Date: March 9, 2007
Location: Hong Kong, China (Day 1 of 3)
Next Port: Chan May (Hue), Vietnam, March 13
Quick Summary: Capt. Dag had hoped to arrive early in Hong Kong but the port could not accept us before our given time. So, we arrived as scheduled at about 4:00 p.m. We had a great dinner with friends at a private club on Hong Kong Island. The lighted skyscrapers on both sides of the harborare a sight to behold.
Report: Capt. Dag announced that due to favorable sea conditions since leaving Shanghai, he had requested an early rendezvous with the harbor pilot. Unfortunately, his request to dock four hours early was denied. He didn’t know if it was because the port was busy or Kowloon’s Ocean Terminal was full.
Larry was last in Hong Kong in 1963 while a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is finding that the geography and the Star Ferries are the only things recognizable today from that time..
As the day was very cloudy and hazy, the sail-in was somewhat of a disappointment. We saw none of the green hills, just the walls of tall buildings hugging the shore line. But some of the skyscrapers were quite spectacular.
Tiny Hong Kong Island is connected to the Kowloon Peninsula by the famous Star Ferry and three modern tunnels. Upon the reunification with China in 1997, this former British Colony (including the New Territories and 266 islands) became a Special Administrative Region. This “Special Zone” is operating under the “one country, two systems policy” to help ease the transition and keep the city’s economy thriving. And, since the early financial crisis and SARs scare, thrive it has!
We docked on schedule at 4:00 pm. Soon after the ship was cleared, Karen took a quick spin about the huge 700-store mall connected to the terminal complex before getting ready for dinner.
We were invited by Marji and David to join them for dinner at the private China Club on Hong Kong Island. Entry was arranged through their Abercrombie & Kent travel agent. Cars picked us up shipside and whisked us through the tunnel to the Hong Kong financial district. The club is located in the 17-story colonial-era China Bank Building. Located on the 13th to 17th floor, the club is right out of the 1940s-1950s. (The exceptions are some of the wild paintings, some of which you can see in our photos.)
Ben, our guide, explained that it was here that the Chinese Communists used to come to watch over Hong Kong and plan how they could get it back! Now, it is a very exclusive business club in the heart of the financial center
We enjoyed an elegant Chinese dinner in the main dining room. It was crowded and very lively with live entertainment. Afterwards, Ben led us up to the 17th floor Long Marche Bar and the outside balcony bar to look at the lighted buildings.
We then walked a couple blocks over to the very posh, recently renovated Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Along the way, we saw the Chinese architect Pei’s modernistic x-crossed Financial Center Building and the very interesting HSBC Tower. The latter is designed like a tall oil drilling platform with multiple columns at each corner. It has no central core and the building is completely open at the ground level.
It was a great evening and we thank Marji and David for sharing the experience.
Larry
Photos of our cruise are available at the web site:
picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise
Photos of our arrival and first night in Hong Kong have been added.
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