The sights, sounds, smells and thrills

Time was precious and we tried to squeeze as much as possible into the last couple days before Mom and Dad had to leave. One of the things that is a must while visiting Hong Kong is to eat at the famous daipadongs (outdoor nightmarket) in Kowloon. They are known for their immense selection of fresh seafood, greasy dishes, loud and clanky atmosphere, dismissive service and somewhat dirty tables. We took a walk in the market afterwards and Dad got his fortune and hand & face read by a, what seemed to be, very successful entrepreneurial fortune teller (see pic) - btw, have you arranged your bed to face southeast for better fengshui yet?

We saw the harbourfront light show which I think is a complete embarassment for Hong Kong residents. There is a lot of uncessary hype and hoopla surrounding this so-called spectacular show, dubbed as a 'must-see' for tourists. Hardly. Seeing as Hong Kong prides itself as having one of the most incredible skylines in the world with layer upon layer of buildings, and not to mention one of the busiest harbours, they could really make something special of this light show if there was a bit more coordination. Basically, it consists of some really horrible Chinese music playing on crackling speakers as the buildings across the harbour light up at random intervals, a beat or two out of synch with the music. There is no method to the madness and ... ok, I'll stop there. On a positive note, there is something to be said about taking the Star Ferry at night when all the buildings are lit and a sort of incredible city-landscape emerges before your eyes. See pic of us in front of the famous clock tower.

Matt took both of them for a ride on the motorbike and, of course, they loved it! A visit to Victoria Peak, Stanley Market, the famous bird and flower market, and before they knew it, they were back on the plane heading home to Canada. This is just the first of many farewells we will do as we'll play host to several other guests in the coming months. Super exciting!