Hong Kong Sunday p.1 -- Big Buddha

I ferried this morning out to Lantau Island to see this alleged "Big Buddha". Avid Reader, I've seen NOTHING more awesome in my entire life. 100% awe-spiring. No joke.

Lantau Peak was covered in fog so Tian Tan Buddha was hard to appreciate as you could only see this 34m statue up close. However, every now and again, the fog would briefly clear, and I could catch a glimpse. It was nothing short of a spectacle. Best, I was able to get up to the mountain before the gates opened, so was one of the first few with an uncongested hike up the 250 steps to see this amazing statue emerge from the misty mountains. Awesome, Avid Reader. Just awesome.



Having ferried over and bussed up, I caught the cable car down. I may have simply wrapped my head in a white sheet for the trip as I was completely enveloped in fog the entire way down the mountain. At lower elevations, I was able to capture the airport and a small Hong Kong village (HA!). And since it was an adventure, I was able to have a good time gearing up for Hong Kong Sunday p.2!

Hong Kong Sunday p.2 -- Disneyland Hong Kong!

Anaheim? Check.
Orlando? Check.
Paris? Check.
Tokyo? Check.
Hong Kong? Check!

I've done it! Part 2 of my adventure today included checking off the one Disneyland Park that I'd not previously visited: Disneyland Hong Kong! One subway stop from where the cable car dropped me off, I found myself at a transfer station to the Happiest Place on Earth. Being NOT CONFUSED AT ALL, I hopped the train and went to check out this American import.

I'll save the WONDERFUL details for you, Avid Reader, when you're in the mood to be Disney-ed out. Until then, however, I will simply leave you with a sampling of my adventures in photo form. Enjoy!

Hong Kong!

I'm in Hong Kong! Save the significant layover from India to Korea in November, this is my first visit to this amazingly history-rich city!

First impressions?
- It's far less "British" than I imagined. I have to admit, I have no idea where that idea came from.
- Man, there are a lot of apartment buildings!
- The island style of roads -- and construction thereon -- reminds me a lot of my visit to St.Maarten in 2004.
- Lots of slope and water management on the hills.
- I was expecting more shiny & new, forgetting that this is a history-rich city (see note above).
- The high was 73F at best today. I was sweating like a stuck pig on a hot Mississippi afternoon... yes, while the sun was down and the entire city was clouded over.
- This place is UNBELIEVABLE! The architecture is awesome (save the apts)!

I walked the heart of Hong Kong all afternoon and got to take sights and sounds, including a look at Victoria Harbour from The Peak. Unfortunately, it wasn't a clear day here, but it may be the best, so I took advantage. I studied the map and found my way at the base of the Peak Tram in no time at all. Turns out, hundreds of other folks had the same idea. Nothing like a tourist trap... and I'll happily go along!

I stayed atop the 370m peak for quite a while, just taking in the view. I watched fog roll in, cruise ships -- miniaturized below -- stroll in & out, and breaths taken at everyone's first glimpse of the world below. This place really is a sea of skyscrapers right up to the mountains. Wholly impressive!

More trapsing around the city and a wonderful Thai dinner later and I'm back at the hotel preparing to have a full day at my disposal tomorrow. Adventures to come for sure... I've got a doozie of a day planned!

Protest by Day; Peace by Night

I come to my last day in Seoul. It was a day of dichotomy.

I arrived @ work this morning to a building surrounded by an outer layer of peaceful (but LOUD!) protest and an inner layer of guardsmen & security for the building owners' Shareholder Meeting. Every single person had to show some form of ID as all doors but one were blocked off. But... um... they let me just walk right on in! Come on! Don't I look scary? Just a little bit suspicious? I suppose they assumed (correctly) that I wouldn't have been able to understand their request for identification, but would have been secretly pleased to have whipped out my badge nonetheless.

Inside the building, we endured 4+ hours of "concerns" broadcast to shareholders and heard as if the conversation was a cube away. POSCO should have built themselves a building with better windows! If I were a shareholder, you can bet that's what I'd bring up next year! Double-pane windows! Hello! For every 15-minute rant, the entire crowd would then sing along to a national anthem of some sort and dance & cheer. Seriously, if I hadn't heard the angry shouting, I would have sworn it was some sort of celebration, like the Fourth of July or Liberation Day Parade. And of course, I had to stick my camera out the window to capture the scene!

Tonight, my evening has been filled with down time in the hotel as I glow at the Huskies big Pac-10 win, prepare to leave in the morning for Hong Kong, and try to beat this nasty-whatever-it-is that's trying to take hold. I've enjoyed watching the 14-lane interesection below resolve itself for the past couple of hours (it hasn't). And for some strange reason, it feels like Christmas. Pretty lights. I'm content.

Farewell, Seoul.

Priceless?

International adventures in Japan, Korea & Hong Kong: Priceless.
Representing Microsoft in Asia: Priceless.
Dinner: 8,000 Won (~$5.28).

Kalbi, anyone? Shaboo Shaboo?

Amazingly, I've already been on this trip for a week. I'm now on my third night in Seoul and have finally been able to opt for a night in. I can't wait for room service, a hot bath (yes, I'm a blog update away from my favorite tub in the whole world), a movie, and an early night.

We arrived in Seoul on Sunday afternoon after Stephen's International Travel Rookie Mistake No.1: no cash in Japan. Boastfully using his PASSMO card in the cab -- and unknowingly draining the balance -- left him without the 400 Yen to get into the subway to get to the airport. Being a seasoned traveler with the SuperPower of Resourcefulness, however, I rescued the day with an ingenious solution, though not after watching Stephen race around Shinagawa Station looking for a ticket vendor who accepted VISA/MAST/AMEX (nope!) or an ATM that accepted International cards (sorry, French!). And if me giving him a hard time later is your next question, then you are following the exact train of thought you should be! WOO HOO!

The adventure didn't stop there, however, as we were joined here in Korea by colleagues from Hong Kong and enjoyed awesome Korean BBQ at Samwon Garden that boasts of its kalbi and its famous guests, including the likes of Hines Ward & Paris Hilton (if I had only known, I would have gone oh so much sooner!). Arthur, Stephen, Doug and I closed SG down that night -- not a lot of late Sunday evening diners. *sorry Samwon*. As advertised, the ribs were incredible; we had to order two more servings.

Last night, the DRIVE Korea team treated us to Shaboo Shaboo. Honestly, Avid Reader, I'm unsure if that was the name of the restaurant or the type of cooking we enjoyed. Short story, we were each given a personal vat of seasoned boiling soup in which to boil dinner... from various types of greens to mushrooms to noodles to beef. Delicious and efficient, we ended the evening fat and happy. Though that could just have been me as the American in the party, to be fair. (And leveraging my SuperPower of Resourcefulness, check out this site; from the photos, it looks to be the name of the restaurant, though I can't read a single thing! But enjoy all the same!)

I think it'll be a low-key rest-of-week here in Seoul, then off to Hong Kong on Friday. I'm excited about what's to come!

Disney Sea!

It was just a typical Saturday in Asia... except that I spent it at Tokyo's DISNEY SEA!!!

Indeed, Avid Reader, I woke up this morning, caught the 7:30 hotel shuttle to Shinagawa Station to catch a train to Tokyo Station to catch a train to Maihama Station to catch the Disney Resort Line train to Disney Sea! The second of two parks in Tokyo, I wasn't able to go the last time I was here, though had a ticket to use... and did I ever!

I arrived shortly after the park opened, had an incredible day altogether -- made even more perfect by the ability to share the adventure with friends/Disney friends from afar (via the magic of text messaging and international cell phones) -- and am now so many more memories richer because of it. As with any Disney adventure, I start with the question, "Where do I begin?!", so am just going to...

- I nearly didn't get in! The ticket I bought in May 2008, though with an expiry in May 2009, set off a number of alarms when I tried to get in this morning. A trek back to the ticket line to exchange the old ticket (along wtih 200 JPY) and I was good to go!
- First Ride: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Brilliant. (Do I admit that I QuIM'd throughout the entire ride? Check out a newly uploaded videhere to see what I saw!)
- Indiana Jones promised a 110 minute wait. Liars! It took 120 exactly. And OH SO worth it!
- FastPass'ed Journey to the Center of the Earth. The best ride in the park, bar none. OK, unless you consider the following a ride...
- Seeing Ariel again."You're far from home", I started. She was all coy... 'You are too! Where are you from?" "Seattle," I said. "And you?" "Under the Sea." I know she wanted to reach out an hug me.
- Her Dad's Kingdom was pretty darn awesome. I would have given a fin to have been able to ride the jellyfish.
- I think I may have witnessed the most amazing Disney spectacle of all in The Legend of Mythica. Kite-flying Ski-doos, decorated barges that would have put any Rose Parade float to shame, amazing costumes galore, and Disney staples... what more could a Disney fan ask for?!

I have to admit that I petered out before evening fireworks. I'll chalk it up to a requirement for another visit. In the meantime, however, what an awesome day. Capped with an amazing Chinese food dinner here in the hotel with Entertaining Aussie Stephen Dolan. And now, Avid Reader, off to Korea tomorrow for a week of meetings in Seoul!

Tokyo and your Disney Sea, I love you!