March 25, 2013 Hong Kong

After breakfast our  guide and driver were there to take us to the ship to check back in. We dropped our things in the cabin and the 3 couples all went in different directions here all doing their own thing. We had decided to do the Hop On Hop Off bus for both days in Hong Kong. Since it was so warm the night before I changed into capris and a light shirt. It was raining so we wore our raincoats. However, the weather had its own idea and we were quite cold especially on top of the bus.

 we watched our ship sail in from our hotel window......

 our ship from the van at the port

Our HOHO pass included the Star Ferry across Victoria Harbour. The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry service that has been linking Kowloon and Hong Kong Island since 1888. The ferries operate four crossings across Victoria Harbour and carry more than seventy thousand passengers a day, making the Star Ferry one of the most popular things to do in Hong Kong. The 10 minute boat ride between Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) and Central Star Ferry Terminal (Hong Kong Island) is your connection between the Kowloon and Hong Island bus routes. We had unlimited ferry use with our tickets.

We started with The GREEN ROUTE on Hong Kong Island that starts at Central Pier 7 (Star Ferry Pier) and includes Ocean Park, Repulse Bay, Stanley Market and Aberdeen with stops at Ocean Park, Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, Stanley Beach Road and St John's Church.

Repulse Bay is one of Hong Kong's most prestigious addresses. It is a self-contained residential, retail and commercial complex located on the south side of Hong Kong Island. Its name comes from a 19th century battle when pirates occupying the bay were ‘repulsed’ by the Royal Navy. Today, Repulse Bay is a luxurious residential area for dining, relaxation and aquatic activities. It is by far the most breathtaking bay in the region.

 



 

There are extensive facilities for visitors with barbecue racks are available under the shade near the beach. A lighthouse near the beach is a popular place to take photos and watching the sun as it sinks over the South China Sea is a popular pastime for visitors and locals alike. The Zhenhai Tower Park, built in a traditional Chinese style, is located near the beach. Huge statues of the Queen of Heaven and the God of Mercy (Kwan-yin) take precedence in front of the park.

We got off at Stanley Market and walked along the water and then wandered the market. We ran into Carol who sits at our table for dinner there. She was on a ship tour and we were happy to see each other after being gone for several days.

Stanley is a picturesque, colonial, seaside town perched on the southern edge of Hong Kong Island. It is a wonderful place to while away the time on the beach, or in the world famous Stanley Market. Choose from brand-name clothing, accessories, souvenirs, ornaments and other Oriental knick-knacks.  

 

Our ticket also included a Sampan ride in Aberdeen Harbour. It was supposed to be an hour, but we wanted to eat lunch first. Jumbo’s floating restaurant had ferries to take you to it, but the Sampan driver said he could take us there. It was a short ride and we thought we would continue the rest of the ride after lunch, but he took our tickets and we had to take the ferry back. ARGH!

“While in Aberdeen, enjoy a sampan ride around the harbour; weaving past the floating village and around clusters of local fishing boats. A sampan ride is one of Hong Kong’s best cultural experiences. The trip offers you a rare opportunity to experience the lifestyle of the fishermen and their families, and there are many great photo opportunities.” We did walk along the area and saw many of the fishing boats with people living on them. They were great photo ops. 

 

We had lunch at Jumbos Floating Restaurant and had dim sum.

“The Jumbo Kingdom is an important member of Melco's Leisure & Entertainment unit. Centred on the Jumbo and Tai Pak Floating Restaurants in Aberdeen Harbour, it is an internationally renowned tourist attraction. As a Hong Kong icon and a premier tourism and fine-dining establishment, Jumbo has regularly been upgraded over the past 30 years. Jumbo recently had a multi-million dollar refurbishment which not only gave the Jumbo a new look, but also transformed it into a theme park on the sea. Jumbo Kingdom is now a modern complex of dining, sightseeing and cultural attractions - a required stop in any tour of Hong Kong.

A brainchild of Dr. Stanley Ho, the world-renowned Jumbo Floating Restaurant was established in October 1976. It took four years and millions of dollars to design and build. It is ornamented in the style of a gorgeous and exquisite ancient Chinese imperial palace. Over the past decades, Jumbo has been much appreciated by locals and tourists alike, and has become a scenic landmark of Hong Kong. A 'must-see' destination for visitors from overseas, it has played host to numerous international dignitaries and celebrities, including HM Queen Elizabeth II, film stars Tom Cruise, Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li, and more than 30 million other valued visitors and guests.” 

The food was pretty good here. We had various types of dim sum, chicken, pork and shrimp dishes.





After we walked back to the bus stop we decided to take a break and go back to the ship and put on some more layers to keep warm for the evening lights tour. We also stopped to get more Hong Kong dollars and Greg forgot his card in the ATM. He rushed back upstairs, but the machine had taken it. So, we returned again to the ship to call and report the card. They can’t replace it because they will only ship to our address not to a bank or some other location say in Singapore where we thought we could pick it up there somewhere. We have other cards with us, so not a big deal. I almost lose my camera on the Great Wall and now this!



We were early for the Night Tour on the Big Bus. So we wandered and found a snack to tide us over until dinner which would be after 8:00. Here is a description of the night tour: A visit to Hong Kong would not be complete without experiencing the famous ‘Symphony of Lights’ illuminations and the neon spectacle of Nathan Road. The Big Bus Night Tour of Kowloon offers the best view of both.

The Night Tour is a 1 hour panoramic tour of Kowloon. The tour will take you through the bustling heart of Hong Kong at a time when Kowloon is at its vibrant best. The view of Hong Kong Island’s fantastic ‘Symphony of Lights’ illuminations is undoubtedly the tour highlight and will provide an unforgettable experience.”

 

We enjoyed the bus ride and I’m sure the Light Show would have been spectacular if the weather would have been better, but was pretty lackluster in the rainy weather.



 

We walked to the Temple Street Night Market and wandered around looking at the various options for dinner. We found a place that seemed really busy that featured Spicy Crab and pulled up a seat. We ordered Spicy Chicken and Sweet Pineapple Pork and rice. Both were very good. The people next to us were speaking in Polish that had some similar words in Russian so Greg asked what part of Russia they were from. They replied Poland and we chatted with them for a while. I wanted to order some noodles, but they said they weren’t very good. They had a lot of it left and said we could taste it if we wanted before we ordered, but took their word for it and ordered rice to go with the meal. So, the restaurants are basically just off the street and there were short stools to sit on. There were no napkins, but a roll of toilet paper was on the table. (Quite ironic since you don’t find TP actually in a toilet..lol) After our nice dinner we walked back to the ship. It was misty and rainy and then dry.



We were back on the ship around 11:00 that night and as we were getting back on the ship a lot of crew members were going ashore for dinner or to party. There aren’t that many ports where we overnight where it gives the crew enough time to go ashore. 3 of the maître ‘ds were headed out for dinner. One of them told us all about it at dinner the next night. Our waiter said he had been out until 5:30 that morning and he had to work breakfast. They work so hard 7 days a week with only hours off at a time so it’s nice they get to have some fun sometime.
 

Tomorrow, we are up again to have our last day in Hong Kong!