Tokyo Experiences

Just pictures right now, but I'll update the narrative...at some point.

Tokyo Tower

Asakasan Temple Grounds

Asakasan Neighborhood Street

Getting a Fortune Paper at Asakasan Temple

Asakasan Temple

Asakasan Temple

Asakasan

Yet More Asia Trip Details...finally!

So our final full day in Hong Kong included a trip out to Lantau Island. The home of Hong Kong Disneyland, The Hong Kong Airport and the Po Lin Monastery, which includes the world's largest seated bronze Buddha.

To get to the monastery, we took a very long, very tall cable car.

Once at the monastery, we got to experience the statue of the Buddha...

Hong Kong - Part 3

or Touring the World of Suzy Wong by Night...

If you don't get the reference, you need to brush up on your 70s era popular movies.

Anyway...



We went over to Central this evening and took the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak. Great views, but we had to buy tickets to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum just to avoid waiting in a two hour line..oh well. We did get to meet Jackie Chan, well a wax version anyway. Oh yeah and George Bush was there...



We walked around after the tram and finally found our way to a Hunan restaurant. Rick doesn't really dig Cantonese cuisine, and neither do I. Shark fin soup, bird's nests and abalone aren't my cup of tea.



Well, we're off to Japan tomorrow...

Hong Kong -Part 2

Well, another day in Hong Kong starts and boy did we pack the touring in yesterday. We started at around 8am with a Hong Kong Island Orientation Tour. We took the central tunnel across the harbor and then proceeded to Victoria Peak. The views were quite striking, even with a haze.



We then went to Aberdeen on the south coast of the island to see Jumbo, the largest floating restaurant in the world and the boat people with their floating houses and sanpans.



Then it was on to Stanley Road and its famous "tourist-junk" market. We were n ot impressed and decided to grab a quick bite to eat. So what does Rick decide to do but order a 3-course pan-Asian meal, and we only have 20 minutes to eat.

Hong Kong - Part 1

After 2 days of travel across several continents and four countries we arrived in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon. We checked in at the Sheraton Hong Kong, which is on the Kowloon side. The hotel is very nice and the room is ultra-modern and extra-posh! The bathroom/shower is quite the experience. Our room also has a harbor view, looking across to Hong Kong island. In fact, here was the view from our window last night-



When we were settled into our room, we went downstairs and had a late lunch at the Celestial Court, a highly rated Cantonese restaurant. We were served jasmine tea and ordered Steamed Shrimp Dumplings, Braised Beef Brisket with Glutinous Rice Dumplings, Steamed Pork Buns and Egg Custard Tarts. All in all, a very satisfying luncheon.

We returned to our room and caught up on our sleep until about 7pm. We got ready for dinner and watched the light show from our room.

Dinner was at Mask of Sichuan (Szechuan style food). We sat outside right on Salisbury Road and watched the passersby as we enjoyed some authentic Szechuan food. I ordered the Fried Beef Strips with Egg Pancakes, nice and garlicly with just enough heat. Rick ordered the Kung Po Chicken and when it arrived I could look at it and tell it was fiery. There were dried chili pods throughout. He enjoyed it greatly and I even had a few bites. For dessert we ordered the house special dessert which included Guava Ice Cream, Sweet Potato and Rice Cakes with Red Beans and Jellied Lotus Seeds with White Fungus. Yum...actually the Ice Cream and Rice Cakes were good.

After dinner we walked around briefly and even found a Circle K, where we got some waters for later. Then it was off to bed to get ready for our tours on Saturday morning.

More tomorrow!