"Star Ferry" to "The Peak"

Here is our street outside our hotel we walk many times a day. This is Kimberly Street in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Today started off really early, Emma was up at 4:30am Hong Kong time and woke Everett up whom in turn woke up Easton so it was not wonder the boys fell asleep on the way home at night.

Trent took the kids to the park in the late morning so Everett could go back to sleep and he said it was really neat. There were people doing Thai Chai all over the place and that there was beautiful music playing through out the park. I hope to go by there tomorrow to check it out myself to take some pictures.

The kids still do not want to come home so we are happy about that, they are really positive about finding out what our day has instore for us.

This afternoon it was like people were litterely coming out of the ground. The past few days I said to Trent, "It is not that crowded in Hong Kong, I wonder why people say it is" Oh my goodness it was crazy today, the start of the weekend. I had to go meet Trent somewhere and I had all three kids with me at one street corner. I needed to turn around with the stoller and I could not, there were so many people all around us you can not move. Trent said it best, " It is like being at the Calgary Stampede x 100 everywhere you go"

In the afternoon we went on the "Star Ferry" across the harbour to Hong Kong Island. The transportation here is great, the trains, buses, ferries all function very efficently and it is cheap. For all of us to travel on the ferry it was $3.00Can.. The trip is only 12 min but it is a nice boat ride.

Now you may notice that the buildings behind the boat are not very clear, it is smog. I have never seen haze like this before. You can not see clearly accross the harbour beccause it is all clouded all over. We were told the reason the haze is so bad right now is because it is winter here and they still use coal to heat thier homes hence the excess amount of pollution. It is not even really that cold here for us but they are all dressed in jackets and pants.

Now I was most excited about going to "The Peak" you travel up this mountain on The Peak Tram and travel at a steep incline up 400feet above sea level to see the view of Hong Kong. The Peak tram was built in 1888 when the British were occupying Hong Kong and they lived in the hills. In this picture you can really see the smog which is to bad but is not my camera.

On our way back to our hotel the crowds grew in numbers and the boys fell asleep fast. As we walked home I looked in amazement on how cultures live there lives so differently. Is it because we know no different? Is it because we do what our parents did? We take comfort in what we know? Trent and I are both glad we came to Hong Kong and we have had the fortunate opportunity to see some wonderful things but it is not a place we would ever chose to live because of the numbers (to many people, not enought space) As for safetly here, no problems at all, very comfortable out on the street.

Here is a shot of the street at night, it is like a different world here at night.

Well I have to say Goodnight now. It is 6:30am there at home so good morning to anyone who is up. As for me it is 9:30pm at night and I am off to bed.

Until next time...... Jody & the crew....