HK: Lantau Island

Renee and I finally made to the Big Buddha after we got the too late the other day. (pro tip: the stairs to the statue close at 5:30pm, so of you take the cable car, you should get on before 4:30pm.)  The round trip cable car costs 107hkd ($14) and is outside of the Tung Chung station. We planned on going to the beach, but it was too rainy by the time we finished with the statue. To get from Ngong Ping village, the top of the mountain, you can take bus 23 to Mui Wo ferry port and walk to Silvermine Bay Beach; a one way cable car ride is 74hkd ($10) and the bus is 23 hkd ($3), then buses or a ferry from there to town.

This was a fairly large Buddha and it was beautiful in the setting. From it's perch, we had a great view of the bay and surrounding mountains. I really liked the clouds wrapping around the peaks as they cruised overhead. It was sprinkling while we were there but nothing that would deter us from being there. The storm did bring some wind that rocked the cable car on the way up, but it had does down for our return journey.

We got a great view of the airport and mud flats from the cable car, while the peak graced us with a more serene vantage.  I'd say the gondola was worth it once and a bus or long hike would suffice in the future.

From the base we took the MTR to Central station to check out Lan Kwai Fong for the after-work bar scene. Hong  Kong Brewhouse serves it's own beers as well as and extensive import list with great food to accompany them. We tried the three craft beers and the Brooklyn Reuben ( six pints and sandwich: 392hkd, $51).

Bali - Surfs up

Herman, my instructor

Across the street from our hotel, there was a surf shop that offer three hour surf lessons for 250,000 IDR ($27.5).  The price included transportation to the beach, board, rash guard, and direction.  I quickly got the basics from one instructor on the beach and then Herman took me out for some one-on-one time.  He was pretty helpful and encouraging as he offered tips and held the board until I got used to balancing on it.  After about an hour of that I was getting tired and we took a break.  We were trying to catch smaller waves and even though I wasn't swimming too much, the repetitive motion of walking out to the break and climbing onto the board took a lot out of me.  After the break I had another two hours of solo practice with Herman offering some advice from the shore.  For the most part he had taught me all he could and it was up to me to practice.  I think I was getting better as the day progressed, though I was moving at a much slower pace.  It was fun and I'll definitely try to get better.

Ba Guan: "Fire Cupping"

Renee and I decided to try cupping as a massage technique and I think we got cup-raped more than cup-massaged.  The idea is to release toxins that have accumulated in you body through suction-cup glasses placed on you back.  The darker the marks, the more toxins one has.  I guess I'm pretty toxic.

The process took about 25 minutes, when the cups were placed and left to do their work.  It felt like a giant clothes pin was placed in each spot.  The pinching sensation did ease as the process continued, but I think it helps to try an relax during the treatment.

We weren't supposed to shower or drink alcohol for six hours afterwards, so that the treatment could be most effective.  For 32myr ($10), was it worth it?  Yes.  I think the experience was unique and I kind of feel like my shoulders released a bit of tension.  Renee, however, was less impressed and thought it was just painful.

Claypot in KL

Renee and I ran next door for some food and we were greeted by this place making Cantonese food outside for all to see.  The resturaunt makes the normal chinese-food fair, but what peaked out interest were the claypots everyone was ordering.  They offered these pots with just noodles, noodles and mushrooms (our favorite), and then any combination with chicken, beef, or fish.  The pots come in small and medium sizes, while a medium was enough to share between the two of us for 15MYR ($5) and something else ordered as a side.

As a respectable Chinese food establishment, they also served such goodies as fried rice, noodles, broccoli beef and other standard fair.  The fried dumplings, 1.2MYR/ea. ($0.38), were more like shrimp wantons, but good none-the-less.