So after the initial shock wears off a little, you start thinking, "Well people can’t live like this 24-7.  There must be areas where people actually live."

Our trip to Hong Kong was inititated by a friend’s wedding, so we had to navigate our sightseeing around ceremonies on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.  But that has given us a few opportunities to branch out to the outer regions.

The first trip was out to the Northwest, near the airport, where we expereinced the world’s largest sitting buddha.  While it is very cool, it is also obviously a designed tourist spectacle that would make even the most commercialized American proud.  I’ll say this – they could not have made it any easier for white guys like me to hop on a subway/train out to nowhere, then hop on an amazing 20 minute gondola, to hike up the stairs and look over the bay.  It was amazing.  And yet, you have to chuckle when just under the buddha, you see a Starbucks.  I mean, when you can order a double tall latte on your way to the world’s largest buddha, then you have made it as a company.

Another little jaunt included a 25 minute bus ride down south for dinner in Stanley.  It’s a nice quiet little part of the island, and you get to travel through a number of nice neighborhoods to get there.  The Stanley Plaza is actually 100% British, and you don’t even feel like you are in Hong Kong.  Maybe this area was carved out by Brits living here as a place to live in relative peace.  or maybe it’s just a tourist area. But we enjoyed a nice relaxing meal on the water. 

Today will be a day trip out to Lamma, a beach island and place to eat seafood.

Hope to get more pictures up in the right spots soon.