Part One of Three of Vacation: Hong Kong

So...as I told you guys I would post things about the highlights of my vacation...so on December 20, 2008, I boarded a flight down to Shenzhen (South China) with Andy and Lacy Pfleger and Steve and Rachel Collins. Our flight boarded in the morning around 8:30 and soon left. About two hours later we landed in Shenzhen. Then, the Pflegers and myself got on a bus to cross the border into Hong Kong which the Collins stayed in Shenzhen because they had a flight that night to Bangkok. But we got into Hong Kong around 1ish that afternoon and found our hostel. Our hostel was a complete dump and I was eager to leave that place. Let me tell you a little bit about this place. The office was in a completely different part of this building. The whole ground level of this place was all restaurants and small stores run by Indian people and all other People from various parts of Asia. It was really weird walking into that place...anyways...it was a dump for lack of other words. The name of the place was Chungking Mansions...so if you are in Hong Kong and need a place to stay...avoid this place....now to tell you guys about things we did.

The first day we just basically walked around and chilled getting used to being away from Sias. We got to eat some western food which was great, cause in Xinzheng (where Sias is at) does not have western food. We went to see a movie that night, I think it was The Day The Earth Stood Still. I didn't really enjoy but it was something to do. This theatre was wierd..when you pay for your ticket you pick a seat you want and you are assigned that seat. It was wierd but I kind of like it. After the movie we went back towards our hostel to look across the bay. I took some pictures but they did not turn out so well. If I remember correctly, Andy took a couple of me that turned out pretty good. The next day (Sunday) Joel and Amanda Porter joined us. But before they arrived we got a quick snack at Starbucks and went to Chizzurch at the YMCA. We then went to eat lunch at Shakeys Pizza (so good). We then went around Hong Kong sightseeing and then went to dinner at a burger place called Shake Em Buns. The names of these burgers were a big sketchy (the name of my burger was Debbie Does Dallas...but it was so good). Then back to the hostel to catch up with The Porters then some good ol sleep.

While in Hong Kong we went to the Zoo, which is free, and got to see some of the most entertaining monkeys ever. Not really much else was going on there but we watched the monkeys for a while. Also, we went to Stanley Market. This is a small area to buy some things (mostly fake) and eat. There was a Starbucks and a McDonalds. This place was in a very beautiful area. We also saw a couple more movies. One was Four Christmasas which was alright I guess...some of the stuff was real funny and some was just not funny. The other was Madagascar 2, freakin hilarious...I laughted a lot during this movie.

So..if you have seen the newest Batman movie, The Dark Knight, then you saw Batman just from a tall building. That building is in Hong Kong and I thought this building, IFC Building, was beautiful. I took a few pictures of this building but I didn't get any at night. I was usually too far away at night or forgot my camera in my room. But I really wanted to go up this building but never did it...oh well...maybe ill go back one day and get the chance.

I was in Hong Kong for Christmas. This was a very weird feeling for me, I was sad for most of the day. I just wanted to be home with the family. Instead I woke up in a nice hotel (which Joel and Amanda got that night) and went to McDonalds for breakfast. It was really tough. After breakfast was when we went to see Madagascar 2. Afterwards we went to check out and leave Hong Kong back to Shenzhen.

We spent a little over a day in Shenzhen before we left for Bangkok. During our time there we saw some funny stuff...For example, two restaurants named LSD and Pothouse side by side. It was some pretty funny stuff. But our full day we just chilled. I went out to walk around and just chill around the city. Went to a place called Window of the World which is just replicas of all kind of historical stuff from the world. I also went by an amusement part called Happy Valley, but just to get KFC and TCBY. I also went to Walmart...yes I said Walmart. I had been needing a bad to put my stuff in to keep it out of my pockets so I got one a walmart.

But that is all my highlights from this part of my vacation....

Next stop...Thailand...