Tink and Sue in Hong Kong

TS_HK, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

Here's the requisite composite tourist shot of the Golambs in Hong Kong. Don't we make a gorgeous couple? This was actually sort of a late honeymoon for us... about three and a half years late to be more precise. We always planned to do something, but for some reason never got around to it. Sue wanted Hawaii, but budgetary constraints made Hong Kong a better choice this time. She made me promise to take her to Hawaii one day before we are too old to enjoy it, and with some coaxing I agreed. (The cast on my broken arm will come off in about six weeks.) HA!

Hong Kong was a great break from our life in Korea and I hope you enjoy the following shots and commentary.

AberdeenSampan, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

One of the first things we did was to take a tour, which included a ride in a sampan around the fishing village in Aberdeen. It was amazing to think that the people who live on the boats in this fishing village seldom set foot on land. They spend a lot of their life there on their boats, eating, sleeping, and doing business. We saw kids, dogs, and plants all residing comfortably in this setting; a real life "Water World."

OldAndNew, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

I was continuously amazed at the contrast between the old and the new, the modern and the antiquated. The people there still do many things in the tried and true methods they always have. But even in an old setting, you will invariably see a bit of new technology tossed in to replace or enhance some portion of the job that needs to be done. You'll find 200 year old buildings next to sparkling new architectural marvels. Many of the streets with their tall buildings on either side of the road form a maze of deep canyons, where if you aren't familiar with the terrain, it's not hard to lose your way. Hong Kong is an odd but exciting mix of cultural diversity, and well worth the time to explore.

JumboRestaurant, originally uploaded by tgolamb.

This is the Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen. It is one of the most well known sites in Hong Kong and is parked in exactly the same place it has been in since I first came to Hong Kong in 1970. In Fact, it looks EXACTLY the same as it did then (to my recollection anyway). Sue and I didn't go there to eat. We had so many things to do, we never made it back here to check it out on the inside. I'm sure it is quite good though, because there seemed to be a steady stream of small taxi like boats ferrying people to and from it's waterfront entrance.