“Your husband let you come here by yourself…lots of pickpockets (pickpockets are mostly from the mainland)”

I had a very exciting trip to Hong Kong!  Monday night after checking in at the hotel I decided to go have a foot massage and a quick dinner in Causeway Bay.  I got myself a metro pass (I figured we would come enough that it would be worth it) and had a lovely evening wondering around.   

Tuesday I set out early to find the fabric market…I got information off a discussion board and guessed from there.  I figured if I left the hotel at 8:00 I could grab a bite to eat and then explore the fabrics and accessories before the crowds.  I found a McDonalds and had pancakes (yum).  An older man sat at the table next to me and saw I had my travel book and my map out.  He asked me where I was going and he said that the fabric markets wouldn’t be opening until at least 11 and even then is early (sigh) and plus yesterday was a holiday so they will be closed (YESTERDAY WAS A HOLIDAY SO THEY WILL BE CLOSED TODAY????). We had a wonderful conversation, he thought I was be Indian but commented that my skin wasn’t dark then he motioned to the henna tattoo on my foot and laughed.  I told him I was living on the Mainland and that Adam was there, he was very concerned (title quote), defended Hong Kong Locals and bashed Chinese citizens all at once.

 I figured for sure he was wrong…but after 2 more trips on the MTR back and forth to another market I realized that Chinese people don’t run like the Dallands.  When someone tells me to be at a shop early I am early (5:00 am on Black Friday…I’ll be there!).  The books say get to the markets early because they get crazy in the afternoons…someone should say that early means after lunch.  Anyway most of the booths were closed but I quickly realized this was not a Lindsay friendly experience.  There were rolls and rolls of fabric all different colors sizes styles makes and patterns piled on top of each other and you really have to dig through literally hundreds of rolls to find what you want (this is at each booth) then there are shops with small samples of any fabric you can imagine floor to ceiling and in narrow aisles.  I was totally overwhelmed but I did enjoy the accessory shops (which were all open).  There was a shop with just zippers, tons of shops with just buttons or ribbon or pins or thread.  I got some ribbon and some really cool buttons for next to nothing.  There is also a Ladies Market which sells bags and silk and souvenirs.  Everything I saw I could get better quality and cheaper on the mainland. I met Jodie and Louie for dinner at an Italian place, which was wonderful!

Wednesday Jodie and Louie dropped off their Visas and we had a wonder around the Arts and Antiques district.  We spent most of the day there then went western grocery shopping and to dinner.  We didn’t get home until 10:00.  Louie was a great sport being strapped in the stroller all day with his rain cover on.

Thursday we crossed our fingers as we picked up Jodie and Louie’s visas (everything was good), we went to breakfast and taxied to the train station.  We went through the border crossing and got through OK (you never know in China) and met the driver on the other side.