Greetings from Hong Kong

Let me start out by saying Hong Kong is a hell of a long way from Dundas.
There is a 12 hour time difference, so I guess it's about half way around the world. As my friend Bill describes Hong Kong- it's New York City on steroids. Another big difference is that NYC is flat, while HK consists of nothing but hills. There are a lot of steps. I know!
You want to go shopping at 11 pm?; everything is open. It's only you and 8 million other people. I cannot think of one name brand store I haven't seen represented here. It's a shoppers' paradise.
The transportation system in HK is phenomenal. You can purchase an "Octopus" card, which is like a debit card. You load it up with a certain amount of money. When you get on any of the modes of transportation, you swipe the card and it automatically deducts the amount of the fare. On the subway you swipe on the way in and out. The cost is dependent on how far you travel. No tickets, no money for change. It's fantastic, and it works for all forms. I used it on minibuses, regular buses, the subway, trams, and ferries.
My favourite sights have been, oddly enough, religious in nature. I visited a Buddhist nunnery yesterday. It was on a hill, of course, but it is a series of large wooden buildings, beautifully constructed. No nails, no screws, everything fits together like a wooden puzzle, only huge.
It's hard to tell it's a nunnery, because they all have completely shaven heads, and loose brown robes. Unless you watch them go into the womens' side of the washroom you can't tell.
It is amazing to see such a peaceful building surrounded by 50 story apartment buildings.
The nunnery also has one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever see. Few flowers, but lovely rock formation, and bonsai trees.
In the afternoon I visited a Buddhist cemetery, and a Buddhist monastery.

The cemetery is interesting. Because of the cost of land, cemeteries are large rooms, lined with "drawers" for the cremated remains. There are dozens of these rooms, each with a couple of hundred remains. Family members visit and burn incense sticks. There are also large furnaces where family members can burn offerings. They use fake money to gain favours from their ancestral spirits. As a spirit I don't know how I would feel about being given monopoly money. I think I would prefer a few nice sandwiches, and maybe some new DVD's.
Another feature of this cemetery is that it's on top of a hill, with 500 steps to get there. It wasn't until I went down again that I discovered there was an elevator. I was wondering how some of the older people I saw at the top got there.
Right next to this cemetery was another monastery "The Monastery OF 10000 Buddhas". Another 500 steps up.

By the time I got to the top of that one I wasn't sure whether it was 500 steps and 10000 Buddhas, or 10000 steps and 500 Buddhas. It felt more like the second one. And they aren't kidding about the number of buddhas. They do come in all sizes, from much larger than human size to tiny images. The walk up is along a path which is lined with several hundred life-sized statues, in various poses and facial expressions. Each one is unique.
It was quite warm and humid, and I lay down for an hour or so after I got home.
For my last meal in HK Diane, Bill and I went to a Nepalese restaurant. Very good food.
I have been staying with friends of a friends, a lovely couple, Diane and Bill. They have been perfect hosts, and these few days have been great. I am sure that this level of luxury won't be reached for the rest of my trip. I am off to Hanoi later today, and that's where the real adventure will begin.
Till the next time
Ralf
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