Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy New Year!

Kung Hei Fat Choy!  Happy New Year!

We made it!  After 30 hours of traveling we finally arrived in Hong Kong about 1:00 p.m. local time (12 a.m. EST).   For those reading who are still waiting to travel, I highly recommend Asiana Airlines.  Our 14 hour flight went as smoothly as can be with excellent service.  It was fun to have a long layover in Seoul and to explore the Korean gift stores.  After only flying on airlines in the states, Anya was totally impressed with this airline.  I was quite nauseous on the initial flight, but I thought, it wouldn’t be me to be expecting a child and not be nauseous, so it seemed only fitting.

We are in Hong Kong now.  Our CCAI guide picked us up from the airport and took care of everything for us.  To have someone else arrange the taxi, pay, and check us into our hotel was the best gift after missing two nights of sleep.  In many ways this city reminds me of Istanbul where the east and west meet and ancient and modern overlap seamlessly.   Micky Mouse next to the Buddah on the dashboard of the taxi. Temples on the top of the mountain for praying to ancestors; ads for iphone apps.  The contrasts of changing culture are always intriguing to me. 

The Chinese New Year holiday is still in full swing here, so it is relatively empty (all the people have gone home to their families), but the city is all decked out in New Year’s decorations. I will post some of them below.    Anya, Ginny, and I took a nap and then went walking down by the harbor.  It was about 65 degrees and sunny (although hazy from the smog). It was beautiful to walk by the water and see all of the New Year’s decorations and the ferries in the background.  The area by the harbor is called the “Avenue of the Stars” which is the Chinese version of Hollywood Blvd. with all the film stars and their stars on the ground with their handprints.   I did not know any of them (but this should not come as a surprise, as I don’t know any American stars either, for that matter!)  I did not even recognize the huge statue of Bruce Lee (Sorry, Doug, I know you would be disappointed in me!) After our walk, we decided to eat at an authentic Chinese restaurant. However, immediately after sitting down to read the menu, we looked over, and Anya was sound asleep at the table. So, we left and just had crackers and peanut butter for dinner.  This was just fine as there will be plenty of other opportunities for authentic Chinese food.

This could be Orlando instead of Hong Kong with the Starbucks and palm trees

Hollywood Blvd Hong Kong style

View from the harbor in Hong Kong

Anya and Ginny in our hotel lobby.  Chinese New Year decorations include trees with red envelopes for good luck and good fortune

More New Year's decorations in hotel lobby.   This is a great hotel-no smoke and very elegant.

These lighted pictures were on many of the buildings in celebration of the New Year

Tomorrow we have a full day of touring ahead, arranged by CCAI. I am hoping for a good night’s sleep for dear Anya as well as Ginny and I.