Hong Kong was definitely a highlight of our summer- the breathtaking views of the harbor, the restaurants and the shopping made for a wonderful weekend trip. Everything seemed so modern and hip! We were there from Thursday to Sunday and enjoyed every second. Our favorites included: taking the tram up to Victoria’s Peak and having cocktails overlooking the harbor, Italian restaurant 208, and British restaurant The Chinnery. It was definitely a “foodie’s” trip. We felt like we were back in the good ol’ USA- everyone spoke English. In fact, I think we saw more American and British bankers in Hong Kong than you would on the streets of New York. 
We hit up a few of the local markets for some cheap goods and had a blast bargaining for our Chinese Halloween costumes. Harrison was intent on buying a laser pointer, which has now become the bane of my existence. In his free time, my husband/ 12 yr old roommate uses the pointer to zap unsuspecting Chinese citizens from our window. When they notice the light, he hides behind the curtains laughing. He also employs the device to point out different stocks or news stories on the TV screen. Lastly, he discovered that you can point it at the ceiling in circles creating a disco-tech effect. “It’s such a versatile device” he says. Lucky me!
Harrison gifted me with a spa treatment for our final evening which was very thoughtful! I chose the Chinese Meridian Massage, described as follows: Focus is on acupressure points and directional flow of the Qi in the body. Chinese meridian massage is more than a system of relaxation and tension release. The attention is on the subtle energy channels which influence the Qi in the organs.
Yes, I’ll admit, it sounded a little “crunchy”, but I figured, when in Rome…………
Harrison accompanied me to check-in for the appointment. As I was filling out the requisite forms, they casually mentioned: “You will have dark circular bruises covering your back for about a week due to the “cupping” technique we use. Will that be OK?”
Ummm, I was about to ask if it would be painful, but before I had chance, Harrison intervened and said that I should choose something else- perhaps he was afraid of the accusatory looks we would get walking down the street- his wife covered in bruises.
Sidenote: I actually was behind a woman this morning at Starbucks who had the tell-tale cupping bruises-they were extremely dark and painful looking- so glad I dodged that bullet!
Today officially marks the 1 WEEK COUNTDOWN til we board a flight to Newark and then Boston. Home SWEET home. We will spend the last 4 days in Shanghai. As my time in China winds down, I’ve become a bit nostalgic. We are so lucky to have gotten the chance to observe the everyday quirks of living in a foreign land. China is a mysterious place that we are only beginning to understand. What I cherish the most about our last 2 months is the abundance of time I got to spend with my best friend, Harrison. It was so wonderful to be able to share this whirlwind adventure together (all together now- awwwwww).
I’ve outlined some of my favorite and least favorite things about this summer below.
Things I Will Miss About China:
1) Weekend travel: so many exotic and memorable sites close by
2) Daily maid service
3) Nightly turndown service
4) Daily breakfast buffet
5) Cab rides that never exceed $2
6) Dumplings and noodles
7) Being the only blonde on the block
8) Saisai and her family
Things I Will NOT Miss:
1) MSG
2) Having only 2 TV channels in English (CNN International and BBC)
3) Squatty Potty
4) Exotic sea urchins for dinner
5) Only having 2 friends (besides Harrison): Chris- Manager of Club Intercontinental and Chloe- waitress at Club Intercontinental
6) Smog/ Constant Haze
7) Saying “wo bu dong” (I don’t understand) to everyone that tries to talk to me in Mandarin
8) Loud belching/spitting in public
Hmmmm, unfortunately the majority of the positives involved living in a hotel…….
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