Rush Hour 4

We'd first like to apologize for the delay in posting this blog. Due to the strict censorship imposed by the Chinese government, we were not able to access the blogger website while in the land of China.  

We arrived in Hong Kong at 6am after taking the red eye out of Kathmandu. Going from Kathmandu to Hong Kong was like going to another world. While we loved the cultural experience in Nepal, it was comforting to be back in civilization. 

We checked in at our hostel and once again made the mistake of booking a double room (one big bed) instead of a twin room (two beds).  I think that the double vs twin descriptor is very confusing. It's almost as confusing as the looks we get from the receptionists who cannot decide if we're a gay couple or two idiots that booked the wrong type of room.  After sorting out the confusion and switching to two beds in one of the dorm rooms we were ready to see Hong Kong. The weather was not cooperating with us, and Hong Kong is a very modern city not really renowned for its culture so we could only think of one possible thing to do, gamble.

Gambling is a huge part of Chinese culture and their addiction to baccarat is more powerful than Lindsey Lohan's addiction to drugs and alcohol. In order to see these people in action, and maybe dance with lady luck ourselves, we headed to China's version of Las Vegas: Macau.

A short one hour ferry ride from Hong Kong, Macau is a gambling Mecca. Giant Las Vegas casino companies such as the Venetian, the Wynn, the Sands, and the MGM Grand have established themselves in Macau in order to capitalize on China's love for gambling. While Macau seemed to be a more wholesome and tamer version of Vegas it actually surpasses Vegas and takes in the most gambling revenue in the world.  We checked out the Venetian, and the Hardrock before we settled at the Sands and decided it was time to test our luck. The odds were ever in our favor on the roulette wheel and I made out up 1000 Hong Kong Dollars, which is roughly $140 US (this would be put to good use later).

Back in Hong Kong we headed to Tim Ho Wan for dinner. Known for its incredible dim sum, Tim Ho Wan might be the only Michelin Star rated restaurant in the world where two people can order a feast for only $20 USD. The pork and shrimp dumplings, lemon spring rolls, and various other dishes, the contents of which were unclear to us, were incredible. But the best by far were these little bread type pastries packed with barbecue pork. These delectable morsels are a must have for anyone visiting Hong Kong (especially if you're on a budget).

The next morning the weather had cleared up, and so had Alex's illness. If you did not catch our last blog post, Alex fell victim to food poisoning on our last day in Kathmandu. With his stomach settled , empty (I probably ate $18 worth of our $20 dinner), and finally ready to consume food again, we knew the only thing that could get him back on track was a heaping plate of steak frites. The hearty meal was just what the doctor ordered and we were ready for a long day of sightseeing.

We kicked off our tour of Hong Kong with a ride up the Victoria Tram to Victoria's peak in order to get a birdseye view of the city.  Here we saw what a sprawling metropolis Hong Kong is.  

Even at this vantage point we were still below some of the rooftops of the city's biggest skyscrapers. Once sufficiently satisfied, we headed back down the mountain in order to take the star ferry across the harbor to Kowloon. 

One of the main attractions in Hong Kong is the history museum which lies on this side of the harbor. Unfortunately for us the museum is closed on Tuesdays, so instead we decided to take a walk along the harbor. This gave us another great vantage point of the Hong Kong skyline. We strolled along the "Avenue of the Stars" while taking in the beautiful day. It was here that we payed homage to legendary actors such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Even though our hands were much bigger than many of the imprints left in the cement by these Chinese film stars, it was interesting to learn about the Chinese film industrys history. That type of mental exhaustion really took a lot out of us so we had to stop at a bar along the harbor and grab a beer in the fresh air.

As the sun started to set I could feel the 1000 Hong Kong Dollars burning a hole in my pocket. It would only be fair to Hong Kong to reinvest this money into the local economy. What better way to do that than to head to the tallest bar in the world? On the 118th floor of the international commerce center lies the Ritz Carlton's Ozone bar. After two ear popping elevator rides we took our jeans and t-shirts into a sea of Armani suits. Despite our attire we still managed to get a fantastic seat along the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the harbor. From here we did our best to nurse a few pricey drinks so that we could stay long enough to watch the sunset and then the Symphony of Lights, Hong Kong's nightly light show put on by a number of buildings along the harbor. We had an incredible view of the sunset as well as the show, while also getting a great taste of Hong Kongs high society. 

Unfortunately staying at Ozone any longer would mean not having enough money to get to the airport in the morning, so we headed to the night market on Temple Street. Full of little stands and hustlers it was a great place to people watch as well as to buy something at a bargain. Alex was able to pick up a great pair of sunglasses.

When the market lost its luster we took the ferry back across the harbor to the Lan Kwai Fong district. This square block, run by expats, is Hong Kongs premiere nightlife destination. Packed with numerous bars and clubs, it was even lively on a Tuesday night. We spent the next few hours enjoying the Hong Kong nightlife and then headed to the airport early the next morning for our flight to Beijing feeling that we did a great job seeing all Hong Kong had to offer in two short days.