Great day in Hong Kong

Today we were tourists. We traveled to Hong Kong island with two other families who are adopting toddlers in China. Selam attached herself to the 12-year-ol

d daughter of one family. We had a great water tour in a small, rustic wooden boat, festooned with dozens of brightly colored  good luck amulets hanging from the overhead canopy. Of course, Selam charmed the female boat captain, Doris, who had a stuffed rabbit on her steering column. At the end of our ride, Doris said the rabbit had been on hundreds of tours and gave it to Selam as a souvenir. Aberdeen Harbor was clogged with incoming boats in advance of the anticipated typhoon, which we are hoping to avoid.  We passed the JUMBO floating restaurant, below, which seats 2,3oo. It looked pretty from the front, but rough from the kitchen side, and our guide said the food isn’t very good.

In the afternoon, Heidi and I braved the heat and humidity to take a walk. (I forgot what it’s like to sweat like that.) Though we could see our destination clearly, it was a very circuitous route  over bridges and down alleys to get to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery, which is a steep, uphill path lined with golden Buddhas in every imaginable pose. Unfortunately those photos are on Heidi’s camera so you won’t get to see them here. Heidi got additional exercise by pushing Selam’s stroller the whole way. We wisely decided to take a taxi back to the hotel.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, on to mainland China and Dian!

P.S. For Aunt Ellen: We went to a jade factory and I bought you a donut-shaped pendant.