Hong Kong Day 3

Today I checked out of my hotel and got on a Star Ferry to the other side of the harbour. What a surprise when I found out this major tourist attraction costs $0.25! It offers fantastic views of the skyline as you motor across the waters.

Disembarking, I was met with another pleasant surprise. A real-live Triple O's! In Hong Kong of all places. I enjoyed a very delicious original burger.

I went to my new hotel, and was very confused as the check in desk was nowhere to be seen and the valet desk was unmanned. I found someone and they told me to ascend to the 5th floor. Once there, I checked in and asked for a nice room.

Boy was I rewarded! I got an amazing room with a million dollar view on the 29th floor. I could spend a long time watching the harbour and all the boat traffic.

I Skyped with Amanda for awhile, and didn't feel like going out. By the time I was ready, the thing I wanted to see was closed, so I decided to go for dinner.

I had read about a nearby restaurant with great food, so I went to give it a try. It was the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant.

First of all, it was 6:30pm and no one was there eating. The middle aged Chinese waitress spoke at me with contempt the entire evening because I didn't want to order more food, and she hovered barely four feet from me the entire meal. Finally, when it came time to settle the bill, she charged me a hefty gratuity for doing nothing. My $78 bill came out to $119, and she made me settle right. There. At. The. Table. She watched and stood right next to me as I dug through my bag to get some cash, and then said "no change?" assuming I wanted to leave her even more money for her discriminatory and offensive "service".

I wrote a nice review for the restaurant and a nice letter to the hong long tourism board.

After the insulting ordeal at the restaurant, I went to take the Peak Tram to the top off Victoria Peak. It was really crowded and many people cut in line all over the place. The tram ride itself is actually pretty interesting. It takes you at a 45• angle, which is really impressive. What's even more impressive is that this same journey used to be done by rickshaw drivers, and before that, "chair men" (you can figure out what that entails).

Finally, I took a ubiquitous Hong Kong tram (the narrow ones that run on the street--the locals call them "ding dings") back to my hotel for some pleasant rest and some more time with that stunning view.