Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday May 9, Disneyland x 3

Macy and I ventured back to Disney today, great day, great weather, no pics yet, I will post them when I get home.
As a note, Kathy fell at work and fractured her elbow, and she is in a cast.

Sunday May 8, Ocean Park and a Bus Tour

Macy admiring one of the characters at Ocean Park




Macy and a Panda (no not a real panda)



This is a real Panda


The View on the Way down the Cable Car at Ocean Park


On Sunday we ventured to Ocean Park. It is kind of like Marineland, but larger, and built on a mountain. There are animals, including Panda bears, aquariums, with all sorts of sea life. Macy got to touch a star fish. She loved the stingrays and the sharks, and of course the Panda bears. We took a submarine ride to the top of the mountain, explored a bit, took in the aquatic show with dolphins and sea lions, and got Macy a bit of lunch. We took the cable car back down the mountain, Macy went on a few rides, and then we were all tired.
On our way home, we stopped by the ferry wharfe at Central and took an open topped sight seeing bus through the old downtown. What a trip. The streets are narrow and the density of apartments and people hard to imagine.

There are no photos at present as the hard drive is full and I cannot download from the cameras. I will add pictures when I get home

Saturday, May 7, 2011

If I Were A Rich Man-The View and Beaches of Stanley









If I were a rich man I would have found a view I could look at for a VERY long time. Today we went to Stanley! It is another part of Hong Kong. The part where the real estate prices are WAY up there. But, the VIEW! I loved it. We met Kathy's friend Kate at Central, got into a cab and headed to Stanley. It is a fair distance and the traffic stop and go on a narrow road, but the sightseeing made it worth while. We wandered a bit then stopped for a delightful lunch at a waterfront cafe. After lunch we headed over to a beach area with Kate. She is a dragon boater. One of those long thin boats with 18 or so rowers. She admits it is mostly for the social aspect of being involved, but they seemed to be having a good time. We saw Kate off on her practice row, stayed for a few minutes after the boat left, then wandered back over to the cafe area for an ice cream. After relaxing in the shade for a bit, we headed over to the market area. It is a series of alleys with stalls that sell just about everything. Watches, costume jewelery, Chinese lanterns, trinkets, art,luggage, shoes, baby items, clothes, scarfs, T-shirts, postcards, kids toys, dress up clothes for kids, socks, you get the idea. We bought our fill, keeping Macy content with a sheet of stickers. We took the double decked bus back to the subway line. What a trip, as the view was amazing. Beaches, condo's, ships and boats on the water, the mountains, it was wonderful. All too soon we were back home, but ended the day with a fantastic meal of Indian food.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Science Museum, Kathy's school and Noah's Ark

The last couple of days we have done a few other things. On Wednesday Macy and I ventured over to the Science Museum. We had a very fun afternoon. The science museum is very interactive so Macy was in her glory with all the buttons, levers, floating balls etc that she could play with. She got a real kick out of the TV studio, where she could see me on the screen as she sat at a control panel. She got to play on a make believe crane and other construction vehicles.



Street view on the way to the Museum



Thursday Macy and I hopped on the bus and took a picnic lunch to Kathy at her school. We stayed and joined the afternoon class of 2 yr old's. Give me my hectic floor at work any day over 19 children who are 2. What a zoo with so many of them, and some do not speak English. No pictures as they have a no picture rule. We had a wonderful supper out with some of Kathy's friends from work, then a long bus ride home with standing room only and a sleeping girl.


Today, Friday, Macy and I took a couple of buses to a small island here in Hong Kong called Park Island. No private vehicles, only a few delivery ones and government vehicles, eg. buses. We went to a place called Noah's Ark. Yes, there is an Ark, and animals 2 by 2. Lots of displays. We checked out all of the animals and Macy got to feed live rabbits.


The view on Park Island





Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Disneyland Part II








Well Tuesday was a great weather day so we were off to Disney again. This time is was just Macy and I. We had a great time again. The crowds were minimal, with almost no waiting time for the rides. We had a fun filled day. Several highlights, including Macy having a long conversation with Repunzel, where she told the lovely young lady all about her fun times here in Hong Kong. The young lady from Tangled was wonderful, and patient as Macy told her "I went to the Big Buddha, I went on a bus, I saw Buzz Lightyear, I went on the carousel", etc etc. At the end of the conversation Macy leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. It was very sweet.......And Macy had her picture taken with one of her most talked about characters, Buzz Lightyear.
We climbed Tarzan's treehouse, went on the Tea Cups, the River Ride, Blasted the Robots in the Buzz ride twice, (as we were getting off Macy asked if we could go again, as it was lots of fun to shoot the robots). We rode the train, had 2 turns on It's a Small World, etc etc, we filled our day. The only glitch was as we were leaving Disney. I wanted to take the elevator to the lower level to get to the subway train. I had the stroller and I do not like using the down escalator. So into the elevator we go. The door closes, I push the down button. Nothing happens, I push it again, Nothing happens, I push button for the level we were on, nothing happens, I push the open door button, nothing happens, I push the down button again, nothing happens. OK, so now we are stuck. Good thing it is glass walled, a pretty good sized elevator and we are alone, because I am VERY stressed in close spaces. I push the help button, and of course the person answers in Chinese, but after I start rambling in English, he asks me in English what is the problem, (what he thought I rang to chat?) Before too many minutes had passed, 2 young men arrive to help, it took them a few minutes to get us out. And we were on our way.
On Wednesday we headed down to the Science Museum. Macy loved running all over the place pushing buttons, levers etc. After we arrived back here, we had a lovely swim and play in the pool.
The plan for today (It is Thursday morning here)is a visit to Kathy's school. Our plan is lunch with Kathy and the afternoon with her class followed by dinner out.

Monday, May 2, 2011

The BEST



It is hard to remember how Macy was when these pictures were taken back in May 2009, Hanoi, Vietnam




And this is Macy now, May 2011, Hong Kong

Two years since our Forever Family Day. It has been the BEST Two Years I could ever have imagine. Macy exceeds everything I could ever have dreamed of. I am having so much fun with her. She keeps me entertained and on my toes. The travel is great, but the everyday is Wonderful. Macy exceeds everything my heart could ever have hoped for.

Lamma Island

Sunday morning we ventured to Lamma Island. It is classified as one of the Outlying Islands. It is very hilly with a couple of small fishing villages. To get there we needed to take a ferry. So, on to the subway, off at Central, a quick walk over to the ferry docks, a 20 min or so ferry ride and you are in a whole other world. There are no cars in the village we were in. Lots of bikes parked at the ferry dock. Narrow alley's, lots of places to eat, a seafood heaven for sure. There were lots of people, just about as many dogs, but a very charming place. I loved the atmosphere.

We strolled up the hill a bit, and wandered about, got lost in the back alley's and ended our time there with a seaside lunch, complete with a cold beer for Kathy and I.


Macy spent the time while we waited for our food to show us she has now mastered using chopsticks.


After we arrived back home Kathy's friend from work and her family came over. It was a nice evening.

Today, Monday was a quiet day. We walked over to the mall for lunch, wandered back here to the apartment complex by way of several playgrounds.




Here is another view of how big the complex here is



Kathy had a quiet time while Macy and I went for a swim and played in the pool for almost 2 hrs. Kathy is back to work tomorrow and Macy and I are planning on a trip back to Disneyland.