Hong Kong with a side of Dim Sum

Sorry it has taken me a while to post my trip report, but everyone seem so have saved up their crisis/problems until I got back to the reservation.  Jeez.  Some days I feel like the freakin' Shell answer man around here.  

Hong Kong harbor

Trip went well, if not long.  Our outbound trek was interesting.  The first leg of the journey got delayed which meant we would have missed our connection in Hawaii and would have had to lay over for a day (gosh, to be stuck in Honolulu is too terrible to contemplate) but it would have messed up our agenda so we quickly jumped on an alternate route through Tokyo that would get us to Hong Kong about the same time.  One less connection, one longer flight.  Made the changeover without any issues and we landed in Hong Kong around 2230 Saturday night.  Very long day (28+ hours).  Hong Kong airport is huge but fortunately we all doing carry ons so we did not have to find our bags.  Found a green taxi (makes a difference) and got to the hotel around 2330.  My co-worker made all the arrangements for this trek and picked hotels for this road trip.  Normally, we are very expense minded and tend to go for the lower cost venues, but, as you will discover in my story, this one was definitely a bit upscale.  Very nice hotel.  I don't want to name drop but it was the HR Hong Kong.  Outside of the city but full service.  Being in Hong Kong dollars, this one was a wee bit more expensive that we normally use.  I almost felt guilty (key word being almost).  We planned Sunday as our down time so we could get used to the time change and get acclimated to the area.  Group planned to explore downtown Hong Kong around 0900, so I got up early hit the treadmill/trails around the hotel, then hit the pool to cool down.  Stuffed myself silly at the breakfast buffet (normally don't do buffets but had to try out the different items) before heading out to downtown.  We took the train downtown to explore.   

View from my hotel room

Sunrise

Lots of room

It was very hot and humid downtown.  We were sweating like pack mules after several hours.  Toured the harbor, the shops, the market place.  I was really hoping to see some old Chinese shops/stores/buildings but most of the downtown area has been raised and rebuilt with modern, steel and glass edifices that are a marvel.  If you are looking for some flea market trinkets or souvenirs or a cheap, tailored suit, just head downtown.  We did find a few interesting sights.  Like a bronze statue of Bruce Lee.  

  

Bruce Lee

Or a market place full of knock off purses.

Mongkok Market

Mongkok market 

Sure, honey, I'll get you a purse in Hong Kong

Or some interesting suits...

I was thinking I could do this...

Maybe it was the long flight or time difference or our lack of interest in buying cheap junk, but we faded early afternoon and headed back to the hotel.  Spent the rest of the afternoon camped out by the hotel pool drinking overpriced beer and finishing up a really great story about a woman from a small town called Treadwell.  

  

Lap pool

Koi pond

Now, on typical accommodations for audits like this one, we tend to go for stuff on the lower end of the scale to be cost conscious, but our rooms were pretty sweet.  Lots of first class stuff but the bathroom with a window really took it over the top.  One of those with a big bay window into the room alongside the tube so you can lounge in your bath while watching tv or perhaps share the tub with a friend.  Huge shower and loo as well.    

Bedroom with a view of the bathroom//tub

One think I really liked was the shower arrangement.  Not only did you have a huge shower stall, but it had one those "monsoon" shower heads in the ceiling.  When you kicked that one off, it was like standing in a downpour.  Really nice to have when you have been out running in the heat.  

Good way to get acclimated to the area before heading out on our audits.  

Next up:  China, Versace, and Utor.