The first thing I noticed about HongKong as we were flying in was the smog - it is thick. I knew it was there, and I had seen it before, but this visit I got to experience a new thing: I could taste it and feel the scratchiness of it in my eyes. Not an overly pleasant experience actually. Singapore definitely has smog and pollution, but I have never had this experience in Singapore; thankfully.
The view from our hotel room was absolutely beautiful… of you’re into that sort of thing: graveyard; it was a very big one at that. Sharon, I thought of you as soon as I looked out the window!
Apparently it is considered bad luck if your home or place of shelter looks is in view of a graveyard, thus our windows were covered with a sheet of smoked plastic so light could come in but you couldn’t see out. Interesting.
Time-Square HongKong is an interesting place; it is just like walking around Orchard Street in Singapore: shopping, shopping and more shopping, with high prices. My not being that of the shopping type, this is just not my idea of a good time; same same, different location. Lots and lots and lots of people – most of them “ornamental”, if you can imagine such a thing; in Asia of all places?!! シ
We wandered through a grocery store we came across in one of the malls, (we do that sometimes...). Look at the price of the Häagen-Dazs ice-cream: one bar for $24 or a small tub for $57! Gotta really love your ice-cream?!! HK$24=CN$2.95 HK$57+CN$7.05 Looks wrong if you don't do the conversion! Made me actually laugh, standing there in the isle!
I also laughed when I saw this stuff - from Canada! This is apparently Canadian Sea Urchin... Urchin what, poop? Yuck, I don't eat this... whatever it is!
Now we're talking: Canadian crab and lobster! Hmmm, don't they have their own? They live right on the sea... guess the Canadian stuff is better?! Yumm
Ah Canada, how I love you ≧^◡^≦
Apparently so does someone elso; when we came out of the mall, having seen all the (overpriced) Canadian items for sale, we saw a flag flying over to the right side of the building.
Had a little momentary burst of pride when I saw that ᵔ.ᵔ
Even when we took a day trip over to Macau there was a touch of Canada. Came across the Canadian College of Macau; somewhere new Dean could teach if he were so inclined... thankfully, he's not so inclined.
Nope; we'll pass; thnx anyway.
Macau is an island not far from HongKong - it is not part of HongKong, and you have to go through customs leaving and returning, even if it is just for a day trip.
It looks and feels very much the same as HongKong - except that you see even fewer Caucasians than you do in HongKong if you can believe it!?! We felt like the only whities on the whole island...
Quite a few of the buildings where built more in the colonial style because Macau was a Portuguese colony for so many years, but the people, stores, prices and "stuff" was all the same. Found a Starbucks, so at least we could have a good cup of coffee ~_^
One of the famous landmarks on this island is the facade of St. Paul's church, replicating the actual church which burned down in 1834.
Not too stimulating...
Apparently Macau was a Portuguese colony, both the first and last European colony in China. They first settled in Macau in the 15th century, and would you believe they were in control until December 1999! Wow.
The first thing I noticed about HongKong as we were flying in was the smog - it is thick. I knew it was there, and I had seen it before, but this visit I got to experience a new thing: I could taste it and feel the scratchiness of it in my eyes. Not an overly pleasant experience actually. Singapore definitely has smog and pollution, but I have never had this experience in Singapore; thankfully.
The view from our hotel room was absolutely beautiful… of you’re into that sort of thing: graveyard; it was a very big one at that. Sharon, I thought of you as soon as I looked out the window!
Apparently it is considered bad luck if your home or place of shelter looks is in view of a graveyard, thus our windows were covered with a sheet of smoked plastic so light could come in but you couldn’t see out. Interesting.
Time-Square HongKong is an interesting place; it is just like walking around Orchard Street in Singapore: shopping, shopping and more shopping, with high prices. My not being that of the shopping type, this is just not my idea of a good time; same same, different location. Lots and lots and lots of people – most of them “ornamental”, if you can imagine such a thing; in Asia of all places?!! シ
We wandered through a grocery store we came across in one of the malls, (we do that sometimes...). Look at the price of the Häagen-Dazs ice-cream: one bar for $24 or a small tub for $57! Gotta really love your ice-cream?!! HK$24=CN$2.95 HK$57+CN$7.05 Looks wrong if you don't do the conversion! Made me actually laugh, standing there in the isle! 
I also laughed when I saw this stuff - from Canada! This is apparently Canadian Sea Urchin... Urchin what, poop? Yuck, I don't eat this... whatever it is!
Now we're talking: Canadian crab and lobster! Hmmm, don't they have their own? They live right on the sea... guess the Canadian stuff is better?! Yumm
Ah Canada, how I love you ≧^◡^≦
Apparently so does someone elso; when we came out of the mall, having seen all the (overpriced) Canadian items for sale, we saw a flag flying over to the right side of the building.
Had a little momentary burst of pride when I saw that ᵔ.ᵔ
Even when we took a day trip over to Macau there was a touch of Canada. Came across the Canadian College of Macau; somewhere new Dean could teach if he were so inclined... thankfully, he's not so inclined.
Nope; we'll pass; thnx anyway.
Macau is an island not far from HongKong - it is not part of HongKong, and you have to go through customs leaving and returning, even if it is just for a day trip.
It looks and feels very much the same as HongKong - except that you see even fewer Caucasians than you do in HongKong if you can believe it!?! We felt like the only whities on the whole island...
Quite a few of the buildings where built more in the colonial style because Macau was a Portuguese colony for so many years, but the people, stores, prices and "stuff" was all the same. Found a Starbucks, so at least we could have a good cup of coffee ~_^
One of the famous landmarks on this island is the facade of St. Paul's church, replicating the actual church which burned down in 1834.
Not too stimulating...
Apparently Macau was a Portuguese colony, both the first and last European colony in China. They first settled in Macau in the 15th century, and would you believe they were in control until December 1999! Wow.
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