Had a lay-in today and just wok up when we did rather than setting the alarm. Got up at about 10am and had some cereal then we both did some washing so we could leave it to dry in the bathroom while we were out.
Got out of the hotel at about 12pm and made a quick stop at the local supermarket for some bread so we could make sandwiches and try to use up some of the jars or spread we had in our bags, to bring the weight down. After lunch we headed towards the Ferry to go over to Honk Kong Island. The cost of the ferry was only 22p so a bargain and we managed to get some good view of the skyline from the ferry. It was only a very short 15-minute trip and then we were there.
We had hoped to go on the trams up the hill and then the cable cars but the queue for the tram was huge and snaked up and down the hill about 3 times, so we decided to skip it and maybe try tomorrow. Instead of getting the ferry back we decided to get the underground back and take advantage of our travel passes. The tubes are pretty easy to use and I think we have got to grips with using local public transport now.
As it was New Years Day today in China we tried to find out from the tourist info place where we could go to see the celebrations and the parade but the tours that included a meal were already full. Instead we were advised to get to the parade route by about 6.30pm as it started at 8pm. All the shops, restaurants and homes seem to go the whole hog with New Year decorations; the main ones are small orange trees that have little red envelopes tied to the branches. Everywhere has red scroll type things with good luck phrases in Chinese writing and red paper lanterns everywhere. Most of the decorations are red as this is the believed to be a lucky colour in China and also accented with gold for prosperity.
We went back to the room for some crisp and a beer and then set off over to the parade route. The route was already cordoned off with metal barriers and the road was blocked off for traffic on both sides. We waiting for hours on the left hand side of the road as the crowds started to gather. An English couple came with 3 small children (two of which were about 6 years old and really small. They asked the young English couple who were right at the front, one row in front of us, if they would mind if there two children stood in front of them so they could see. The couple just flatly refused and said they’d been there since 6pm and they would have to put them on their shoulders. I couldn’t believe how mean they were as the children would barely of come up to the couples waist so wouldn’t of blocked their view in any way. A Chinese couple next to them let one of the girls stand in front of them and then another Chinese woman behind us helped lift the other child onto the barrier next to here to sit on it so she could see.
I thought it was embarrassing when people from your own country wouldn’t help you out yet people from other countries were more than willing to help.
The “parade” started at a bout 8.30pm , but turned out to be quite a disappointment. The floats were few and far between with long gaps between each one. It lasted about one and a half hours but probably could have been done in an hour if they had kept it together and following on rather than big gaps between the floats.
After the parade we went down to the waterfront to take some photos of Hong Kong by night. Some of them came out really well, especially on the wide-screen setting.
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