In Hong Kong we spent the 8th on our own seeing a bit of the city, then a jaunt over to Stanley Market, well known for its many vendors of clothing, household items, luggage and “stuff”. I have been there two previous times. It was definitely different, smaller, “less” than before, but still nice to walk thru and see. We had lunch in one of several little restaurants by the bay, then back to the ship. (Uber is great here!)

Monday the 9th, we met our tour guide and took off for parts of Hong Kong we have not seen before. Chi Lin Nunnery and Buddhist Temple was the first stop. We have seen many temples on our travels, and this one is quite lovely. It was designed to provide tranquility to the monks who live on one side of the property. There is a garden in the middle, and prayer areas all around the garden’s perimeter. 

After the temple, we crossed the road to the Nan Lian Garden, which also belongs to the monastery. It is beautifully laid out, well-manicured and charming, and we enjoyed our walk around. Then: off to lunch!.

We went to our guide’s favorite dim sum restaurant. It is 4 stories high, and packed on every level! The ladies take their rolling carts up and down the elevator with the guests. Our guide took us to the 2nd floor, and said it was less crowded. (LOL). He chose a good variety, and we enjoyed it all. Afterward, we walked down a few of the nearby streets in the area known as the “dry fish market”. The shops all sell lots of packaged dried fish used in much of Chinese cooking. So: The question was, how can these guys make a living when the shops all seem to sell the exact same items? It turns out most of their business it is wholesale, selling to large restaurants and companies in other countries. Locals come to shop here only for special occasion food prep, because using the dried fish is too time-consuming for everyday cooking.

Next: a drive to Hong Kong’s harbor, and the adjacent Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter for boats during storms.  We walked around, then took a sampan boat ride around the Shelter. In years past, there were some famous floating restaurants, now abandoned. Only one remains, Tai Pak, in derelict condition but scheduled for renovation… hopefully this will actually happen.

Back to the ship and the announcement heard that there will be rough seas on our way to Taiwan. Happily, we do not get sea-sick!