Day 4 Hong Kong- Kowloon

We spent most of our fourth day in Hong Kong on Kowloon Island. After hoping off the Star Ferry we picked up some walking maps and headed straight for the big populated streets that led us to the jade market. We passed super luxurious hotels and numerous high-end stores like Prada, Burberry, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and many more. The strangest thing was seeing the ridiculously high-end stores practically next to old China's dilapidated high-rise condo buildings. So much of Kowloon was new and wealthy but in the cracks you could see old China peaking through. We reached the jade market and had a blast bargaining with some of the vendors. I snapped a picture of the adorable couple who sold me a few of the necklaces I bought. The little Chinese ladies were ruthless with the bargaining. In the end Justin and I decided that we got completely ripped off but deemed it a worthy Hong Kong experience and didn't mind so much. My favorite buy was the jade pig and ox for the year Addie was born in and the year Hokie Bird 2 will be born in. Justin already said that the kids can't take them with them when they move out. After the jade market we found some Japanese lunch complete with ice cream for dessert (ice cream in Hong Kong was delicious unlike the filth they call ice cream here in Manila). We spent the rest of the afternoon in Kowloon park at the aviary and the great children's playground. The weather was perfect and it was a great place to get some fresh air and hear the birds chirping (or squawking for the parrots). We took the ferry back to Hong Kong Island after we were sufficiently pooped and ended our last day with another dose of Mexican food in SoHo. We packed up for our early shuttle to the airport and gladly said goodbye to our tiny hotel room. There was a little bit of remorse about returning to Manila but once we got home and all had good a good night's sleep in our own beds we were glad to be home. Oh, and for the record anyone who says that you can't travel the world with small children just doesn't have the patience or imagination. It can be done!