Today, we had a relaxing day in Hong Kong, our last full day here. The kids, Ella particularly, have been asking for a chance to swim in a pool, so Barden found us a municipal pool to visit. His mom, Mary, has been swimming a lot lately, so she decided to meet us there. The pool was beautiful. The complex has two enormous pools with floors that can be lowered for diving competitions. “World class standard,” was how Mary described it. It was a serious crowd, mainly lap swimmers, so the kids had to keep it quiet and limit their jumping and splashes.
Shortly after this picture was taken, a prominent annoncement came over the loud speakers so that everyone was reminded about the no-picture policy in the swimming area. Oops!
After the swim, we went to grab lunch, noodles for us, at a local restaurant. Then Mary went home, while we recrossed the harbor back to Kowloon and the guest house. The kids were still exhausted from last night (so was I), so we read in the guest house for a little while. Then Dylan decided that he wanted to go to the local playground. Ella wanted to stay and read, so Dylan and I went together. The Middle Road Playground could have been anywhere in The States, even the structures looked familiar.
It was glorious and sunny out, so Dylan played and I watched for about a half hour before heading back to the hostel for daddy run/movie time.
After my run, it was time to say goodbye to Barden. He was having dinner with his family and will spend his last day, tomorrow, with his mom. And we are heading north to Guangzhou, back to Mainland China. Our week in Hong Kong has been great. Of course, we got to visit with our dear friend, Barden, but in addition, with him as our guide, we got to see some more everyday aspects of the city, or at least some great “weekend” excursions such as the Dragon Back Ridge hike and the bike path ride. We also got to eat some familiar foods: goldfish, Terra chips, cheddar cheese and lots of strawberries. Tonight we had dinner at Delaney’s, the Irish pub: chicken fingers and fries for the kids. I’m not sure how Irish that is, but it was certainly a taste of home.
I am looking forward to going back to some of the familiarity of Mainland China, the yogurts and milk/apple drinks, the slower pace and less crowded streets, and the more spacious accommodations. I will miss the unfettered Internet. I am not looking forward to struggling with VPNs and the slower connections that come with censorship. I am hopeful that we can continue to connect with the New York Times and the Brookline Library among other sites. Tomorrow, we head for Guangzhou and from there to the warmth and beaches of Hainan, the southernmost point of China.
robsherry 