The Peak

After volunteering, we took a trolley to the top of the peak on HK island. The view was spectacular. You could see both skylines on each side of the water. It was a popular place to go that day because it was a holiday. Mare taught me how to use my elbows in a crowd. She's a pro. There is truly no sense of waiting in line or politely letting someone step ahead of you on the train. No sir. We were packed on that tram like sardines and the ride was nearly a 45 degree angle up the steep hill at some parts. They put huge ridges in the floor of the trolley so people don't slide into each other while riding up.

We ate dim sum for lunch, which is a type of Chinese food that resembles stuffed steamed dumplings. Very tasty. We hung out at the peak for awhile. We were lucky to have nice weather all week, given the typhoon that came through the day after I left. The reason why the view looks a little hazy is from pollution. Interesting to note that the view was clear as can be during the Olympics, because all the factories in China were shut down for those weeks. Pollution or not, it's still fun to look at the little buildings and toy boats below. It was cool to recognize the tall IFC building (the tall thin building just left of center in the top photo) was where they filmed The Dark Knight. It looks a little spooky at night, and I can't imagine a better building for batman to fly off of.

I love this picture of Doug and the maids on their day off. One of them is not interested in being in the picture. Must be an important phone call... That's another difference between China and Japan. In Japan they have signs everywhere asking you to kindly stay off your cell phone on the trains or in other crowded places, because it might annoy your neighbor. No such signs in China. There signs in China ask them not to spit or push their way through crowds...(more on that later).