Market Day in Hong Kong

Our last full day together before most of the group headed home.

Auntie May ended up in the hospital overnight but Sabrina sent us out on our planned itinerary for the day.

So we spent the day visiting the Kowloon Markets while worrying about Auntie May's condition.

Our first stop was the Kowloon shoreline once again.

Then it was off to the Jade Market.

Needless to say, purchases were made.

Not all Jade of course, we bought a Mah-Jong set.

Then after lunch at an authentic Won Ton place, if there is such a thing in Hong Kong, we strolled and shopped on Lady's Street. Don't' know why it received that particular label but it's a typical tourist oriented market with all the same items tourists are looking for.

There is actually a Men's Street Market as well where the same general items are for sale. Only it's a much smaller market.

Next up, Goldfish Street Market.

Even if you're not into raising tropical fish, and you should be if you have any Chinese blood in you, you'll be amused on Goldfish Street. All the poor little fish are displayed for sale in small plastic bags hanging on a rack.

The variety is enormous, not to mention colorful.

Then a stroll through the Flower Market on our way to our final stop. The Bird Market.

Lindsay stopping for a quick drink.

Needless to say, Dina bought bird cages.

All in all, it was a busy day of strolling the markets.

Most of our group went home late the next day. The morning and afternoon spent visiting the Bird Sanctuary and The Big Buddha on Lantau Island.

Faye, Sylvia, and Sabrina delayed their trip back by a week. They're all safely home as I make this posting.

Alan and I spent a few more days in Hong Kong recovering from our incredible trip through China and Hong Kong with the group.

Arrival in China, First Stop Shenzhen

On our arrival in Hong Kong, after a 14+ hour flight, we are met by Sabrina, who wisked us off to Shenzhen.

After crossing the Hong Kong / China boarder, we headed into Shenzhen and checked into the Vienna Hotel in the downtown area.

Our first stop was lunch at a hot-pot restaurant.

We then proceeded to a park called the Fairyland Park.

Bev with Sabrina in Temple in Fairyland Park.

Our first night's dinner in a private room.

Sabrina treated us and we could not refuse, even if we wanted to .

Dina was of course looking for birds.

Here are the rest of my birds

Vultures. You'll find them anywhere there is fresh kill.

Don't have to tell you what these are.

Male Ostrich in the wild

Alan with a female Ostrich at a game preserve shelter. I'm not sure why this particular ostrich was here.

Ostrich pose
Don't remember what these ugly birds are called. They stand about four feet high.

Hippos laying around during the day. They love to hang around in groups to sleep. They don't even mind sleeping in their own excrement. You always knew when there were a bunch of hippos around, the smell was awful.

Birds?

Here are some birds we photographed in Tanzania back in 2001.
Don't bother asking me what kind of birds these are. I have no idea what they're called.

This guy tried to take off one of my fingers.

We were having lunch on the deck and just like it is here in the U. S., where there's food, there are birds. This particular guy was pretty daring. He landed right on the plate and proceeded to help himself.

How about another topic?

... like birds!!
Here are pictures from recents walks around the Bay Area.

Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)

Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris)

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax). This is a full adult. Look at the red eye.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) sitting on a nest with a baby.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata). Some people call this bird "butter-butt".

That's Phil, my bird teacher, looking through the scope.

We see other critters as well. Here's a Western Pond Turtle.