Made it to Tsuen Wan in the Hong Kong Territory and Still Can't Upload Photos.....

…..I’m not actually in Hong Kong, but outside the city in the mountains.  The area here is known as Tsuen Wan and, in itself, probably has a half million residents. 

The flight was short, about three hours, but it took me almost an hour standing in line to clear customs, another 45 minutes to claim my suitcase, and another forty minutes taxi ride to get here.  The hotel caters to tour groups and, not exaggerating, there must have been over a thousand tourists milling around in the giant lobby.  That involved another 45 minute wait in line to check in but, in the end it was worth it, because I somehow got an upgrade to the executive suites on the top—87^th floor—so my room has a magnificent view of the harbor below.

The suite itself is three rooms and one whole wall—about thirty feet—is solid glass with, like I said, a magnificent view of the harbor, ships, and mountains surrounding the area.  There are two huge semi-suspension bridges, much like the Fred Hartman Bridge in Houston and at night they are lit up.  The harbor itself is immaculate and the land area is covered with high-rises but all are new and in pristine condition.

Photos, it seems, won’t be an option on this trip.  Not only is my computer not downloading, but now it can’t locate them in my camera.  I’m taking photos and know they’re there, I just can’t access them until I get home.  I really wish I could post my view from my room.

Today is Monday and I start work tomorrow, so I’m just taking it easy.  I hadn’t realized just how exhausted I was from the two weeks in Thailand.  Last night I walked over to a small shopping mall and ate in a noodle shop.  Cheap, really good, but this morning I wasn’t feeling 100%.  I don’t think it was the food, probably exhaustion.  I may eat there again tonight.

I did go out this morning for a walk.  It was raining pretty hard, so I rented an umbrella at the hotel and set out with a map to find an old ancient walled city that is now a museum within the city.  Actually, I found it pretty easily and checked it out.  It’s in the city itself, on the side of a mountain, but virtually surrounded by high rises.  It’s typical Chinese here—crowded sidewalks, traffic jams, neon signs in Chinese lettering almost making an awning over the street itself.  The streets are named in Chinese and English (British influence I guess), and I never really got lost.  The museum is called Sam Tung Uk and was nicely restored.

Walled cities were Chinese traditions over the centuries.  They would consist mostly of extended families and the walls created a fortress protection against the bandits and, occasionally even the local Chinese army and militias during uprisings.  Last time I was here, I visited a walled city in the New Territories that was very, very old and this particular one was still inhabited.  They even had an old cannon to protect their main gate to the city.

Anyway, sorry about the photos this trip, but this second stage in Hong Kong seems to be off to a good start……..