Click on image to see enlarged view

The last stop on the organized tour portion of our trip was Hong Kong. Thankfully we didn't wait to do any shopping here. It's all gone north. No deals and the merchants won't bargain much. We took a half day tour of Hong Kong Island which looks like a cross between San Francisco and Manhattan. The tall high-rises seem never ending along the edge of the island. In fact, we were told that they've filled in much of the outer edge of the island so many of the buildings are on landfill. The ferry that crosses over from Kowloon is a much shorter journey these days. Our adopted "dad," Pete, took us out for a delicious Italian dinner at Tutto Bene in the Knutsford Terrace area. We were so grateful not to have to eat any more Chinese noodles or rice.

While in Hong Kong, we had a chance to visit with David Sandrich, the brother of a college friend, who showed us one of the popular nightlife areas called Lan Kwai Fong which is a small area on Hong Kong island filled with outdoor bars, pubs and restaurants. It was interesting to hear what life in Hong Kong is like after the turnover. David has not seen much change but as an American ex-patriot, he would not be subject to much of the local government. The Chinese government has agreed to let the province continue to run as it did, just without the British government. In due time, Hong Kong will probably be absorbed into Mainland China but for now, it's still a separate province. Chinese nationals need a visa to travel there.