Hong Kong, July 25 – August 6, 2012.

Joe & Jess went to China to visit a couple of charities, and Anne also went there to teach for a couple of weeks.  We had a chance to meet up in Hong Kong for a few days.  We all stayed at the Tai Po house.  Some highlights:

Chance Meeting of Tsangs.  While waiting for a table at Jade Garden in Century Plaza, I ran into Donald also waiting for a table.  It was so out of context that it took us a while to ask if the other person is whom we think he is.  We met up with Donald, Wendy and their child Jordan the following week at (where else?) Jade Garden.  We knew Donald from our Cornell days.  He lives in Long Island and we do meet up in the NY area every now and then.

Ran into Donald Tsang whom we first knew from Cornell in the 1970s.

Sky 100.  A ride up to the 100^th floor of the new International Commerce Center in Kowloon West.  It was a clear day, so we had a great all around view of Hong Kong.

 Sky 100 on the 100th floor of ICC.

Another view from Sky 100, with my old high school in the middle of the picture.

High Tea at the Peninsula. An afternoon tea set for two costs about HK$580 (US$75) including service charge.  You can get equally good tea set for perhaps one-third the price, but not at one of the most prestigious (i.e., expensive) hotels in Hong Kong, though.

Sampling the fare during high tea at the Peninsula Hotel.

Dinner at Joel Robuchon.  Robuchon has several highly rated restaurants around the world, the one in Hong Kong being rated Michelin three-hats.  Since I was paying, Tim decided to show mercy by getting seats in the bar section; not cheap at HK$780, but a bargain compared to the HK$1880 menu at the restaurant proper.  Three courses, dessert and coffee.  I rate it a solid B+.  An inside joke as I eat just about anything, good or bad, and thus have a food rating range of B- to B+ to indicate how un-discriminating I am when it comes to food.

Robuchon offers a solid B+ experience for a lot of money.

Hike in Tai Tam.  The recent floods filled the reservoir and thus water was being drained over the dam.

Uncle Richard Visit.  We (Elaine, Anne & I) went to see him after we visited Anne’s mother.

Visiting with Uncle Richard.

Flying First Class.  We used miles to book our seats.  On the return flight there were no saver seats in Business, so we ended up flying first class (with fewer miles.)  I used to get upgraded every now and then when I was traveling on business.  The seats are certainly more comfortable, but the food is not nearly as exclusive.  Still no complaints, though.  One could get used to being called Mr. Cheung instead of passenger in Seat 22C.