Elizabeth detours Oct 9-10, 2011

How many of you recall what was being foreshadowed in the previous post? If you said, "Hong Kong", you win a prize! Yes, that was the exact destination of my detour. Long story short (long story requires you buying me a glass of wine), I didn't have the necessary visa or residency permit to get back to Shanghai. So while I was able to fly from Manila to Guangzhou, I was not permitted to continue on. (What happened at the Manila airport is a whole glass of wine story in itself. Are you sensing a theme here?) 

After bidding farewell to Vivian at Guangzhou (thank goodness the "baby" is 16, but still, I wasn't happy), I was left with the option of returning to Manila or going to Hong Kong to obtain a visa. Believe me, option three (Toronto!) was also on my mind. I picked door number two and bought a ticket for Hong Kong where I was told I could get an express visa. Alrighty then... off I went on a wing and a prayer. 

Hong Kong here we come!

Is that smog? Fog? Clouds? 

Didn't really improve much upon landing. 

Oh, well.  I wasn't in Hong Kong for the weather. 

A very good friend of mine, whom I texted from Guangzhou (you know who you are, E!), recommended I stay at the Disney Resort, Hollywood Hotel. If I must, I must. It was actually a more economical and practical solution than going all the way downtown. As most of you know, I am frugal with a capital 'C', even when I am reeeeaaaalllly ticked off. (You want details? Cough up the Chardonnay.)

Here was one of the many kiosks specializing in express visas. Hong Kong, because it's not mainland China, has developed a whole industry devoted to stupid pre-occupied foreigners who have neglected to secure proper documentation. "Hey, you! Don't have a visa for mainland China? Step right up and we'll get you one." They could even take your photo if needed. Gotta love it. They certainly saved this Canadian bacon. 


After leaving my passport with the kind and efficient visa procurers, I took a right-hand drive taxi to the Disney Hollywood Hotel.

The entrance 

The elevator that announced the floor number and wished me a magical day in Mickey's voice. Weirdly pleasant.

The hallway upstairs

My bathroom

Love the Mickey ears everywhere!

The shower curtain

My bedroom

After I unpacked what I needed, I headed back down to the main floor.

Dinner was served
(An example of the detour's theme)

After my well-balanced meal, I explored the hotel some more. 

How could I stay stressed for long when Donald was around!
I really liked the way he shook his tail feathers. 

A little retail therapy helped, too.

Ears all over the place!

Close up

Can you make out the ears on the outside of the hotel in the dark?

Bet you can!

Hotel swimming pool

After swimming in the ocean, as pretty as this was, I simply wasn't tempted.

In case you forgot where you were.

A new day dawned...

My view from this particular hotel.

Slightly better than Guangzhou.

What my view should have been

Oh, how I suffer....

Hong Kong has a different currency than mainland China. Sure, why not throw one more element of challenge into the mix? Fortunately, at the Hong Kong airport I was able to exchange my Chinese money for... Chinese money. Yeah...

There are more bills, but these were the only ones I received.

This one especially looked like toy money. 

Must have been the colours. 

Same denomination, different banks. 

O.K. then. Certainly keeps things interesting!

I liked the coin with the scalloped edges the best. The one on the right looked like a Hong Kong version of a Canadian loonie.


I took the hotel shuttle bus to...

Tah dah! 

Hong Kong Disneyland!

No, I didn't go in. Maybe one day, but this day, I had other sights to see.

The Disneyland subway station

Great attention to detail, yes?

Mouse ear windows on the train

Yes, it's Tinkerbell!

Even better, here's Jiminy.

You'll be shocked to know, I didn't cry. I know, a shock.

Look how cute these hand grabs are!

On a more pragmatic note, it was the first time I had seen a fan in an outdoor subway station. I then had a better idea of how stinking hot it must get in the summer. I thought Shanghai was bad!

Hong Kong subway system

I flew out to Sunny Bay station, then transferred to go to Tung Chung. 

So cool to see water and mountains.

Now I knew why all the Hong Kong Chinese settle in 
Vancouver when they come to Canada.

Arrived at Tung Chung, safe and sound.

More mountains

I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee and saw 
something I rarely do in Shanghai.

Sparrows!

Yes, it is the little things.

It is also the big things.

Here's something I would never in Shanghai. NEVER.

Nor this.

Before I get into trouble, let's change the topic.

How about those Blue Jays?

This was my destination, the cable car that would take me up to Ngong Ping Plateau to see the world's tallest seated Buddha. I paid extra for the Crystal Cabin. As you might have guessed, it had a "crystal" floor. Shades of the "glass" floor at the CN Tower! I couldn't pass up that opportunity!

Whee!!! 

Sights along the way

Another station

I guess this one was for people who'd already had enough fun.

Off we went again!

Onward and upward!

I mentioned the clear floor, right?

Yes, you recognize my sensible pumps.

Looking back

Looking down again.

These people were gathering some sort of seafood. 

Evidently, Tung Chang Bay isn't that deep. 

Hey! Here's the airport!

Still "overcast". Actually, it really was that day.

Higher and farther

See the trail below?

I could have walked up! Too bad I only had my sensible pumps.

Finally! The Buddha, officially known as the Tian Tan Buddha Statue.

Now you know.

Getting closer...

The Reluctant Relocator snapped by none other 
than the Reluctant Relocator.

My photographic skills must be improving!

I won't tell you how many tries this took. 

It would help if I weren't so incredibly vain.

The ancient village of Ngong Ping greeted me once 

I arrived at the plateau.

Walking through the tourist trap village of Ngong Ping.

I reckoned it was all of five years old. Yep. 

Drawing closer...

Yours truly, again, relying on the kindness of 
strangers this time for the picture.

A gate

A close up

He looked the way I felt when I was on my way to Hong Kong.

Really, this statue represented one of the twelve generals of the Chinese zodiac. They are regarded as protectors as in Buddhism.  He was the Tiger (my year, which is the only one you and I are interested in) and his weapon was a rope. A little lame, in my opinion, but I guess you can still do a lot of damage with that.

Aren't we there yet?!?

Flora along the stairway 

Getting closer...

At last! Up close and quasi-personal.

For those of you who like this stuff, and me, who can't resist a certain amount of trivia, this Buddha is the tallest seated bronze Buddha, measuring an incredible 34 metres and weighing 250 tonnes (means nothing in metric, here it is in Imperial-no school like the old school-111 feet and 226,796 tons, providing I did the conversions right!)

Looking out over the mountain scenery

Looking back down the stairs.

Climbing them definitely counted as exercise!

The Po Lin Monastery and its buildings in the near distance

Buddha's little friends

I managed to climb back down without falling and taking someone with me. I then made my way over to the monastery buildings, which, naturally, included a Buddhist temple. I hope this doesn't come as a surprise to you all. 

The Buddhist Temple

The largest of Hong Kong's Buddhist temples and a major point of pilgrimage, it was founded over one hundred years ago and continues to draw in many visitors.

Thank you, visitors' brochure.

Temple pillar

Temple pillars

Interior

Stunning colours

Ceiling detail

 Nevertheless, you've seen one Buddhist temple, you've seen 'em all.

I will not bore you with more photos. 

Farewell, Big Buddha.

I went back down the mountain via cable car, returned to the Disneyland Hollywood Hotel to retrieve my luggage and then made my way to the Hong Kong International Airport, where the nice people did indeed have my visa ready. What a relief! Before I flew back to Shanghai, I had to stop for sustenance at a lovely airport restaurant.

My detour ended much as it began, in the Hong Kong Airport. 

Thanks to my good French friend, Chardonnay, 

and more importantly, E and W, 

for helping me to make this a pleasant experience. 

If we don't have friends or family, we have nothing.