Hong Kong Day 2 - March 29th

The March weather in Hong Kong was San Francisco-like. It never got out of the 60s there was some morning and evening fog. Surprising in that the city is further south than Miami.

We took the iconic Star Ferry from the Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront on the peninsula across Victoria Harbor to the Central Pier. Here’s Hong Kong from the ferry:

Joani is sitting amidships on the ferry lower deck to minimize pitch and roll; that way she doesn’t need Dramamine. Below, a ferry leaving the terminal as we approach.

Walked from the Central Pier to the Victoria Peak Tram station. Hong Kong is pedestrian-friendly with miles of covered walkways and hundreds of pedestrian tunnels and bridges crossing major streets. Took the tram to Victoria Peak 1800 feet above the city. The Hong Kong Skyline from the Peak is impressive:

Hong Kong proper is in front of the harbor with the peninsula behind. Tallest building is the ICC Tower at over 1500 feet. The Ritz Carlton occupies the top 16 floors. Second tallest is the IFC Tower on the Hong Kong side; over 1300 feet.

Great dinner with Drew & Tanya and Craig & Joyce at Man Wah, a traditional Chinese restaurant on the 25th floor of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. We all had the set menu and it was fantastic. Joani and I agreed that as good as RyuGin had been, we prefer classic Chinese cuisine over Japanese.

Saw the biggest I Store we’ve ever seen in the IFC Mall

Hong Kong architecture is stunning.

There has been a building boom since 1999, and like Singapore everywhere you look you see modern amazing buildings.

The Mall on the Peak had a a Chinese Zodiac mural. There are 12 signs, based on birth year rather than month, such as born the year of the Monkey. Joani and I are dragons, so it was appropriate we had dinner at RyuGin Monday night. In Japanese RyuGin means, “the way of the dragon.” Must be why I like Dani Targaryen in “Game of Thrones.”

The Thought of the Day from Joani, from a sign she saw on the wall of a Hong Kong Coffee Shop:

                   “Some things are just better rich: chocolate, men, and coffee.”