Hong Kong Christmas!

In general, there is no place I would rather be than home for the holidays, surrounded by my family and friends. Yes, I did cry when I talked to my parents and my best friend the day before I left for my Christmas vacation knowing I wouldn't get to see them on Christmas, even over the computer. But, I knew I was going somewhere I would never spend Christmas at again. Only one time before that did I miss Christmas with my family, but still I was with my best friend in Mexico celebrating the holidays. This would be the first time I would be away from the people I loved on the holiday we value the most.

HOWEVER...Britney and Darren (her boyfriend) were wonderful friends to spend my Christmas vacation with. We taught until Wednesday at LCI, packed our bags, and headed to Hong Kong on Christmas Eve Day. After hours of travel, we were greeted in the city by Britney's best friend from college who is a volunteer through the Maryknoll program and also was a crucial in helping us receive a Christmas miracle! Here's an overview of our wonderful trip with a few added details.

Thursday, December 24th- We traveled from Korea to Beijing and finally Hong Kong. Molly and another Maryknoll volunteer brought us to our very depressing hostel where we were supposed to stay for the next two nights. There couldn't have been a worse place to be on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! Aside from that we freshened up, experienced Wan Kwai Fong (a busy bar area with lots of shopping) craziness, and made it just in time for Midnight Mass at a beautiful Cathedral that was packed inside and out. It was a wonderful end to Christmas Eve.

Friday, December 25th- MERRY CHRISTMAS! We slept away our only sunny day of the trip until 11:30am, but the rest was very much needed. We took an over-the-edge (quite literally) double decker bus ride out to Stanley Island to meet Molly. After hours of looking for the Maryknoll house to find her, we looked up. At the highest point you could see from Stanley was a red and green building with a white cross on top...we found Molly and the Maryknoll house! After what felt like a hike up the long, steep hill to the house, Molly once again greeted us. We were in awe! Molly and a few other volunteers had the entire place to themselves! This is where and when the

Christmas Miracle happened.

Molly talked to her boss

and got us our own rooms with balconies overlooking the South China Sea in the Maryknoll Rest House as long as we wanted to stay, meals included, for just a little more than we were paying for our dump. We felt like we were staying in a mansion with our own personal chefs! We

couldn't have asked for a greater blessing on Christmas Day-THANK YOU MOLLY! The rest of the afternoon we spent browsing the town market and sites of Stanley and retired very early again that evening with our spirits lifted from the night before!

Saturday, December 26th-Wednesday, December 30th- Let's just say we did a lot of relaxing, which I think is exactly what vacations are for, but don't always end up to be. We slept in every morning

and were in bed before midnight the entire trip! Before Molly left to go back into mainland China, she took us to fish and flower markets where we experienced the most rancid smell (I've ever smelt-HONESTLY!) of stinky tofu, showed us different areas of Hong Kong, took us up the world's longest escalator, and out for a nice dinner. When she left, we ventured off on our own. We checked out all the beautiful beaches

of the South China Sea around Stanley. Unfortunately we couldn't swim in it like we had done in Taiwan due to the chilly weather. We took the world's steepest tram up to Victoria's peak over looking Hong Kong at night. It was a breathtaking experience in more than one way. The ride up was a bit intense, there were only glass walls keeping you from going over the edge, and the site was spectacular! On Tuesday, we moved back onto Hong Kong Island where we fortunately had a much nicer hostel booked for our last two nights to be closer to the subway. We ate the traditional

Chinese meal of Dim Sum, that I would describe as a variety of very interesting appetizers including chicken claws, on the Jumbo Floating Restaurant. The night light show from the water was also quite a site! Finally, on our last (rainy) day, we took cable cars with a see through glass bottom to the top of another mountain to see a beautiful monastery and the world's biggest Buddha! It was definitely a highlight of the trip and very humbling. We ended our vacation and Hong Kong Disneyland. The Christmas parade and lights, It's a Small World, and Space Mountain topped off our Disney adventures!

Thursday, December 31st- HAPPY NEW YEAR! After another day of flights, we celebrated the new year with our Korean taxi driver just minutes from our apartment. Other than charging us way too much for the ride, he was in good spirits telling us USA is #1 and Canada #2. He was a bit confused when we yelled "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" multiple times, but quickly joined the celebration when we pointed at his clock that read 11:59pm. Guess where we started the new year? McDonald's!

Okay, it was the only place open for our hungry stomachs. This New Year's definitely beat last year's after having my wisdom teeth out the day before! Come to think of it...I was probably sipping on a McDonald's milk shake on the past two years...I might make it a tradition!

All in all, it was a great trip. My body was resting while my mind was distracted from missing my family and friends at home with all the tourist attractions we saw. Britney and Darren were a blast to travel with. I know you all had a white Christmas this year, but I hope you all had safe travels and a happy holiday season! HAPPY NEW YEAR AND BEST WISHES FOR 2010!