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Ok, we missed our dose of
Disney over the 2005/2006 New Year so we had to get it somehow and it
turned out to be Disney's latest park, opened in September 2005 in Hong
Kong. We also slummed it again, stopping in the Hong Kong Disney
Hollywood Hotel for a couple of nights!
As we sat at the airport in
Beijing we had one last laugh at something that was all too often seen
throughout China, a lack of respect for the environment, or anything in
it. All round the airport they have double bins, one for recyclable items
and one for everything else. You would think this contradicts what I have
just said, but no, we saw them empty several bins and guess what? They
empty both bins into the same bag on the cleaner’s cart! We were not in
the slightest bit surprised!
Hong Kong Disneyland! In
all the times I have been to Disney in Florida I have never stayed at a
Disney hotel. From the minute we walked in to the time we left we were so
impressed with the service. The hotel room we had overlooked the park and
so our first evening we sat on our bed and watched the fireworks over
Sleeping Beauty's Castle. All over the hotel Mickey's ears decorated
almost everything, some really subtly, but it was interesting to see how
the theme was used throughout.
The following morning we
headed off to the park and again we were impressed from the second we
walked into the park to moment we left. It doesn't have as many rides as
Magic Kingdom in Orlando, but what it does have are great. It also has a
couple of shows that we hadn't seen before, "The Golden Mickeys" being our
favourite. Space Mountain was a bit of a let down as I reckon I could
have taken a hot drink on there and not burnt myself. It went fairly
quick towards the end, but it is nothing compared to Florida. The Disney
Parade was excellent and the fireworks, when you watch them in front of
the Castle were even better.
From Disney we went to
Kowloon for a couple of nights and met up with a mate and ex-colleague,
Chris, for a couple of nights out. The first night we got wined and dined
courtesy of the bank as the course was being run in the hotel and we were
invited to join the other guys, which was nice, although I am glad we
didn't have to get up and go to work the following morning, well
technically it was the same morning!
Our final night in Hong
Kong, which was also the opening night of the Football World Cup, we went
to the Big Tree Pub down Knutsford Terrace. We literally just got inside
when the heavens opened, although this didn't deter Chris from stepping
outside to make a phone-call! Later on we were joined by the rest of the
gang that were working with Chris. Luckily for us, Shannon had brought
the twins with her and Andy, an awesome magician, had brought his cards
with him! |