July 14, 2010
Today was a day of rest and recovery from Ocean Park! Long sleeps all round We all did various leisure activities – and yes, I did get a massage at the wonderful hotel spa. The children swam at the rooftop pool until about 2 pm. Fanny, my massage therapist (about 5 foot nothing) said in her special version of English “You need relax. Muscles tight. Take nice bath”! I certainly needed a work over after the hours of holding Stephanie at Ocean Park. Poor little lovey – she was pooped!
We took a subway/cable car trip to the most amazing site on the outskirts of Hong Kong - on Lantau Island (back near the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland!) - Ngong Ping (The Big Buddha). You take the subway (which was right outside our door - and so beautifully run) to Tuen Cheng where there is a very modern shopping center - complete with outlets.
Today was a day of rest and recovery from Ocean Park! Long sleeps all round We all did various leisure activities – and yes, I did get a massage at the wonderful hotel spa. The children swam at the rooftop pool until about 2 pm. Fanny, my massage therapist (about 5 foot nothing) said in her special version of English “You need relax. Muscles tight. Take nice bath”! I certainly needed a work over after the hours of holding Stephanie at Ocean Park. Poor little lovey – she was pooped!
We took a subway/cable car trip to the most amazing site on the outskirts of Hong Kong - on Lantau Island (back near the airport and Hong Kong Disneyland!) - Ngong Ping (The Big Buddha). You take the subway (which was right outside our door - and so beautifully run) to Tuen Cheng where there is a very modern shopping center - complete with outlets.
The shopping in Hong Kong is legendary and for good reason. EVERYTHING is available here! Even in these 'suburbs' - the buildings are high rise apartments. You find a similar complement of eateries .... Delifrance (who could go w/o a croissant when visiting Hong Kong?), even McDonalds is pretty pervasive...ugh). But we always found a new twist in these sorts of places --- the restaurant here has an international food court where you could have any sort of asian food --- vietnamese, indian, japanese, thai, chinese... it was heavenly!!
Outside the subway station in this modern complex - there was an open space w/water 'spouts" - the girls enthusiastically took part with other Chinese children and adults! Anything to cool off...
Right next to the subway station, shopping, eating, bus terminal and VOILA - the cable car station!! 
And here we found a new one on me… the cable car had a glass bottom (you pay extra of course) – but the views were stunning. We went up ‘glass bottom’ and back – ‘metal bottom”.
And here we found a new one on me… the cable car had a glass bottom (you pay extra of course) – but the views were stunning. We went up ‘glass bottom’ and back – ‘metal bottom”. Michael and I had been to see the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery four years ago with Simone’s sister, Claire who was babysitting Michael in Hong Kong while I worked. Four years ago, the cable car wasn’t finished and we ended up in a taxi with a couple of ladies travelling from Singapore – long winding roads up into the green mountains of Lantau Island.
When we arrived there was the monument and a few small rourist shops run by locals. When we arrived THIS TIME – we were greeted by a replica Chinese village (think Disneyland but a bit more authentic looking) with souvenir shops galore and heaven forbid…Starbucks! Nevertheless – the site was amazing to see and experience. Stephanie was still pooped from Ocean Park and didn’t go up the long flight of stairs but Elizabeth, Michael and Simone did. We took a quick look at the monastery and back again on the Cable Cars… we were beginning to feel a bit more accustomed to the hear and pace of life in Hong Kong!
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