Teaching in CHINA: Visit to Hong Kong (part 1)

Hong Kong

We had three weeks off for "winter holiday" travel, and so decided to see South China. Hong Kong was our first stop:

We flew into the Chinese city of Shenzhen, to save money, by coming in on a "domestic" flight. We didn't see much of the city, as we simply took a bus to the Immigration lines, for the border crossing into Hong Kong.

"Immigration" out of China...... then into Hong Kong

We were part of a mass of people, herded into "holding pens." The fence enclosures were put up behind us each time our mass of people was allowed to move forward into the next pen. Then, our "herd" was released to the passport-check windows. People ran and pushed, swarmed the 15 windows, and even had fist-fights and LOUD, violent screaming-matches. It felt a bit like a stampede......(It took 2 1/2 hours to get through this part, and that was shortened because we were "foreigners.")
On the Hong Kong-entry side, there were posts and ropes to divide people into more organized lines. Still, people aggressively pushed forward and went under the ropes to get ahead. Stressful, frustrating, memorable day!

A guy from Canada who crosses the border often helped us to find the "foreigner" line.....Without his help, we would probably still be trying to get through!
It was wonderful that sister-in-law Sanwa had flown from Seattle to Hong Kong, and was there (with her brother) to meet us!!!

Our first glimpses of the Kowloon district of Hong Kong

Like all of China, there are very modern parts, and then "older sections."

Hong Kong has a wonderful, public, mass-transit system. Passengers buy passes, and then ride on double-decker buses, extensive subways (even under the harbor) , ferries across the harbor, electric double-decker streetcars, and mini-buses. No need to have a car in Hong Kong......and no need for traffic problems, either!