Saturday, July 25, 2009

All the photos you could ever possibly want to see

It has taken me two weeks, but I've finally uploaded all my China photos to Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/hopeokeeffe/collections/72157621476893786/. Please feel free to tag, name, comment, and of course print. I may keep organizing and editing a bit.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Last Morning (Hong Kong)


I woke in time for the last bit of sunrise, and repacked the suitcase that got knocked over in the wee hours on Aaron’s return. It was still only 6:30, so I dressed for another session in the gym… and took the elevator downstairs instead.

I wandered back to Victoria Park. As I’d anticipated, all through the park, people were exercising – and in some instances, dancing. There were at least three calisthenics groups and probably a dozen tai chi practices of varying difficulty.









I joined a morning calisthenics class of older women, which of course left me in the dust. I hung out on the edge trying to follow, when a passing woman took pity on me and coached me through some of the moves. It was gentler than the calisthenics I know (although we did do jumping jacks) – more stretching and balancing, and some influence of tai chi. Plus there was a point where we all rubbed our eye sockets and foreheads, and then the back of our heads, that felt simply wonderful.





Then I got even braver and stood on the outskirts of a tai chi practice opposite the Library, trying to follow that; I did recognize parts of the forms from the four morning sessions on the cruise, but I’m sure I was the source of much amusement. People were very polite, with encouraging smiles. [I felt very intrusive taking pictures, and only did it at a distance. Oh for a telephoto!]

Havana Next Year, Baby/The Final Night (Hong Kong) [by Aaron]


The night began when we left the group and rode on a doubledecker tram. It was two HK$, or about a quarter. We took it until we found the stop we wanted to be at, somewhere off the map. On the tram, we discussed that we wanted to find some Latin music, and it became our quest. We had to use the bathroom, so we walked into a random 5 star hotel. They showed us where they were and we then went to the hotel bar, the Admiralty Club. It was navy-themed. There was a band of four performing Lady Gaga songs and jazz standards. Interesting combination. I had a beer called Diamond Black, which was basically cranberry soda. It was gross. Remind me to never get it again. I shared Tom’s Tetley, (beer, not tea), which was mild and aromatic, with a full head and an amber color.

After the band set, we asked the band if they knew where we could find Latin music. An older member thought for a minute and revealed to us that the Havana Club would be good, but we might have to request Latin songs. He gave us the name and area, Tsim Sha Tsui, in English; we got the Chinese from the hotel reception. They were really nice to us, it was really weird. We realized we were getting closer to our goal, and took a taxi to the Star Ferry. The ferry was also HK$2, and offered a spectacular view of the bay at night. It was the lights; it wouldn’t have been anything during the day. When we touched down, we began walking in Kowloon. We had a map from the hotel reception revealing the exact location of the club. We went into another 5 star hotel and got directions for the fastest way to the club, a 15 minute walk. We enjoyed the night of Hong Kong as we walked to Knutsford Terrace. Tom and I sat down to rest our worn legs. We were on the brink of sleep, but we kept our quest in mind and continued.
We walked up many stairs, asked for directions again, and walked into a small building with an elevator: the Havana Club at last. We were directed to a very comfortable couch and the band began a song by Eric Clapton. We were mildly confused, as we sipped our Cuba libres and listened to songs such as “band on the Run,” “Imagine,” and bad 80s tunes. On the suggestions card, Tom wrote “Porque hay no musica Cubana?”, meaning “Why don’t you have any Cuban music?” Tom requested one Latin song using the request card we were given. We ordered San Miguels and Havana cigars (Habana Punch cigars). We enjoyed our request promptly and the set finished, leaving a dj playing mediocre Latin music. We toasted to the success of our quest and to our ancestors, some of which manufactured cigars. We spoke of how Cuba will probably be open to Americans soon and hoped we can do the same thing in Havana. We toasted again, to “Havana next year, baby!” We walked around for a little bit after we leave, and eventually just taxied home. The taxi only cost HK$50 to get us from island to island. We high-fived to the end of our China trip.

Last Night (Hong Kong)

Last Night

We went out for a traditional Chinese banquet to commemorate the end of our journey. There we encountered what would be the last of the incomprehensible Chinese bathroom signs.















Then, Jeff and I went back to the room and read a bit of Inkheart together; after he fell asleep I blogged a bit for later posting when I have web access. Lois & Marty and Ed & Abby’s family all went to pack. The Langellos didn’t even make dinner – they were squeezing out the last possible shopping opportunities.

Tom and Aaron took the Star Ferry to Kowloon in search of Latin music. They found the Havana Club ,where they had fat Cuban cigars, Cuba libres, and San Miguels to round out their excellent adventures. [I’d proposed a Star Ferry ride earlier, but both boys said they’d had plenty of boat rides, thank you very much. I slightly regret not having forced the issue – Aaron reports it was wonderful under the full moon.]

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Last post, for the moment [Hong Kong]

We set off for home tomorrow at the crack of dawn, and I'm too cheap to fork over the HK$120 for another day's internet service. So watch this space, because we'll probably keep catching up on stories, photos, and especially videos for another month. [try the RSS feed....]

And thanks for virtually joining us!

Monday, July 6, 2009

down and out [Hong Kong]

Just got hit up by a panhandler, Anglo, filthy skater shirt, maybe 20, shaking from withdrawal, saying he was busted and starving. I walked by; Aaron convinced me to turn back, and we hit a fruit stand, bought him an apple and a kiwi (his choice) and gave him a bottle of water.

Aaron promised me that if he's ever junked out in Hong Kong, he'll call me and I'll send a ticket home, no questions asked.

MUCH better now, thanks [Hong Kong]


A number of us (especially Edward (the first), Amanda, and Marty) were hit by a 24 hour bug; Edward (the first) even stayed home from yesterday's sightseeing. Cumulative effects, I think, of a mad schedule finally relaxed and a suspicious double cheeseburger and/or caesar salad. (Those of us who did not eat at McDonald's are fine, but we didn't eat the salad, either.) But today everyone's back on track.

[nb: picture is from Guilin]

Plop! [Hong Kong]

Those who know me know what I like to do on vacation: plop, preferably near water and with a book. This whole if it's Tuesday it must be Guilin experience, as awesome as it has been, is way out of character.

So I am taking it as a signal from the universe that I deleted my guidebook (since Tom has my Lonely Planet) and I'm spending a few hours here on the rooftop:



If I'm feeling especially ambitious I might look at the view from the other side or spy down on the neighbors:


Better than Battlestar Galactica [Hong Kong]


This morning's view, while listening to Springsteen.

kindling [Hong Kong]

My Kindle has been great -- exactly what I'd hoped for, an easy way to carry around a very large library. I most enthusiastically recommend that anyone who travels a lot buy one. You'll make up the cost in chiropractor fees and overweight baggage penalties in no time.

This morning, however, I discovered exactly how easy it is to delete something when you're half asleep and have clumsy morning fingers that keep pressing a button instead of waiting for the Kindle to process a request. Not a problem in the States, where Amazon has everything backed up -- but here, of course, the wireless doesn't work.

Unfortunately, what I deleted was the one book I'd paid full price for (everything else is public domain) -- my excellent China Adventure Guide, where I was trying to plan out this last, unscheduled day.

Better today, I suppose, than earlier in the trip....

Slainte {Hong Kong]





Tom, Aaron, Jeff & I had a grand lunch today: Guinness/Erdlinger/ginger beer, fish&chips, and hamburgers.

H1N1 Fashion [Hong Kong]




The only way to travel [Baidicheng, Yangtze cruise]


600-plus steps up to the temple at Baidicheng, so Tom climbed in style.

CRASH! [Hong Kong]

I think this is the first evening that the entire group simply crashed from exhaustion. Ruth found a very good pizza joint a few blocks away, we contributed some beer from the 7-Eleven, ate in Ed and Abby’s room, and fell asleep early.

Lost! [Hong Kong}



We couldn’t entirely find ourselves on the map and Tom’s leg was acting up, so we hailed a cab back to the hotel. The cab drove on the wrong side of the street and was mysteriously configured.




We drove around in circles for a bit and even went up on the highway for an exit or two; I suspected we may have only been a few blocks away, and snapped a picture of the cab ID, but Aaron pointed out that our fare was only 33 HK$, or about $4.00, so it seems more likely we’d just wandered into a warren of unnavigable one-way streets.

Better than Buffy (Hong Kong)


Despite hauling all my gear, this is the first tme I’ve made it to a hotel gym (ok, so I’ve walked into a few gyms, but not actually onto any machines). I spent the 44 ellipticalling minutes that I usually spend in front of a DVD tv show watching the night Hong Kong skyline, and listening to the Fenians on Jeffrey’s pod because mine was out of juice.

Unprogrammed (Hong Kong)

It was raining hard when we arrived in Hong Kong, so we postponed the scheduled sightseeing for the day and just checked into the hotel. Tom, Aaron, Jeffrey and I had an excellent late Vietnamese lunch (pho, cha gio, soft shell crab garden rolls, beer for me; pho ba for Aaron, spicy curry for Tom, more soft shell crab garden rolls and an adzuki bean milkshake for Jeffrey). Then we just wandered about. We found an amazing park, Victoria Park,














where hundreds of young women in head scarves, some perhaps praying, and others just practicing their music

or lounging about on blankets

















Tom speculated that they were domestic servants enjoying their Sunday off, which our local guide later confirmed.


Jeffrey found an excellent playground










and we watched lawn bowlers and toy boats skimming around the properly labeled “motor boat pool.”












We did not feed any birds.











Then we just wandered about the streets, more or less window shopping.
We considered a movie.


Scott, is it ok if we come home with a few more pets?

The Benefits of Rainy Season Travel (Yangtze Cruise)

It doesn’t really dampen anyone’s spirits,

















Plus it keeps the ducks happy













and affords fabulous fashion opportunities

And did I mention the waterfalls?

Feng Du [Yangtze Cruise]

The village of Feng Du is now completely inundated, but the tourist-attraction Ghost City Temple still remains. It’s a series of temples and shrines on the mountainside. Because of all the steps, they’ve installed a cablecar,
but only the bravest dare it because of all the dangers.




















There’s a fertility temple with 1000 babies above the entrance.
Lois lit a prayer candle – I think she wants more grandchildren!


















Wonderful demons guard the entrance to an upper temple, the Ghostly Gate Pass,


















but you can only enter if you can balance for three seconds on a slippery stone to prove your worthiness.


















If you’re as uncoordinated as some of us, the prospects are not good.