Getting Acclimated

Over the past week we have been traveling all around Hong Kong Island getting a feel for where things are and the best way to get there. The weather has been very nice, and even though Hong Kong has some of the highest population densities in the world, there are places where it just feels like you are on a small tropical island in the South China Sea.


These pictures were taken in a place called Stanley, a small town/village on the south coast of Hong Kong Island. The water is clear and blue, the breeze keeps things cool, and as you can see, there are lots of other little islands off the coast adding to the tropical island feel. The best thing is it is about 20 minutes by bus (25 minutes with traffic) from our hotel in the heart of the city.


Ryan and Galen spent the day enjoying the weather while playing with newly purchased toy army men. Holly, Katrina, and Mitos spent the day walking through the tight little alleyways in search of local handicrafts while practicing their bartering skills. We walked away with a beautiful tea set for Katrina and the fattest stuffed panda bear you have ever seen for Holly.



The other great thing about Hong Kong (if you like the water, tropical islands, palm trees, etc) is the Ferry System. There are many "outlying islands" and the only way to get to them is by ferry. They run very frequently, so there isn't a lot of sitting around, waiting - even to the smaller islands they run every 30 minutes or so. Getting to the beach while riding on a boat makes the experience a lot more enjoyable than sitting in traffic, trying to find parking, etc

Last week the kids and I went to Lamma Island, which is the next island to the south of Hong Kong. 25 minute ferry ride, no problem! Lamma is known for its seafood, so we had to try it of course. How fresh is the fish? Well, you choose which fish you want to eat by pointing it out as it swims around the tank in the front of the restaurant.

Again, on Lamma you can definitely tell you are on a tropical island. It really doesn't feel like Hong Kong (at least what we have seen of Hong Kong) at all. But, when you get tired of the sun, ocean and waves you can be back in Central in less than half an hour.