Hong Kong and Macau

Four days off the bicycle... hope we still know how to ride it tomorrow when we get started again.

Thursday night, the bikes (not just ours) got pressure-washed thanks to helpful people around the hotel - see how hard I'm working on it.

Friday - the border-crossing stuff sure isn't easy - load the bags on the bus which drives to the border (300 metres)

We walk because it's a short distance - bags have to be unloaded, clear through Chinese exit control, then put them back on the bus. About a one hour delay because two people had difficulty because they had overstayed their visa. Bus then drives another 200 metres to the Hong Kong side of the border control area. Unload bags again and carry them through - no problems, but lots of lugging heavy bags. The bus drops us a block and a half away from the hotel because the street is too narrow for it to stop directly outside - good training, carrying heavy bags.

The hotel is actually a hostel, the Hop Inn. Rooms are simple rooms but clean, good showers, conveniently located, wireless internet in the rooms, and friendly, helpful staff. Friday afternoon chores - find bicycle shop and get some chain lube, go to Mong Kok to an outfitter to pick up a new duffel bag for Ursula (the straps had torn off the old one that she had), find a new camera for Ursula... all of these missions accomplished and we joined half-a-dozen others to go across to Hong Kong Island and dine.

The arrival in Hong Kong denoted the finish of the first section of the trip to Singapore - the section was called 'Chasing the Dragon' - seemed appropriate therefore that we dined at a restaurant called the Dragon House - I guess we succeeded in chasing down the dragon.

Around the corner from the hostel was the Charlie Brown Café where we found good breakfasts - eggs benedict, good coffee (usually coffee is not on the breakfast menu in China).



 Saturday and Sunday was more exploring Hong Kong, the markets in Kowloon, Stanley Market and Aberdeen on the south side of Hong Kong Island, and Victoria Peak... and of course browsing along the harbour edge... the Star Ferry and other shipping always on the move on the water and the distinctive skyline whether by day or night.

 

Sign of the day... first one of these we've seen on this trip. In Hong Kong, it is obeyed.

Monday (today) was more lugging bags around for the hydrofoil to Macau in the morning. Nice hotel in Macau.

Macau still displays its colonial Portuguese past. By contrast, the British past of Hong Kong is not as evident, or at least it wasn't to us.

 

The seat of government for the Macau Special
Administrative Region is still the government
house its days of Portuguese administration.

Macau isn't the business centre than Hong Kong is. Rather, it's better known for its casinos.

Tomorrow begins the next section, 'Mao and Tao', which takes us to Hanoi two weeks hence.