(I
forgot to publish this post, so it is out of sequence and should have appeared
before Vietnam.)
After
leaving Taiwan, we sailed through the Taiwan Straits and into the South China
Sea, arriving in Hong Kong in the early hours of the morning. Again the city
was shrouded in thick haze. The day continued to be just as hazy as on our
previous visit weeks before. We’ve come to the conclusion that Hong Kong is
suffering with the effects of the pollution drifting to it from Mainland China.
Queen Elizabeth Docked in Kowloon
This
was our second visit to Hong Kong on this voyage. The first stop was to pick up
passengers who would be joining the ship for the voyage around Japan. This
one-day stop allowed the ship to disembark those passengers and pick up over
900 new passengers. Essentially, it was a round trip for those passengers
getting on in Hong Kong.
Since
I was still recovering from being sick, I didn’t go ashore in Hong Kong.
Fortunately, the ship was docked on the Kowloon side, so I had an excellent
view of the Hong Kong skyline from our cabin. From there I could see the White
Star Ferry and tour boats going back and forth across the harbor.
White
Star Ferries
John
had been posted in Hong Kong while in the military, so he took the White Star
Ferry to the Hong Kong side and went in search of some of the places he
remembered from his time there, including the Wan Chai district, which in the
1960s was a hopping place. Of course after so many years, he found it much
changed and the only things he found familiar were the street names.
Wan
Chai Marker
Hong
Kong is famous for it jade. One of our tablemates went to the Jade Market,
which is located on Canton Road on the Kowloon side and just a short walk from
the ship. It has over 450 stalls dealing in jade at all prices. She returned
with a lovely jade bracelet that she was quite pleased with. The shopping in
Hong Kong is good, but perhaps not the bargain it once was.
Armed
with two printed books and two recorded books from the ship’s library, I stayed
in our cabin recovering and had a relaxing day. The library on the ship is a
treasure with a collection of over 7,000 hardback books. It sits on two decks
connected by a spiral staircase. Its dark wood paneling and cabinets with glass
doors are reminiscent of old traditional libraries. Leather club chairs provide
a quiet spot to sit and read. Various newspapers are also available, still much
welcomed even if they are a day or so old.
The
Queen Elizabeth Ship’s Library
Library Collection
Library
Connecting Stairs
You
know you are on a Cunard ship when you see so many passengers walking about the
ship with a book in hand. The library also has a nice collection of recorded
books on CD, but you must have your own CD player to listen to them. I’m an avid
listener of recorded books and brought along a small portable CD player, which
I use when walking on the promenade deck or if I can’t sleep at night. During
this voyage, I’ve probably gone through half of the collection. The cabinet
that houses the CDs is in the far right corner of the library’s first floor and
faces the window, so I only found it by asking the librarian. Passengers
interested in recorded books should bring along a CD player and ask where the
collection is stored.
Two
librarians manage the library and are very helpful. They also are able to
answer question about the ship’s Internet access. The line of people seeking
help sometimes reaches out the door. On sea days, sessions are held in a
classroom with computers on a wide variety of media subjects, including how to
use Skype, Facebook, iPads, etc. The instructor is also available to answer
questions about connectivity problems. He helped me twice when my laptop
computer wouldn’t turn on. Thankfully he was able to get it working again, both
times, or I wouldn’t be writing this blog.
Internet
access on the ship is quite good although somewhat slow at times. A fee is
charged for its use, so I get on, quickly do my correspondence or post my blog,
and sign off. It doesn’t take long for your minutes to be gobbled up. People
who have sailed with Cunard before get free minutes, the number depending on
their frequency of travel (rewards level). The nice thing is that you can gain
access from just about anywhere on the ship.
Having
access to the Internet has made a world of difference to the crew who are able
to stay in contact with their families. They have to pay for access as well, so
they frequently can be seen standing at a WiFi spot in a terminal for free
Internet access.
In
my cabin, I watched as the lights came on across the city. Flashing signs the
width of large buildings touted the latest products, including one that
extolled the merits of the latest Samsung smartphone.
It
is always a pleasure to visit Hong Kong, but over the years the skyscrapers
have mushroomed to the point where the city is becoming overwhelming. With the
construction of even more towering buildings, visitors soon won’t be able to
see Victoria Peak. Visiting Hong Kong the first time was like being served a
cupcake with a delicious layer of icing. Returning years later, it’s as though
that cupcake is now covered with four inches of icing.
Tallest
Building in Hong Kong
Early
in the evening after all the new passengers were onboard, we sailed away from
Hong Kong. The city lights sparkled brightly, and we could see them well into
the distance.
Leaving
Hong Kong After Dark
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