At the end of March, I flew from Heathrow with seven relatives,to Hong Kong for a family wedding. We stayed at the large and modern Panda Hotel in Tsuen Wan on a bed and breakfast basis, and it was an excellent mid-budget choice;clean, comfortable,great breakfasts, and near the MTR subway station. There's also a swimming pool, restaurants, a free shuttle bus to the City, and an adjacent shopping mall. It's easy to find; there's a giantic panda print on the side of the building, and the panda theme is repeated throughout the hotel. The child in me loved it! The first week was a whirlwind of entertainment,dining, sight-seeing, and pre -nuptial Chinese tea ceremonies with the couple and their families, receiving outstanding hospitality. Memorable trips were; the cable car to the Big Buddha and the Po Lin monastery; the Star Ferry across the harbour, and evening horse- racing at Happy Valley. (Only £1 entry charge!) Residents of Hong Kong love eating out, and we were treated to some spectacular dining experiences; e.g; sharing dim sum on an 118th floor restaurant with heart-stopping views. The wedding itself was held on the fabulously glamorous Jumbo Kingdom (a famous floating restaurant reconstructed in the Chinese Imperial Palace style) in Aberdeen Harbour, The second week was spent exploring the City, the markets, and strolling around the fascinating harbour area. The museums and temples in Hong Kong are well worth visiting. I spent hours at the Museum of History (exhibits had English and Chinese captions) which covered Pre-History to the present day, including the Colonial Past. There are numerous, smaller museums and shrines too, such as the charming Lo Pan Shrine to Builders. For someone planning a trip, I can recommend the website; www.discoverhongkong.com which lists and describes just about everything that can be experienced in the City, and surrounding area including details of the useful Octopus Card, used for travel and shopping. Also, for travellers with disabilities, Hong Kong's services and facilities are excellent with all the information available on; www.rehabsociety.org.hk. Any downsides?Well,only one; I wish I'd taken a decent camera. My new phone's camera function turned out to be underwhelming! I loved Hong Hong, the energy of a city where people work and play hard; the stunning visual feast; the colours and smells (the translation of Hong Kong is "fragrant harbour"). and above all the friendliness of the HongKongese.
