Hong Kong b…..

Hong Kong Flagship Apple Store

After the fabulous meal last evening and a very good sleep, today is a very hot day in Hong Kong, humid but a very bright day. I woke early to find my phone had again turned itself off, it was not because of battery but the intermittent fault that had been getting worse, that had been ignored by Orange/EE even after numerous very lengthy phone calls over a period of months and promised investigations had provided nothing. Basically Orange/EE could not give a toss about customer service, and to be honest I had been with them for years and had experienced it before so I am to blame for staying with them. This is a subject for a separate blog, but suffice it to say when the contract runs out I will never ever renew! Anyway that along with the phone having a mind and operating system of its own. Frieda has told me of the  APPLE Flagship Store  in Canton Road so we went there to see what can be done.  I had a Galaxy Note 3 so it was going to be the iPhone 6 if I was going to replace mine. There were staff everywhere, and they couldn’t have been more helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. In the end I did choose the IPhone 6s Plus, having been used to a large phone this made sense. It took a while to downloaded all my info from the Galaxy but there was plenty to do whilst we waited. After that was done they agreed a price they would pay for mine in part exchange They made me an offer of £245.00 for it, which I accepted! At this point we were on the third floor of this huge store, we now had to go to the basement floor  where we chose a hard silicone cover, having already had a screen cover applied. Lastly the great thing about buying this latest iPhone is there will be no need to change it for a long time and it is Sim Free which means it is completely unlocked and can be used with any sim card across the world. OK enough time spent in here, lets get out into the sunshine! It was a great choice Iphone 6s Plus and I will never go back to android, go and visit this  Apple Store Canton Road, Hong Kong

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Independence Day 2 3DÂ

Lunch at a Frieda’s favourite restaurant, The Pantry, which was very tasty noodle soup with greens pork and veggies, was quite filling, but a lovely restaurant, busy lively and could understand why it is her favourite. After lunch walking to the Star Ferry to meet Hiver was good exercise! We were booked onto the Duk Ling trip around the bay, unfortunately they had double booked it for a Corporate party, so we were rebooked for the following day, no harm done :-)  We walked back along the Boardwalk would have been nice to take the Star Ferry across but time was against us, and it was time to change and head off to eat as we are all going to the cinema. We caught a cab and they dropped me at the hotel. Hector and I had Pizza which was lush, There was an all day breakfast and salads and soups so everyone was happy before going into the cinema. I wasn’t sure how Independence Day 2 would work after the first film, as it pretty much ended in a way that there was no return, but, surprisingly it worked really well, I sat next to  my dear friend Hector and we chatted throughout the film about the original some 20 years ago, he is only 10 years old and was fascinated by finding out about the first film that lead him into this the second one. He is a very intelligent and interesting young man, Love being around him. You can find out more about the film by clicking on the link but it is definitely worth going to view. Will be very surprised if they ever feel a third film would work :-)

The Peak

It was a gloriously sunny day as I was collected from my hotel,  The Langham Hotel , Kowloon. We were going up to  The Peak an amazing area overlooking Hong Kong from central. Driving up the winding road to get to this amazing place is in itself an experience never to be forgotten. If you ever visit Hong Kong then this is a must. There is plenty of parking, underground, and the experience begins. We had brunch at a beautiful restaurant with spectacular views, the food was excellent, with plenty of options to choose from. I had Spagbol, after all it is a favourite of mine and I d like to try it all over the world, this was a really good Spagbol and easily 9/10 :-) Just chilling out and taking in the sights, people watching which is always fun

There is a Walk/Hike that can be done to ascend the near 450 metres to the Peak, not via the road, but via trails, we made a pact that we would do this when I return in January 2017, something I am determined to do with Hiver and Frieda, not sure if Roger and Hector will want to, but it is going to be fun. There were excuses as to why it shouldn’t be done, who would do it who wouldn’t, whys and wherefores …………………… No excuses please!!

The Peak Circle Walk 

At the top of the Peak which gives unrivalled views of Hong Kong, is a circular walk Peak Circle walk  that was carved out many years ago, and is the most amazing walk not only the views around 360 degrees but the vegetation and the wildlife. It circles the peak and you finish where you started, Jog, Walk or Run it is a fascination journey that is always busy. Young and not so young, teenagers and children, I would imagine that this is a regular exercise programme for a lot of the residents of the Peak, and so lucky to have it. Onwards and upwards to the Sky Terrace 428 standing 428 metres above sea level is the highest viewing platform in Hong Kong, Morning afternoon or evening these are views not to be missed! You can see for Miles, across to the Islands, the new (well newish) Chep Lok International Airport, The magnificent waterways separating Kowloon from Central, The old Kai Tak airport, which is being ever developed, away in the distance and over the hills is Disneyworld Hong Kong another must for children and us grown up children :-) Another attraction on the Peak, apart from the massive shopping Mall and Waffle House, Cafe’s and local shops is the The Trick Eye  Experience This is an amazing collection of interactive sets that disbelieve the eye, It was great fun, acting like children getting into all the sets and taking photos, the time spent in here  was the most amazing fun. Spend a day up here there is so much to do

Going up by car we came down on the The Peak Tram first operated in 1888 This marvel of Scenic Trams that has been fully restored. The journey takes you all the way down to the Tram Terminus at sea level This was fabulous day out, but was not yet over as we had a trip booked with the  The Duk Ling Tour This true “Junk” underwent full restoration in the 1980’s but in 2014 it was sunk in a typhoon that hit Hong Kong. 2 Hong Kong Yacht Traders acquired Duk Ling and spent many thousands of $HK managed to save the vessel bringing it back to seaworthiness and on June 13th 2015 she commenced her current operation. It takes you around the bay and over to Kowloon and then back to Central. It truly is an experience of a typical Junk of its era, and the photo opportunities are spectacular. Travelling along the Central side up towards the old airport and then turning and following the Kowloon coastal side we berthed not far from the Star Ferry, dropping some people off and taking more on we then headed back to Central. The skyline seen from the seal level is spectacular and at that time the sun was going down making it even more amazing. Returning to my friends home for dinner with the children, a traditional Chinese home cooked meal was lovely, chatting about the day and the fun that had been had. Time spent with friends is priceless and should be cherished, treasured…………..Tomorrow we would be leaving Honk Kong for our trip to Taiwan, where we would meet up with more Friends and Family for what actually turned out to be a truly unforgettable trip…………..Hong Kong Flagship Apple Store