Hong Kong Break Down

1. I can't upload photos at this time. I guess blogger agrees that my photography skills just can't capture the glory of Hong Kong.

2. Getting on the Plane: So we bought our e-tickets from the Korean travel agency downstairs. They speak marginal english. We well below marginal korean. But somehow we acquired a piece of paper that said dates and flights to hong kong. So we went to the airport, giddy with anticipation and lightly packed suitcases ready for all the swag they would contain upon our return. Here's what went down:

Lumina and KaRyn: Hello! Here are our passports. We are here at your fine airport ready to go to Hong Kong.
Korean Airlines Lady (KAL): Do you have your itinerary please?
L&K: Oh no. We left them at home accidently, but it's ok because it is an E-ticket. You know, E-ticket?
KAL: You are not in our system. Do you have a confirmation number?
L&K: It's an E-ticket. No. It must be on the paper at home. Just a moment while we call our friend Jill who will most certainly run home from whatever she is doing to look at our confirmation number. Did we mention that it was an E-ticket?
(JILL via phone): hmmmm it appears that there is nothing even remotely resembling a confirmation number on this scrap of paper that is neither a receipt for monies paid or a true itinerary.
L (starting to suspect something is not right at the Incheon Airport): KaRyn, did you get a charge on your credit card for the tickets?
K (panic starting to settle in) : oh, um. uh. uh. noooooooooo! It's an E-ticket.........um, did you?
KAL: Hello? can you please step out of line and go home and tell all of your friends that you forgot to go back downstairs to the travel agency to confirm the tickets and pay for them while we let other people who actually BOUGHT tickets go to Hong Kong? Thank You.

And so began the maddening process of attempting to purchase standby tickets at astronomical prices AT THE AIRPORT. Note to self: next time, do not rely on the glamorous ruse that is the e-ticket and try PAYING for your tickets before you try to travel internationally. Just a thought.

3. Dim Sum
It's all I ever wanted. Alie used to talk about starting a restaurant called "little bits" which would only serve a little bit of everything. Then we realized there was already something liek that and it was called COSTCO. But we were wrong. Long before costco was dim sum...little bits of deliciousness in bamboo baskets served for brunch or lunch in China. yum yum.

4.The Lights of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is known for its ecclectic and overwhelming architecture and at 8pm each night, the buildings in the central district light up and shoot flaming lasers across the harbor to Kowloon where Lumina and I took a break from shopping long enough to see it go down. Beautiful. Like a laser show on crack and without pink floyd's The Wall. As soon as I can, I will upload a photo.

5. Shopping
H and M. H & M. aych and em. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 4 pairs of shoes, 6 sweaters, one dress, one bag, one coat and that was all in one day. Dreamy.

more to come....