To Hong Kong... part I

 SLC->SFO->HKG->SFO->SLC!

I was called to Hong Kong to help with some family stuff.

I got to bring Miss along and merge business with vacation.

Fun times.

SLC->SFO

They delayed our plane's takeoff because SFO is awful!

Due to poor planning/scheduling, SFO didn't have runway space for our plane.  This was because their years-long construction on their second runway.  I rested easy anyways because I was told by the pilot and crew that they would hold the plane for us.  Little did I know...

***

It was the perfect crime.

Delay the plane, because there was probably a build-up of delays across the day.

Blame the airport.

And then no-one has to compensate the passengers!

After running across the entirety of the SFO airport to the gate and getting told that the airport pushed off our waiting plane.

We found ourselves informed by the SFO airport that we would have to run all the way back across the airport to get customer service.

SFO airport sucks.

Here we are, by fault of  SFO airport and United we are made to stand in line - ourselves to reschedule our connecting flight.  

***

SFO airport sucks.

This is how a very long evening is feeling.

***

No thanks to SFO airport, we were not compensated in any way.

So we spent the night - COLD - on these crappy chairs!

The view from where I tried-sleeping on my coat, on the floor.

***

Making the best of a SFO-airport-sucks kind of situation.

Found coffee

And finally found booths.

These would have been nice to have been told about last night.

***

Finally on the airplane.

Good bye San Fran.

Hello Hong Kong.

Picked up by my uncle and his wife.

Taxied to his house.

Glad to be finished with the flights.

*****

Arrived at uncle's house.

We're to be his guests for nearly 2 weeks.

Time enough to get assigned tasks done and familial duties taken care of.

Uncle likes his Bettas and pet shrimp.

At his house, a shrine to our ancestors.

***

The Alley ways are narrow.

Not much sun makes it down to the street.

We pass by this temple often.

First meal here.

***

Nothing but alleys.  Colorful alleys.

***

Still jet-lagged.

His place, the living room.

There are loads of Asian-style dessert places.

Ice cream + fruit +chocolate lava + matcha waffle + flan. 

Yum!

***

Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

Chinese Zodiac!

Dragon & rabbit

Pig and chicken

Ram & bull

dragon & tiger

Horse and snake?

Maybe?

*****

Uncle's neighborhood.

Morning outing.

Making the trip on MTR out to Mong Kok neighborhood.

Found a flash market on a pedestrian bridge.

Got a little lost going to meet a relative for lunch.

Found our restaurant.

Got to meet up with my auntie!

Post lunch piccie.

***

The Ladies Market in the New Territories.

*****

The view from my bedroom.

*****

These alleys often feel like tunnels.

The sounds, the sights.

The busy-ness, the smells - some good, some, well rather not...

*****

A walk to Shatin Park.

Cranes

Seniors doing group dance exercise on a stage, to the sound of karaoke.

A cool round door

***

The Pond.

Spotted this bird.

Or rather this bird spotted us.

He said "Don't look at it, so it won't scare away."

Very curious bird.

***

A bridge piccie.

***

DONIUTS!!!

*****

Dinner with another uncle and his family.

The steamed fish, crab, spicy green beans, and more.

Great dinner.

Yum!

*****

A walk through Tai Wai Village

Most village/neighborhoods around here have a little shrine.

The market.

***

Off to the Tai Po district, 

to see the statue of the Goddess Guanyin.

Subway MTR

Then taxi

We've arrived, but realized too late that long term reservations are needed to be made.

I had even read about the need for these reservations (in the Lonely Planet tour book) 

but had forgotten.

So we opted instead for a photo or two outside of the monastery gates.

You can see her statue in the distance.

She is said to be huge, taller than Christ the Redeemer, The Big Buddha, and the Statue of Liberty, when measuring the height of just the figures themselves and not their respective plinths.