Hong Kong and Macau

The remaining group (Matt and Rachel Nikolaiev, Erik West, Fuad Loutfi, Joy and I) flew into Manila and then out to Hong Kong. We were met at the airport by Edwin and Lilly Chow my friends from school. They had gotten us set up to stay at the YWCA. Which is essentially a clean dorm room with shared bathrooms which is reasonably priced by Hong Kong standards and nicely located near major public transit stops and not too far from major city stuff.



While we were there we toured around the city catching the ferry around the bay,

We went up the worlds longest escalator, really a series of escalators that allows passage up the long incline to the richer area of Hong Kong.



visiting the zoo,


and taking the tram up the mountain to look out over the city.



Of course we also spent some time sampling the food. Dim sum was incredible and reasonably priced and We ate soem truly amazing food at a restaurant that Edwin's mom was at. This was Szechuan cuisine rather than true cantonese fare but it was quite tasty.


We also ran across something that came across an enormous gathering of Filipino ex-pats working in Hong Kong.




This came to be a running joke that Joy can go anywhere in Asia only speaking Tagalog and she would be fine because Filipinos permeate Asia's service jobs. One of Joy's Aunts actually was working in Hong Kong so we went by her work and visited with her for a little while.



On an amusing note, Fuad ran across his much older chinese beard twin and got a picture with him. Although neither could understand the other their beards were a communication beyond language :)


After our couple days in Hong Kong we parted ways with Edwin and Lilly and took the ferry to Macau.

While waiting for a pickup from our hotel Joy gets into a conversation with a Filipino working as a porter for the hotel. Filipinos really are everywhere.

Macau is the Las Vegas of Asia with oversized super-extravagant casinos throughout the island.

Macau was actually originally a portugese settlement with some remnants from the early days and some of the picturesque narrow winding streets common to Europe.




Edwin had told us that portugese egg tarts were a must-try on the island and he was truly correct. We stopped at a dessert shop, each got a tart and then immediately got back in line for several more. They are truly addictive and really tasty. So we spent the day wandering the city and a little time playing around in a little fitnesse themed park next to our hotel.

That night we visited the two of the most well-known casinos on the island. The Sands and the Venetian. The Sands was really nothing that great but the venetian was truly amazing. It was part casino part theme park. With indoor canals with people on boats punting through the canals and an enitre mall of top brand stores and really nice restaurants. Its the sort of place that offers the most efficient transfer of money from your back pocket to the casino while distracting you with a twinkle in your eye.



We only spent about 24 hours in Macau but unless you are planning on gambling its pretty well enough for the island. We then caught a flight out from Macau to our next destination, Bangkok.