Hong Kong - Part 2

01/27/2015 After seeing Leanna safely off at the airport, we took a bus to Lantau Island.  We were hoping to take the skyrail cable cars to see the famous Big Buddha, but wouldn’t you know, the cable service was closed for maintenance that day.  So we had to figure out a new way to get over there.  We found a bus station and a bus (thank goodness so many people in the HK area speak English) and took a twisting but beautiful ride to the Po Lin Monastery.  The air was clear, the sun was shining, it was up in the green covered mountains, and except for the tourists, far away from civilization.   At the top of the hill (268 stair steps) is the 85 foot seated bronze Buddha.  We walked up and looked around and thought it was pretty impressive.  Back down we went to an over-the-top, gaudy main temple.  It was new and clean compared to many we’ve visited in China.  We ended up back at Miss India for dinner and a little more night market shopping (or mostly just looking).

 

Big Buddha

Po Lin - Bright paint on outside

Po Lin - Gold covered on the inside

01/28/2015    Disney Day!  There is a small Disneyland park (just the Magic Kingdom part) on one end of Lantau Island, near the airport.  It’s in a beautiful setting with tree covered hills.  We took a train to the island and then the Disney express metro to the park.  In the cars the hand grips and windows were shaped like Mickey Mouse heads.  Everything was typical Disney quality except one side of the Main Street was just a painted façade and also most of upper stories of Cinderella’s castle (see below).  The Asian young men bought and wore hats with animal tails and the girls wore ones with ears.  They will wear them on the regular streets here too.  The weather was perfect and the crowds were manageable.  We went on all the rides, saw the two shows and two parades and stayed for the fireworks.  Our favorite ride was a version of the Haunted Mansion called Mystic Manor. 

Handgrips - Disney doesn't miss a trick!

Even the metro windows had the MM shape

Maybe they will add on someday

01/29/2015   We took the opportunity to sleep in for a change and then went to the HK Maritime Museum.  It was well done, all about the history of the area and its ties to shipping.  It was full of model ships from ancient to modern and detailed the ways they worked and communicated.  We then took the city buses around HK island (much cheaper that the tour buses).  Back at our hotel Anne went to the on-site salon and had her hair cut.  At least there she could communicate.  She had it cut shorter than usual knowing it wouldn’t get done again for a while. 

By now the other BYU teachers and the CTP directors had arrived and our training meeting started in the evening.  At this point BYU was paying for our hotel room for the next three nights and the breakfast buffet.  Because BYU first paid for our trip over to China and then our school reimbursed us at the end of December, we had to repay BYU – in cash.  We were carrying 10,000 yuan in 100’s – it was a big stack and we were glad to finally pass it on.  That evening we all went out to watch the “spectacular” light show.  Getting there as it starts might be worth it but waiting an hour to keep your seat isn’t.  Afterwards some of us met at Starbucks for hot chocolate and brownies.  I hope neither item tastes that bland in the U.S. 

01/30/2015   We had to get up early to enjoy the all you can eat breakfast.  Afterwards we all took the Kowloon subway to the HK Temple to go on a session.  We got to have a brief meeting with area leaders, after our temple session, in the church meeting house across the street from the temple.  Afterwards, we were treated to a wonderful late lunch at Dan Ryan’s on HK Island and then released for the day.  I think we returned to our hotel for a rest while others went shopping or sight-seeing.

01/31/2015   We had to rise early for the breakfast and then catch a Star Ferry trip to HK to the Church Administration building.  All BYU teachers were required to come up with a two minute teaching idea presentation that was then video recorded for future training purposes with new teachers.  We were reminded of the rules of our employment and how to conduct ourselves.  They also had a drawing for prizes and Anne won a travel clothes steamer.   We returned to our hotel room to collect up all our dirty clothes and take them to - what else?  A Chinese laundry!  It cost 42 HK dollars (about 6 bucks) and was ready by that evening.  We ate at a Pizza Hutt and took one more look at the street markets.  We would be leaving the next day so we packed up our suitcases.

02/01/2015   (Sunday)     The Church scheduled the combined China International District Leaders conference on the same weekend to overlap with the BYU teachers training.  It was held in the temple ancillary chapel.  Three GA’s and the China District Presidents were there.  Some of the BYU teachers had been asked to speak as well.  It was a very uplifting meeting.  The wife of the one the GA’s mentioned living in Beijing several years ago where they had two holes in the WC.  One you showered over and one you didn’t.  (Hmmm – I believe that is still common in some places here in China…)

After the church conference we returned to our hotel to check out.  Some of the teachers were staying in HK to extend their vacation, some returned back to their homes in the states for a short visit, others went on with tour groups.  Those with limited means went back to their schools.  We returned to the HK airport for our trip to Thailand with 8 other teachers.  Thai airlines is the best.  They made us wait on the tarmac for quite a while to collect delayed transfer passengers but we got to eat delicious food and watch current movies from HK to Bangkok.