Good Friday 30th March
Vivid and vibrant – a visual feast of cultures. Since 1st July 1997, Hong Kong has been an autonomous territory of mainland China. A thriving community devoted to business with amazing contrasts, mirrored skyscrapers, paddy fields, luxurious shopping malls and colourful street markets surrounding a harbour busy with sampans, junks, ferries and cargo ships.
Up early, not too early, to enjoy the sail-in to Hong Kong Harbour. Our berth at the Kai-Tak terminal just on the outskirts of the city. Not the best spot but Cunard are making a big thing of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 being in port together, two Cunards together here for the first time in the last 30 years, Kai-Tak the only place they can berth together.
We had bought a two-day ticket for the hop-on-hop-off bus to visit the sights of Hong Kong. So, onto the included shuttle bus to travel to the city, going through the tunnel under the harbour and onto Hong Kong Island. Drop off at the Star Ferry Terminal just where all the bus tours start.
Don’t see these for sale too often in England
Our first bus ride only a few minutes to the Peak Tram for rides up to Victoria Peak, a funicular running since 1888. Ticket for the tram included and priority boarding, lucky, coz the queue was building fast.
One seriously steep tram ride, must be over 45 degrees. But quite quick, only about 8 minutes. Found a very nice coffee shop at the top with great views over Hong Kong.
After coffee walked to a couple of different viewpoints for amazing views between the trees and to watch the exotic butterflies flying about, and what looked just like red kites gliding over the skyscrapers down below.
Back down on the tram to join the bus along a different route to get back to the ferry.
Interesting decoration to the temple roof
Everywhere very steep hills and roads, the buildings very close together, making the streets more like canyons.
Amazed by the amount of construction going on all around the city, and the bamboo pole scaffolding just lashed together all around high rise buildings.
Onto the Star Ferry to cross over to Kowloon side. Walked along to catch the Cunard shuttle back to the ship.
Time very short today as we need to get back to prepare for the much exalted Grand World Cruise Dinner.
Formal dress, meeting for drinks before getting the coaches to the Kerry Hotel. Quite a long drive to the hotel and then a long delay getting everyone into the hotel, about a thousand guests and officers from two ships all meeting together for dinner.
Nice hotel with a nice terrace overlooking the harbour for pre-dinner cocktails and to allow time to all congregate.
Eventually all in to the Grand Ballroom for dinner, colourfully decorated Chinese style with red lanterns etc. Pre-dinner entertainment of Chinese dancers, I guess the first row of tables could actually see what was going on.
Nice dinner only marred by the pre-dinner speeches and the erratic service, though the free flow of wine compensated, rather too much for some! We ducked out slightly early to beat the rush back to the buses and the ship. Quite an experience altogether and wouldn’t have missed, just this once, though the day in town very curtailed by the need to return early.
Overnight in port.
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