not in yyz

Another trip!  This time to Paris, Wales, and Germany (mostly).  Overnight to CDG via YUL today.  Have my upgrades, but made my way to the Amex lounge instead of the MLL.  I like the quiet, the food (great spicy chicken today!), the view (one can actually see airplanes), and the quiet.  There are 4 in the lounge, compared to the dozens that are usually in the MLL.  Here is my view.

View from the Amex lounge in YYZ T1 domestic

Off to YUL for a three hour layover, but I got my upgrades this way, so it is worth it!

-Brian

Just a quick photo from my room:

This is an entry I cannot really write.  I say this because parts of this experience were so surreal that they are beyond my ability to write them down in such a way as to match the clarity of the surrealism (is that even a proper phrase) that is captured in my head.  I might be able to tell people when I see them, but that may also be a stretch.

I will say that this is one of the most fascinating cities I have ever seen, and I am glad to be leaving it behind me.

The airport was one of the most surreal places I have ever been.  The sky was an orange mist, with jumbos landing one after another, but the terminal empty like a massive Mirabel.

In the Communist China immigration hall (the size of the Toronto Convention Centre) God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen plays—English lyrics of course.

I took a train from the airport that sped along at 400km/h, ending abruptly a few miles from the centre of town, its tracks ending in the side of an apartment building.

I have never been wished a “Merry X-mas” so many times in the last two days as I have just been.

The hotel room I am in is designed like a luxury condo, but built like a cheap motel. Done so because next door a tower is being built that will make this room obsolete in 18 months—just as this tower did the tower next door to it.

Tomorrow is Singapore, but until then, some photos:

Nanjing Road at night

Volkswagon TV Blimp - kept circling my hotel

From one of the dining areas at the hotel

Shanghai World Financial Center

View from my room at night

Safety message (I assume)

View from the lobby

Pudong from the Bund

Arrived in the early afternoon from Tokyo to a hazy hazy Hong Kong.  After clearing formalities and getting my bag, I bought an Octopus card and hopped on the next Airport Express train to Kowloon.  less than 20 minutes later I am on the free shuttle bus to my hotel overlooking the harbour:

My hotel in Hong Kong

From my hotel room at dusk

After a quick nap and a clean up, I take a late night walk along the harbour and then up Nathan Road.  Hong Kong is such a night city, with people out until all times of the evening.  Trying to shake the jet lag, I stay out until after 1 am, looking forward to my full day exploring the city.

I wake up early, and get ready quickly, until I notice my camera battery is dead (I left it on since Tokyo).  I grab my back-up camera and decide to stick close to the neighborhood until my main camera is ready.

I take a stroll along the harbour, looking at the Avenue of the Stars, and watching the harbour traffic. Taking advice from a friend, I go up to see the Women’s Market, but it is just setting up, so I grab a train back to my hotel to pick up my camera.

Walk of the Stars, Kowloon

All charged up, I head out on the Star Ferry to Central:

On the Star Ferry

Ropes. Star Ferry

Such a different place than Kowloon.  This is the money centre.  Elevated walkways abound, as do suits.  I make my way up to the Peak Tram, to get a full view of Hong Kong:

Waiting to go up to the Peak

And what a view it is:

 

View from the peak

 

Another view from the peak

 

 

Instead of taking the tram back down, I decide to do something much more exciting—first row in the top level of a double decker bus!

 

Double decker bus-first row!

Time to go back and explore the Women’s Market. A quick MTR trip away and I am walking again on Nathan Road, over to the market.  Chintz everywhere:

 

Ladies' Market

After walking down Nathan Road some more, I decide to check out the Mid-level escalators.  These are a series of pedestrian escalators and travelators that whisk people up from Central to the mid-levels. Amazing how used they are, and how it has opened the many horizontal streets to traffic.  My feeling is this is where many of the finance related ex-pats either live or play, as I see more here than in any other bit of Hong Kong:

 

Going up to the Mid-Levels

After going up, one must go down:

 

 

Walking down Peel from the Mid-Levels

Given this has taken me about 8 hours to do, my feet are sore, AND I know I am coming back here (soon!) I decide to leave Hollywood Road and SOHO (South Of HOllywood) for next time.

I need to clean up and go see the light show

I will mostly let the photos speak for themselves on this, as they do speak volumes:

The 24th brings Shanghai.  My flight leaves at 1pm, but you can check in to the flight in the City, so this morning will be a bit of walking, some breakfast, and a ride to HKG for some plane spotting.

Hello from Narita!  I am at the Holiday Inn Narita, on a quick overnight before heading off to Hong Kong.  Flight over was fine, the seat comfortable enough, and only 2 hours late (weather in YYZ).  I have something more detailed written (for my flyer geek trip report), but here are some photos from today:

 

Departing YYZ

 

Seat 2A

 

I wanted to know what was so nasty about it!

 

-10C in Vancouver!?

 

Approaching Narita

 

From a vending machine down the hall...

Well, I forgot only one thing.  My iPhone.  Ah well, at least I have my music on my notebook.  As I always tell myself before I leave for a trip: credit cards and my passport are all I really need!

Sitting now in the domestic departures Maple Leaf Lounge, enjoying a coffee and waiting for my supposedly on-time departure.

Well that is it. I am packed, sleepy, and ready to go tomorrow morning to the airport. I was able to save my suitcase from the water, so no need to take my new one. Up at 5:30, out the door by 6. At YYZ by 6:30. That is the plan at least.

I think I am finally excited about my trip!

getting busy before the next flight to LGA

After an especially frustrating meeting at work, I am off to NYC.  I left early to lounge about in the YYZ Admiral’s Club.  A couple of Chardonnays later, I am doing OK.  My flight is even on time (!).  Upgraded myself to F for the short flight—I needed it!

I am sitting in 3A, hopefully a good view of NYC is had if we fly the Expressway Visual! (same model of plane I am on)

Not for a slow internet connection…
http://swfc-shanghai.com/

via Bloomberg.com: Worldwide.

Crap.