into the h.kong

So we stepped off the airplane and got on the bus to our first China experience (well semi-China).

Our wonderful friend Cat and her most hospitable semi-ex-pat brother Andrew hooked us up...We ate dim sum until my stomach hurt. We saw famous sites from Anthony Bourdain's hong kong experience, visited a Taoist temple, and struggled mightly with the demon that calls itself jetlag...Remember - "I'll take a short nap" are always regrettable words...it just doesn't work that way.

That afternoon Julie decided to "take a nap" and all was over. I napped with Julie and a short two hours later, feeling like a character out of requiem for a dream I wrenched myself out of an intensely comfortable bed in order to eat dinner with Cat and her brother.

We ate delicious Vietnamese food - as Hong Kong entertains a plethora of foods and I made my way back to my luxurious Hyatt hotel...

So we got free breakfast that next morning and it'd be nothing to write about except it would have cost us over 70 dollars US if we had paid for it ourselves (yes, we took the buffet for two option)...there was everything here from Dim Sum to Smoked Salmon. 10 types of cheese, 3 continents variety of foods, a much necessary omelet station, and nearly a dozen varieties of freshly squeezed juice (including honeydew juice)...so of course we ate ourselves sick.

Afterwards I had my most disappointing check out experience. On top of our check out clerk being a stoic jerk, they overcharged us for everything (which is a big deal when the room was supposed to cost 500 a night and we got them down to 200 which we were paying by gift certificates from our wedding). They charged us for breakfast - which I had to argue to get taken off (even though we had a not from the manager with the complimentary breakfast). Then they accidentally forgot to book the bus to the airport that I had asked them to 24 hours before. They looked at me with disgust when I payed with gift certificates and the thing that got me is she totally screwed up our bill and travel plans and never once smiled or apologized...for 500 bucks a night you'd expect at least an apology (oh and we had to pay for an upgrade that was offered complimentary when we checked in). Sigh, as my tenure at the Hyatt has come to an end...don't stay at the one in Hong Kong...

Other than that, there were beautiful mountains, a gorgeous bay, and a city that looks awesomely wonderful at night when fulled by millions of gallons for petrol.

Hong Kong Flight

So...after our sad farewell and goodbye to NYC and our beloved lifelong friends the Billings we made the long but wonderful flight to Hong Kong. My back had never been so sore...yet I had never eaten so well on an airplane...DO NOT FLY US BASED AIRLINES OVERSEAS (If you can avoid it)...For example on our way back from our honeymoon on AA my wife asked for a glass of water for medicine for her headache and she was literally screamed at by the stewardess that "YOU SIT DOWN...WE WILL BRING DRINKS LATER!!!!!!!!!!!"

In contrast water was brought around about every 30 min or so, drinks (of all sorts) were never in short supply (they even had them set out in the back in case you needed something right away) meals were served every four hours - and they were delicious...I decided (via their awesome website) to order us "special order meals" and I ordered Julie a 'low calorie meal' and myself a Hindu Non-Vegitarian...at first I was disappointed I pre-ordered our meals instead of the delicious salmon or chicken dinner that was offered on menus (yes menus) - but once I got it I was enthralled...I had delicious indian food for the entirety of the flight and Julie had sweet succulent chicken breast, steamed vegtables, fruit deserts, and awesome omelets...oh it was so good...I didn't get as much sleep as I needed because there were too many movies on our personal TV's...

Ahhh...coach class asian airlines - there may be nothing better -

So New York

So we were so New York. After a whirlwind 72 hour adventure which involved graduation ceremonies for myself, my sister, and even my wife (who chose not to attend hers)...we said our good byes and got on a plane to New York...and life was bliss.

Our good friends the Billings picked us up from the airport and treated us like kings (which yes, means they payed for everything - which must have been a small fortune - Manhattan is not cheap). Life was bliss as we recovered from the certain kind of insanity that involved moving across the world in a speed that only exists in chaos theory.

Anyway, we had great wine in the courtyard of Union Theological in Columbia (where my boy Drew lived)...we then woke up explored Brooklyn and side eateries. I kept on trying to eat the street food and it was quite disappointing...I expected gooey mouth fulls of deliciousness and instead I got chewy chicken gristle on a hot dog bun...

Anyway, we made the most of food and fellowship with the Billings (and the Baileys - shout out here as well) and spent a finishing day on the water at battery park drinking sangria and delicious Fosters before we bid our sad goodbyes and headed to hong kong...

We couldn't have asked for such a bliss three days - I think it prevented a nervous breakdown...I'm not joking. :)