Here are pictures of my jaunt to Hong Kong on Saturday :
I’m sitting in the taxi on the way to Luohu train station and border crossing in Shenzhen. Look for the signs that say ‘To Hong Kong’ and eventually you will end up at the customs check point. For some reason an inordinate number of Mainlanders wanted to cross today, so the ‘Foreigner’ section and lanes inside were just swamped with people as well. But an official called the few of us that were obviously foreign : ) out to a barricaded lane they carved out for us. ‘Thank you, thank you’ I said as he let us through. Once on the Hong Kong side where you pick up the East Rail Line to the city, it was smooth going. I took it down south all the way to Hung Hom station in the heart of Kowloon. The pink mural is from there, showing the wavy roof of the station. Of course there is a bus terminal and taxi stands outside as well. But I took the train to Tsim Tsa Tsui from there where the people picture was taken and where I ogled some Swiss watches in the windows. (Which one is best? The super square design from Jaeger Le Coultre, or the one with the Salvador Dali-ish numerals from Frank Muller?). Then I bought some newsmagazines, a math book ‘Alex’s Adventures in Numberland’ and a few grocery items before I headed back. The Shenzhen Shangri-la with the UFO restaurant at the top (in the center of the last picture below) is my personal landmark when I arrive back at the sprawling Luoho train station.