Hong Kong Day 2

 Sea Date March 17. 2024

 Hong Kong Day 2


Well, today was not successful.  I usually have done extensive research on each port and have decided months ahead of time what to do. My many cruise friends tell me I need to plan less and just see what unfolds. 

Today no plans. Jim wanted a haircut and a new phone cover and I wanted a mani pedi and a  phone screen protector. 

So we hopped a taxi to the massive mall at 9am. Hoping to quickly handle our chores we would be free to roam. 

No luck. Mall stores, we were told by Google, would open at 9. Oh, but our stores not until 10 am.  No, they opened at 11. Couldn't get appointments until after ship left! The Samsung store told Jim his phone was too old - no parts.

Mine was too new - no parts.

 We left the mall, using google, wandered the hot streets, no luck.

Hot and frustrated we returned to the ship. I failed go with the flow. But just before we boarded the ship, I remembered there was a rooftop garden on the cruise terminal.  Locals and cruisers were enjoying this spot. The sun popped out and apparently,  there was a kindergarten graduation ceremony. An interesting Lego store and shop. Then back on ship. 

A fun sailaway with Irish band and lots of green.

Tonight, we had dinner with Tian. An interesting life story and a delightful man. Born in China, won competitions in order to come to America and study. He helped a young Chinese student to find scholarships and be able to continue his studies. Tian had to return to China. He desperately wanted to return to America. He needed permission from a Chinese official who routinely denied all requests.  It turned out the Chinese student he had helped was her son! He was granted permission to leave. His parents came to his graduation from Juilliard.  While in US, the Tiananmen Square incident occurred so suddenly the US was willing to grant green cards to many Chinese visitors and his parents applied and stayed in US.

We had the St. Patrick's Day bar hop awaiting us tonight. So a very fine day, after all.
















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