Welcome to Hong Kong

(Photo provided by Wikipedia)

Mid-Level elevators, Described as the longest escalator in the world, are useful for locals and tourists. The escalator runs one-way downhill from 6am to 10am, then uphill from 10:20am to midnight.

There are 20 separate escalators with streets that bisect the system running all over the district of Soho.

If you ride to the top, you will end up walking down.

Li Yuen Street leads to street markets. The streets are crowded with shoppers, vendors selling food, fresh veggies, and various fresh fish types.

The markets are small lanes and go uphill. There are many short side streets with outdoor dining available.

Joe from Big Foot Tour is a great guide providing historical background and insights about the Central District.

South of Hollywood Road to SoHo is a neighborhood packed with local boutiques, upscale restaurants, independent cafés, and fine-art galleries. The Soho District is located in the Mid-levels district and is a steep hilly area of narrow streets that are best accessed via the Mid-levels Escalators.

On the street filled with restaurants, we stumbled upon Posto Pubblico on Elgin Street. The food, décor, and atmosphere were excellent. It was delicious.

Man Mo Temple is located on Fu Shin Street. Built-in 1892, it is the largest Man Mo Temple in Hong Kong. Lanterns hang from the ceiling. The Temple is unique in that coils of incense are hung from the ceiling.

The interior decor of the Temple was fascinating. As we exited, we took a break from the engulfed smoky-incense rooms to catch our breath—beautiful offerings to the Gods.

We saw Fatima Dreams dolls at the Chocolate Rain Store on Aberdeen Street.

HSBC Building, built between 1979 and 1985, has 47 floors and towers over the old Legislative Building. It contains some incredibly forward-thinking concepts - seawater is used for the a/c, natural sunlight, the primary source of lighting.

The early British settlers in Hong Kong had an interest in feng shui, and many buildings constructed after that were built with the philosophies of feng shui in mind. The Chinese believe that those who directly view a water body—whether it is a river, a sea, or an ocean—are more likely to prosper.

In the lobby of the HSBC building, there are two Lion statues. Passers-by touch the lions in the belief that power and money will rub off on them. Frank wishes for good luck and lots of money.

Vietnam - Ha Long Bay

We took a walk to town to see the Bai Chay Commercial Market (Vuon Dao Market). This market caters explicitly to the local people of Bai Chay and some of the surrounding districts.

There were many local street vendors selling fruits and vegetables along the way. Cutting Sugar Cane,

Slicing Onions, selling vegetables. The Bai Chay Commercial Market is located in the Vuon Dao area along the tourist district in Ha Long City.

This is a great place to witness the daily routines of the Ha Long City locals.

Most of the houses are tall and vertical. Here's a pretty pink house on a quiet side street.

As we walked down the street, I noticed 2 workers unloading bricks from a truck. I took a picture. As I got closer, I saw the workers were women. As we walked past the truck, both women smiled, waved, and gave me the Asia Salute!

When we started our walk, I noticed across the street, a woman and a boy sitting on the railing. I was surprised to see them still there as we walked back. As we passed, the woman approached me, and I saw she was selling a packet of Ha Long Bay Photos. I purchased the photos and asked if I could take her picture. She had another package of images in her hand, ready for her next customer.

Many people live, work, and travel on Ha Long Bay.

Ha Long Bay

Kissing Rocks

Dau Go Cave

There are many caves on Ha Long Bay, today; we visited Dau Go Cave. The grotto is on Driftwood Island. Standing out among other charming caves in Hang Long Bay, Dau Go cave, is the biggest and finest cave that attracts a huge number of tourists each year.

The hike up the concrete pathway was made traveler-friendly by the government. The grotto is divided into three main parts. The exterior is a room with a vault full of natural light. Many firms may be seen in the rock formations of the chamber. On the ceiling of the grotto is hundreds of stalactites falling down from the roof of the cave look like a waterfall. No photos could capture the feel and beauty of the cave.