World's longest Escalator

April the 5th we woke up and rode the world's longest escalator system. It ran for about 30 minutes and transported us through the financial district of upper class Hong Kong Island, through the more ghetto parts of town, and finally to within 600m of the "peak," a large hill that overlooks most of Hong Kong. It kind of spit us out in the middle of nowhere on a fairly busy street so we just started walking. 20 minutes later we arrived at a sign that led us towards the local zoological and botanical gardens. At first we were skeptical because there was only flowers and trees, and there was no entrance fee. Soon, however, we were surrounded in monkeys, dog sized rodents, 10 foot long pythons, 3 toed sloths, and a myriad of tropical birds. It was unbelievable.
Next we went to a market.

It would be silly to describe in detail what happened since noon that day and 2100 this evening because it has been so far outside of the spectrum of events that I have tried to use words to describe during my life before now. I will just make a few points and let you imagine.

We took a train to a Buddhist temple that had 40 foot long pieces of incense burning 100 at a time.

We shopped in a jade market that had 400 booths and 100000000 pieces of authentic jade jewelry.

We bought mango for 8 US Cents and they tasted fresh like dirt and sweet like honey.

We lied on the beach in the 24 degree C heat.

We collected half in square tiles that had fallen from a 1950s war monument and washed up along the beach.

We saw old women haggle over live chickens in a market and than watched the man slit their throats and drain them of blood before boiling them and giving them to the customer.

We saw bags of 6 live turtles for sale.

Hong Kong is Unbelievable. Alaska is a fleeting memory (except for my friends and family who I wish could be here to experience all of this unbelievable stuff).

Tomorrow we are going to go fishing on a small Island outside the main harbor. Afterwards we will pack up and leave our hostel and prep for flying to Bangkok.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

I have been smiling the entire time we have been here.

This makes Euro 2007 look like a joke.

We are the only white people around most of the time.

Words can't do justice how unbelievable it is here.

Thanks for reading and spread the word about our blog. ( dad could you tell alex so he can hit up my covy friends - thanks)

Much love, Christopher Dunaway

P.S. The pictures are of a small temple, a very large cucumber, and a market street.