We got up early to go and eat at McDonalds. It honestly wasn't bad. I had a safe hotcake platter. A couple in the group got a noodle soup meal that had fried chicken or sausage in it. After that, we went to the Academy for the Performing Arts and rehearsed for a while. After that, we met a couple of local guides (who were also trombonists and would be attending the conference). We ate lunch at a popular fast food place. This was the best fast food I have ever had, all of it restaurant levels of tastiness.
After that, we took The Star Ferry across Victoria Harbor to explore the Kowloon island of Hong Kong to explore some sights over there, including where the Hong Kong Philharmonic plays. We also visited the Avenue of the Stars, essentially the equivalent of Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Among the stars' handprints and names in the cement is a large statue of Bruce Lee commemorating his life and career.
This afternoon, we decided to attempt to climb the mountain on Kowloon to reach the top of Lion Rock. This was an incredibly intense walk for all of us, even those who only went about halfway up. On my group's way down, we passed by a Buddhist Temple, hanging around the entrance of which were a few Macaque monkeys. It was exciting to see this animal in the wild for the first time. Because my camera does not have a zoom lens, I do not have a decent picture of them. The walk was grueling, both up and down. My feet hurt terribly and my clothes are all drenched from sweat and the dreadfully humid climate. I will say, however, that the limited view I did get was very much worth it. Of course, pictures will never do the real thing justice.
Dinner was enjoyable, my group reconvening after a short respite and discovering a dumpling restaurant. We stopped at a grocery store afterward and now I am nibbling on an ice cream drumstick and drinking a Coke Light with Lemon. Tomorrow is the start of the conference, which means performing for us during the opening concert.
Below are photos from yesterday and today
No comments:
Post a Comment