HK Day 2

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahck. What did I do today? I got up late and puttered for a long time. I felt good about straightening up my room and washing the dishes. I played with my photos (as you saw). I felt profoundly uninspired to leave the house, but eventually I did.

I wandered… quickly finding the zoo and botanical gardens. Dozens of flamingos glowed a remarkable salmon color behind bars (hence no photo). I then took the Victoria Peak Tram to the top of the mountain on which I sleep. Views would have been better without the haze, but still kinda blew my mind (as did all the white people with strollers). Several constructed hikes guide you around the peak and inform you about plants, butterflies, views….

My bank was conveniently located at the base of the tram. HK is almost like Hawaii or Canada that way. I then wandered through the pedestrian overpass mazes and finally took the streets (a drastic measure!) to walk to where my guidebook said there was a tourist information center (Causeway Bay). The book also said there would be a free “happy hour” concert at the Cultural Center at 6, but no where did it indicate where the Cultural Center was.

I veered away from the main drag and found rows of truly Chinese-looking shops: hardware, medicine, tea…. A few blocks later they turned into upscale western shops. (I still have my eyes out for sweaters but not here.) I found the information center in the metro mall and learned that the performance was a children’s a cappella group which didn’t interest me at all (next week, it’s a Baptist Chorus, also not exciting – last week it was Chinese folk dance which I would have attended but alas).

Discouraged, I hopped on the metro back to Central. I thought I would find some art galleries, but I couldn’t read that map either (from the info center). I ended up shopping at the little night market – I got 3 wool sweaters for about US$15: blue, green, and pink (some with stupid little pockets). Then I took the escalators back to the house.