November 3 and 4, 2017 We Disembarked in Hong Kong
After eight days at sea without interesting views, many of us stood outside to take pictures of Hong Kong on our arrival in the late evening of November 2.
I had met three students from Hong Kong when I took a bus tour of the national parks earlier in the year, in May, 2017. Until then, I did not know much about Hong Kong. The students explained that Cantonese is spoken there and told me about its history. One of them, Michael, said he would be happy to show me around when I visited Hong Kong on November 3. We agreed to meet at the Kai Tak Terminal at noon. He had been so busy with exams that he did not have time to respond to my email asking him if he was coming by car. I alternated between the passenger pick up area on the second floor and the WiFi area on the first floor. We found each other as I was thinking I’d be so disappointed if we did not meet up because of the missed ports and bad weather. Michael showed me how to use my senior transit pass that I purchased at the first bus station and we traveled by bus, train, tram, and ferry to venues around the city.
Michael remembered that I had wanted to try dim sum in Hong Kong and he took me to Tim Ho Wan Dim Sum Restaurant, a Michelin rated restaurant that is the pride of Hong Kong. Fortunately, it wasn’t crowded when we arrived and all the items Michael ordered were very delicious!
We traveled by train, bus, and tram to reach Victoria Peak, where we saw a panoramic view of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbor, and the Kowloon Peninsula, albeit a bit marred by the pollution from China. Michael’s friend, Samson, joined us for dinner at a Thai Restaurant in a shopping mall which was also wonderful. Michael is an engineering major and Samson is a chemistry major. They both earn money to fund their travels through tutoring.
We were given a copy of a cruise summary at the end of our voyage and for Hong Kong, the log book mentioned sunny skies, a gentle breeze, and a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. I’d like to add that two kind college students entered my life and shared a day with me on November 3, 2017. Thanks to Michael and Samson, I had a wonderful and memorable day.