Hong Kong and home...

Our last stop is Hong Kong, the "Special Administrative Region" of China. This is quite a change of pace from Cambodia - lots of people, fast life style, and (sadly?) very consumer oriented. We stayed at the YMCA (really a hotel operated by the "Y") - it is in a perfect location right next door to the famous Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon.

View from our room at the "Y"

Irene and Steve outside the Peninsula Hotel

The real highlight was that Irene took me out to Felix, the restaurant on the top floor of the Peninsula for my birthday - we had a window seat on the 28th floor overlooking Hong Kong harbor...perfect!

We had the opportunity to sail around the harbor on the LAST real Chinese Junk:

 

We visited Victoria Peak (and did the 1-hour hiking path all the way around the top for 360 degree views), and found our way to Flower Shop Road, the Dried Fish market, Goldfish Street, the Jade Market, the Ginseng street, and some lovely neighborhood parks. We loved the Bird Street where men bring their pet caged birds for a walk and endless discussion of the beauty of their birds.

View from Victoria Peak

 

Flower Market Street

Dried Fish Street

Men with their beloved birds on a walk

We also, of course, had some local meals, we had shredded squid from a booth along the waterfront, a great fish lunch, -- and Steve even had Sea Cucumber.

Finally, our round-the-world odyssey was closing. We flew from Hong Kong (14 hours) to Chicago, and connected there for a short flight home to Denver.

...and a final picture of sunset over Hong Kong Harbor: