China Day 2 - Hong Kong

Today we had the whole day to spend in Hong Kong. We began our day with the nicest breakfast buffet I've ever seen. All the usual breakfast foods were there plus a dash of Chinese cuisine. Sweet and Sour Chicken, Steak, Fried Turnip Cakes (yum) and a bar where you choose your toppings like shrimp and cabbage and noodles and a guy parboils it and adds broth to make a noodle bowl. There were all kinds of fresh juice, including watermelon. And they had a juicing bar, where you could choose your fruits and vegetables to make your own.

Before we left, Matt put on a polo shirt and khaki shorts and declared that he was going to dress like he fit in at the Executive Lounge.

I told him I didn't think his Walmart shirt and slip on Crocs screamed classy but whatever.

We went down with the intention of maintaining our dignity in a high class place and ended up eating so much that our clothes were stretched and we were in danger of falling headfirst into our watermelon juice in a food coma.

Later that morning I plugged in a tiny little hotel hairdryer and put it on the highest setting. It made a tinny whirring noise, much like one of those battery operated candy toppers you get at Cracker Barrel. It was a foreboding sound. As I anticipated, it took me 20 minutes to partially dry my thick, course hair. I was lamenting this fact to Matt and he (who has been balding/bald since he was 20) snarled "Oh cry me a river about your thick hair problems."

We let Jack swim this morning in the infinity pool (where an unassuming lifeguard quietly places a water bottle and towel at your chair).

For lunch, we met some friends in Hong Kong. I got to know Joy from our Facebook Adopting from China group. She and her husband live in Hong Kong and minister to the poor there and are adopting a little girl. It was great to have them show us around. We ate lunch at an authentic Chinese place, a place so tiny that it would've easily passed for a walk in closet in America. The food was delicious. We rode a couple double decker buses and a ferry through Hong Kong Harbor. We learned about the history and the politics and were constantly amazing at the incredible amount of people. Ritzy high rises set next to tenement apartment buildings, shanty storefronts crammed next to each other, all desperately trying to catch the eye of a passing customer.

On the bus

One of the many bridges

Factory (the big building), tenement housing (on the right)

At the tiny little shoebox restaurant with delicious food. Really sweet soymilk was served with the meal.

Hong Kong Harbor

He said something snarky so Joy made him kiss me. Say you love me, say it!

This was a wall papered to look like a hedge. Hey, am I in a forest? This is all so natural.

On the ferry

These buildings touch each other. Seems like a fire code violation to me.

On the hotel shuttle. I'm sure it means "Watch out for low ceilings" but it's just worded so nicely. I think I'll tell it to the kids. Make good decisions, mind your head.

By far the strangest part of the day was when we were at a little postcard stand. An elderly Chinese woman came up to me and patted my boob, said "hi," patted me arm, said "bye" and repeated the whole thing one more time. We all just looked at each other, that vaguely shellshocked look people get when something bizarre happens.

"Ma'am, I know they're fabulous but please, no touchy."

Tomorrow we fly to Nanning and may even get Talitha tomorrow night, as she comes in tomorrow from her orphanage.

Will I get groped in Nanning? Only time will tell.