There was a potential I could go to Macau with Henri who works for Hologic here in Hong Kong (actually he travels a lot but is based here from what I can tell). However the weather did not remotely cooperate so instead I chose to take a ride on the East Rail line (which is the one I used to get to the office every day) out to Fanling Station where I visited Fung Ying Seen Koon Temple. It is a Taoist temple and the complex has a cemetery and is quite large. I walked around for a bit and up into the cemetery. Of course the whole day it rained so before I left I borrowed an umbrella from the concierge for a deposit of $100HK (maybe $11US). The umbrella helped a lot but it was tough to get pictures while holding it having only one hand free for the camera. All the same I tried to get a bunch. As I came back down towards the temple it was obvious a mass or ceremony was going on and I watched it for quite some time. I recorded a couple short videos as others were taking pictures too so I guess if I was invading, so were they. I actually watched it for at least 45 minutes and maybe more like over an hour.
After the temple I walked around the Fanling stop very briefly but I couldn't really say there was much else to see so I didn't bother with it for too long and headed back to the station where I got on the train again and this time stopped at Tai Po Market. There I walked out and found the market and the Man Mo Temple. The temple is also Taoist and is dedicated to the gods of literature and war (Man and Mo). It wasn't very big but there were a few people there actively praying and the like. During my stop at Tai Po Market the rain got fairly heavy and it was also very crowded so I really didn't take any pictures though I wanted to. I didn't want to ruin the camera was the main issue. I think it would have been neat to see it without the rain so I could have gotten some good pictures anyway. Maybe next time. After the temple I walked back to the station and found a McDonald's to have lunch at. I just had a number 9 (quarter pounder with cheese) with a coke.
After lunch I got back on the train and headed back in past the office and into the Mong Kok East Station which puts me right at the hotel. I dropped the umbrella back to the concierge and got my $100 back and headed up to the room to relax a bit. Henri and Priscilla were going to come get me for dinner at 5:30 so I thought it would be good to rest a bit and have time to get cleaned up. After a short rest I decided to book a tour to China for Sunday. I wanted to book one for Shekou and Gaungzhou but apparently I was too late for the cutoff for a visa. I was able to book one for Shenzen though. I can't figure out what the difference would be for either visa. In any event it is not really that much a cultural spot tour as it is a city tour. I will have to deal and will try for the one I wanted on my next trip here. Either way this trip will officially notch off China for me and not just the recently reacquired territories.
When the time came I met Henri and Priscilla downstairs in the lobby of the hotel and we took a cab to Sai Kung where Henri wanted to eat seafood at the Hung Kee Seafood Restaurant. I think the area is very nice but the weather was still rainy and unpleasant as with the earlier parts of the day so it was not necessarily represented as nice as it could have been. We looked at the boats that were selling fish right off the water for a few minutes and then went to the restaurant. These restaurants have the feature of selecting your own dinner from the tanks out in front of the restaurant. Yes, everything is still alive and they kill it, clean it and cook it for you right then. I guess you really can't get fresher food than that. Priscilla and I let Henri pick the fish out and we had scallops, razor clams, lobster and something like small lobsters or langoustines along with a whole fish. I am sure the people who know fish well can tell me what they were but I just eat fish really and haven't fished much or cooked much fish so I really don't know. They served it all family style as with most of the Asian food I have eaten out here. There was a lot of food and it was all very good. We also had some vegetables and an Australian Merlot accompanied with some Chinese tea as well. I was full fairly quickly but I ate a lot. We had the leftovers packed up and they took them home. Much like with the Korean restaurant the night before we finished with oranges and the waitress lady gave us seconds because she liked us or at least Henri I guess.
After the dinner we did a quick loop around the area at night because it was still raining but only a light drizzle at this point. Then I got in a cab and they got in another and we both headed home. My driver didn't speak English well and I didn't have a hotel card so he had me talk to his friend on the cell phone and they were able to decipher where he needed to take me. It seemed he was honest. The fair was cheaper than the on the way out so I can't complain. When I got back it was past 9pm so I just went to the room and wrote this and posted the pictures for an early bed. The trip to Shenzen won't start as early as the one to Macau did but still I could use the sleep I had been missing.
The pictures from today can be found here.
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