Hong Kong

We were able to have breakfast again under the umbrellas on the outside back deck, during which we had another fun FaceTime call, this time with David, Callie and Lilah. We did a bit more duty-free shopping before we landed in Hong Kong at 1 :00pm.
Lee is up doing her laps. I think she did 45. It is extremely hot, and she came back quite flushed. The temperature is probably 80°.
After a late lunch, we began to see the skyline of Hong Kong in the distance. As we got closer, it turned out to be, what has to be the most beautiful and dramatic harbour entrance in the world for cruise ships. As the ship slowly approached our still distant docking point, high-rise steel and glass buildings lined both sides of the harbour. Everyone was up on deck taking pictures and the feeling was just electric. The mood was even more enhanced by the Regent Band playing pop music by the poolside.
We passed the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition centre which looks a little like the Sydney Opera House. The centre was the site of the 1997 Hong Kong handover ceremony, which signified the end of British colonial rule. We were in Hong Kong in September 1996 and they had a giant clock ticking down the hours before the handover on July 1, 1997.
When we docked, we were disappointed to find that our port-side cabin was facing the "non view side". However, we can always go to the observation lounges and the upper deck to see the buildings and lights of Hong Kong Island.
We docked on the Kowloon side, a peninsula attached to mainland China. From here, we look across to Hong Kong Island. After landing, everyone had to go through a customs check with passports and it was not until the customs officials were certain that all passengers had gotten off the ship, and they had seen our passports, that we allowed to come back on the ship. In the meantime, we window shopped another phenomenally large, modern shopping mall at pier side, featuring high end clothing, jewelry and watches. There is even an exclusive shop for the Tudor watches, one of which which Lee gave me for our 50th anniversary. Further along, we looked at a very colourful vest, but it turned out to be US$1762 and also beautiful pink long sleeve shirt that was $350. Clearly not our kind of mall!
While we browsed through one of the clothing stores, they were playing the song Dance Monkey on the sound system which made me think of Lilah and Callie because we all enjoy that song.
In the past, when we were in port, by some strange agreement, the news channels on the TV were blocked out, but at least the Wi-Fi worked so we could use our phones to check on things. We were happy to find that in Hong Kong, all the television channels are working so whenever we’re on the ship, we would be able to follow the news of the US election.
Our dinner tonight was in Prime Seven and Lee had lobster tails (two, actually because the waiter inadvertently doubled her order) and Don had lamb chops. At 8 o’clock every night, there is a laser light display over Hong Kong Island, while many of the buildings have their own led light shows. We were late leaving the restaurant so we missed the light show but enjoyed sitting on the upper deck afterwards taking pictures of the gorgeous nighttime skyline of Hong Kong Island. We took in another sensational show, described as My Revolution, the musical frenzy that rocked America and became known as the British invasion. It was put on by the Explorer Production Company and it is difficult to describe just how extraordinarily talented these youngsters are.
And so to bed, feeling anxious about the election results.Meer informatie