It’s been a week since I got back from Hong Kong and Macau – quite an eventful trip that – but my busy life of leisure just got more busy with less leisure, and it’s time I corrected that. So I stayed away from the computer for most of the week; now the blog bug is biting!

Hong Kong got mixed reactions from me. I had one bad experience trying to buy an iPhone for Reva, but recovered without any material losses and many lessons learnt. I’d been to Hong Kong 11 or 12 years ago, and was pretty awestruck then. It was a great mix of shiny new and quaint old. This time, I felt that the ‘shiny new’ had taken over most of the city, or maybe I didn’t look closely enough. Got bombarded by the luxury brands which do nothing for me (except Mont Blanc, that too, once in a lifetime, and I’ve already got it). Loved the public transport system with its numerous options of train, bus, tram, ferry, and some of the tall glass buildings were impressive too!

One of the most interesting spots for us was Lan Kwai Fong. I went on a self-guided walk to look at it, and this is what I found:

Then Souvik & I went back in the evening to meet friends, and this was the sight:

Did some exploring on Nathan street (ewww, according to Vaishnavi) and came off not impressed. This was where I had the iPhone ‘scuffle’ (not literally, Mom!), then went exploring Chunking Mansion for Indian groceries – it only reinforces a bad reputation of India, with its extremely down-market look, and activities to match.

I’d saved the touristy bits for Souvik, which we checked out on Friday. A morning well-spent in the Hong Kong Park, in the aviary, and a pleasant exhibition at the Teaware Museum. Couldn’t help being trigger happy, and have painstakingly uploaded some of the results.

This one is my favourite (look at the wings closely for the finer details):

We HAD to do the Peak tour in the evening – Souvik has travelled to HK half a dozen times, but never to the Peak – to the top by tram on a route that is at a perpetual 45-deg incline. The view is breathtaking. Reminds Souvik of one of his favourite films – Blade Runner (or Bladerunner (whatever!)). The B&W looks sensational too.

The food was also good, and we got a table with a view at the Cafe Deco. A great end to part 1 of our hectic vacation.