Longest Escalator

HK Escalator

So I thought I’d done all the major touristy things in HK, but last night I got to experience yet another extreme of HK. I rode the longest escalator in HK. “The Escalator”, which is the longest escalator in the world, which is near where we used to live, is actually 17 escalators going up the hillside. Last night was the single longest escalator in HK, not the world. It was in a mall (what a surprise – not) in Kowloon (Langham Place for anyone who knows HK) & went down 9 floors. I went to the movies with a HK friend & the theater was on the 13th floor. In true HK fashion the exit from the theater takes you through a mall. So to get out you have to pass 4 floors of stores, circling around so you pass every store in the place. I asked why they have the escalator to skip all the lower floors & Karen said “because no shopping there, just hotel & offices.” Got to love the consumer minded people here! Keep this economies roaring!

The photo isn't too good, it was dark. The escalator is on the right & then there are some New Year's decorations - a light up plum blossom tree. I think I've explained that the plum blossom is a huge symbol for New Year's & represents romance in the coming year. If you are single & walk around the tree 3 times then you will have romance in the coming year.

The movie we saw “Enchanted”. It’s Disney – what can I say, I liked it. Very funny & of course a happy ending! I think I was the only Western person in the theater, but everyone got all the jokes, so either the subtitles were good or as I expect everyone’s English is good enough to understand.

Before the movie we had dinner at a small noodle place that serves up “healthy homemade noodles” according to Karen. You can choose green (spinach), red (tomato) or white noodles. I had a green & white combo with some pork & lots of nice Chinese broccoli (it mostly leaves & stem, not much flower at all, it’s wonderful).

I spent yesterday afternoon wandering around Tsuen Wan (20 minutes away by bus, but the closest town with a train station) with a new friend from the next building over. I met she & her husband on the bus this weekend. They’re from AZ, but have lived all over (Alaska, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, India, Vietnam, Beijing, & another smaller city in China). We are both nurses & have 2 sons, so we had plenty to talk about. As far as Tsuen Wan goes, it’s got a few, you guessed it, MALLS!! There is an Outback, KFC and ever ubiquitous, McDonald’s. So we will not go hungry!