VLOG: Escalators and Temple Street

Day 17: Hong Kong and Kowloon

We rolled out of bed and worked our way downstairs.   The hotel (Cosmopolitan near Happy Valley race track) is great - modern, clean, cool!   The same can't be said for outside - not cool.   It feels like before the rainy season in Japan.   The humidity level must be close to 100%, but what can I say - deal with it :-).

We walked over to Wai Shan market and grabbed a quick bite before heading towards Central.  We marvelled at all of the pedestrian walkways - elevated, covered, out of the way of traffic.  Very cool.  The Hong Kong island we saw today was the multi cultural, ultra modern, beautiful version of Hong Kong.  It is still intermixed with the occasional decrepit building, but those just add to the charm.  

We saw signs for the Victoria Peak Tram, and since it was on our list we walked up to the station.   The tram took us up the steep mountain that looms over Hong Kong and gives a great view of Hong Kong, Kowloon and the harbour.  Beautiful.  After looking around at the top and finding our Starbucks (!), we took the tram down and when we got to the bottom, realized how lucky we were to have gone early.... The crowds were swelling and the temperature was sweltering!

We walked and walked, making our way over to Central.   We found the Central - Mid Level escalator system that is essentially an 800 meter pathway of moving sidewalks, walkways and escalators (all covered) that works it's way up the slope of the mountain.  Every escalator or walkway you get off, there is a barrage of restaurants of different ethnicities, bars, bistros and more.  Our friend Kim said this was one of her favourite areas of Hong Kong, and I see way.  We grabbed lunch at a little Vietnamese place which was great, and continued our way up.   When we got to the top, though full, our mouths were watering at all of the gastronomical choices - we vowed to come back tomorrow night!

We needed to cool off so we made our way down to the metro and across the bay to Kowloon Station.   The station sits in another of the amazingly modern shopping complexes that seem to be everywhere you turn in Hong Kong.  We headed to the movie theater - Pitch Perfect 2 for the 3 girls and Mad Max for me - I have to say I got the better deal here but they disagree so.... Win-win.

After the chill of the movie theater, we walked over in the heat to Nathan street, passing through the cheesy Jade market - I have to say most of the low end shopping we've seen today is a bunch of junk. We stopped into a Chinese Restaurant on Nathan Street and ate family style.  We gambled on that place, and won!  It was delicious.  We walked back towards Hong Kong, passing through the Temple Street Night Market - which was again, mostly kitschy stuff.

Kowloon is more like I pictured the older Hong Kong to be - a bit of hot mess, in a good way.  Lights, traffic, people, noise, activity, good and bad smells - all in a melting pot boiling in the hot afternoon sun and the muggy nights.

After another click of walking, we ended up at the harbour in time to see the nightly 8pm light show - basically a symphony of lights coordinated by a dozen or so buildings across the way in Hong Kong.  I have to say, the Hong Kong skyline beats Manhattan in my opinion - it is beautiful.

I continue to be amazed at the girls - they have really adapted to this travel thing.  Sometimes there is some trepidation about sitting down at a restaurant without really knowing what you're going to eat, but these girls are brave, relaxed and amazing.  They still bicker, which is pretty normal, but that tends to be before meal time - most of the time it's been really great.  Beth has also transformed right back from the hard working Deloitte Executive to the backpacker companion I had 20 years ago :-)

Hello humidity

First thing I thought of this morning was Sue Graham Wheat and then how much she would hate this humidity and what it would do to her hair. Happy birthday friend!

Had a great, full day in Hong Kong with a needed break from walking and the heat. Saw the epic movie Pitch Perfect 2. Quite the Oscar potential...if the Oscars were run by the tween-set. 

The kids are super adaptable...they were very positive and excited to be here. Robin looked at me today during one of the many escalator rides and told me how much she appreciated us taking this trip and that she knew she was really lucky. Then later tonight while looking at the skyline and watching the beautiful lights on Hong Kong from Kowloon, she said "guys, take it all in because you'll never see anything like this again. Breathe in the moment!"  Too cute. 

Lots of shopping opportunities here but need to determine whether we will make the time to figure out how to ship things home. The humidity definitely slows us down and I can't help but think I'd be more ambitious if I were shopping in an air conditioned mall!

Welcome to Hong Kong!

Day 16: Hong Kong via Azamino

The kids were dead to the world this morning.  We stayed out a little late last night in Shibuya, and the kids added a one hour spa setup in our apartment when they got home... Cute.

Once we were packed and ready for later, the kids indulged us by not complaining too loudly as we went to Azamino, where Beth and I used to live from 1994 to 1997.   The place had changed, but it hadn't - it still looks like a pretty nice place to live.  I was surprised at how many questions the kids asked and just how interested they were.  It seems like a very long time ago that we scrounged together every penny we had (and then some thanks to Hara-sama) and moved to this little suburb.

We booted down the Denen Toshi line to Futakotamagawa where we used to hang out and eat Indian food with other expats.  This play and changed - big time.   It was a huge built up, modern playground for adults!  Our little Indian restaurant "Moti" was still there (now 7 floors above ground, but still the same place!) and we all had some awesome butter chicken.  Japan truly has some of the best Indian food in the world.

Late afternoon, we were all sitting at the airport catching up with emails, YouTube videos, minecraft and more.  I am really pleasantly surprised how the team has been to far - very relaxed, almost over comfortable with this undertaking, and with just over 2 weeks under our belts.   I'm going to miss Japan but I know I will be back sooner than 20 years from now....  I will miss the trains, the activity, the peacefulness, the efficiency, the food and pretty much everything else (except the smoking, right Robin!).   See you in Hong Kong in 5 hours!!

Airport: Off to Hong Kong!!

It's very sad to leave Japan, and we have had so many amazing memories here, but it's unfortunately time to say goodbye. Right now, I'm in the Narita Airport waiting for our 6:15 pm flight, eating my delicious Fuji apple. We will be arriving in Hong Kong at about 10:00 pm, so about a 4 hour flight. My favourite experiences about Japan were, the Robot Restaurant with Uncle Steve and Auntie Kris (soon to be!!!), Shinjuku, staying with Koda-San, Karo-San and their daughter, riding the Shinkansen (fastest train in the world), our apartment in Kyoto with Uncle Steve and Auntie Kris, the Hiroshima Carp baseball game, sumo, playing in the park with Robin on the zip line, shopping in Harajuku, and those are only SOME of the incredible experiences I've had in Japan (and this is only 2 weeks into the trip!!) 

Well, it's been fun in Japan, and I defiantly hope to come back someday! Well, I'm soon going to be off to our next destination: HONG KONG!!!!!!

Day 15: Tsukiji Fish Market

Our last full day in Japan, and we didn't have much of a plan, other than visiting Tsukiji fish market.  the girls did a nice VLOG that pretty much shows what it's like.  The visit was shockingly my first (it's always on the "top" lists of things to do) so I was pretty pumped.

We elected not to go to the tuna auctions (wake up at 2am, queue up at 3am, enter at around 5:15am and watch the auction for 15 minutes - not with two kids!!), so,we started at the outer market (more of a standard food market) at around 7:30am and I quickly hunted down a sushi breakfast for myself (the 3 girls foraged elsewhere!).

The sushi was predictably amazing, but it was extra nice to have an experienced sushi chefpatient with my Japanese explain the levels of Toro (Tuna).   Basically, the fattier and larger the animal, the more expensive it is. For example, the sushi in the pic below had 4 pieces of tuna on the left.  The one  on the left is twice as expensive as the next one, which is twice then twice then twice.... On down the row of tuna.  They were all amazing- I was thinking of my friends who appreciate sushi the most (Probir, Adam) knowing they'd have a blast here.

The inner market (which opened at 9am to the public) was better than my expectations - I loved the energy and having to watch wherever you went not to interfere with the real work going on.  Sometimes it's annoying knowing you're just like every other tourist snapping pictures of dead fish, but I get over it quickly!

After the market we tooled around, eventually making it to Hibiya park, located in the heart of Tokyo and next to the imperial palace.   Another great park - the city is literally full of them.  We had a picnic lunch and the girls played in the park like they were 6 and 8 - too cute.   We had the ice breaker (frisbee) with us and sure enough the kids attracted a couple of 3 year olds that they began to teach.  I fear our status as leaders in ultimate frisbee may end in 20 years....sorry Toronto Rush!

For dinner we treated the kids to a nice Teppanyaki dinner.  It was great once again to be back in Shibuya - the busy/calm bundle of energy/zen place that feels like a second home.