some other CUHK students, and they had suggested this hotel to us, so we figured we would stay there for at least the first night until we figured things out. We ended up lucking out by getting to the hotel before the big group, so we were able to get the best room and get situated.
Friday
We woke up early, started our day with coffee and bananas at the hotel, and then were off to see Manila. After getting a tip from the concierge, Laura, Kyle, and myself walked to the tourist bureau to get a map of the city and find the highlights. We walked around the battlefield and fort, enjoyed lunch at a Philippines cafe, saw the history of Manila at the National culture museum, walked through Rizal Park, around Chinatown, saw many historic churches, the GE building in Manila, and ended our tour at the Philippines Tech University which looked more like Hogwartz than a University. Each college had a different uniform that the students had to wear. The business school had the best uniforms, so I decided I would have been all set. We tried to take a "jeepeney" for about an hour, but they all seemed to be full, so we finally settled on taking a taxi back to our hotel. The traffic at 6 pm on a Friday was crazy, and we wondered if it was because of rush hour, but when we passed the RC Church, we realized that everyone was flooding to the 6 pm service. The city of Manila seems very religious, which was a change from our observations in HK and China. We spent $7 between 3 of us on dinner and buckets of beers - WOW!
Saturday
This morning we woke up and were ready to go to a volcano inside of another volcano with the other CUHK students. They had planned a day trip to this site, and needed three more people, so Laura, Kyle and I were in. It took about 2 hours to get to the "resort" where we had a delicious outdoor lunch/dinner, and then took boats across to the volcanic island. Once we got on the island, we rode horses to the top to see the other volcano inside of this volcano. It was a fabulous view and great day to do this. The weather was must more bearable away from the city and it gave us a good understanding of the Filipino village life. I especially enjoyed my horse-riding helper, Kevin. He spoke English very well and was willing to tell me about his life. The ride home ended up being about 4+ hours, but it gave us a chance to get to know Dave, Zuhair, and the others who had come from CUHK. We all went to dinner at a delicious kebab when we got back, and then tried to make plans for the next day. Everyone from CUHK was going on a trip to a water park, and as much as we wanted to join them, we just couldn't figure out the accommodations.
Sunday
Late on Saturday night we decided we would go to the waterfalls in Tanjansan. It was about an 1 1/2 drive, and we would go white water rafting to the falls. The river water was very dirty looking, and I later found out that it might have made me sick, but the white water rafting ride was so intriguing, as we traveled through cities and were able to go under the falls. I really enjoyed being in nature all weekend and trying some new things - although we did a lot, the weekend was rejuvenating!
Monday
We were out of the Philippines by 8 am, and were back in HK by noon. This allowed us to catch up on sleep, homework, and laundry. Unfortunately, I got sick somewhere in the Philipinnes and was in bed for most of the day (and next 4 days!)
Do I need to know how to spell Philippines to visit??
Although I had the worst time trying to figure how to spell Philippines, and MULTIPLE problems trying to purchase tickets.. I was excited to be off on another excursion.
Thursday
We left HK airport around 9 pm on Thursday, after a full day of classes and a quick packing session. Our flight attendant, Michelangelo, was so nice and helpful and one of the other women was also helpful in giving us suggestions on what to do and see while in Manila. When we arrived we were surprised at how small the airport was and quickly tried to get through the temperature control and customs. We had been warned to only take yellow taxis, so we found a yellow taxi to take us to La Casa Nicorosa, our hotel. We had been on the plane with some other CUHK students, and they had suggested this hotel to us, so we figured we would stay there for at least the first night until we figured things out. We ended up lucking out by getting to the hotel before the big group, so we were able to get the best room and get situated.
Friday
We woke up early, started our day with coffee and bananas at the hotel, and then were off to see Manila. After getting a tip from the concierge, Laura, Kyle, and myself walked to the tourist bureau to get a map of the city and find the highlights. We walked around the battlefield and fort, enjoyed lunch at a Philippines cafe, saw the history of Manila at the National culture museum, walked through Rizal Park, around Chinatown, saw many historic churches, the GE building in Manila, and ended our tour at the Philippines Tech University which looked more like Hogwartz than a University. Each college had a different uniform that the students had to wear. The business school had the best uniforms, so I decided I would have been all set. We tried to take a "jeepeney" for about an hour, but they all seemed to be full, so we finally settled on taking a taxi back to our hotel. The traffic at 6 pm on a Friday was crazy, and we wondered if it was because of rush hour, but when we passed the RC Church, we realized that everyone was flooding to the 6 pm service. The city of Manila seems very religious, which was a change from our observations in HK and China. We spent $7 between 3 of us on dinner and buckets of beers - WOW!
Saturday
This morning we woke up and were ready to go to a volcano inside of another volcano with the other CUHK students. They had planned a day trip to this site, and needed three more people, so Laura, Kyle and I were in. It took about 2 hours to get to the "resort" where we had a delicious outdoor lunch/dinner, and then took boats across to the volcanic island. Once we got on the island, we rode horses to the top to see the other volcano inside of this volcano. It was a fabulous view and great day to do this. The weather was must more bearable away from the city and it gave us a good understanding of the Filipino village life. I especially enjoyed my horse-riding helper, Kevin. He spoke English very well and was willing to tell me about his life. The ride home ended up being about 4+ hours, but it gave us a chance to get to know Dave, Zuhair, and the others who had come from CUHK. We all went to dinner at a delicious kebab when we got back, and then tried to make plans for the next day. Everyone from CUHK was going on a trip to a water park, and as much as we wanted to join them, we just couldn't figure out the accommodations.
Sunday
Late on Saturday night we decided we would go to the waterfalls in Tanjansan. It was about an 1 1/2 drive, and we would go white water rafting to the falls. The river water was very dirty looking, and I later found out that it might have made me sick, but the white water rafting ride was so intriguing, as we traveled through cities and were able to go under the falls. I really enjoyed being in nature all weekend and trying some new things - although we did a lot, the weekend was rejuvenating!
Monday
We were out of the Philippines by 8 am, and were back in HK by noon. This allowed us to catch up on sleep, homework, and laundry. Unfortunately, I got sick somewhere in the Philipinnes and was in bed for most of the day (and next 4 days!)
Midterms and Studying!
Tuesday-Thursday, July 21-23
After a long weekend in Shanghai, we were excited to be back at CUHK to finish out our second to last week of classes. I had two Midterms to study for in both of my classes and enjoyed starting to plan my next excursion to the Philippines.
Being in Shanghai made my appreciate Hong Kong so much more. The traffic was so much more managable in HK, and the people were much more "western", so I felt like I could live in HK longer without feeling like I didn't belong.
We went to our favorite bar, Cutty Sark, on Wednesday night, and had a great time with the other American, British, Aussie, and other "ex-pats" in SoHo.
This weekend away in Shanghai helped me to see things that I had been missing in my Asian Adventure - the language barrier and uncomfort of being lost in an unfamiliar city.
Shanghai
Thursday-Monday, July 16-20
Thursday:
We left campus after classes on Thursday night to head to the Hong Kong airport. Our flight was at 8:30 and we landed in Shanghai around 11. While running through the airport (only because we had a lot of enthusiasm) we worked up quite a sweat, and when we finally get to the section of the airport where we get our temperature checked for swine flu, the alarm went off..... thank goodness it was for the Canadian guy behind us! He was leading a high school group of students on a tour of London, Dubai, and Shanghai and somehow they let him pass. PHEW! We got out bags, found a taxi, and were on our way to the H Hotel.
We woke up early and took a taxi to an old water village, (NAME), which was about 1 1/2 hours from Shanghai. The taxi literally dropped us off in the middle of a street that looked nothing like the ancient village we were expecting. Unsure of how we would get back to Shanghai, we paid the less than $20 taxi fare, and went out exploring. We found a really delicious Chinese restaurant where we tried some different dishes than we had experienced in Hong Kong. After a super cheap lunch, we wandered to a "civilized garden", and then finally found the old water village where we found a market, and housing along a river canal where boats were used for main transportation. We tried some of the street baked goods, mochi balls, and fruit from the fruit market. I found some of the cutest kids in this town, and none of them were beggars, they were just running around and so happy to see us.
Thursday:
We left campus after classes on Thursday night to head to the Hong Kong airport. Our flight was at 8:30 and we landed in Shanghai around 11. While running through the airport (only because we had a lot of enthusiasm) we worked up quite a sweat, and when we finally get to the section of the airport where we get our temperature checked for swine flu, the alarm went off..... thank goodness it was for the Canadian guy behind us! He was leading a high school group of students on a tour of London, Dubai, and Shanghai and somehow they let him pass. PHEW! We got out bags, found a taxi, and were on our way to the H Hotel.
We woke up early and took a taxi to an old water village, (NAME), which was about 1 1/2 hours from Shanghai. The taxi literally dropped us off in the middle of a street that looked nothing like the ancient village we were expecting. Unsure of how we would get back to Shanghai, we paid the less than $20 taxi fare, and went out exploring. We found a really delicious Chinese restaurant where we tried some different dishes than we had experienced in Hong Kong. After a super cheap lunch, we wandered to a "civilized garden", and then finally found the old water village where we found a market, and housing along a river canal where boats were used for main transportation. We tried some of the street baked goods, mochi balls, and fruit from the fruit market. I found some of the cutest kids in this town, and none of them were beggars, they were just running around and so happy to see us.
"Why are you there, again?"
Tuesday - Thursday, July 14-16
I was talking to Jason (a friend in Boston) recently and was asked - "Why are you there again?" and I had NO idea how to answer.
Due to the recent increase in swine flu cases, all of our classes were canceled, and would be held as web-based broadcasts for the next week. Literally, I could be sitting anywhere in the world and tune into my professors reading the class slides to us. But no, we are in Grace Tien hall on a mountain in Sha Tin near Hong Kong. There is no question that I am loving the experience and everything I have seen and done, but the class situation is very frustrating. Plus, all of the Northeastern students have Apple computers, so we can't even use the application needed to see our classes - creating more chaos.
With all of the problems with the network and the frustration from our professors, we have only had about 50% of our lectures this week, but have had the same amount of work. While we kept busy this week, we have also planned an exciting trip to Shanghai for the coming weekend, and have mastered our Jenga skills!
I have finally caught up on all of my reading for classes, printed and reviewed all of the slides, and feel prepared for the midterms on Tuesday. It is hard to believe this summer program is already half way done!
Off to Shanghai until Monday...
I was talking to Jason (a friend in Boston) recently and was asked - "Why are you there again?" and I had NO idea how to answer.
Due to the recent increase in swine flu cases, all of our classes were canceled, and would be held as web-based broadcasts for the next week. Literally, I could be sitting anywhere in the world and tune into my professors reading the class slides to us. But no, we are in Grace Tien hall on a mountain in Sha Tin near Hong Kong. There is no question that I am loving the experience and everything I have seen and done, but the class situation is very frustrating. Plus, all of the Northeastern students have Apple computers, so we can't even use the application needed to see our classes - creating more chaos.
With all of the problems with the network and the frustration from our professors, we have only had about 50% of our lectures this week, but have had the same amount of work. While we kept busy this week, we have also planned an exciting trip to Shanghai for the coming weekend, and have mastered our Jenga skills!
I have finally caught up on all of my reading for classes, printed and reviewed all of the slides, and feel prepared for the midterms on Tuesday. It is hard to believe this summer program is already half way done!
Off to Shanghai until Monday...
Finally- Big Buddha, Lantau, and Ngong Ping 360!
Monday, July 13
Today we were determined to see Big Buddha, rain or shine (typhoon or no typhoon!)
We took the ferry to Lantau Island, and realized after that this was a HUGE mistake as we had no idea that there would be no air conditioning on the ferry and it would travel at a snail's pace. When we finally got to the island, we were tempted to skip Buddha and just jump on the beach. Instead, we motivated ourselves to get in a taxi and travel 30 minutes across the island to the Buddha.
Big Buddha was quite possibly one of the best things I have seen since coming to Hong Kong - it was unbelievably massive and the weather was perfect to capture pictures:
This picture was taken in the taxi on the way to Buddha, if you look close enough to the left of the center peak, you can see a little bit of the backside of Buddha...
BIG BUDDHA ...
The "hike" up to Big Buddha. Good thing it was 100 degrees and 100 % humidity (no jokes on that one, we were all drenched at the top...
Lantau Island view from the top of Big Buddha...
Here is the bodi tree that Buddha was said to have sat and meditated under...
View of Buddha from the crystal cabin in the cable car...
A fishing village below the peaks of Lantau Island...
The cable car and the landscape we passed on the 30 minute ride...
Finally, we were successful in our pilgrimage to find the Big Buddha on Lantau Island! We had a fantastic weekend, and were gearing up for a relaxing week of classes.
Today we were determined to see Big Buddha, rain or shine (typhoon or no typhoon!)
We took the ferry to Lantau Island, and realized after that this was a HUGE mistake as we had no idea that there would be no air conditioning on the ferry and it would travel at a snail's pace. When we finally got to the island, we were tempted to skip Buddha and just jump on the beach. Instead, we motivated ourselves to get in a taxi and travel 30 minutes across the island to the Buddha.
Wouldn't you want to be on this beach?
This picture was taken in the taxi on the way to Buddha, if you look close enough to the left of the center peak, you can see a little bit of the backside of Buddha...
BIG BUDDHA ...
The "hike" up to Big Buddha. Good thing it was 100 degrees and 100 % humidity (no jokes on that one, we were all drenched at the top...
Lantau Island view from the top of Big Buddha...
Here is the bodi tree that Buddha was said to have sat and meditated under...
View of Buddha from the crystal cabin in the cable car...
A fishing village below the peaks of Lantau Island...
The cable car and the landscape we passed on the 30 minute ride...
Finally, we were successful in our pilgrimage to find the Big Buddha on Lantau Island! We had a fantastic weekend, and were gearing up for a relaxing week of classes.
Today we (quasi) rest.
Sunday, July 12
After a few days of failed attempts, a very fun night out in Hong Kong, and an exhausting full two week in Hong Kong, we finally sleep in!
In the afternoon, we make yet another attempt to see the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas. After getting to the top of all of the escalators, we now realize that we have been looking at a Buddhist cemetery this whole time. It looks like a temple since it has similar architecture and places for meditation, but every room is full of little marble boxes where people have been cremated. All of the boxes have a number, and some have photos of the people. We had ignorantly taken pictures of this thinking it was a site, but in actuality the 10,000 Buddhas were on the mountain behind this cemetery, and we had not yet found the entrance. When we reached the bottom of the hill, we rest, and realize we are much too exhausted and sweaty to trek back up this mountain today. Instead, we decide to leave and try this Temple of 10,000 Buddhas adventure another day.
Brittany and I decide it is time to take a time out and we head to SoHo to get pedicures. Meanwhile, Kyle sat on a bench playing a game on his cell phone for 2 hours, while we got the best pedicures ever! (And we did NOT hear the end of Kyle's waiting saga....)
At about 5, we met up with Marc and headed to the Peak Tram. The tram goes straight up Victoria Peak and provides a beautiful view of the city. We were able to go to the top of the crazy looking building and get the full view of the island - incredible! Since we wanted to stay until 8 so we could see the Symphony of Lights from the Peak, we ate dinner at a Thai restaurant on the peak. It was one of our first nights eating outside, but it was so relaxing and the food was delicious (red curry and pineapple seafood rice).
(The observation building at the top of the Peak)
(View from the observation deck - south side of HK Island)
(View from the observation deck - Repulse Bay, South HK Island)
(Hong Kong from the observation deck on top of the Peak)
(Hong Kong Symphony of Lights from the Peak)
On our way down the tram, this little boy was making faces at me, so of course I made the same faces back at him... he was absolutely adorable. I don't think his parents found us as entertaining as we thought he was.
We met up with Brenda and her friend in LKF, and had a nightcap beer there while we watched the workers tear down the beerfest tents and decorations.
After a few days of failed attempts, a very fun night out in Hong Kong, and an exhausting full two week in Hong Kong, we finally sleep in!
In the afternoon, we make yet another attempt to see the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas. After getting to the top of all of the escalators, we now realize that we have been looking at a Buddhist cemetery this whole time. It looks like a temple since it has similar architecture and places for meditation, but every room is full of little marble boxes where people have been cremated. All of the boxes have a number, and some have photos of the people. We had ignorantly taken pictures of this thinking it was a site, but in actuality the 10,000 Buddhas were on the mountain behind this cemetery, and we had not yet found the entrance. When we reached the bottom of the hill, we rest, and realize we are much too exhausted and sweaty to trek back up this mountain today. Instead, we decide to leave and try this Temple of 10,000 Buddhas adventure another day.
Brittany and I decide it is time to take a time out and we head to SoHo to get pedicures. Meanwhile, Kyle sat on a bench playing a game on his cell phone for 2 hours, while we got the best pedicures ever! (And we did NOT hear the end of Kyle's waiting saga....)
At about 5, we met up with Marc and headed to the Peak Tram. The tram goes straight up Victoria Peak and provides a beautiful view of the city. We were able to go to the top of the crazy looking building and get the full view of the island - incredible! Since we wanted to stay until 8 so we could see the Symphony of Lights from the Peak, we ate dinner at a Thai restaurant on the peak. It was one of our first nights eating outside, but it was so relaxing and the food was delicious (red curry and pineapple seafood rice).
(The observation building at the top of the Peak)
(View from the observation deck - south side of HK Island)
(View from the observation deck - Repulse Bay, South HK Island)
(Hong Kong from the observation deck on top of the Peak)
(Hong Kong Symphony of Lights from the Peak)
On our way down the tram, this little boy was making faces at me, so of course I made the same faces back at him... he was absolutely adorable. I don't think his parents found us as entertaining as we thought he was.
We met up with Brenda and her friend in LKF, and had a nightcap beer there while we watched the workers tear down the beerfest tents and decorations.
That's So Boring: Failed Attempt #2
Saturday, July 11
After a relaxing night in, we woke up and set out to find the Big Buddha and cable car! Marc had decided to escape the swine flu pandemonium in Grace Tien, so he checked into a hotel in central Hong Kong, and would stay there for the next three day. Of course, though, he would meet up with us every day since he wouldn't know what to do without his new American friends!
We met him in Kowloon in the morning, and enjoyed breakfast at our favorite "western" cafe - Panash! After everyone is satisfied, we take (a very wavy) ferry ride across to Hong Kong Island. We had just missed the ferry to Lantau Island, so we decide to take the MTR to Lantau. The MTR takes us about an hour and will pass by the airport, Disney, and HK Asia World Expo to take us to the beginning of the 360 Cable Car. Once we get to the cable cars, I purchase my ticket for the "Crystal Car" which is the car that has all glass, and a glass bottom. The rest of the group attempts to purchase their tickets, and are told that due to a level 3 Typhoon warning, the cable car is not operating for the rest of the day. Attempt 2 of exploring Hong Kong - FAILED.
Luckily... there was a Haagen Dazs in sight, and we could satisfy Marc's disappointment with an Asian explosion, aka Vanilla milkshake!
We got back on the MTR, and decided to go to Mong Kok, where there is the Ladies Market and Night Markets, among other vendors. The smell at these markets was horrendous and unbearable at times. I think it was the meat being cooked at the street vendor stands, but I also realized that it had seeped into my skin and clothes since I later STILL smelled like the streets of Mong Kok. The best way to describe this market is to think of Canal street in NYC, where everyone is willing to bargain every price, and always asking, "Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton?"
After this little shopping excursion, it was about 4, and we could think of nothing better than to start happy hour, so we headed to SoHo! We started at Fat Angelo's, but wanted something more pub-ish, so we found Cutty Sark. After a few Strongbows, meeting Jake-er-mister, Don (the bartender), and a quick alphabet game, Katie and I rang the bell.. meaning we buy the whole bar shots. It's a good thing Don loved us and didn't actually charge us for the shots! And somehow we only paid for one beer the entire time we were there, since we didn't get refills, just "top-offs".
After a great introduction to Cutty Sark (yes, we will be back), we had dinner at a Lebanese
place that had Halal meat- Saj was VERY excited to finally be able to eat meat! The food was amazing, especially the lamb and falafel. The night ended with more Cutty Sarks, Beerfest on LKF, more Insomnia coverband dancing, and finally bed.
After a relaxing night in, we woke up and set out to find the Big Buddha and cable car! Marc had decided to escape the swine flu pandemonium in Grace Tien, so he checked into a hotel in central Hong Kong, and would stay there for the next three day. Of course, though, he would meet up with us every day since he wouldn't know what to do without his new American friends!
We met him in Kowloon in the morning, and enjoyed breakfast at our favorite "western" cafe - Panash! After everyone is satisfied, we take (a very wavy) ferry ride across to Hong Kong Island. We had just missed the ferry to Lantau Island, so we decide to take the MTR to Lantau. The MTR takes us about an hour and will pass by the airport, Disney, and HK Asia World Expo to take us to the beginning of the 360 Cable Car. Once we get to the cable cars, I purchase my ticket for the "Crystal Car" which is the car that has all glass, and a glass bottom. The rest of the group attempts to purchase their tickets, and are told that due to a level 3 Typhoon warning, the cable car is not operating for the rest of the day. Attempt 2 of exploring Hong Kong - FAILED.
Luckily... there was a Haagen Dazs in sight, and we could satisfy Marc's disappointment with an Asian explosion, aka Vanilla milkshake!
We got back on the MTR, and decided to go to Mong Kok, where there is the Ladies Market and Night Markets, among other vendors. The smell at these markets was horrendous and unbearable at times. I think it was the meat being cooked at the street vendor stands, but I also realized that it had seeped into my skin and clothes since I later STILL smelled like the streets of Mong Kok. The best way to describe this market is to think of Canal street in NYC, where everyone is willing to bargain every price, and always asking, "Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton?"
After this little shopping excursion, it was about 4, and we could think of nothing better than to start happy hour, so we headed to SoHo! We started at Fat Angelo's, but wanted something more pub-ish, so we found Cutty Sark. After a few Strongbows, meeting Jake-er-mister, Don (the bartender), and a quick alphabet game, Katie and I rang the bell.. meaning we buy the whole bar shots. It's a good thing Don loved us and didn't actually charge us for the shots! And somehow we only paid for one beer the entire time we were there, since we didn't get refills, just "top-offs".After a great introduction to Cutty Sark (yes, we will be back), we had dinner at a Lebanese
place that had Halal meat- Saj was VERY excited to finally be able to eat meat! The food was amazing, especially the lamb and falafel. The night ended with more Cutty Sarks, Beerfest on LKF, more Insomnia coverband dancing, and finally bed.
Failed Attempt
Friday, July 10
Today we did a bit of homework, and then decided to go check out the site I was most excited to see - the Wishing Tree! Unfortunately, by the time we got all the way to the tree, we realized it was "under construction" and didn't look the same as it had in THE BOOK.
After a disappointing little excursion, we hailed a taxi and took the MTR to Shatin to have another failed attempt. We were looking for the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas, and after climbing several flights of escalators in the hot and humid day, we only found a Buddhist cemetary,
which we still took pictures of because it looked like a temple.
After visiting the temple, we went to dinner at the largest floating restaurant, which is in Aberdeen (the south side of Hong Kong Island). We had to take a little water taxi to get to the restaurant. The seafood was great, but it was more exciting watching other people - one group ordered prawns that were killed tableside in a glass pot of boiling water, another group of business men got drunk from saki bombing, and a third couple was in a heated fight so the boyfriend yelled at the waitress and refused to pay part of his bill. After what seemed like an exhausting week, we went home to do laundry and get some rest. Laundry ended up being quite a process, but at least part of our sanity was retrieved by having clean clothes!
Today we did a bit of homework, and then decided to go check out the site I was most excited to see - the Wishing Tree! Unfortunately, by the time we got all the way to the tree, we realized it was "under construction" and didn't look the same as it had in THE BOOK.
After a disappointing little excursion, we hailed a taxi and took the MTR to Shatin to have another failed attempt. We were looking for the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas, and after climbing several flights of escalators in the hot and humid day, we only found a Buddhist cemetary,
which we still took pictures of because it looked like a temple.
After visiting the temple, we went to dinner at the largest floating restaurant, which is in Aberdeen (the south side of Hong Kong Island). We had to take a little water taxi to get to the restaurant. The seafood was great, but it was more exciting watching other people - one group ordered prawns that were killed tableside in a glass pot of boiling water, another group of business men got drunk from saki bombing, and a third couple was in a heated fight so the boyfriend yelled at the waitress and refused to pay part of his bill. After what seemed like an exhausting week, we went home to do laundry and get some rest. Laundry ended up being quite a process, but at least part of our sanity was retrieved by having clean clothes!
First "Normal" Week
Tuesday - Thursday, July 7-9
This week was our first "normal" week of classes. I have 2 different courses - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I am taking Chinese Culture and Society and Human Resource Management. Both professors, as I mentioned are visiting professors from the US. I am really enjoying both classes, but the pace of the course is really quick considering we only have 11 full classes with these professors. The morning session runs from 9:30 - 12:15 and the afternoon course is from 2:30 - 5:15. There is a nice break in between the courses so we can get lunch, relax, print out slides for class, or get reading done. My classes are mostly reading and reviewing slides, and the grades are based on the final exam and participation rather than homework assignments.
I don't mind living in the residence halls, but it is different having a room mate again, and a small (hard) bed! My room mate is really sweet. Her name is Jill, and she is from Shanghai. When she came here she only knew what she had taught herself in English, so she is excited to use her English, and each day I can see how much she has improved.
This week we have had a lot of buzz about H1N1 - Swin Flu. There were a few confirmed cases in our hall, and we are now required to not only take our temperature upon entering a room, but also wear masks throughout the day. Everyone is so nervous to the swine flu, and the administration is making us all paranoid to get sick.
After classes, we typically study at night and get ready for the next day so we don't have much work for the weekend. We also have visited the campus bar, which is always empty, to drink Stella's and play Jenga. (Yes Warren, you would love the fact that every bar serves Stella on draught.)
On Thursday after class we were walking out and Brittany got a call from Saj asking if we had seen Marc. Of course we had seen Marc about 15 times that day, but little did we know that it was his 27th birthday and he neglected to let us know!! In very American fashion, we all get excited and decide we should go out and celebrate in SoHo and LKF, since it is not only our last day of classes for the week, but a birthday celebration!
The first place we went to in SoHo was a Ukrainian bar and restaurant, Ivan the Kozak. They had delicious bliny (crepes) and the drinks were pretty good. The decorations were exactly like something you would find in a traditional Ukrainian restaurant - with church calendars and prayers on the wall as well.
Our favorite part of this place became the "Ice Room", which was blasting air conditioning, had Christmas trees, face icicles, and hundreds of vodkas for shots. After this, we went to Claudio's favorite jazz/gay bar, Gecko, and then finished our night with a "nightcap" in LKF at Insomnia, where we found the BEST coverband in HK!
This week was our first "normal" week of classes. I have 2 different courses - one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I am taking Chinese Culture and Society and Human Resource Management. Both professors, as I mentioned are visiting professors from the US. I am really enjoying both classes, but the pace of the course is really quick considering we only have 11 full classes with these professors. The morning session runs from 9:30 - 12:15 and the afternoon course is from 2:30 - 5:15. There is a nice break in between the courses so we can get lunch, relax, print out slides for class, or get reading done. My classes are mostly reading and reviewing slides, and the grades are based on the final exam and participation rather than homework assignments.
I don't mind living in the residence halls, but it is different having a room mate again, and a small (hard) bed! My room mate is really sweet. Her name is Jill, and she is from Shanghai. When she came here she only knew what she had taught herself in English, so she is excited to use her English, and each day I can see how much she has improved.This week we have had a lot of buzz about H1N1 - Swin Flu. There were a few confirmed cases in our hall, and we are now required to not only take our temperature upon entering a room, but also wear masks throughout the day. Everyone is so nervous to the swine flu, and the administration is making us all paranoid to get sick.
After classes, we typically study at night and get ready for the next day so we don't have much work for the weekend. We also have visited the campus bar, which is always empty, to drink Stella's and play Jenga. (Yes Warren, you would love the fact that every bar serves Stella on draught.)
On Thursday after class we were walking out and Brittany got a call from Saj asking if we had seen Marc. Of course we had seen Marc about 15 times that day, but little did we know that it was his 27th birthday and he neglected to let us know!! In very American fashion, we all get excited and decide we should go out and celebrate in SoHo and LKF, since it is not only our last day of classes for the week, but a birthday celebration!
The first place we went to in SoHo was a Ukrainian bar and restaurant, Ivan the Kozak. They had delicious bliny (crepes) and the drinks were pretty good. The decorations were exactly like something you would find in a traditional Ukrainian restaurant - with church calendars and prayers on the wall as well.
Our favorite part of this place became the "Ice Room", which was blasting air conditioning, had Christmas trees, face icicles, and hundreds of vodkas for shots. After this, we went to Claudio's favorite jazz/gay bar, Gecko, and then finished our night with a "nightcap" in LKF at Insomnia, where we found the BEST coverband in HK!
Ready? Set? MACAU!
Sunday-Monday, July 5-6th
Part 1: Venetian Vacation
After a week of being stuck in Grace Tien Hall (swine flu haven), we were excited to get out of Hong Kong and do a bit of gambling, drinking, and shenanigans! We booked a room at the Venetian, bought tickets for a 5 pm Cirque du Soleil, and got ready to go. After a bit of a rough 4th of July night (for some), we had a late start leaving campus, and the campus bus was of course not running on a Sunday, so we waited an hour, got to the subway and took an hour subway ride to Kowloon, bought a ticket for a 3:30 ferry, went through customs, and were FINALLY on the ferry to Macau! When we finally go to Macau, it was 4:58 - did you forget we had a 5 PM show to get to? Oh, and the Venetian is a 15 minute bus ride from the ferry...
(The "strip" of Macau)
Needless to say, we looked ridiculous running through the Venetian lobby in our flip flops and duffel bags, but Cirque du Soleil was phenomenal! ( I wish I had pictures to show, but the guards were standing in every aisle yelling at photographers.)
(The "honeymoon" suite - big enough for 7!)
After the show, Kyle and I checked in to our "honeymoon" sweet, and were on our way with the other 5 to check out our stellar room. To recap the rest of the night - Katie slept from the minute we got there until the minute we left, the boys and Brittany left the Venetian in search of Poker and ended up losing $300 (US) each, Kyle wandered the Venetian, and I was bored with slots, so I enjoyed a bath, shopping, and sleeping!
Part 2: Macau is NOT just an Asian Vegas
The next day everyone went back to school, but Kyle and I decided to stick around Macau and explore. We found a woman at the ferry station who offered to take us on a tour. Little did we know, she was the tour guide in her family van! Regardless of the sketchy-ness of the situation, she was so sweet and the tour was amazing. Macau was "handed over" to the Chinese government by Portugal in 1999. So, much like Hong Kong it still has a heavy European influence from the Portuguese.
(The library is in the white dome, and I forget the name of this statue.)
(The temple, which had many fishing boats and sailing things since it was for the protection of fishermen.)
(A view of mainland China from inside the temple.)
(A Catholic church on top of the mountain overlooking Macau.)
(Another Catholic church in the center of Macau.)
(Inside the church - it was very simple, but beautiful.)
(A fountain in front of the government house, and cobblestone roads.)
( I feel like this could be the streets of a European city, minus the signs in Chinese.)
(St. John's church ruins. This church has burned down 3 times, and the last time it burned, there were Japanese refugees living inside.)
Part 1: Venetian Vacation
After a week of being stuck in Grace Tien Hall (swine flu haven), we were excited to get out of Hong Kong and do a bit of gambling, drinking, and shenanigans! We booked a room at the Venetian, bought tickets for a 5 pm Cirque du Soleil, and got ready to go. After a bit of a rough 4th of July night (for some), we had a late start leaving campus, and the campus bus was of course not running on a Sunday, so we waited an hour, got to the subway and took an hour subway ride to Kowloon, bought a ticket for a 3:30 ferry, went through customs, and were FINALLY on the ferry to Macau! When we finally go to Macau, it was 4:58 - did you forget we had a 5 PM show to get to? Oh, and the Venetian is a 15 minute bus ride from the ferry...
(The "strip" of Macau)
Needless to say, we looked ridiculous running through the Venetian lobby in our flip flops and duffel bags, but Cirque du Soleil was phenomenal! ( I wish I had pictures to show, but the guards were standing in every aisle yelling at photographers.)
(The "honeymoon" suite - big enough for 7!)
After the show, Kyle and I checked in to our "honeymoon" sweet, and were on our way with the other 5 to check out our stellar room. To recap the rest of the night - Katie slept from the minute we got there until the minute we left, the boys and Brittany left the Venetian in search of Poker and ended up losing $300 (US) each, Kyle wandered the Venetian, and I was bored with slots, so I enjoyed a bath, shopping, and sleeping!
Part 2: Macau is NOT just an Asian Vegas
The next day everyone went back to school, but Kyle and I decided to stick around Macau and explore. We found a woman at the ferry station who offered to take us on a tour. Little did we know, she was the tour guide in her family van! Regardless of the sketchy-ness of the situation, she was so sweet and the tour was amazing. Macau was "handed over" to the Chinese government by Portugal in 1999. So, much like Hong Kong it still has a heavy European influence from the Portuguese.
(The library is in the white dome, and I forget the name of this statue.)
(The temple, which had many fishing boats and sailing things since it was for the protection of fishermen.)
(A view of mainland China from inside the temple.)
(A Catholic church on top of the mountain overlooking Macau.)
(Another Catholic church in the center of Macau.)
(Inside the church - it was very simple, but beautiful.)
(A fountain in front of the government house, and cobblestone roads.)
( I feel like this could be the streets of a European city, minus the signs in Chinese.)
(St. John's church ruins. This church has burned down 3 times, and the last time it burned, there were Japanese refugees living inside.)
A Not-So American Day!
Saturday, July 4
Fourth of July certainly did not feel like a typical Fourth of July! We had a planned excursion with our school to visit the Avenue of the Stars, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market, and Victoria Peak. All of the Americans were hoping to find a BBQ or American 4th of July Celebration - instead we ended up finding all-American Budweisers on Lan Kwai Fung, and a plethora of roughty Americans enjoying a night out!
Avenue of the Stars is similar to the street in Hollywood that has the star's handprints. This is also the location of the infamous statue of Bruce Lee. Jackie Chan also has a handprint on the Avenue of the Stars.
(Jack with Bruce Lee's "star-print")
(Bruce Lee)
The next stop on our tour was Stanley Market. This is a popular street market on the south side of Hong Kong Island, near a beach. Next to the market was the Murray house, which used to sit in the middle of Hong Kong, but was moved brick by brick out to this beachfront location. I found a really neat silk dress at the market (you can see the dress in future pictures).
Fourth of July certainly did not feel like a typical Fourth of July! We had a planned excursion with our school to visit the Avenue of the Stars, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market, and Victoria Peak. All of the Americans were hoping to find a BBQ or American 4th of July Celebration - instead we ended up finding all-American Budweisers on Lan Kwai Fung, and a plethora of roughty Americans enjoying a night out!
Avenue of the Stars is similar to the street in Hollywood that has the star's handprints. This is also the location of the infamous statue of Bruce Lee. Jackie Chan also has a handprint on the Avenue of the Stars.
(Jack with Bruce Lee's "star-print")
(Bruce Lee)
Repulse Bay is on the south shore of Hong Kong Island and is a great place to go swimming. There is a small town there as well, but we were taken to a place with Chinese character statues. There were many different stories about these statues and some of them had "games" to play for good luck. For example, you could walk across the bridge to add 3 days to your life.
The next stop on our tour was Stanley Market. This is a popular street market on the south side of Hong Kong Island, near a beach. Next to the market was the Murray house, which used to sit in the middle of Hong Kong, but was moved brick by brick out to this beachfront location. I found a really neat silk dress at the market (you can see the dress in future pictures).
Victoria Peak is the best place to get an view of the city of Hong Kong, and although it wasn't the best day weather-wise, the view was remarkable.
Marc's Tour of Hong Kong
Friday, July 3
Today we got up early and were ready for Marc's big tour that he planned using "THE BOOK". (This book was a collective purchase and has every sight and event that any tourist would want to see in Hong Kong, and has been a huge asset to our exploring!)
Marc highlighted some of the major points of interest in Central Hong Kong and we took the whole day to see everything...
Today we got up early and were ready for Marc's big tour that he planned using "THE BOOK". (This book was a collective purchase and has every sight and event that any tourist would want to see in Hong Kong, and has been a huge asset to our exploring!)
Marc highlighted some of the major points of interest in Central Hong Kong and we took the whole day to see everything...
1. Western Market:
This market is located near the Central MTR station, and has a few restaurants and many silk vendors. We did not find many vendors that we liked, but the building was architecturally beautiful.
2. Man Mo Temple:
There was an awesome market just before this temple. This was the second temple we had seen, and there were a lot of incense that were coiled in the temple which made the temple very fragrant, but also very hot. We later learned that these are bought by different families. The family buys the coil, and puts a piece of paper with the family's names on it, and then burn the incense as good luck and good fortune for the family members.
3. Longest Escalator in the World: We were somewhat surprised when we got to the escalator and discovered it was not a continuous escalator and we still had to climb some stairs to get to the top of the escalator. Every block there was an exit from the escalator to get back down to street level. Along the way, we found SoHo and the Jamai Mosque.
4. Jamia Mosque: This is an Islamic mosque near SoHo.
5. SoHo: South of Hollywood Road, or SoHo, is a great area with bars, restaurants, salons, and more! (Minor foreshadow: We will find out that we LOVE SoHo!)
6. Hong Kong Botanical Gardens and Zoo: Right in the middle of all of the hustle bustle of the city is this beautiful botanical garden and zoo. We were able to see some of the Lemurs, birds, lions, and snakes. The view of the city from below the canopy of trees was unique and great for pictures.
7. Government House: which was recently restored to be where the governing family lives, similar to the US White House. Previous families had not lived here, which apparently caused some animosity in Hong Kong, but the current governing family has moved back in.
8. St. John's Cathedral: This is a catholic church in the middle of Hong Kong's financial district. Less than 10% of Hong Kong practices Christianity.
9. Top of Bank of China: We were able to go to the 43rd floor of the Bank of China to get a view of the city.
10. Hong Kong Park and Tea Museum: We did not spend a lot of time in the park, but there is an Olympic exhibit, and several other exhibits in the park. There is also a tea museum and tea room. We were excited to go in the middle of this fountain to take a neat picture (and go through the water after a full day of walking through the heat and humidity.)
11. Longest Painting in the world: This painting is located in the Shangri La Hotel. The painting is 16 stories tall and is a Chinese mountainous and water scenery.
12. The Peninsula: The oldest and one of the most exclusive hotels in Hong Kong. The lobby has several stores - Tiffany, Gucci, and Rolex to name a few.
13. Hong Kong Symphony of Lights: Every night the Hong Kong skyline has magnificent lights, and at 8 PM you can watch a laser light show to classical music from the opposite side of Hong Kong Island. It was a great ending to our day of exploration!
This market is located near the Central MTR station, and has a few restaurants and many silk vendors. We did not find many vendors that we liked, but the building was architecturally beautiful.
2. Man Mo Temple:
There was an awesome market just before this temple. This was the second temple we had seen, and there were a lot of incense that were coiled in the temple which made the temple very fragrant, but also very hot. We later learned that these are bought by different families. The family buys the coil, and puts a piece of paper with the family's names on it, and then burn the incense as good luck and good fortune for the family members.
3. Longest Escalator in the World: We were somewhat surprised when we got to the escalator and discovered it was not a continuous escalator and we still had to climb some stairs to get to the top of the escalator. Every block there was an exit from the escalator to get back down to street level. Along the way, we found SoHo and the Jamai Mosque.
4. Jamia Mosque: This is an Islamic mosque near SoHo.
5. SoHo: South of Hollywood Road, or SoHo, is a great area with bars, restaurants, salons, and more! (Minor foreshadow: We will find out that we LOVE SoHo!)
6. Hong Kong Botanical Gardens and Zoo: Right in the middle of all of the hustle bustle of the city is this beautiful botanical garden and zoo. We were able to see some of the Lemurs, birds, lions, and snakes. The view of the city from below the canopy of trees was unique and great for pictures.
7. Government House: which was recently restored to be where the governing family lives, similar to the US White House. Previous families had not lived here, which apparently caused some animosity in Hong Kong, but the current governing family has moved back in.
8. St. John's Cathedral: This is a catholic church in the middle of Hong Kong's financial district. Less than 10% of Hong Kong practices Christianity.
9. Top of Bank of China: We were able to go to the 43rd floor of the Bank of China to get a view of the city.
10. Hong Kong Park and Tea Museum: We did not spend a lot of time in the park, but there is an Olympic exhibit, and several other exhibits in the park. There is also a tea museum and tea room. We were excited to go in the middle of this fountain to take a neat picture (and go through the water after a full day of walking through the heat and humidity.)
11. Longest Painting in the world: This painting is located in the Shangri La Hotel. The painting is 16 stories tall and is a Chinese mountainous and water scenery.
12. The Peninsula: The oldest and one of the most exclusive hotels in Hong Kong. The lobby has several stores - Tiffany, Gucci, and Rolex to name a few.
13. Hong Kong Symphony of Lights: Every night the Hong Kong skyline has magnificent lights, and at 8 PM you can watch a laser light show to classical music from the opposite side of Hong Kong Island. It was a great ending to our day of exploration!
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