After an all too short visit to Utah, we landed in Beijing after midnight due to heavy air traffic, meandered through customs and immigration without issue, arrived home giving our taxi directions for the first time we had ever done so, unloaded our booty and bounty and crashed! With the day of the 27th to recover and unpack and repack, we prepared to head to Hong Kong for a BYU Teachers' Conference.
We flew the 28th from Beijing to Hong Kong after a wonderful two weeks with those we LOVE! It was better than any Christmas I have ever had. It was touching and loving those who mean the most to us family and friends.
We arrived in Hong Kong just after the coldest spell they had experienced in 65 years. It was a bit chilly but what a great city! For those who don't know, Hong Kong is an island. We actually landed in Kowloon where the temple is also. We loved to explore....
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We stayed on Kowloon just across the harbor from Hong Kong. This picture shows Hong Kong from the Kowloon side. It reminded us of San Francisco, which was a wonderful surprise! How we loved to have the same feel of the hilly landscape surrounded by the bay! Wonderful! The skyscrapers touch the horizon and bring a huge feeling of BIG city which by our standards it is: 7 million people.
The double decker trolleys reminded us of Harry Potter !
Great vistas and architecture.
The laser show from Victoria Park in Kowloon looking across the harbor to Hong Kong is glorious!!
Our very favorite part about being in Hong Kong was our first opportunity to be in a sacred, holy temple in China! It was such a special morning. Our group was so large we had to be in two sessions. We are grateful the Temple President made that accommodation for us. We will never forget this sweet moment in our time in China. The Lord has truly blessed the people here to be able to go to the Holy Temple of our God. Members in Hong Kong do not work M-F. Many work all week. Some have Sundays off others not so, Sacrament meetings are held on other days also. Periodically, (I think quarterly) the Temple is open on Sunday. The leadership wondered the first time the temple was open on Sunday what the response would be from those saints who could not attend any day other than Sunday. The line of faithful members extended for blocks. Even recalling the story brings a special feeling.
This is the church office building in Hong Kong. The Asia Pacific offices are here and it is the largest area of people for the church. The presidency live in this building. The mission is also headquartered here. We encountered several sets of elders on the street. The only place in China where missionaries can teach.
A wonderful retreat with the BYU teachers and great place to visit. We are anxious to go back and see the rest of the city, Macao which is across another bay and more of Kowloon. Kathy will likely attend a women' conference in Hong Kong in March so we may return then. We stayed at a YMCA. You likely have the same thought we did: a YMCA? seriously? However, it is a wonderful hotel, western beds with a great breakfast.
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