In Hong Kong, Waiting for our Flight Home

After showering and getting cleaned up at the hotel, we took a tuk tuk for $2 down to “Pub Street” in Siem Reap which appears to be backpacker central. There are two alleys off of the Main Street with most of the restaurants listed in the Lonely Planet guide. (One place proudly announced that they were not in Lonely Planet, presumably that they were cheaper and less crowded.) We chose one that was listed and got a sampler plate of dishes, including Amok Fish which is fish baked in banana leaf with coconut milk.

After dinner, we toured the markets and found more cheap stuff to cart home.

Today is a full day and a half of travel. After breakfast at the hotel, we took a car to the airport for our 11:40 am flight to Hong Kong, which was uneventful. They took a long time to get our bags off, but we had to then clear Customs back into Hong Kong and go check-in for our LAX flight that does not leave until 11:45 pm. We had dinner, got through security and then found a bar where we are hanging out now, with about 3.5 hours to boarding.

More Angkor Wat and the Outlying Temples

After resting up yesterday afternoon, we took a walk toward town and headed off down a side street local market area. We turned south along the river, now very low as this is the dry season. After regaining the main road and turning north again back toward the hotel, we found a local nice buffet restaurant and stopped for dinner. The selections were often a bit challenging, but we had a good dinner that included easier things such as spring rolls, fried rice and chicken. While the fried bugs were available we did not need to fill up on them.

This morning we arranged the full day rental of a tuk tuk and driver for $16. We probably could have done better on the street, but this guy spoke passible English and we could explain where we wanted to go.

After stopping at the local gas station (note the rack of bottles of gasoline sold by the 1 liter bottle), we were off.

Today we drove past the better known ruins and stopped at a series of lesser known places, that were also worth seeing. There is one area where the monkeys gather for handouts.

The elephant wall.

The heat and humidity are oppressive, but as these are religious sites, covering knees and shoulders is required. A hat is necessary for the sun. Everyone is just dripping sweat.

The bugs are sometimes impressive.

One temple is on an island filled in on a reservoir. One of the reasons the Khemer dominated in their day was they had developed irrigation systems that allowed a second rice harvest, doubling their food supply. Technology that we do not think about, but which gave them a competitive advantage.

At one stop Patty showed off pictures of the grandkids to the shop keeper and bought purses and pants.

Lunch was at the same place as yesterday. I guess they are the successful bidder in either paying off the drivers or the hotel. Patty was swarmed with kids selling trinkets after lunch.

We did a couple of more temples after lunch and then headed back to the hotel.

It is really amazing how many people can ride a motor scooter here.

Big Buddha and Tacky Trinkets

The last few days have been a whirl of meeting with friends and colleagues, meetings for Patty, shopping and sightseeing.

A couple of law firms host an “In House Counsel Dinner” that Patty was invited to at a restaurant on the Star Ferry pier. It was a very nice dinner.

When I am not meeting Patty for lunches or drinks or dinner, I have spent a lot of time just wandering around. On Wednesday evening we took the funicular railway up to Victoria Peak.

It was foggy as the clouds bent over the summit ridge. We found a coffee shop table with great views and watched the sun go down and the lights come on.

On Thursday morning we were tour group leaders to take a group of ten; friends and friends of friends, from Chicago and New York on a trip over to Lantau Island to take the cable car up the mountain to a monastery which has a 60 foot Buddha. We all met at the Grand Hyatt and took the train to the base of the cable car, and then the cable car to the monastery.

After lunch at the top of the cable car, we hiked to the monastery and then up the steps to the Buddha.

The cable car ride is fun and you can upgrade to a car with a glass floor, which makes for some incredible views.

After the cable car Buddha, we headed back into Kowloon for the Temple Street Night Market where you can be assured that every Volcom shirt is a cheap fake.

We did find some fun stuff nevertheless.
Today, we went to a real Patagonia store and I bought some walking shoes and a loose weave collared shirt, all at USA prices. We are flying to Cambodia tomorrow and today is a laid back day.

Wandering

This morning Patty was filming an interview for INTA about the new “Fashion Industry Group” of which she is a founding member, leaving me on my own. I took off wandering the streets with my umbrella.

One of the difficult things about Hong Kong is that the sidewalks just end at some places and you have to take to elevated walkways that go for blocks, through buildings, hotel lobbies and then end in unexplained ways. Once you figure one out, they are a nice way to stay out of the rain as they are covered, but they complicate life if you are just trying to walk one direction.

After walking a while, I got on the old two level trams that are a little like the San Francisco Cable Cars.

The rain stopped and I was able to put down the window and take pictures from my seat. Hong Kong is an amazing mix of world class architecture and the dilapidated and tawdry, existing side by side. Also, every brand you have ever heard of has a presence here.

I stopped for lunch at a random local place and even though I was the only non-Chinese in the place, they had an English menu and I had a good but basic lunch. The city is not cheap however as the lunch was close to $10.

Even if you came in alone, they sat multiple people at tables, not to waste any space for the crowded lunch time trade.

Meetings and Receptions

Monday was a day of meetings , lunches and receptions as Patty met with people she does business with around the world. I tagged along as she met with German, South African, Dutch, etc. people who deal with Volcom’s issues. The meetings included lunch, dinner and after dinner receptions. Two evening events were outside, but with the heat and humidity it is kind of like having a business meeting fully dressed in a sauna.

We did get to stop by the Hong Kong Volcom store and go to a reception at the Yacht Club.

Hong Kong-Arrival and First Days

We flew Cathay Pacific out of LAX, leaving about 1:00 pm. The flight is almost 15 hours.

The airplane had a great entertainment system and we spent our time, when not eating and drinking, watching movies and television shows (Scandal, etc.). With a little sleep thrown in, the trip was not too bad.

We arrived at 7:00pm Hong Kong time and took a taxi to the hotel; about a 45 a minute drive. Kering set all of their employees attending the INTA meetings up in the Park Lane hotel, overlooking Victoria Park and the bay. We got a room with a great view on the 14th floor.

We get breakfast and cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres in the evening at the Club lounge as part of the deal. The hors d’oeuvres are good enough for a light dinner if we are not going out elsewhere.

Friday we spent the first part of the day orienting ourselves, learning to ride the metro and bought pre-paid “Octopus” cards that not only pay fares on the subway, buses and ferries, but at fast food places and vending machines.

On Friday evening Patty had a dinner with the Kering group and I had dinner in the club lounge and went to bed hours before she got back to the hotel.